Storm Speeders: Hail, Thunder, or Hammer?

[geektom]

Hey all- have my first Storm Speeded kit and don't know yet how easy it is to magnetize.

 

What is everyone's favorite load out?

[Alcyon]

Sadly none of them are good, but I think the consensus is the Hammerstrike is the least bad. Hailstrike is almost as much as a Redemptor for similar guns and a much worse profile other than movement. Thunderstrike has two main weapons with D6 damage which I think is just too much variance even though it has BS2, though they might well go to D3+3 in the next codex so it might not be a bad idea to magnetize. 

[Morticon]

The shelf. 

 

><; 

I hate to be unproductive, but the speeders are among the "dropped balls" of the GW Primaris release.  

 

If you love the model and you love the look and feel- go for it!! Any one will be fine for game play. If you're wanting to do well, or be competitive, leave them at home

[sal of manders]

I've never played with any of the storm speeders, but...

 

Thunderstrike looks to be the more flexible option to me, in terms of always being able to shoot something.  It's the option I would personally go with if I were to pick one.

 

Hammerstrike has more reliable damage output when it's in range, but being in range is kinda the trick. I'd expect this thing to kill or cripple anything it hits, but I'd ALSO expect it to likely get wrecked itself immediately afterwards.  I'd consider this one to depend on what the rest of your army is as to whether it's the preferable option.     

 

Hailstrike looks... underwelming.  Honestly I think a couple of landspeeder tornados would do the job more efficiently than a hailstrike. It puts out a lot of bolter shots, but marines have a lot of other things that do that too.  If you only build one storm speeder I would go with either of the other two before this one.

[Karhedron]

With BS2+, I think the Thunderstrike has some utility vs Drukhari and the like. The Stormspeeders as a whole are a bit underwhelming.

 

I don't expect the rules to change but GW have shown that they are willing to tweak prices so you may see these get a discount in the next MFM if they keep failing to turn up in tournament lists.

[FinalCookie]

I've used both the Thunderstrike and the Hammerstrike in my White Scars list, and every time, I wish I just grabbed more Inceptors or something. They split the baby in terms of output VS. durability, and in so doing, made it completely eclipsed by everything else that fills similar roles.

 

The degrading profile hurts while none of the weapon options are punchy enough, meaning it's flimsy and weak, rather than being a glass cannon. It's also too expensive, meaning it's use as a cheap unit for secondary scoring/board control/screen clearing etc. doesn't math out.

 

The model is nice though, so it will certainly look nice on the shelf until it gets a substantial points drop or some stat changes.

[geektom]

I've used both the Thunderstrike and the Hammerstrike in my White Scars list, and every time, I wish I just grabbed more Inceptors or something. They split the baby in terms of output VS. durability, and in so doing, made it completely eclipsed by everything else that fills similar roles.

 

The degrading profile hurts while none of the weapon options are punchy enough, meaning it's flimsy and weak, rather than being a glass cannon. It's also too expensive, meaning it's use as a cheap unit for secondary scoring/board control/screen clearing etc. doesn't math out.

 

The model is nice though, so it will certainly look nice on the shelf until it gets a substantial points drop or some stat changes.

 

 

@FinalCookie As a WS player, do you take any Invader ATV's?

[FinalCookie]

 

I've used both the Thunderstrike and the Hammerstrike in my White Scars list, and every time, I wish I just grabbed more Inceptors or something. They split the baby in terms of output VS. durability, and in so doing, made it completely eclipsed by everything else that fills similar roles.

 

The degrading profile hurts while none of the weapon options are punchy enough, meaning it's flimsy and weak, rather than being a glass cannon. It's also too expensive, meaning it's use as a cheap unit for secondary scoring/board control/screen clearing etc. doesn't math out.

 

The model is nice though, so it will certainly look nice on the shelf until it gets a substantial points drop or some stat changes.

 

 

@FinalCookie As a WS player, do you take any Invader ATV's?

 

 

Not currently, no. My local meta has favored T3 and T4 hordes with a smattering of TEQ armies; the combo of Plasma, Blast, Fly, and T5 has made inceptors just crazy efficient for me, and normal bikes/outriders can fill the screen clearing/board control role about as good as the ATV can. 

 

I do think there's some play with the ATV's, but like the Storm Speeders, they lack the CORE keyword, which is rough. They also are in competition with attack bikes, which are half the defensiveness for the same amount of damage output, meaning they do the job better, and are pointed more appropriately, due to GW consistently over-valuing defensive stats like Wounds.

[dice4thedicegod]

I’ve painted up a storm speeder as ravenwing. Plan on mainly using it in hammerstrike configuration (from math hammering, I don’t think thunderstrike is as good, even with bs 2).

 

I think the dark angels give enough boost to make it playable:

- 5+ invulnerable if it moves

- stationary it gets +1 to hit (and, as the only ravenwing vehicle in my army, for 1 cp I can still make it 4+ invulnerable)

 

For any other chapter though… I’d only play it if I really, really liked the model.

[Dr. Clock]

I use 2 Thunderstrikes in my WS (Storm Lords), and they're still fun but certainly not optimal in the role. Before Armour of Contempt they were better, but now average like 7 wounds on a Rhino, less outside 24", and if you roll any 1s to hit or damage it's super sadface.

 

They've got good bones starting at 2+BS , but really let down by the lack of DMG. AP-4 or just an ignores cover mechanic would go a long way, but an extra missile shot and/or move the big guns to d6+2 would make them feel less dusty at this point in the edition.

 

For me their role is backline screen as the rest of the army is already very aggro (2x Outrider, 2x Inceptors, 2x Assault Intercessors, Vanguard Vets, Bladeguard). They still kind of work in that role with the high speed fly, and occasionally they'll claim a high value target. I'm ride or die on them tbh just because they do feel peak Storm Lords as compliment to the Outriders.

 

Now just give Scars (successors) a way to take Outriders as Troops to free up more FA slots plz! 

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.