Are fortifications our best friend?

[shandwen]

Looking at our book (and loosing one battle horribly), I have keenly felt the lack of transport for our troopers.  But in stronghold assault I look at the bunkers and think how awesome they could be for us.  Ammo dumps to re-rolls ones in shooting (boosting our b.s. even more hahaha), Repel the invaders to assault out of the buildings (sicarans will love that), and even more firepower to be thrown around (the battle cannons intrigue me).  The trench networks also grab my attention with the stubborn rule to keep forces there just a little bit longer, and perhaps give overwatch buffs for sniper squads (re-rolling heavy weapons overwatch).

It almost seems to me that to play a turn-two push after a turn-one turkey shoot formations would work out better than Blood Angel allies.

[Kilofix]

Be careful about putting stuff in Buildings though. A Pen roll of just 3 on the Building Damage Table causes D6 S6 hits to Units inside. That will Instant Death Infils, Rusts, etc. if they fail their Save, and they won't get FNP either.

[Frater Cornelius]

Void Shields will go a long way protecting you from small arms fire. One of the better 100 points you can spend. There is also the option of playing the fortifications formation of 1-3 Void Shields and 1-3 Pipes, allowing you to make solid defence network.

[Vash]

Well you can't make a total assumption from one or two games. There are many things to factor in. How was the terrain? Did you have atlas 10 pieces (not bushes but ruin size), did you have objects that blocked line of sight (meaning not shooting across the table like there was no tomorrow). 

What did you field compared to his list, was it balanced?

What mission did you play, and so on and so on. 

 

Investing in trenches means less points in guns. I wouldn't recommend it. 

If you feel that you lack transport, then look into to our very huge collection of battle brothers. Blood angles/Space wolves drop pods, rhinos for example. Militarum Tempestus Valkyrie and Taurox Prime. 

 

But in the end, we can do without transports too. But the terrain needs to be of decent standard. Meaning atlas 10 pieces, large enough to hold or cover a small unit. These should be spread out evenly so one could go form one cover to the next if they spend their shooting phase on a run move. Now dunestrider units, such as the Sicarians, will probably be able to make these moves with ease. 

 

Look over your list, and figure out what you really need. Big guns/toys are not always the best. Filling out the ranks of the infantry might be the answer, as you will take casualties. Making sure the key members come in range. 

 

I have had one game, and I pretty much dominated that game. I don't go out and think Skitarii are unbeatable from that game. I played well, my opponent didn't know everything about the Skitarii, and I rolled slightly better than my opponent on the dice rolls. 

[Marshal Ommadon]

Buildings can be a bit of a death trap for Skitarii, especially ones with giant Plasma Cannons.  In my recent game a Knight was able to easily destroy my Plasma Obliterator thus causing the D6 S6 hits on my Vanguard which killed half, and the rest ran off the board (bad dice rolls).

 

After playing I have learned that I would have been better off using the ample amount of terrain (we play with a healthy amount of ruins) and instead taking a Knight of my own.  These new Knight variants look so hot!  Avenger Gatling Cannon is S6 AP3 Heavy 12 Rending.... Yes please!

 

One of the biggest reasons why Knights are better than a Fortification (if you can afford both points-wise all the better) is that they are mobile, and that 12" move can help counter-charge a unit threating to charge your Rangers/Vanguard or any other squishy unit we have (just be careful how you Stomp about!) 

[Battybattybats]

Void Shields will go a long way protecting you from small arms fire. One of the better 100 points you can spend. There is also the option of playing the fortifications formation of 1-3 Void Shields and 1-3 Pipes, allowing you to make solid defence network.

 

And are covered in ad-mech style... shame they were a limited edition thing :(

 

[Frater Cornelius]

I got lucky and got two Plasma Obliterators to convert to Void Shield. Same size and two-in-one deal.

[Battybattybats]

If i add any fortifications to my force i'd consider converting some thrusters onto them so they are dropped from an Arkcruiser in orbit like the Drop Bastion in the old Planetstrike rulebook.

Especially if an FAQ doesn't end the 'scouting re-deployment of fortification' argument from giving the whole force scout. I did like the suggestion one person made of modelling legs onto them too.

[Frater Cornelius]

Yeah. I fused mine with pods to have them drop down. Makes more sense :D

[Charlo]

BS7 Manned fortification weapons could work wonders against those pesky flyers, assuming no dakka onagers.

[shandwen]

The extra terrain from the bunkers and trenches could help out a lot in my meta's open fields.

[Battybattybats]

Open fields? Your meta is certainly not playing fair to a lot of armies playing like that.

I had that problem in 2nd ed when i played Genestealer Invasion Force & Genestealer Cult so i made some forrest terrain and insisted on it being used every game while quoting the rulebook about the amount of terrain that should be on the table and insisted that hills in the deployment zones was not remotely acceptable. I handed them half the tress and invited them to place them wherever they wished between the deployment zones and i placed the other half. Then surprise surprise i started to win a few games and rarely got tabled anymore.

[CommodusXIII]

Open fields? Your meta is certainly not playing fair to a lot of armies playing like that.

 

I had that problem in 2nd ed when i played Genestealer Invasion Force & Genestealer Cult so i made some forrest terrain and insisted on it being used every game while quoting the rulebook about the amount of terrain that should be on the table and insisted that hills in the deployment zones was not remotely acceptable. I handed them half the tress and invited them to place them wherever they wished between the deployment zones and i placed the other half. Then surprise surprise i started to win a few games and rarely got tabled anymore.

 

I really don't understand this mindset.  I've played a few games at my FLGS against opponents that strongly requested a lack of terrain, when facing my Imperial Knights.  Really, man?  The terrain isn't there to help me, it's there to help you.