Terminator Load Outs

[techsoldaten]

My Deathwatch army is coming along, starting to wonder about Terminator load outs.

 

While I'm tempted to build out Termies with Assault Cannons / Heavy Flamers, concerned they're outclassed by other units.

 

The way I see it, Heavy Intercessors are (likely) on the way and they're just about as tough as Terminators but with better firepower. Terminators still have an advantage in melee and fortifying Proteus Kill Teams. They also have that teleport ability, which could be really important for a small, elite force.

 

So having a few to stick in a Proteus Kill Team seems important, and maybe a 5-man squad with lightning claws / hammers for objective grabbing. 

 

How are you equipping your Terminators? How do you plan to use them? Are they still relevant now that we have Indomitus Kill Teams?

 

 

[BrainFireBob]

My DW haven't hit the table, but you realize you can add 5 to a Proteus team, with 3 cyclones, combat squad them, and have them be an ObSec termie squad with lots of firepower and the benefit of tactics?

[techsoldaten]

My DW haven't hit the table, but you realize you can add 5 to a Proteus team, with 3 cyclones, combat squad them, and have them be an ObSec termie squad with lots of firepower and the benefit of tactics?

 

Yes.

 

Asking myself how they compare with Heavy Intercessors, who have better shooting and are also ObSec.

[Debauchery101]

 

 

My DW haven't hit the table, but you realize you can add 5 to a Proteus team, with 3 cyclones, combat squad them, and have them be an ObSec termie squad with lots of firepower and the benefit of tactics?

Yes.

 

Asking myself how they compare with Heavy Intercessors, who have better shooting and are also ObSec.

they can teleport, teleport homer, can take storm shields and melee weapons

[MadEdric]

It's not so much as comparing Heavy Intercessors to Terminators, unless you are just fielding those units as solo units. Yes, the HI get obsec where the terminators don't.

HI have the benefit that you can make a unit of 5 and that's that, great little obsec unit with some good firepower, but lacking any CC answer.

Terminators are not obsec, but give you a very tough unit that mixes shooting and CC, good in both. Compared as solo units, HI have the advantage in my book.

We though are Deathwatch. We don't run solo units of Terminators or HI when we can add them to killteams.

It then becomes apples and oranges. HI are the base to an Indomitor killteam, Terminators are the addition to a Proteus killteam. Both then should be set up to help the unit they are in and boost the role they play. 

And that doesn't answer your question.

I think that terminators work best as a boost to a Proteus killteam, so just 1-2 per unit. Really depends on the unit's purpose then. A unit of  heavy weapons or stalker rifle vets benefit from having a terminator with cyclone missile launcher. Mid range are good with the standard loadout, or you could even give the terminator a powersword to cheapen his cost. A more in your face unit benefits well from either twin claws or thunderhammer/SS.

I'm of the opinion that terminator squads are not the best tool we have, so personally will most likely never field one, but will most likely always have at least one terminator in a killteam.

Edited February 24, 2021 by MadEdric

[Debauchery101]

It's not so much as comparing Heavy Intercessors to Terminators, unless you are just fielding those units as solo units. Yes, the HI get obsec where the terminators don't.

HI have the benefit that you can make a unit of 5 and that's that, great little obsec unit with some good firepower, but lacking any CC answer.

Terminators are not obsec, but give you a very tough unit that mixes shooting and CC, good in both. Compared as solo units, HI have the advantage in my book.

We though are Deathwatch. We don't run solo units of Terminators or HI when we can add them to killteams.

It then becomes apples and oranges. HI are the base to an Indomitor killteam, Terminators are the addition to a Proteus killteam. Both then should be set up to help the unit they are in and boost the role they play.

And that doesn't answer your question.

I think that terminators work best as a boost to a Proteus killteam, so just 1-2 per unit. Really depends on the unit's purpose then. A unit of heavy weapons or stalker rifle vets benefit from having a terminator with cyclone missile launcher. Mid range are good with the standard loadout, or you could even give the terminator a powersword to cheapen his cost. A more in your face unit benefits well from either twin claws or thunderhammer/SS.

I'm of the opinion that terminator squads are not the best tool we have, so personally will most likely never field one, but will most likely always have at least one terminator in a killteam.

Maybe you like 1 or 2 terminators but I would disagree that they'd be a benefit for vets using cyclones

It's way more efficient in the durability and offensive output to go all vets or split it 5 and 5 so you have a deep striking unit that costs no CP as well as the potential for a specilism.

 

For 2 cyclone terminators with storm bolters and power fists is 116pts-6xt4 wounds

For 4 vets with heavy bolters its 120 pts-8x t4 wounds

Vet Sgt w/hvy hammer-35 points

Vet w/DW bolter and Storm shield-25 points

So these 2 guys together are 4xt4 wounds. At the cost of 1 of the terminators.

Basic vets also have the same close combat ability/options as terminators. But being cheaper you can have a ton of 2+/4+ ablative models to keep your hth guys safe.

1 mixed unit I've used to decent effect

Sgt-hvy hammer

Black Shield-2xclaws(7 attacks on charge)

1 van vet- shield/claw

4 vets- shields/bolters

3 terminators- plasma cannon/swords

Back the unit up with a Chief Apothecary who has 2 Co. vet guards w/shields

 

Over charge plasma with a medic to bring back the guys who blow up. It's a bargain bin Indomitor team. I choose not to run firstborns like this because they don't have trans human to protect the hvy investment.

Advice to make this work is to saturate your opponent with threat so these guys take Less aggro

Edited February 25, 2021 by Debauchery101

[MadEdric]

I do like that set up. 9th is certainly a different animal than 8th for us. I know it will take me many games to get the DW feel again. That though will be a while.

[infyrana]

I really need to consider picking up the codex ..

 

Terminators can take Plasma Cannons now ?  The Death Wing thing?  I've avoided converting them as I'm sure they were never a thing before 9th .. but this changes things.

[BloodyB]

Termies with a heavy flamer can do wonders clearing objectives for follow up units like inceptors to nab. Consider relic termies with bolter/claws a flamer and a plasma and grenades to sweep light and medium infantry from objectives for a quick moving scorer to take. Deathwatch play really strangely compared to regular marines, but my Blood Angels have had good fortune using termies and reivers with chutes to take and hold.

[techsoldaten]

This is all really good feedback, appreciate everyone for sharing.

 

Think the scenarios to plan for are as follows:

 

- 1 - 2 in a Proteus Kill Team (melee) 

- 1 - 2 in a Proteus Kill Team (shooty) 

- 5 in a Proteus Kill Team (melee) 

 

Having a hard time justifying the 'shooty' version of a 5-man squad in a Proteus Kill Team. Not seeing how they are more efficient than Heavy Intercessors. And I definitely don't see the purpose of a 10-man DW Terminator squad, they just don't have the shot output.

 

For the melee options, I'm focused on Thunderhammer / SS, Lightning Claws, and Heavy Flamer, in that order. I don't see a situation where SB / PF makes sense.

 

For the shooty options, I'm focused on Assault Cannons and SB and Cyclone Missile launcher. 

 

Still questioning Assault Cannons, they seem inefficient compared with some Heavy Intercessor options. With Plasma Cannons, they're expensive and I'm not sure they're worth the points compared with Frag Cannons / other C:SM options.

[Claws and Effect]

I'm planning on doing a 10 man squad all with TH/SS and 3 cyclones just for the sheer ridiculousness of it.

 

It's going to be insanely expensive, but it's going to be epic launching it across the board with the Beacon Angelis.