Lascannons and Devastator Squads

[Sonminiser]

With 8th edition one of the best weapon profiles we have are lascannons. Where do you find the best place to inject lascannons into your armies? Predators? Devastator Squads? V. Dreds?

 

I’ve been using mainly devastator Squads as that’s currenly what I have available to me. Follow up question if you use devs how many extra bolter bodies are there? Is it just the sgt and 4 heavy weapons? Or are people running 2-7 extra bolters to eat that damage?

 

A friend of mine suggested I run 1 heavy weapon is in a squad of 5 guys to protect my lascannons has anyone tried this with success?

[Galron]

I do it with my chaos army with lascannon and missile launchers. I also field havoc/dev squads in addition as more dedicated dakka units that aren't moving if they don't have to.

[9x19 Parabellum]

With 8th edition one of the best weapon profiles we have are lascannons. Where do you find the best place to inject lascannons into your armies? Predators? Devastator Squads? V. Dreds?

 

I’ve been using mainly devastator Squads as that’s currenly what I have available to me. Follow up question if you use devs how many extra bolter bodies are there? Is it just the sgt and 4 heavy weapons? Or are people running 2-7 extra bolters to eat that damage?

 

A friend of mine suggested I run 1 heavy weapon is in a squad of 5 guys to protect my lascannons has anyone tried this with success?

 

I think it depends on which Chapter you use. I play RG and using Devastator squads is great, as the -1 to hit synergizes well with where they are actually going to be (ie, far away, cuz 48").  If I was playing, for example, Imperial Fists, I might not be as concerned about using Devastators, over, for example, a quad-las predator, since the cover reduction chapter tactic would mean less given the primary target of lascannons are going to be vehicles (which rarely, if ever, get cover).   In their case, I might do the predator because it moves further and higher toughness/wounds, etc. (all the benefits of being on a vehicle as opposed to on foot).

 

I started with a full squad of 4 lascannons, but i've recently started branching out into 2 squads of 2, as I like the 2 ablative wounds a bit better, and you can spread them out to help fill up a spearhead detachment for fewer points.  Pay 5 pts. for the Armorium Cherub; because of the way it synergizes with the signum, it's almost always worth it.

[justicarius6]

As Ultramarines I've been varying it. My usual lists have two or three dev squads with a half and half mix of missile launchers and lascannons. I also have a ven. dread with launcher and lascannons and I've been getting good traction with Chronus in a 4 las predator too.

[Toxichobbit]

I don't take Devastators without a minimum of one boltgun Marine to each heavy weapon Marine. Occasionally I have an extra boltgun Marine if I have spare points. That said, I'd never run a Devastator Squad with one heavy weapon and 4 boltgun Marines like your mate suggested, that's a waste of the squads potential. At that point just take a Tactical Squad as all you're getting is the Signum rule and the option for an Armorium Cherub, where as Tacticals are much easier to fit into a list and have the Defenders of Humanity rule.

 

My perfect size is a 6 man Squad with three heavy weapons. That's what I usually run, Keeps the cost down a bit, can absorb a few casualties before I start loosing important models and has a small footprint for getting into cover. When I want more Devastators, I take a second squad over expanding the first to get access to a second Signum and Armorum Cherub. I'd rather have two 5 man Squads with 4 heavy weapons over one 10 man Squad with 4 heavy weapons. I guess if you were desperate to reduce drops for the bonus to first turn you could take a 10 man squad, depends on whether you value the Signum/Cherub or the +1 to the first turn roll off.

 

The best place for lascannons is everywhere. Not literally of course, you don't want to fill every heavy weapon slot with a lascannon. But you do want them spread out, not all in one place. If you're running multiple Devastator Squads then have the lascannons spread across them, with other heavy weapons filling some of the slots if needs be - I don't think I'd ever take more than 2 lascannons/missile launchers per Devastator Squad due to the price. You can still focus fire, but it's harder for your opponent to focus fire back on the lascannons. Tactical Squads are an option, though IMO not the best. I prefer my Tacticals mid-range and mobile. Predators and Dreadnoughts are fine too. If I was going lascannon heavy I think I'd be looking at all three - some in Devastators, twin lascannon on a Venerable Dreadnought and a quad-lascannon Predator. Again, it's about not putting too much in one basket and in this case, having a variety of unit types to force the opponent to consider target priority more carefully.

 

You might also want to consider other places for lascannons if you feel you need more in your list. Razorbacks and Stormraven Gunships are a good place to start and FW units offers some options too.

[Sonminiser]

9x19 & Toxichobbit I like the idea of 2 lascannons in a squad of 5, previously I think I did exactly what you said and had too many eggs in one basket (2, 5 man dev squads with a total of 8 heavy weapons). My meta consists of mainly Imperial Guard, Deathguard, and Ynarri, I've been running 12 lascannon shots (14 first turn with signum) When I get first turn it is effective due to being able to take out the major threats to my army, but when I go second I find I lose too many to be effective, but again I think that rolls back around to having too many eggs in one basket. Out of curiosity how many lascannon shots are you guys running?

 

As far as chapter tactics go, I am new to 40k and play a DIY chapter I say is a successor to Imperial Fists(fluff wise), but my meta doesn't mind if I change up my chapter tactics so I'm willing to try any of them.

[Cpt Rana]

I haven’t tried it out yet but after Chapter approved I’m removing one of two storm Ravens and adding more long range firepower other places in the list.

So I have Twin las on the Raven, a quad las predator and 3 devastator squads with 3 lascannons in each. That’s 15 lascannons plus the missiles from the raven. When facing monsters and baneblades one can’t have too many lascannons :)

[Toxichobbit]

9x19 & Toxichobbit I like the idea of 2 lascannons in a squad of 5, previously I think I did exactly what you said and had too many eggs in one basket (2, 5 man dev squads with a total of 8 heavy weapons). My meta consists of mainly Imperial Guard, Deathguard, and Ynarri, I've been running 12 lascannon shots (14 first turn with signum) When I get first turn it is effective due to being able to take out the major threats to my army, but when I go second I find I lose too many to be effective, but again I think that rolls back around to having too many eggs in one basket. Out of curiosity how many lascannon shots are you guys running?

 

As far as chapter tactics go, I am new to 40k and play a DIY chapter I say is a successor to Imperial Fists(fluff wise), but my meta doesn't mind if I change up my chapter tactics so I'm willing to try any of them.

 

It's not just about the number of lascannons, but also the context. How many points and what other anti-tank the list has make a difference. Even the gneral theme of the list e.g. is it a close firefighe, melee or long ranged shooting list, changes how you should look at things.

 

My current 1,500 list has five lascannons, but my current 1,800 list has three. The 1,500 list is a more traditional mixed arms force, with a decent sized firebase and a smaller forward element made of drop units. The 1,800 point list, on the other hand, is much more aggressive. The only thing that's going to be staying on the back lines is a small Devastator Squad supported by a Lieutenant and a sniper Scout Squad. The rest of the army is designed for short ranged firefights and melee, all in transports or dropping in, so the number of long range anti-tank like lascannons reflects that. I'm not convinced that the 1,500 list has enough anti-tank, I'll find out on Saturday when I get to test it.

[Rogue]

I like having extra bodies. My current 1500 force has two devastator squads, both with ten men and four heavies (two lascannon, two plasma each). With split fire, the bolter marines are now expendable wounds and serve to deter lighter units from getting too close.

 

And for context, that’s coupled with a fire base captain and lascannon predator, while two and a half tactical squads go objective hunting in a pair of rhinos and an assault cannon razorback. (No lascannons there, just plasma guns and heavy bolters).

[Sonminiser]

This is what I’m looking to run at a 1500 point tournament on New Year’s Day. The rules are 1500pts no LOW, no FW. The assault cannon price hike forced me to cut some small things I would have liked to keep. (Hunter killer missiles, some storm bolters)


++ Battalion Detachment +3CP (Imperium - Space Marines) [61 PL, 1009pts] ++

+ No Force Org Slot +

**Chapter Selection**: Raven Guard

+ HQ +

Captain : Bolt pistol, Chainsword, Teeth of Terra

Librarian ]: 1) Veil of Time,  6) Null Zone, Bolt pistol, Force sword

+ Troops +

Scout Squad
. Scout Sergeant: Boltgun, Chainsword
. 4x Scout w/Boltgun

Tactical Squad
. 3x Space Marine
. Space Marine Sergeant: Chainsword, Combi-plasma
. Space Marine w/Special Weapon: Plasma gun

Tactical Squad
. 3x Space Marine
. Space Marine Sergeant: Chainsword, Combi-plasma
. Space Marine w/Special Weapon: Plasma gun

+ Heavy Support +

Devastator Squad : Armorium Cherub
. 2x Space Marine
. Space Marine Sergeant: Boltgun, Chainsword
. Space Marine w/Heavy Weapon: Lascannon
. Space Marine w/Heavy Weapon: Lascannon

Devastator Squad
. 2x Space Marine
. Space Marine Sergeant: Boltgun
. Space Marine w/Heavy Weapon: Heavy bolter
. Space Marine w/Heavy Weapon: Heavy bolter

Hellblaster Squad : Plasma incinerator
. 4x Hellblaster
. Hellblaster Sergeant: Bolt pistol

+ Dedicated Transport +

Razorback : Twin assault cannon

Razorback : Twin assault cannon

++ Spearhead Detachment +1CP (Imperium - Space Marines) [29 PL, 490pts] ++

+ No Force Org Slot +

**Chapter Selection**: Raven Guard

+ HQ +

Lieutenants
. Lieutenant: Bolt pistol, Chainsword

+ Heavy Support +

Devastator Squad : Armorium Cherub
. 2x Space Marine
. Space Marine Sergeant: Boltgun, Chainsword
. Space Marine w/Heavy Weapon: Lascannon
. Space Marine w/Heavy Weapon: Lascannon

Devastator Squad : Armorium Cherub
. 2x Space Marine
. Space Marine Sergeant: Boltgun, Chainsword
. Space Marine w/Heavy Weapon: Lascannon
. Space Marine w/Heavy Weapon: Lascannon

Predator : Twin lascannon, Two Lascannons

++ Total: [90 PL, 1499pts] ++

Created with BattleScribe

(Edited to remove point costs, sorry)

Edited December 7, 2017 by Sonminiser