Role of Infiltrators

[Svengir_Seastrider]

Hey all, was wondering if anyone runs Infiltrators in their list, and if so how many? Thanks!

[Karhedron]

Infiltrators look quite useful in 9th edition. You can put them on a forward objective to put pressure on your enemy or deploy them in your home objective to help keep your DZ safe from units coming in from Reserve.

 

If you want to use them aggressively, then you will probably need to run them in multiples and/or team them with other threats such as Invictor warsuits. Single units are better suited to defensive use. The fact that anyone can go into reserve and come in from a board edge means that they will usually find uses in 9th edition.

[jeremy1391]

Deep strike denial is very important in 9th edition, due to the smaller board size the infiltrators bubble of denial becomes much more impactful, a squad or 2 of infiltrators make a great anti deep strike screen to keep your big guns safe.

[Closet Skeleton]

I find them too expensive to take more than 10. Used to take two units of 5 when battalion spam gave you CP, used one unit of 10 with a medic the one tournament I've played in 9th.

 

Whether or not you need the deep strike deny bubble effects how you use them. Sometimes they're just an advanced deployment intercessor squad with bad AP.

[Mandragola]

They're an odd unit. They win you some games all but automatically by preventing your opponent's key tactic. In others they're just expensive bad intercessors. It's a tricky call.

 

In 8th I used 2x5 in an infantry-heavy list, combined with 3 invictors. I could put a lot of pressure on people early on with the infiltrators tying things up and the invictors (and quite a lot of guns) doing damage. In 8th I think I might swap these guys out for incursors. They're cheaper and much more dangerous, as (if the datasheet in the new box is right) they now have ap-1 in melee.

[Karhedron]

I have to admit I am still on the fence. Both the Chapters I run (BAs and SWs) are aggressive in melee and look on paper like they would work much better with Incursors. Castling up looks like it will be much less important in 9th which in turn means it will be harder for Infiltrators to effectively screen so much.

 

On the other hand, everyone gets Tactical Reserves now and small tables mean that 12" bubble affects a bigger proportion of the table. Infiltrators also work against units that can come in closer to the enemy such as the Mawloc. At the end of the day it basically comes down Infiltrators tend to be all-or-nothing while Incursors seem good all-rounders.

[MegaVolt87]

I like the idea of the early objective grab with these guys and their control is even better with a smaller board. Its just the points too much and the firepower not enough. Then if they are too cheap, they will edge out other SM troop options because of their great control potential. I don't think they are units you can really under-cost in points as troops, so they are kinda stuck in a weird spot. They feel like an elite unit in the troop slot IMO, reivers and these guys should swap slots. Reivers could be cheaper and already lack bespoke rules making them more logical in a troops slot. You could then lower the points of the infiltrators and incursors because they are no longer a troop unit and compete in elites. But we are getting a heavy support unit in a troops slot, so nevermind I guess.   

[MasterDeath]

The autowound stacks With the Extrahits, right?

[NatBrannigan]

The autowound stacks With the Extrahits, right?

Yes and No.

 

A 6 to hit is one auto wound and one extra hit, it was FAQ's to stop each 6 being 2 auto wounds.

 

Still pretty excellent, especially in Tactical Doctrine, although not quite as deadly as Intercessors. Really good balance between every (Primaris) troops choice at the moment.

[Askari]

Infiltrators would ve terrible in the elites spot. That's crowded with support characters and units that are great at killing. As troops they fulfill an actual troop role of objective grabbing and denial.

[MegaVolt87]

Infiltrators would ve terrible in the elites spot. That's crowded with support characters and units that are great at killing. As troops they fulfill an actual troop role of objective grabbing and denial.

Bruh you get 6 elite slots in a battalion detachment and for only a measly 2 CP extra you can grab an extra 2 elite slots from a patrol detachment for a total of 8 elite slots. That's enough room. Infiltrators can never get cheaper in points because their control potential and utility would make them auto includes troops. Incursors are more elite and killy than reivers, reivers should be a troop not incursors.

[Mandragola]

With the codex wording I think it’s clear these guys are worse than incursors for my Crimson Fists. Unfortunately I’m away from my book and the app doesn’t seem to say the same thing.

 

Anyway I think I remember the book saying I could ignore any and all hit modifiers when shooting incursors, meaning I could get +1 to hit from my chapter tactics now but ignore penalties from terrain and stuff.

 

Obviously the point of infiltrators is to screen deep strike. The trouble has always been that they’re relatively easy to kill, so anyone they cause major problems can usually remove them. If you end up with first then you can attack with them, and watch them bounce off completely harmlessly.

 

Moving infiltrators to a different role doesn’t make sense because they’re already probably not worth bringing. If they weren’t obsec they’d be pretty terrible. Everyone hates reivers but these would be more expensive and less dangerous, without any of the special rules.