Best Weapons for Chimera?

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

So, I now have 2 Chimeras and I was wondering what the best weapons loadout for them is.

 

 

The heavy flamer is too short ranged for my tastes. But I can see their use for crowd control. 

 

The multilaser is the strongest, but it's high AP doesn't help in killing anything the better than a 5 up save. 

 

The heavy bolter seems like the best option, it loses to the multilaser in terms of strength, but it's lower AP helps it kill more infantry, and it has 6 inches more range. 

 

I'm tempted to just go straight heavy bolters, but the multilaser seems like a viable option. I don't know which to choose ( I pinned the model so I can swap weapons, and I'll be doing the same for my other one. I just don't know how to take them.

[Pudelhund]

I'm in the minority in understanding why mathematically the HB is best, but with the meta being the way it is, light infantry aren't going to be the things your Chimera is going to need to shoot. Plus, since most people who use light infantry understand the need to get them in cover, we're really talking about cover saves. There aren't going to be a lot of times that your Chimera can shoot light infantry in the open. It is way more likely to shoot deep strikers and heavy weapons that put themselves in harm's way trying to kill it. The multilaser can shoot light vehicles in a pinch too, and you might need to shoot transports with your own or even flyers. Really, the multilaser sucks at everything, but the role of the Chimera makes it more useful. The HB is way better for light infantry and only slightly worse against heavy infantry (3+ vs 2+ wounds), but the way things play out, I want every little percentage I can get against close-in anti-tank infantry and the ability to shoot armor in a pinch.

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

I'm thinking Multilaser and Heavy bolter combo is going to be the way I go most of the time. 

[Pudelhund]

If you are moving, the hull weapon is kind of irrelevant. I am partial to the flamer for more situational effectiveness.

[march10k]

I have nine...all with multilasers, six with hull heavy bolters, three with hull heavy flamers.  I'd recommend always taking the multilaser.  90% of the time, your target is going to be a vehicle, in cover, or in power armor.  You definitely want a mix of heavy bolters and heavy flamers, with more heavy bolters.  You want access to flamers in case you have to go dig some snipers out of cover, but most of the time, you'll find yourself either sitting and shooting or moving 18" towards an objective.

 

 

If you are moving, the hull weapon is kind of irrelevant. I am partial to the flamer for more situational effectiveness.

 

 

If you're moving, BOTH weapons should be irrelevant.  creeping along at 6" is the worst thing you can do...you're snap-shotting one of your weapons, as well as any heavy weapon in the hatch.  What's better, to sit and shoot everything at full BS for two turns, and then zoom 18" without shooting, or move 6" a turn for three turns and render most of your shooting ineffective?  The distance traveled is the same in each case, but you're a helluva lot killier if you sit and then scoot, not to mention you're staying at longer range, making it harder for the enemy to get flank shots on your loooooong flanks.

[Gunmonkey88]

I agree that the multilaser/HB loadout has generally been the most effective for me historically for the reasons found above. I've tried going with the hull flamer a few times but it seems that every time I'll get a single shot off then the Chimera gets annihilated in close combat during my opponent's turn. I find it's much safer and more effective to sit in cover and pop off shots at range or race forward and let the passengers do their thing once they're outside of the coffin Chimera.

[CoffeeGrunt]

I personally run Multi-Laser/Heavy Flamer. This is with occupants who can move and shoot, such as Plasma Vets. The Multi-Laser is very good at wearing down enemy units. Light Vehicles, Elite Infantry and Monstrous Creatures are all worth a go - your opponent will fail a save at some point. The Heavy Flamer is for those close-in engagements. I personally love rolling a Chimera into some Marines, using the Heavy Flamer and snap-firing Multi-Laser to pick off a couple, making it easier for the Plasma Veteran squad inside to mop up the remainder.

[morroccomole]

Since I only use Chimeras for my command squads, and I already have both a hull mounted HB, & another veteran HB team shooting from the ports, the multilaser is my favorite option for that S6 profile.

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

Like I said, I pinned (poor man's magnetize) the weapons, so I can run whatever, and figure out which one works/I like best. I appreciate your help, and I learned some things about chimera tactics that I hadn't thought about, so thanks. 

 

Keep it coming, I need to learn how to use these things well, so if there's anything else let's hear it.

[WarriorFish]

I like the multilaser. With several Chimeras in your army you can unleash a hail of S6 shooting which can be surprisingly effective. It like to use them to knock hull points off transports so I can save my bigger guns for more worthy targets. So if my Chimeras are shooting rather than trucking they're almost always the first guns I fire as then I can assess the damage done and direct my other weapons accordingly. For example plinking off the remaining hull point with an autocannon or unleashing some artillery on some freshly dismounted troops...

 

My standard hull weapon is the heavy bolter, as when I'm shooting it's usually because the Chimera doesn't want to move but it's also a good back up. Helps with the hull point stripping and of course makes it quite good at tackling infantry. For Chimeras that will close on the enemy - usually that's a Veteran's one - a hull flamer is nice for clearing infantry.

[Emicus]

Some very interesting discussion here that will help me when I decide how to load up the Chimeras that are in transit…

march10k’s tactic especially regarding sitting still and shooting for 2 turns before going flat out 18 being better than two weapons firing for 3 turns and moving 6”, exposing your flanks earlier and also opening yourself up to charges. Something to keep in mind!

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

I'm seeing a trend towards the multilaser for the turret, and heavy bolter on the hull. I wish the base Chimera could take an autocannon, as that would really pump up my killing power on light vehicles. 

[RADU LYKAN]

i have built a chimera with autocannon turret (and a battle cannon and quad autocannon variant lol) i forget which imperial armour they were in?

[march10k]

An autocannon chimera would be like a bradley, only a bradley would be BS4, lol...and not have a hull weapon.  I'm actually not sold on BS3 autocannons, I think the third shot is well worth the pip of strength that the multilaser cedes to the autocannon.  Comparing my autocannon and multilaser sentinels head to head, multilaser has tended to be more effective!  I do tend to fire a BS4 autocannon from the hatch, though, and that's pretty sweet!

[CoffeeGrunt]

I've got a few Autocannons converted, a pity they're not in the new Codex. I really hope Forge World show the Guard some love and release a new Imperial Armour for us. A lot of stuff just feels dated in the current one.

[SW1]

Imperial armour 1 second edition is still valid so you can have the autocannon. It also allows you to field those tanks we've lost from the codex ... Griffon etc.