Warp Talon Tactica

[ChazSexington]

I was wondering about people's tips and tricks with Warp Talons? While Warptiming them with a Sorcerer is obvious, that they have Fly and can move over other units isn't that obvious (at least to me). And what do people think about Marks? And do Slaanesh Marked Warp Talons get Quicksilver Swiftness etc?

[Panzer]

And do Slaanesh Marked Warp Talons get Quicksilver Swiftness etc?

This is a clear no. Marks don't confer any rules. It's a faction keyword, nothing more. Everything else comes from other rules.

[Sception]

They do not get quicksilver swiftness, no.  The main tactics with them are to deep strike then get warptimed - though there are, imo, better targets for warptime - or to infiltrate with the alpha legion stratagem, where their extra movement and flight will help them set up in cover or behind terrain while still having the speed to threaten a first turn charge.

 

The main problems with them are that they're still very fragile - really no more durable than regular chaos marines - and that the withdrawal rules mean they will almost always get shot off the table the turn after they charge.  The aligned psychic powers might help slightly with the durability issue, and you might try pairing them with some of the demon units that prevent withdrawal (fiends, skarbrand), though getting those units close enough for their abilities to take effect can be difficult.  Daemonic allies will also bring in the option of buffs from heralds.

 

Warp Talons are a lot better than they were in 6th and 7th editions, but I'm still somewhat skeptical of them being particularly good.  Particularly in pure CSM lists without daemonic support.

 

If I were to try to use them, it would probably be in a primarily daemon army, probably slaaneshi with fiends, seekers, mounted heralds.  Then a side detachment of CSM stuff including some cultists, some deep striking warp talons, and a jump pack sorcerer.  Keep the talons in reserve first turn while the daemon stuff runs up the board, then drop them in second turn, using warptime to charge them in with some fiends & heralds.

[Panzer]

Imo the biggest advantage they have is that you can charge over LoS blocking terrain without the enemy being able to shoot overwatch. Then again that requires boards with lots of LoS blocking terrain and overwatch being actually scary (flamer units for example).

[Mekhitar]

An interesting note for warptalons: they can be of use if you are running a multi legion list. I like spreading my lords and princes around for all the rerolls you can manage, but their buffs only apply to in-legion units. Warp talons (and possessed) get around this if you give them the same mark as a shepherding demon prince - even if he is from a different legion - by matching their mark to his.

 

For example, I play a lot of 2v2s, and take generic chaos with my husband’s thousand sons. He really wants the prince as it is his only way to get those reroll 1s (no chaos lords for his army); Tzeentch Warp talons from my list make a nice compliment.

 

On another note -

Tactics wise, I like to drop Warp talons in as the forward screen to my plasma/meta raptor / jump Lord deepstrikes ball. Raptors are so fragile and get shot up, so I usually assault with them right after they shoot (make the enemy lose some shooting by falling back, at least). By bringing Warp talons in with them, I start the fight phase by having the talons assault literally everything in 12”. Then I roll the charge and see what they lock up. This prevents the raptors from taking any overwatch when they hide in cc.

 

The talons, if possible, stay in cc, while the raptors jump out to shoot again.

 

This tactic works best on t2 or t3, wheee your opponent’s attention is split between the raptor drop and the rest of your advancing army. Frequently they don’t designate enough firepower - or designate too much, letting your remaining army advance unmolested.

 

In general, though, I find neither form of jump troops to be points efficient. Still, I have a lot of cool looking pewter raptors that I want to field, and i love Warp talon fluff, so...

[ChazSexington]

They do not get quicksilver swiftness, no.  The main tactics with them are to deep strike then get warptimed - though there are, imo, better targets for warptime - or to infiltrate with the alpha legion stratagem, where their extra movement and flight will help them set up in cover or behind terrain while still having the speed to threaten a first turn charge.

 

The main problems with them are that they're still very fragile - really no more durable than regular chaos marines - and that the withdrawal rules mean they will almost always get shot off the table the turn after they charge.  The aligned psychic powers might help slightly with the durability issue, and you might try pairing them with some of the demon units that prevent withdrawal (fiends, skarbrand), though getting those units close enough for their abilities to take effect can be difficult.  Daemonic allies will also bring in the option of buffs from heralds.

 

Warp Talons are a lot better than they were in 6th and 7th editions, but I'm still somewhat skeptical of them being particularly good.  Particularly in pure CSM lists without daemonic support.

 

If I were to try to use them, it would probably be in a primarily daemon army, probably slaaneshi with fiends, seekers, mounted heralds.  Then a side detachment of CSM stuff including some cultists, some deep striking warp talons, and a jump pack sorcerer.  Keep the talons in reserve first turn while the daemon stuff runs up the board, then drop them in second turn, using warptime to charge them in with some fiends & heralds.

 

They've apparently been amazing as a counter-meta unit vs. IG, due to their Fly keyword, as they charge everything by jumping over units and preventing shooting from loads of units.

 

The Daemon summoning and buffs from Daemons I hadn't thought about! I'm too unfamiliar with Daemons really. 

 

I was thinking with the MoT and use both Warptime and the Tzeentch power, so they get a 4++ and can charge everything in sight to help with the saves. 

 

An interesting note for warptalons: they can be of use if you are running a multi legion list. I like spreading my lords and princes around for all the rerolls you can manage, but their buffs only apply to in-legion units. Warp talons (and possessed) get around this if you give them the same mark as a shepherding demon prince - even if he is from a different legion - by matching their mark to his.

 

For example, I play a lot of 2v2s, and take generic chaos with my husband’s thousand sons. He really wants the prince as it is his only way to get those reroll 1s (no chaos lords for his army); Tzeentch Warp talons from my list make a nice compliment.

 

On another note -

Tactics wise, I like to drop Warp talons in as the forward screen to my plasma/meta raptor / jump Lord deepstrikes ball. Raptors are so fragile and get shot up, so I usually assault with them right after they shoot (make the enemy lose some shooting by falling back, at least). By bringing Warp talons in with them, I start the fight phase by having the talons assault literally everything in 12”. Then I roll the charge and see what they lock up. This prevents the raptors from taking any overwatch when they hide in cc.

 

The talons, if possible, stay in cc, while the raptors jump out to shoot again.

 

This tactic works best on t2 or t3, wheee your opponent’s attention is split between the raptor drop and the rest of your advancing army. Frequently they don’t designate enough firepower - or designate too much, letting your remaining army advance unmolested.

 

In general, though, I find neither form of jump troops to be points efficient. Still, I have a lot of cool looking pewter raptors that I want to field, and i love Warp talon fluff, so...

 

 

I can see them being much more points efficient when you have a 2-3 squads combined with some Fiends of Slaanesh, Chaos Lord (re-roll 1s), and Heralds (+1 S), in addition to the sorcerous buffs such as either god-aligned powers, Warptime, and Prescience. It's about trying to use their mobility to maximise the auras.

An interesting note for warptalons: they can be of use if you are running a multi legion list. I like spreading my lords and princes around for all the rerolls you can manage, but their buffs only apply to in-legion units. Warp talons (and possessed) get around this if you give them the same mark as a shepherding demon prince - even if he is from a different legion - by matching their mark to his.

 

For example, I play a lot of 2v2s, and take generic chaos with my husband’s thousand sons. He really wants the prince as it is his only way to get those reroll 1s (no chaos lords for his army); Tzeentch Warp talons from my list make a nice compliment.

 

On another note -

Tactics wise, I like to drop Warp talons in as the forward screen to my plasma/meta raptor / jump Lord deepstrikes ball. Raptors are so fragile and get shot up, so I usually assault with them right after they shoot (make the enemy lose some shooting by falling back, at least). By bringing Warp talons in with them, I start the fight phase by having the talons assault literally everything in 12”. Then I roll the charge and see what they lock up. This prevents the raptors from taking any overwatch when they hide in cc.

 

The talons, if possible, stay in cc, while the raptors jump out to shoot again.

 

This tactic works best on t2 or t3, wheee your opponent’s attention is split between the raptor drop and the rest of your advancing army. Frequently they don’t designate enough firepower - or designate too much, letting your remaining army advance unmolested.

 

In general, though, I find neither form of jump troops to be points efficient. Still, I have a lot of cool looking pewter raptors that I want to field, and i love Warp talon fluff, so...

 

Edited November 17, 2017 by ChazSexington

[GreaterChickenofTzeentch]

They do not get quicksilver swiftness, no.  The main tactics with them are to deep strike then get warptimed - though there are, imo, better targets for warptime - or to infiltrate with the alpha legion stratagem, where their extra movement and flight will help them set up in cover or behind terrain while still having the speed to threaten a first turn charge.

 

The main problems with them are that they're still very fragile - really no more durable than regular chaos marines - and that the withdrawal rules mean they will almost always get shot off the table the turn after they charge.  The aligned psychic powers might help slightly with the durability issue, and you might try pairing them with some of the demon units that prevent withdrawal (fiends, skarbrand), though getting those units close enough for their abilities to take effect can be difficult.  Daemonic allies will also bring in the option of buffs from heralds.

 

Warp Talons are a lot better than they were in 6th and 7th editions, but I'm still somewhat skeptical of them being particularly good.  Particularly in pure CSM lists without daemonic support.

 

If I were to try to use them, it would probably be in a primarily daemon army, probably slaaneshi with fiends, seekers, mounted heralds.  Then a side detachment of CSM stuff including some cultists, some deep striking warp talons, and a jump pack sorcerer.  Keep the talons in reserve first turn while the daemon stuff runs up the board, then drop them in second turn, using warptime to charge them in with some fiends & heralds.

I expect the utility of Warp Talons, Possessed, Mauler/Forgefiends, and anything else with the Daemon rule to go up even further when the Daemon book comes out in 2018 and Daemons get Stratagems, Relics, and Warlord Traits that can spread their bonuses to these units.

[Plaguecaster]

I wouldn't count on that, as GW could very easily give chaos Daemons some sort of extra Keyword to prevent any of those daemon units not in the codex benefitting from the new daemon relics, strategems etc as they are still a seperate faction