Inferno Pistols; Bringing the heat

[Dolchiate Remembrancer]

So after a couple of games yesterday i feel strongly that inferno pistols are the way to go and ive begun sprinkling them everywhere in my squads. But i am worried that this isnt an optimal way to utilise them, how have you guys been planning your use of this little explosive bundle of joy?

[Charlo]

I've been over this for 7th but I think the general idea is even more powerful in 8th with wounding all things the same now.

 

Inferno pistols are an opportunity cost. Instead of taking a dedicated anti tank/ monster unit you sprinkle them among your jumpers and other fast units that will get in close together and they can handle threats on the fly.

 

Will they always be useful and have the sheer turn upon turn fire power of a dedicated anti big things unit? No. But they also can't be specifically targeted and aren't limited to a few targets per turn.

 

They can now be fired in combat, which is the ultimate sucker punch and force multiplier, especially when hidden.

 

They certainly don't replace the heavy weapons in a world where you can move and shoot them and multi target, the cost is steep too but the unique opportunity they present is quite powerful.

 

They work nicely on our multitude of units with Fly too, able to fall back and let loose.

[tychobi]

I am gonna sprinkle a few in there for surprise factor.  That itty bitty pistol can drop some big gribblies!  Also easy to hide this ed.  I have found power fists kinda lacking and am hoping a few inferno pistols can take down some big stuff for me in my DC.

[Morticon]

Im fully supportive of the tactics and theory behind this - i think its spot on and Ive said something very similar for plaspistols.  In fact, my new BA list has 8 or 9 of them.  But, with the inferno pistols, I just cant get over the debilitating cost.  3 plasma pistols for one point more :( I think the pistols need to come down heavily. 

[Crimson Ghost IX]

I like them in theory. Melta pistols! But I strongly prefer a proper melta weapon currently.

It is a capable weapon on paper, but it's super short range makes it difficult to use effectively on the table.

 

I tried really hard to like them on the table because these are a BA weapon and pistols in combat in 8th edition! 

I had read here before even playing 8th they were looking underwhelming, but really wanted to use them.

 

I tried 80 points of them sprinkled in my lists and they saw almost no use so I removed them.

An empty rhino with 2 storm bolters would seriously have done so much more.

They cost way too many points to sprinkle around for what they do in my opinion. 

 

I spend my sprinkles on combi-melta instead now which is both more useful (IMO) and cheaper.

It's a shame. I hope GW adjusts them because I want special BA tools that work for my favorite long suffering army.

 

I agree with Morticon on Plasma simply being a better choice of pistol.

This is due to range issues mostly but cost is a huge factor also.

12 inch range lets you drop in and shoot.

12 inch range lets you overwatch anything coming at you.

12 inch range lets you stay in the zone you wanna be in - slaying bodies.

 

To Illustrate a bit more:

A Blood Angels unit dropping in 9-12 inches can fire plasma pistol/melta gun, but cannot shoot the inferno pistol.

If I am charging into combat I will always be in range to shoot my plasma pistol/melta gun on the way in so will take that instead.

If I am charging into combat I cannot shoot my inferno pistol in CQC until my next turn (commonly) because of its very poor range.

--3rd fight phase is getting a bit late to apply my 20 point pistol of doom when I could have brought say a thunderhammer for the same price and many more attacks.

 

So lets say I go for a team of them:

I drop in turn1 and hide (because I can't use an inferno pistol team).

--Perhaps the enemy charges me and is dumb enough to get into my 6 inch overwatch range and I can use it or something?

--Perhaps (more likely) the critcal target unit runs away.

 

Turn 2 I attempt to close and fire (Perhaps I can get inferno range on something after the enemy runs or flys away).

 

Turn 3 I am actually very likely to use the inferno pistol in anger (if I have range and am still alive) or shoot it in CQC if I got charged from 7+ inches away and didn't get to overwatch.

...

 

If I had an actual melta gun instead I could have put that weapon into action turn 1 consistantly for fewer points.

Anyway I have rambled on enough about that. Seems a good weapon in theory but kinda sucks in reality and is way overcosted.

 

But but... Inferno Pistols of Baal!

 

I would advocate for inferno pistols being like 3-4 points, but probably still would not use them without a range increase.

To make them actually useful give them 12 inch range and cost them accordingly GW. (I might pay 20 points then).

 

They don't work well enough to be taken with their current range for offensive ops and are too expensive to use them defensively. In my current opinion.

 

See meltagun/combi-melta instead.

We gotta kill those tanks and monsters and inferno pistols do the job poorly unfortunately.

Edited July 2, 2017 by Crimson Ghost IX

[Charlo]

Im fully supportive of the tactics and theory behind this - i think its spot on and Ive said something very similar for plaspistols. In fact, my new BA list has 8 or 9 of them. But, with the inferno pistols, I just cant get over the debilitating cost. 3 plasma pistols for one point more :( I think the pistols need to come down heavily.

Yeah wow, when plasma is that cheap, still good without over charging then the number of inferno's is just not worth it.

Should be like 12 points tops.

[durdle-durdle]

 

Im fully supportive of the tactics and theory behind this - i think its spot on and Ive said something very similar for plaspistols. In fact, my new BA list has 8 or 9 of them. But, with the inferno pistols, I just cant get over the debilitating cost. 3 plasma pistols for one point more :( I think the pistols need to come down heavily.

Yeah wow, when plasma is that cheap, still good without over charging then the number of inferno's is just not worth it.

Should be like 12 points tops.

You mean like sisters' pistols? And they also have cheaper handflamers that do d6 instead of d3. I have a hard time believing that was on purpose. I think we probably got a typo there.

 

Edit: faq's out, guess it was on purpose.

Edited July 2, 2017 by durdle-durdle

[tychobi]

after a game with inferno pistols i gotta say the range is too debilitating for them to be much use.  The only shots I got vs a tank failed to wound.  Str8 is kinda underwhelming.  Back to plasma!