How do you use terminators?

[Gianc22]

I was wondering... how do you use terminators (if you use them)?

I'm struggling to find them useful, both normal and assault ones. I feel like they don't deal enough punch, but maybe i'm missing something, and i hope so since i have more than 20 of them ahah.

[Freman Bloodglaive]

++ Vanguard Detachment +1CP (Imperium - Space Marines) [49 PL, 984pts] ++

+ No Force Org Slot +

**Chapter Selection**: Ultramarines

+ HQ +

Librarian in Terminator Armor: 1) Veil of Time, 2) Might of Heroes, 3) Psychic Scourge, 4) Fury of the Ancients, 5) Psychic Fortress, 6) Null Zone, Combi-plasma, Force axe

+ Elites +

Terminator Squad: Teleport Homer
. Terminator: Power fist, Storm bolter
. Terminator: Power fist, Storm bolter
. Terminator: Power fist, Storm bolter
. Terminator Sergeant: Power sword, Storm bolter
. Terminator w/Heavy Weapon: Cyclone missile launcher, Power fist

Terminator Squad: Teleport Homer
. Terminator: Power fist, Storm bolter
. Terminator: Power fist, Storm bolter
. Terminator: Power fist, Storm bolter
. Terminator Sergeant: Power sword, Storm bolter
. Terminator w/Heavy Weapon: Cyclone missile launcher, Power fist

Venerable Dreadnought: Missile launcher, Twin lascannon

Venerable Dreadnought: Missile launcher, Twin lascannon

++ Vanguard Detachment +1CP (Imperium - Space Marines) [52 PL, 1015pts] ++

+ No Force Org Slot +

**Chapter Selection**: Ultramarines

+ HQ +

Captain: Chainsword, Jump Pack, Plasma pistol, Teeth of Terra

Marneus Calgar: Terminator Armour

+ Elites +

Cataphractii Terminator Squad
. Cataphractii Sergeant: Combi-bolter, Power fist
. Cataphractii Terminator: Combi-bolter, Power fist
. Cataphractii Terminator: Combi-bolter, Power fist
. Cataphractii Terminator: Combi-bolter, Power fist
. Cataphractii Terminator: Heavy flamer, Power fist

Terminator Squad: Teleport Homer
. Terminator: Power fist, Storm bolter
. Terminator: Power fist, Storm bolter
. Terminator: Power fist, Storm bolter
. Terminator Sergeant: Power sword, Storm bolter
. Terminator w/Heavy Weapon: Cyclone missile launcher, Power fist

Terminator Squad: Teleport Homer
. Terminator: Power fist, Storm bolter
. Terminator: Power fist, Storm bolter
. Terminator: Power fist, Storm bolter
. Terminator Sergeant: Power sword, Storm bolter
. Terminator w/Heavy Weapon: Cyclone missile launcher, Power fist

++ Total: [101 PL, 1999pts] ++

Created with BattleScribe

 

This is what I'm going to be trying next. I threw in the Captain because once I switched out all the chainfists for power fists, and the dreadnought close combat weapons to missile launchers, I found myself with a spare hundred points. With his jump pack he can deep strike near terminator squads for his aura, or move rapidly to another spot. Teeth of Terra has to be the best free weapon in the game. Bolt pistol and plasma pistol gives some fun gunslinger imagery.

 

Terminators are still expensive, and I can hardly claim to be an expert with them, but they are fun, they are pretty durable, and they produce an adequate mix of ranged and melee damage.

Edited September 7, 2017 by Freman Bloodglaive

[Tyberos the Red Wake]

Needs more Terminators.

[Deafbok]

In my only outing in 8th so far, I used mine as an CQB assault element. 

Standard Terminator squad with 4 storm bolters and an assault cannon, sword on the Sgt and one chainfist. 

I decided to deep strike in to hit a priority target and cause general mayhem around an objective, with their teleport homer set up to give me the option of a quick recall response on the objective in my own deployment zone. 

This particular game was against Thousand Sons, so not a great matchup for terminators to begin with. That said, they cut the head off the snake by murdering Ahriman in a single round of shooting after coming down and forced my opponent to turn a couple of units back from assaulting my objective to try and deal with them. 

They died messily to smite whilst trying to ensure that they could get a decent charge against a rubric unit - two survivors made the charge and fell to sheer weight of attacks and the attentions of the aspiring sorcerer. I also made the mistake of placing my homer too far forward and losing it when an enemy unit moved within 9". 

Things I'd pay careful attention to when using Terminator units:

- Use cover. They're tough, but the new AP system means they can actually take advantage of the bonuses it provides, and the flat 2+ is a thing of the past, so you need to be smarter about your movement. 
- Keep them away from stuff that does mortal wounds. Psychic defence is worth its weight in gold for them when facing smite. 
- Use your redeployment option from the homers to get your terminators to where they will be most useful. Hurt, confuse, redirect. Late deployment can also allow you to set your sights on an uncontested objective if I have it right - set the homer out of sight near an objective that's unlikely to be claimed and jump out once your unit isn't going to do the job of hitting things as well any longer (eg, you only have 2 models left in the squad staring down the barrels of too many guns)

[Freman Bloodglaive]

With the introduction of Cataphractii terminators, thunder hammer terminators become a little unnecessary. Although the 3+ invulnerable is better than the 4+, the ability to take combi-bolters and power fists while still getting the 4+ invulnerable save means that even if you fail a charge with them after landing, you'll still have been able to hose down a target. The squad above with combi-bolters, a heavy flamer, and power fists is 25 points cheaper than an all storm shield terminator squad. That difference adds up when assembling a list. Chainfists are also fairly redundant. The improved AP is only marginally better, since most enemies you'd throw terminators at will have some sort of invulnerable save anyway. The fixed damage 2 is more reliable than a power fist's D3, but it doesn't justify costing nearly twice as much. Lightning claws are nice for carving up single wound enemies, but fail badly when your opponent's models have a large wounds pool. That said, if I were taking twin lightning claw models, I'd take Cataphractii again for the improved invulnerable save.

 

A Captain in Cataphractii terminator armour is about as well protected as a generic model can be, with the 2+/3++, with the slow movement minimized by the ability to teleport onto the table, preferably near another squad to boost their shooting. I'd take him with a combi-weapon (probably plasma, maybe melta) and a thunder hammer. The flat 3 damage on the thunder hammer is worth paying for.

Edited September 7, 2017 by Freman Bloodglaive

[Gianc22]

Thanks to everybody! You make a good point about the TH/SS terminators, i think they are too pricey. The problem i see with your list is that you can't deep strike all the terminators if you play matched play. 

Has anybody tried terminators in a land raider? I used them once as a counter charge unit, they were not bad but i'm not 100% sold.

Also, how do you guys feel about the "normal" terminators? I mean, excluding the Cataphractii and Tartaros patterns. 

[Race Bannon]

Freman, for the love of the holy Emperor, please post pics of that army in action :tu:

[Freman Bloodglaive]

Freman, for the love of the holy Emperor, please post pics of that army in action :tu:

When I get it fully painted and based I'll be sure to do so.

 

At least it's a small army.

[Yodhrin]

To my eye(and it's still an estimate, I've not played them yet, so take it for what it is), regular old Terminators are still something of a "bully" unit, the difference is they're a good bully unit now, and they can bully more things. They're still all about picking the right target, but the change to Storm Bolters and the ability to fall back from a melee means they're not hot garbage against chaff infantry any more, and from what I've seen they do awful things to anything not quite as elite as them. You still can't run them into full-on melee specialists or units designed to handle multiwound elite infantry, but they're now actually decent at their intended role - I'd rate them a solid B+; not an auto-include by any means, but you won't be crippling yourself any more by taking them over the alternatives.

 

EDIT: As to regular Land Raiders...honestly I'm struggling to see a use for them in a transport role. They're a solid tank, but now that deep striking isn't random Terminators just seem much better suited to teleport assaults.

Edited September 8, 2017 by Yodhrin

[Frostglaive]

How do people feel about the Tartaros terminators? I usually just hear about regular or Cataphractii, never really Tartaros.

[Oxydo]

How do people feel about the Tartaros terminators? I usually just hear about regular or Cataphractii, never really Tartaros.

If you're gonna run only dual LC I would pick Tartaros over standard assault terminators. Sure you lose teleporter homer, but you do gain +1 in movement and you can grab a grenade harness for a little bit of shooting.

[Silas7]

Anyone care to comment about loadouts for Tartaros termies? I like those reapers-ACs but without relentless and add safe DS and the higher PPM on top, I'm thinking about keeping them mostly bare with maybe a chainfist and/or grenade harness. The flamer is kinda meh seeing your out of range on the DS but I could see it being useful for overwatch and overcoming hit mods.

Edited September 8, 2017 by Silas7

[Ebon Hand]

If your Terminators feel like they lack punch, it's because your aren't buffing them with rerolls or hitting the right targets. Try running a Terminator Chaplain with them, and treat both Assault and regular Terminators as assault units. Shooting Terminators are great, but you pay 2 points for their storm bolters while you pay much more for the fists and their 2 attacks.

 

Keep using them too, even if they fall flat a few games. Think about what went wrong those games, you might realize they helped more than you thought by tanking fire.

 

I've used them almost every game of 8th, and knowing how much punishment they can generally take is very helpful because you will know to put them in better spots and take advantage of the firepower they are tanking by using the rest of your army. This is something that is hard to know without experience with using them vs your regular opponents.

 

Another thing I've been trying to stress lately to everyone: TELEPORT HOMERS. Don't forget them and factor them into your backup plans. They can be game breaking and they're free!

[CrystalSeer]

I've been running mine as both a dedicated assault unit, and as a QRF. They have very similar shooting output to tacticals, same number of wounds as a full squad, better save, and much more assault capability. Factor this in with not needing a pod to Deep Strike, and they become extremely viable.

 

I run them with my Chapter Master (Hellbrecht), who gives them re-rolls in shooting and CC plus makes their fists str 10, in a stormraven or two. They've destroyed everything I've thrown them at.