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Obliterator tactics


GreyCrow

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Greetings brothers !

 

So, I recently picked up Obliterators for my nascent Alpha Legion warband and I was wondering how you guys used your Obliterators. From what I've read online in other sources, two tactics are usually prevalent :

- Walk them up the board in cover providing fire support with the rest of the force

- Deep strike for a killing blow

 

How do you guys usually do with them ?

 

Cheers !

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How i use mine depends on my battle plan

Am i going deep strike heavy? If so i i run a unit of 2 and a solo oblit and they end to deep strike making my shock attacking forces hit harder

If im not deep striking alot i tend to sit them back and fire their weapons off.

If im using crimson slaughter i walk them uo the board and chuck a level 3 balestar sorceror in there

Although I haven't used them recently, I used to run them in every list I played so I'll share. DS them pretty much always feels like a waste of shooting phases, and since they can morph long range weapons, the only reason to DS would be to get onto halfrange with multimeltas which is a.) suceptible to bad scatter taking you out of half range and b.) tends to end with the oblits also dead, and they probably cost about as much as the tank they just killed.

 

In other words, give them Mark of Nurgle to prevent lascannons from instant killing them, and bunker up in nice 4+ cover. They are basically our version of Devastator centurions, except that they have been around far longer, and lack grav amps which are the reason anyone takes DevCents. Still, they can make for a good firebase.

Khorne? What would be the point of that? Their price/effectiveness in CC is considerably worse that Terminators, and Chaos Terminators are hardly a good CC unit. Plus you are paying the opportunity cost of using the shooting that you are paying all of their points for. The power fists are really just there to get a few kills in if they get charged. You can make a case for Unmarked if your opponent has very little S8+ shooting, but in an all comers list T5 vs T4 is a big deal on expensive 2W models.

I usually deepstrike mine near whatever target needs to be taken out, usually armour.
Only ever use nurgle or tzeentch marks. Everything else is a waste.
Deepstriking is best in groups of 2 I think. Just the right balance of point dedication and threat level. Also, I tend to ds them aggressively.

I use my Obliterators for supporting fire, having them set up along with my IW Chaos Marines units w/Rhino Transport.  While my Terminators with my Lord & Sorcerer will deep strike & heldrake arrive by reserve. 

 

I will always keep them on the move & use them to help counter any units go though my force line.  Like wise use them to help counter attach support my Chaos Marine units & Terminators if there stuck in combat.

 

If I've included a Dreadnought in my list.  I'd have the Dreadnought & my units of Obliterators as a solid fire base & again support each other in close combat.

Right now I've been useing my Obliterators to help support my Rapier Weapons Battery units, trying to keep away my oppent deep striking units & as part of my army fire base.

Thanks for your points guys ;)

 

My question was because it appears that the closer the unit is, the more reliable the damage is. I can see how they would be most effective marching up and providing covering fire. Like you said, Deep Striking might be better used oinly in cases where their firepower would not be effective in the first few turns, or if they owuld get blasted from the board early on...

I always played my Oblits as long range support on the early turns, as I believe DS them can make you lose some precious turns of firepower which is a real waste on such an expensive model.

 

Most of my opponents play Drop pods or units that want to go toe to toe with mine so in the later turns my Oblits almost always make use of their shorter range weaponry with great efficiency.

 

I think that Nurgle for T5 and cover in Ruin from Turn 1 deployment, preferably in the middle of your line to cover as much field as possible, is the best set up considering their versatility.

 

Don't forget to make use of the TL Plasma guns or Meltaguns if you can get the range for Rapid fire or Meltagun, the TL effect on the 3 (6 with rapid Fire) BS 4 shot can make a difference.

 

Also at the end of every game they are pretty much my MVPs and I always wonder why I don't include more....

Thanks guys ! :D I can't wait to try these out, finished assembling them today and I'm loving the models, they are so massive they dwarf my Terminators ! Can't wait to get them to shoot at stuff.

 

Really loving the back and forth between suggestions of keeping them in the DZ or Deep Striking them. The tactical options they have seem to make them a very potent fire support unit, whether from up close or apart.

As it stands now my army only includes 3 oblits and a land raider for heavy support options, all of which I hope to complete this ETL. Now I can use the land raider as a transport for my terminators, which is going to be its main role any way, which leaves me with 3 HS slots and 3 oblits. My question is should I use these as 3 individual units and get to shoot and move separately? Or should I squad them up for better resiliency?

And you also have to consider that if they are grouped, if one of them dies the other two have to check for morale, which can easily turn sour due to their poor Ld (8 I believe).

 

Taking them one by one if you have the FOC slots allows you for more resistance, more strategical flexibility (you can DS one, put one on the left and one on the right), more tactical flexibility (can shoot at several target).

 

That being said if you pack them you free 2HS slots and can make them take turn in the front. 

 

You get to chose your advantages!

I see them as primarily a long-ranged fire support unit. In past, I've used them to pop serious pieces of opposition (that Contemptor Mortis I was scared of once!) or potentially transports that posed a direct threat to my battle plans.

 

I have (occasionally) utilised their deep striking function to get behind Imperial Guard armies and bust a few tanks, but that hasn't been for quite awhile due to the inherent risk as others have alluded to.

I need to get another box of oblits lol

I am considering asking the copyright of this sentence and use it as my signature.....the primordial truth has been spoken!

 

Also in a very unexpected fashion, you could try to DS your Oblits in Dreadclaw Drop Pods. Guaranteeing a DS T1 at the cost of some points. The scatter mitigation of the Drop pod is slightly better than the naked Oblits I think. And you could then try to use the Drop pod as a mobile limo for whatever unit you need in close combat range.

 

But that would be very.....new.

 

 

I need to get another box of oblits lol

I am considering asking the copyright of this sentence and use it as my signature.....the primordial truth has been spoken!

 

Also in a very unexpected fashion, you could try to DS your Oblits in Dreadclaw Drop Pods. Guaranteeing a DS T1 at the cost of some points. The scatter mitigation of the Drop pod is slightly better than the naked Oblits I think. And you could then try to use the Drop pod as a mobile limo for whatever unit you need in close combat range.

 

But that would be very.....new.

They will have to wait tho til i work on my IW allied detachment to my NL

If I play multiple units I always keep one of them (2 men strong) in reserves. Deep-Striking such a hard hitting unit always creates pressure. Mark of Nurgle is a absolute must have. Otherwise, it's what the rest said: keep them moving, let them help out other units, but also never let them face a dangerous foe alone. And always keep in mind ALL the weapons they can morph (twin-linked plasma gun is almost always better than the cannon at 12"; also it's able to fire melta shots every round by switching between the twin-linked melta and the multi melta - and they also got these flamers that can really really hurt).

I always found it odd that obliterators aren't fearless being monstrous daemons and all. 

 

It's because they're bullies : they like being scary and all, but deep down they are nice guys who had a crap childhood and just want people to love them. Chaos Astartes teenage gets hard when you have daemonic mutation instead of acne :/

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