Helldrakes: 1 or 2?

[Iron_Within]

So in 2000 point game where you know you can't be facing issue tiaamii such as Imperial Guard is it best to take one heldrake or two? How to make a very good for shutting down things for the first time charge however with one they always die come the second turn would a second heldrake be beneficial?

[Aothaine]

Always at least 2. If you have room take three in a flyer wing. Redundancy is key.

[Panzer]

All of them! :D

[Iron_Within]

All of them!

So two barebones Sorcerers, 3 10 man units of Cultists and 9 Helldrakes got it!

[Iron_Within]

More seriously the list I was thinning of running is this:

Daemon prince: talons mark of Nurgle

8 zerkers x3 + power weapons

3 rhinos

X3 cultists

6 Havoks x4 autocannon

6 Havoks x4 missile launchers

6 Havoks x3 lascannons 1 missile launcher

2 helldrakes w. Baleflamers

[GreaterChickenofTzeentch]

More seriously the list I was thinning of running is this:

Daemon prince: talons mark of Nurgle

8 zerkers x3 + power weapons

3 rhinos

X3 cultists

6 Havoks x4 autocannon

6 Havoks x4 missile launchers

6 Havoks x3 lascannons 1 missile launcher

2 helldrakes w. Baleflamers

Not bad. You can kill enemy armor, pop open transports, and otherwise cause confusion, and the Prince and Zerkers combine with the Drakes for good threat overload.

 

Going to mark the Drakes with Nurgle to take advantage of synergy with the Prince's psychic powers?

[GreaterChickenofTzeentch]

Always at least 2. If you have room take three in a flyer wing. Redundancy is key.

You can drop to 1 if you have a large number of other large threats that require attention (Maulerfiends, Defilers, Brutes, Rhinos full of Berzerkers, etc.)

 

I personally run 1 Baleflamer Drake with my Iron Warriors sometimes, flanked by 2 Hell Blades for cost reduction.

 

My Thousand Sons can run 2 plus a Storm Eagle.

 

My Night Lords have 1, but it's accompanied by a shedload of Raptors, Warp Talons, Chaos Spawn, Contemptor Dreadnoughts, and other fast stuff.

[Aothaine]

 

You can drop to 1 if you have a large number of other large threats that require attention (Maulerfiends, Defilers, Brutes, Rhinos full of Berzerkers, etc.)

 

 

This is also true. But you have to be sure the other threats are big enough to pull fire off the Heldrake. A Leviathan of two might do the trick. 

[Iron_Within]

 

Going to mark the Drakes with Nurgle to take advantage of synergy with the Prince's psychic powers?

 

 

Yes, gonna stick Nurgle on the Rhinos too, first turn the intention is to rush the zerkers in rhino's forward, pop smoke and drop one with Miasma of pestilence - normally I have a 40 man cultist squad with miasma on so everyone is at -1 the first turn. 

[Aothaine]

 

 

 

Yes, gonna stick Nurgle on the Rhinos too, first turn the intention is to rush the zerkers in rhino's forward, pop smoke and drop one with Miasma of pestilence - normally I have a 40 man cultist squad with miasma on so everyone is at -1 the first turn. 

 

 

Usually better to cast Miasma of Pestilence on your Daemon Prince to make sure he has a better chance at surviving until he hits melee. It is good for him even after that though as well.

[Panzer]

The Daemon Prince can just hide behind other units tho since it's a character with less than 10 wounds ... like behind a Rhino with Miasma for example. ;)

[Iron_Within]

Yup that's the idea, in previous games I've had 40 cultists with Miasma placed on them, which can be nasty when you've got an assault horde with -1 to hit on them (Iron Warriors), must be nice with the -2 to hit with Alpha Legion :P

[Iron Father Ferrum]

I do that with my Dreadnoughts since they're where most of my antitank comes from, but putting Miasma on a Drake isn't a terrible idea.

[Aothaine]

The Daemon Prince can just hide behind other units tho since it's a character with less than 10 wounds ... like behind a Rhino with Miasma for example.

 

Ahh good point.