Double-dipping with Hellfire Shells

[Diagramdude]

If you use Hellfire Shells on a Devastator with heavy bolter, you can combo in the Signum to make it go off on a 2+, AND then use the Cherub to have that heavy bolter model shoot again, upon which it retains the Hellfire Shells ability. So 2D3 mortal wounds with a 36" reach, on a 2+ and 2+ for 1 CP. Savage.

 

Hellfire Shells: "Use this Stratagem just before a BLOOD ANGELS INFANTRY model from your army attacks with a heavy bolter. You only make a single hit roll with the weapon this phase, however, if it hits, the target suffers D3 mortal wounds."

 

Devastator Signum: "Before this unit shoots in the Shooting Phase, you can choose one model from this unit that is within 3" of its Sergeant; you can add 1 to hit rolls made for your chosen model's weapons this phase. 

 

Devastator Armorium Cherub: "Once per game, after a model in a Devastator Squad that is accompanied by an Armorium Cherub has fired, the Armorium Cherub can reload that model's weapons. When it does so, remove the Armorium Cherub and that model can immediately shoot again."

 

And in magenta in the CODEX SPACE MARINES Official Update Version 1.2:

 

"Q: How do the Flakk Missile and Hellfire Shells Stratagems interact with an Armorium Cherub? Are you able to ‘reload’ the weapon and fire again with the benefit of the Stratagem?

A: Yes."

 

[Cruor Vault]

Yep!

 

Combo that with a Missile Launcher  Using Flakk Missile Stratagem and and watch your Devastator Squad annihilate that Custodes Shield Captain who just flew his jetbike into your lines with 3D3 Mortal Wounds!

[dakkamasta]

Clever, never thought of doing this!

[Diagramdude]

Actually, if you had two separate devastator squads, one with at least one missile launcher and one with at least one heavy bolter, and both with cherubs, then you could pop Hellfire Shells on one and Flakk Missile on the other, and have them both double shoot with each of their cherubs...

 

Put out 4D3 mortal wounds onto a scary FLY unit. That is an average of 8 mortal wounds for 2CP!

[Morticon]

EDIT: turns out this was covered specifically in the SM faq i missed. 

 

Damn.  

Great little move then.

[Indefragable]

[Aothaine]

Question...

 

Say you are going super gamey. Can you then have a different detachment from a different codex use the same stratagems on different units with those weapons? Again... super gamey..

[BluejayJunior]

You cannot. Per one of the FAQs (I think it's in the main rulebook), strategems with the same name count as the same strategem even if they come from different sources. So you can't use Hellfire Shells with your Blood Angels, then Dark Angels, then Ultramarines in the same shooting Phase. 

[Captain Idaho]

Dear merciful Emperor. I'm so happy about this (I missed it actually) I'm opening a post in the Ultramarines section for it!

 

Thanks!

[Panzer]

2d3 Mortal rounds at 36" range is quite nice. Or 4d3 against a flying target. I guess it's kind of a one-trick pony tho. Devastators usually don't survive for long once the opponent realises their damage output. ^^

That being said a Heavy Bolter with Hellfire rounds is a slightly better anti-tank weapon than a Lascannon while still being good anti-infantry so unless you're really tight on CP I'd probably always take at least one Heavy Bolter in any kind of Devastator unit.

[Charlo]

This is probably the best standard marine stratagem.

[ImNegan]

Do you think the Fist bolter drill would give another shot on a six to hit as well?? Not exactly reliable but if your cp rich...

[Diagramdude]

Yes! And if you used the Signum on that heavy bolter model for +1 to hit, then a 5 or 6 would both trigger Bolter Drill for an additional attack. And then you can use the Armorium Cherub to fire again, which on a 5 or 6 would double proc.

 

So if use Bolter Drill and roll a 5+ the first time, hit with the bonus attack, then pop the Cherub and roll a 5+ again, and hit again with the bonus attack, that one model can put out 4D3 mortal wounds!

[Shaezus]

Thanks so much for raising this. I'm now swapping out a scout bike for a HB in each dev squad plus another power sword somewhere. Awesome stuff. With RL and HB in each squad, this could be a pain to a whole range of fruity stuff.

[Morticon]

2d3 Mortal rounds at 36" range is quite nice. Or 4d3 against a flying target. I guess it's kind of a one-trick pony tho. Devastators usually don't survive for long once the opponent realises their damage output. ^^

That being said a Heavy Bolter with Hellfire rounds is a slightly better anti-tank weapon than a Lascannon while still being good anti-infantry so unless you're really tight on CP I'd probably always take at least one Heavy Bolter in any kind of Devastator unit.

 

It's worked its way into my list now too. 

 

Dev make up will now have a ML and a HB in addition to whatever else.