Salvo Launchers Bikes post Chap. App.

[Ezr91aeL]

After the Chapter Approved 2018 Salvo Launchers cost has been dropped to "only" 15. Is it worth now to take them on the bikes (considering the fact I'm looking for an anti-tank unit)?

[Charlo]

It's tough to call... The points drop is certainly welcome and the Salvo Launcher isn't bad by any means. The re-roll to wound offsets the S8 and 3+BS from moving and firing well enough.

 

However Hurrican Bolters are just. So. Damn. GOOD. It lets Custodes clear screens, something they really need to achieve in game without wasting their combat prowess on them.

 

With the advent of the Forge World units also picking up the slack in Anti-Tank its a hard decision. Try them in some games!

[MARK0SIAN]

I can’t really add much except to say I agree with what Charlo says. Salvo launchers just don’t offer enough compared to what hurricane bolters can do. So much so that even if you made salvo launchers free, I would still pay the points to upgrade them to hurricane bolters.

[shanewatts]

In my experience, not really.

[burningsky25]

The real crux of the matter here isn't so much that you're looking for anti-tank and the jetbikes have it - it's that you'll also want anti-horde or anti-infantry and NO one does that better than jetbikes.  Arguably game wide.  So for every jetbike that you take a missile on (even if this was, on it's own, a reasonably effective loadout), you would be automatically taking one less jetbike with a hurricane bolter.  Admittedly they have different roles, so if you have absolutely no alternatives for anti-tank then jetbikes can do that, but you're still taking a far inferior loadout in terms of performance at the desired role.

 

 Unfortunately if you're in a situation where you're playing GW models because of environment or cost I would just as soon recommend a landraider, I think you'd be just as well off in terms of raw damage output with more hurricane bolter bikes and a lascannon raider, and in a semi-casual environment this is still viable.  I've won games in an environment far from casual using those models.  Admittedly a huge part of your gameplan becomes protecting the landraider from getting charged, and that can be limiting or frustrating, but it can work.  

 

Your real answer though, if it's an option for you, is to invest in a Caladius Grav Tank or double Arachnus Telemon.  There are options available to us that perform anti-tank above average.  There are no other options in our codex that perform anti-horde above average.  

 

Sorry for the long-write up, hope it has some value.

[CaptainMarsh]

Much of it depends on your army composition. I run very Custodes Body Heavy, so through sheer volume of quality attacks I can clear 'hordes' easily enough and handle just about anything else on the board with the exception of speedy, heavy, or titanic level threats. The Salvo Launcher is good at such things, and pairs up well with how I use my bikes (which tend to be hunter-killers of such targets).

If you don't run body heavy? Hurricane Bolters.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

We have a lot of solid options now with the new rules for Forge World units... horde is still very much a thing and the hurricane bolters do some real work.

[rcoon]

I have never taken a salvo launcher and been glad about the decision. They always disappoint.

[balordazul]

I would suggest if you do take them to know that the math works out that the meta missile wins most of the time over the flakk missile.  The sad thing is against a T7 3+ save flying vehicle you need 4 flakk missiles to out do the melta missile in a chance to wound the target.  

 

Oooops GW

 

As Black Orange stated hurricane bolters are much more versatile and covers the armies flaw at having below average rate of fire per point cost on all but one unit(codex units not FW).  But bikes are not required as you can do a heavy assault with Wardens now on the point drop and just kill most things in melee.  

 

Math - https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1K7PbzbW9Y72j5p4TfwCvBfEclTNx9gRk1xxE-FKxOQ0/edit#gid=0

 

Scroll to the right and I'm using geometric distribution as it is more accurate than basic math.  Also this file is for me and I really did not design it for public presentation.  

[noigrim]

Since im playing vs gk 2+ spam yes

[Ezr91aeL]

Thanks to everyone. In the end I've decided to... simply magnetize them! Il bring the Hurricanes if the adversary will bring lots of infantry and the Salvo Launchers if he'll spam tanks, walkers and other hi-armor units.

My only doubt is to totally switch them with the Aquilon Termies with Firepikes and Fists.

[Prot]

It depends totally on your lists. Since the Custodes don't get BetaBolters, I have been experimenting (probably a month ago) with my Captain using one (reroll) and I have to admit, it's been really handy. But again it has to be because my list really needed it (no allies).