To ML or not to ML: How do you like your Longfangs?

[Ambrosius_]

I should preface this post by saying that I'm new to 40k, so apologies if the following seems like a silly question.  So here's my scenario.  I've got my shiny new box of Longfangs which I'm building to compliment my Sanctus Reach starter set.  I'm all excited becase the kit comes with some BIG guns and I want them ALL.  =)  My main opponent is IG and loves his tanks, so I'm setting the Longfangs up to be anti-armor.  Obvious choice is the lascannon for pure tank-hunting.  The big question mark for me is the missile launcher.  It seems like an obvious pairing with the lascannon(s) because the range is the same and it's high enough strength to be useful against vehicle also.  However, it's not that much cheaper than a lascannon and the difference in their strength values seems significant, especially against AV14.  But wait!, you say.  It's so much more versatile.  You can splitfire it off against his infantry if you want.  This is true, but to my newbie eyes, the frag template doesn't look like anything to write home about.  Just looking at the various weapon statlines, it seems like if I want anti-infantry, a second group of Longfangs with heavy bolters and plasma cannons would be a better bet.  Final item of note is the flakk missile upgrade, which makes the ML more expensive than the LC, but gives us some anti-air.  Not sure about this option because I haven't run into any fliers yet @ 750 pts.

 

So, given the above considerations, is it worth mixing a ML or two into my tank-hunting Longfangs for some versatility and possibly some anti-air?  Or should I just spend the extra few ponts and go for pure lascannons?  I realize there's probably no clear-cut "right" answer, but any advice or ML pros/cons I may have missed would be greatly appreciated.

[Nadir]

Lazz all the way. Maybe one ml. If you want anti horde, h.bolters or plasma especially vs more elite stuff. ML are not so good these days, because of the low AP.

One more thing: flak missilles are soooo expensive that I wouldn't bother. Better for that points+a bit more, buy razorback with linked ass.cannon for their transport and AA platform.

[Donkalleone]

Ml are way more versatil than LS and Heavy Bolters.

[Rune_Priest_Rhapsody]

I used to run 2 full packs of ML Long Fangs, but as Nadir mentioned they are rather lack luster in this edition.

When I do run Long Fangs now it's 3 Heavy Bolters and 2 Plasma Cannons and I go after hoard or medium armored units. Things that need a lot of fire power thrown at them.

I have been running Vindicators with a lot of success however. The power armored veterans are just not as resilient.

 

End of Line

[Lord Blackwood]

I think that  I like my missle launcher long fangs a lot , the very  first game I  payed of 40k was against an IG  tank  company list , the longfangs destroyed several tanks and shot down his plane before they were blown up. But it really dose depend on what yer playing against, what do you need , if you have the sanctus reach supplament you  got a squad of mid range termis some blood claws and some grey hunters as well as a wolf lord , moving forward you wanna decide what it is yer  Long Fangs are gonna do.  I think yer own assessment of yer local meta should help you  more than anything else.  Personally im a big fan of giving my boys missle launchers  but again it all depends on what you are gonna have to play against. 

[Frater Cornelius]

Wrong.

 

With the increased cost of ML, decreased cost of LC and the new vehicle damage table you are much better served with LC.

 

HB should not be underestimated, as they destroy most infantry with massed wounds.

 

While ML have flexibility, they do nothing well anymore. LC against tanks and HB against infantry would be my preferred pick.

[DanPesci]

Have been running a squad of HB fangs since 5th and they are always great fun (tons of dakka).

 

15 S5 shots will cut down most things, power armour included.

 

However my long fangs are seeing less action now, instead im relying on melta squads or thunderwolves to deal with armour. LC can be good against tanks but they get expensive quick. With you now needing AP1/2 to kill tanks in one shot though, i think ML are nowhere near as versatile as they were (as they increased in points too)

 

One thing maybe worth tying though is 2-3 squads of long fangs (1 all HB, 1 all LC, 1 all PC), all setup within 6" of ulric, pretty horrible firebase that.

[Frater Cornelius]

I have to go back on my word a little bit. ML Fangs are good if it is your only unit and you do not need extreme AT or AI.

If you want pure AT, bring LC. If you want pure AI, bring HB.

But my list is saturated with anti horde and anti tank, so I needed a general long ranged support unit that can help in different areas. This is where ML Fangs shine.

[Baulder]

ML seem to fall into that "in a pinch" category, their strength is predominantly their versatility. Yes there are better 'specialist' weapons but these can do a reasonable job of supporting you in most situations, so if you don't know what you're going to be facing they are a safe bet. There is another role for these and that is MC killing. A few MCs have a 3+ save and given the high str of krak missiles you'll find they can do a fair job of chipping away at the MCs while you're mobile units (TWC/bikes) close the ground to finish them off. 

 

Furthermore, while the changes to the vehicle rules have meant that missiles struggle to blow up targets now it isn't all doom and gloom for the ML long fangs. You can still glance to death, which for an assault based army, can be a bonus as you can avoid collateral. 

 

My personal set-up (when I run LF) is to run 4ML + 1LC and ideally 2 units. This way I can spitfire the LCs and have 3 main targets. Also, if you glance a few full points with the first ML squad you then have the option to throw in a LC shot from the second squad to finish that vehicle while his squad moves to other targets.

[Frater Cornelius]

Glancing to death is the superior way to kill tanks these days.

[Ambrosius_]

Cheers for all the great info, guys.  For the time being, I will only be fielding one unit of Longfangs, and I do have one other dedicated anti-armor unit (melta-pod) in my starter list.  I posted it in the army list forum, but for reference it's roughly:

 

Rune Priest

2 x 5 Grey Hunters with Plasma

5 Terminators with Combi-Meltas and Drop Pod

Rifle Dreadnought

5 Longfangs - gear to be determined

 

Not especially competitive or super-original, but that's what I get for basing it around one of GW's boxed sets.  Anyway, all of the units in the list are slow, so I wanted the Dreadnought and the Fangs to have the range to support any of my other three units.  Given the context of the list and the feedback above, it sounds like ML's wouldn't be completely worthless.