Master of Ordinance, Artillery Barrage

[MinoanFresco]

This is a goofy/non-competitive strategy I came up with the other day. Grab for yo'self 6 masters of ordinance (MoO) and a platoon commander and throw them in a Vostroyan detachment somewhere. Now look what you can do!

 

>>MoO has a BS of 3+

>>His weapon is Artillery Barrage; a single-use battle cannon shot (Max of one can be fired per turn, regardless of how many you have in your army).

>>Use the Vostroyan strategem, for 1 CP, to increase that BS to 2+

>>Then use the platoon commander to issue "take aim" to reroll any 1's 

>>Use the command reroll if you roll poorly for number of shots?

 

That's basically a leman russ in your army, which can hit practically anything on the battlefield. You don't need LOS to target things, but this comes at a price of -1 to your BS. This combination does shoot less than a russ, but is arguably more survivable, what with the way ind. characters work in 8th edition. Stick'em in the back of your deployment zone somewhere safe and start lobbing shells. Wrap a few infantry squads around them for protection, then maybe a few more. Make them look innocuous. Harmless. If the game goes the full six turns that's six rounds of battle cannon fire all at BS 2+ with no chance of degrading.

 

Now, I know what you're thinking. Aren't there better options for the Imperial Guard? ...Well...uh.....

 

You're welcome? 

 

~MinoanFresco

Edited March 10, 2018 by MinoanFresco

[Withershadow]

Aren’t we supposed to get a rebalance this month? I hope the range limit on these guys is dropped.

[Feral_80]

It can be fun, but I doubt it would be that effective. Also because you require 6 CP base to use them properly/fully, which is really a lot. And each one obviously only fires half the shots of a real LR.

 

MoO could have been a cool unit, but it's been very poorly designed from the beginning. It's a typical example of GW's carelessness when it comes to internal codex balance and design. In a codex which offers plenty of redundant ways to give reroll 1s to hit, even to vehicles, he gives the poorest of all ways to reroll 1s to hit. What GW vehicles lack altogether is reroll 1s to wound - that would have been a perfect job for the MoO - possibly without the silly range limit - and definitely a good way to make him playable and attractive.

 

But alas, that was not meant to be.

[Colonel Cross]

Haha this is fun.

 

I never thought about switching the MoO to reroll wounds, not hits. I'd take him even WITH the ludicrous range restriction! Honestly, if they allowed reroll 1s to wound, it would be broken if there wasn't a range restriction now that I'm thinking about it

[Feral_80]

I don't think it would be broken. I would not pay 30 pts to reroll 1s to wound on a single Basilisk, even without the range limit. I'd probably take him if I fielded 2+ Basilisks. In that case, 30 pts seems fair to give reroll 1s to wound. The range limit must go anyway if you want to make it worthwhile, or he will just be useless at least 50% of the games.

 

Anyway, this is just chattering, as imaginary rules don't do any good to the game 

[Imperator Deus]

Haha this is fun.

 

I never thought about switching the MoO to reroll wounds, not hits. I'd take him even WITH the ludicrous range restriction! Honestly, if they allowed reroll 1s to wound, it would be broken if there wasn't a range restriction now that I'm thinking about it

I don't think it would be broken. Plenty of other armies have characters that have a "+1 to wound" bubble, and they don't have any restrictions at all. Neither for range or unit type.

[tychobi]

That sounds like a good fix for the poor guy

[Withershadow]

I hope Adepticon is when they release the major annual FAQ, and maybe spruce some of these flagging unit options up a bit.