Unit of the week Unit of the week: Obliterators

[Cpt.Danjou]

+++Unit of the week+++

 

Obliterators

This thread is only for tactics for Obliterator squads, not for pictures, there are other places for that.

How to best use Obliterator squads?

• Legion?
• Which stratagems are worth throwing out?
• Any solid unit combos?

[Cpt.Danjou]

I use them, as they have worked ok for me, but I usually have both and Dark Apostle and a Master of possession close by, and they do arrive together with a brick of terminator. Their main job for me has been to take care of vehicles and monsters, before helping out to take care of infantry units. 

 

Cpt.Danjou

[Kythnos]

2 hours ago, Cpt.Danjou said:

Their main job for me has been to take care of vehicles and monsters, before helping out to take care of infantry units. 

With their anti-tank profile generally being considered their weakest option, how does that work for you?

I still have to try out the Obliterators, but am looking forward to it.

[Freakshow668]

I've had great success with these, although as Kythnos suggests, I have found the anti-tank mode disappointing. I find they're best utilised in their 5 million shots each profile, particularly if you can put a +1 to hit buff on them.

[Cpt.Danjou]

1 hour ago, Kythnos said:

With their anti-tank profile generally being considered their weakest option, how does that work for you?

I still have to try out the Obliterators, but am looking forward to it.

I can only say I have had some incredible luck with the dice, I average more than 2 shots per oblit according to someone in my meta. Plus several times I have given them Prescience from a legionaries unit close by. . And to be fair the only Vehicles and monster I met these days are either Rhinos or Maulerfiends. On the other hand I can't hit a barn wall firing from the inside of the barn with my Havocs with reaper chaincannons. So it evens out in the long term.

[techsoldaten]

So far, I've used Black Legion Obliterators in 3 games, supporting 5 Terminators.

 

They proved to be useful as a deep striking melee unit.  Although this wasn't my intent, they picked up a charge in each game and held their own. Good for killing multi-wound models and putting a hurt on bigger things (Armigers, Kans, etc.) When paired with Terminators, they create a wall of powerfists that can get some work done. There's an argument to be made for how many melee Terminators can be replaced with Obliterators. 

 

Opponents fear Obliterator shooting and will ignore what they can get done in cc. The tendency to underestimate their prowess might be the biggest thing they have going for them. For that reason, consider deep striking close, doing a round of shooting, and letting opponents charge you the next turn.

[tychobi]

I have had small luck with the big lugs.  They tend to miss shooting and fail charges.  The games where I needed them to perform they failed me and the games where they did not I forgot to put them on the table.  I have cut Obliterators from my lists for the most part and have been happier for it.  I can see the use case for a single Oblit to drop in sneaky back field positions.. . .  but 90 points goes such a long way for more dynamic models from our range.  3 bikers are way more fun. 15 more points is a venom crawler or a reaper hellbrute.  I don't think I rate deep strike very highly in my local meta.  Too bad, the models are fun

[Iron Father Ferrum]

I've used them a few times in my Crusade force and they usually perform brilliantly for me.  I've had the occasional turn where I roll low on the Focused Malice profile, but usually they crank out a LOT of damage from a full squad.  They were my main killers in a game against tank-heavy Cadians, and in a fight against Khorne Daemons they even got their fists into their family business.

 

I would say though that a MoP is a necessity.  They are going to attract a lot of attention, and even with my Alpha's getting that -1 to hit at range, they will die to enough dice.  Pact of Flesh and Cursed Earth help a LOT.

[Toldavf]

In a regular game they are hard to justify they pay allot for their defense and their damage output to points cost suffers because of it 

 

[dice4thedicegod]

I like them - but only as a unit of 3 with a master of possession.  That way (ie pact of flesh) they are very resilient: being infantry with 2+ , armor of contempt, getting light cover…

 

they provide “enough” firepower to weaken key enemy units early on and their power fists (which I wasn’t expecting much from) have been very helpful mid/late game.

 

with my creations of bile lists, from 1000 to 2000 points, 1 MoP and 3 obliterators are standard.

 

note: I do think that I’d be a little leary of them if I didn’t have access to pact of flesh… 5 w might start to feel a little low for such an expensive unit.

 

 

[Maggotlord]

I used 2 Oblits in almost any game for the last 3 years. Though my CSM force right now is a low model count mix of models I really like. 

 

I only play up to 1k points games. And I only have 1k points of painted models. That way there is no choice for me. If I like to play CSM I HAVE to use my Oblits. 

 

And I pretty much like them. They are kind of Jack's of all trade — masters of none, but that is exactly what I like to field. 

 

Yes, their shooting is underwhelming, especially their anti tank profile. But which CSM shooting unit does perform well when it comes down to tank busting? 

 

I agree that compared to a +15 pts Venom Crawler the Oblits looks even more like a subpar unit, but Oblits are way easier to transport, which is a huge factor for me. 

 

Overall: I like the models, I like to play them and I am able to win games if they are part of my army. 

Nothing else matters. ;)