Tactica Forgefiends

[tdemayo]

Overview

 

The Forgefiend is an AV 12 walker with two weapon arms and an optional head mount.  It has special Daemon vehicle rules, granting it a 5+ invulnerable save, It Will Not Die, Fleet, and a one-turn-reroll to wound or penetrate called Daemonifuge.  It is primarily a long-ranged fire-support unit.  Most players consider the Forgefiend overpriced, and thus a weak competitive choice. Despite that, I rather like them.

 

There are two basic Forgefiend configurations.  By default, it has two Hades autocannons, which are S8 AP4 weapons, each of which is heavy 4.  I find that these 8 shots are quite good at stripping the hull points from vehicles and at killing infantry.  Their main disadvantage is the weak AP, which prevents them from getting an explode result on most vehicles and cannot negate MEQ saves. The high S and weight of fire can overwhelm even well-armored targets -- I've killed plenty of Tau Broadsides and Crisis Suits with them by doubling out their toughness when they fail a save.

 

You can also replace the autocannons with Ectoplasm cannons: plasma cannons with S8, and/or mount a Ectoplasm cannon in the head.  The extra S means they will autokill T4 models and gives them a better chance of penetrating vehicles.  The cannon mouth also looks pretty cool.

 

The Forgefiend has a few other advantages:

• As a walker, it can move 6" and still fire multiple weapons.  It's handy to be able to adjust position slightly and not worry about losing shots.  I often deploy the Fiend behind blocking terrain, and move it on my first turn to fire. 
• The 5++ Invulnerable save gives it a modest boost to survivability compared to other AV 12 vehicles.  It is also less dependent on terrain to protect it.
• Daemonic Possession means the Forgefiend is never stunned or shaken. It can always fire.
• It has a modest hand to hand capacity, a bit worse than a shooty Dreadnaught.  It can therefore defend itself in combat against remnant infantry units that get to close, or even charge and give the enemy a nasty surprise.
• Theoretically, it can recover lost hull points, but I always fail my It Will Not Die rolls, so I don't consider this a major factor.
• The Daemonforge rule provides a slight boost to one round of shooting.  When I really want an enemy vehicle to die, I will trigger it to reroll armor penetration.  It can make the difference sometimes, even if it is not terribly reliable.
• The high rate of fire gives the Forgefiend a modest AA capacity.  With 8 shots, there are good odds you will roll at least a 6 snap-firing at aircraft, and S 8 is pretty good at hurting AV 10 or 11 fliers. Heck, I've even killed a Stormraven with one, but that was mostly luck.

 

On the negative side:

 

• The Forgefiend is overpriced.  This is the biggest problem, really.  if it cost 30 or 40 points less, it would be a much better choice.
• Av 12 is easy to kill. Even with Daemon and IwnD, it's still just a big Dreadnaught.
• It is BS 3.  So, although the Autocannons have 8 shots, only 4 of them will be hitting on average.
• It is WS 3 and I 3. In combat, it is even more underwhelming than a shooting dread, striking after most opponents, and usually getting hit on 3s even if it survives.

 

How I Use Them

 

I often run two Forgefiends as firesupport, with the standard Hades Autocannon configuration.  I view them as a replacement for their nearest competitor, the tri-lascannon Predator.  Both vehicles are anti-armor assets.

 

Compared to the Predator:

 

• A Forgefiend has a higher volume of shots, but worse accuracy and poorer S and AP.  The Forgefiend's S 8 isn't as powerful as a S9 lascannon, of course, but it is quite adequate for armor up to about AV 13.  Daemonforge's reroll can make up the strength difference.   (Mathematically, S8 with a reroll has about the same odds against AV 13 and AV 14 as a S 9 weapon.)
• A Forgefiend cannot kill a vehicle on a single lucky hit like a lascannon can, either, but -- again -- I think stripping hull points is a more reliable way to destroy a vehicle anyway, and the Forgefiend has more shots.  Mathematically, a trilascannon Predator will average a bit more than 2 (.66 + .66 + .78) hits in a round.  A Forgefiend will average 4 hits. 
• The Forgefiend can never be stunned or shaken.  So it can always fire. 
• The Predator is more survivable at range and to the front -- where most shooting will happen. AV 13 makes a big difference in durability on the front arc. 
• The Forgefiend is more survivable up close.  It's Side Armor 12, compared to the Predator's 11,so it's less vulnerable to flanking.  In hand to hand, as a Walker, it will fight with its AV 12 to the enemy, whereas the Predator can only sit there and take Krak grenade suppositories.
• The Predator is ~40 points less expensive.  Given that they have roughly equivalent utility, and that the Predator is a bit more survivable, I can see why most people avoid the Forgefiend.  In some lists, though, the points difference is a negligible factor, or the Forgefiend's armament is situationally more desirable.  Plus, they look cool.
  

   

 

[Kilofix]

I like to keep my FF in Reserve to mitigate its AV12 weakness. Then once my other forces are already engaged and my opponent is preoccupied, the FF comes in and tie breaks. When you bring it in, take advantage of its range and place it so that it only has LOS to the opposing Unit that it will be shooting at (I.e. Keep it BLOS to other opposing Units that can hurt it).

[tdemayo]

I think they are better in pairs.  I keep mine close enough to each other to concentrate their fire on a single target.  8 Str 8 shots is nasty.  16 is better.

[Warsmith Aznable]

I tend to agree with tdmayo. I take two and try to sit them in cover, close enough for mutual support but not so close they can both be threatened by the same enemy anti-armour unit. Interlocking fields of fire with a commanding view of the middle ground is ideal.

[Xenith]

No so much a tactica, but a unit review.

 

A forge fiend with ectoplasma cannons can also one shot a vehicle.

 

Good ideas, Kilo.