Xiphon Interceptor - is it any good?

[RoadRunna]

For 105 points does this unit perform on the table? I have some spare points in my Legion list and wanted to know people's experiences with using this unit before I spend $225AUD .  I like the model but not just to sit on the shelf for the $$ or get painted up only to never last on the table more that a few moments.

 

I would appreciate some peoples thoughts on it  ( I suspect its not a steller performer as I haven't played against one yet and have seen it used only once due to the player on the table behind me complaining that it didnt come in until turn 4 and then got insta-killed by interceptor)

 

Thanks

[MichaelCarmine]

How many Flyers do you/would you field alongside it?

Problem with flyers in this edition is - you have to oversaturate the Airspace to make sure, something is still on the table on the turn they arrive from reserve.

Helical Targeting pretty much destroy Flyers of any kind with relative ease, as they are mostly paired with big guns, that hit well and don't allow for shrouded saves.

 

So a "simple" castraferrum dread, which is so good for its points, that i see them in nearly every game, blows a flyer out of the sky without a chance for the flyer to do anything.

 

Since the Legacy PDF dropped, one Castra is allways a mainstay in every RG and IW List i play. I haven't had a flyer shoot at me since.

 

You can offcourse make use of Combat Air Patrol, or what the SR is called. so you arrive on the table with the opponents flyer in their turn - but since Flyers are so scarse these days, that doesn't come into play very often.

 

However - if they would release a Plastic Stormeagle already i would gladly build an Army around that RoW. You then could field half a dozen Stormeagles/Fireraptors, with a few Xyphons as escorts, that arrive on turn one. Then your opponents AA would shoot down maybe 1 or 2  but the rest is then out of danger. =]

 

Simply said - The Xyphon is very good for its points, but has its problems to simply get to shoot in the actual meta...

 

[Dont-Be-Haten]

I think you have to run 2 to make them count.

 

Most events I've gone to, don't do a ton of anti-air. You also want to bring them in together to saturate your opponent's firing options.

[Razorblade]

This might be a question of local meta, but I've been on events all over western Germany and never once faced a single source of skyfire.

That said, the Xiphon not only brings excellent firepower but is also very cheap. In a 2.5k game a single Xiphon is only going to eat up 4% of your points. That's an amount you can get away with losing if you make sure you don't lack anti-armour without the Xiphon. 

In addition since the earliest it will come in is usually turn 2, you have at least 1 shooting phase to take out potential threats before it can be intercepted.

[Gorgoff]

On 12/9/2023 at 1:56 AM, Razorblade said:

This might be a question of local meta, but I've been on events all over western Germany and never once faced a single source of skyfire.

 

Iron Warriors Siege Terminators have build in skyfire missles and are very popular.

I played once against a Xyphon so far with my Iron Warriors. It came on, I got my free intercept (which TST also have build in) and shot that flyer down easily in one volley. 

Heavy Support Squad with missle launchers, which granted are not a very popular choice, also habe build in skyfire and shouldnhave the Augury Scanner upgrade and will do the same to any Xyphon showing up. 

Nonetheless I think it is a usuful fighter because the reasons you have listed. It is cheap it has a lot of firepower and the model looks great.

[YogiDaAngel]

I've got fun fielding 2 xiphon's in my BA list, they are very good for their points. Always return their points but You need a good target for them. 

Simply said don't focus dreads or super tough vehicles.