The Nuisance Factor

[Killermoose]

I think I mucked up was down to my inability to play Tau. I was used to playing with hard-as-nails Marines. How was I supposed to know that Wraiths cut through Tau like a warm knife cuts through butter?

[Icarus Athrasuriel]

Heh, never underestimate any unit, ever, no matter how powerful your men are. Everyone's a threat to everyone.

[Killermoose]

I'm learning, slowly but surely. Damn those Wraiths! And those HB equipped Devestators! In fact, damn all Devestators! Picking on my poor Hammerhead like that..............

[Icarus Athrasuriel]

lol

Well, you can't blame them. Something as versitile as a Hammerhead railgun should be out of action in T1 if possible.

[Killermoose]

But having about 10 Devestators balanced on the top of a tall building on the other side of the board with the Tank Hunters skill is really, really, annoying. Honestly, I hate Devestators so much that from now on every army I plan has some unit designed to beat them!

[experiment 626]

this is what i so love about the culexus assassin - you simply can't ignor him! his soulless ability pays for itself as Ld7 really hurts any battle plan... (god i love those wonderful target priority rules )
also, pinning enemy units in place becomes a very real probability...

that, and his ap1 gun means even tanks have to fear him! if he can get 'round the side or rear of most vehicles, then roughly every 3rd shot is going to mean a penetrating hit! (evil, i know!)

if i ever face off against tyranids, tzeentch chaos or eldar, it's simply a bonus!

cheers!

[Icarus Athrasuriel]

Good for you! Now, I may try some nuisance tactics tomorrow when I play my cousin. I let you know the results.

[Killermoose]

What army are you using? And what army is your opponent using?

[Icarus Athrasuriel]

Space Marines vs Imperial Guard. As I said, I'll try nuisance tactics.

[Killermoose]

Space Marines have nuisance tatics?? I look foward to reading about it!

[experiment 626]

*cough*assault cannons*cough*
hmmmm... i really need to look after this cold!lol.

cheers!

[DeAd_cOmMaNdO]

well ive been on the receiving end of the pinning army i posted in the first page, and really, you ahve to face it to realise how good it is.

the asscan army is just cheese rather than nuisance!

[Icarus Athrasuriel]

Mmmm, tasty cheese...

Asscan's are good, but they aren't meant to be a nuisance, they're meant to do business.

[DeAd_cOmMaNdO]

exactly. and they do that business very well! though i think they balanced, just not in the normal way. 20 points for the termie asscans is just too cheap, but when you think of the units that have them, i think it balances ot

• land speeders are very fragile and at 75 points each, very easy to take out.
• termies, which get them for cheap, are quite an expensive unit. they are quite tough mind you.
• crusaders and baals are vehicles, which means they are nowhere near as tough as they should be.

for instance, 6 asscan landspeeders come to over 500 points - 1/3 a normal army. very fragile, yet very good also.

[experiment 626]

the main gripe i have with the assault cannon is the rending... fine and dany vs infantry and it makes perfect sense considering that the cannon has normally been portrayed as scything through even power armoured ranks!
but it's simply far too good vs vehicles... statistically, an assault cannon is much better that a lascannon vs. heavy armour and that's just plain wrong!

a rule a few of the more level-headed members of my gaming group have tried out is (ironically enough!) to use the same rules as eldar sniper rifles; on a to-hit roll of a 6, the shot counts as having ap1.
the cannons still rip apart infantry, (even terminators and MC's), but now large, heavy battle tanks don't live in abject fear of the things!

but considering the high number marines can bring, rending is simply way too effective on *any* projectile weapon...

okay, rant over!
cheers!

[newpaintbrush]

Originally Posted by experiment 626

i use a culexus assassin! his soulless ability is worth it's weight in gold for how it can disrupt my opponent's lines...

So tell me, just how much does that soulless ability weigh?

[DeAd_cOmMaNdO]

Originally Posted by experiment 626

the main gripe i have with the assault cannon is the rending...

oh i couldngt agree more. when i first read the rumours that the asscan was going up to heavy 4 and getting rending, i did not believe it. imagine my surprise when i read the codex for the first time!



though back on topic, regarding nuisance armies, i think the only real nuisance tactics you can get involve Ld tests. i cant really think of anything else

[Killermoose]

I think that cheap deep-striking sqauds are very annoying. Coming down behind enemy lines scares the crud out of your opponent, and even when they don't take much out your enemy will still concentrate a lot of fire on them.

[DeAd_cOmMaNdO]

well deep striking behind enemy lines can be very scary to yourself.. mainly when youre rolling for deep strike scatter

i can see that being a nuisance with termies, though anything else lacks the firepower/surviaivability to be that much of a threat and can be easily taken out in one turn. its a good distraction though, if youre willing to sacrifice the unit

[Killermoose]

Well, a small unit of Gun Drones is very useful, as their assault move can let you position them perfectly. They'll probably die in one turn, but thats one turn of enemy shooting that the rest of your army is safe from. And against Gaurd they are pretty good, as the heavy weapon squads that your opponent has actually have a chance of being gunned down. And pinned.

[DeAd_cOmMaNdO]

gun drones deep strike? thats good for PINNING, which i said above is the best nuisance tactic hehe

though really, i never knew gun drones could DS. thats an interesting option actually

[Killermoose]

I know, deep striking drones are very nice, and they can make their free assault move on the turn they deep strike in. And you're right, they are good for pinning. Darn it! I can't think of any more ideas now.

[DeAd_cOmMaNdO]

haha! im seriously considering that tau army i was thing of now i know about these DS drones hmm. my FA slots are otherwise empty (shame: i love pirahnas (sp?) but theyre not worth the points imho) so i can afford them. the only problem would be getting models. mail order i guess

[Killermoose]

Mail order from your local store, and order lots at once, that way it is only £1 postage and packing for all the drones. Or you could buy the old Tau battleforce, which came with about 10 drones. Though remeber, for 12 points each they are not cheap, and taking alot of them can limit your overall firepower quite a bit, as their gun is assault 1.

[DeAd_cOmMaNdO]

but they pin! lol

sorry, seems like im obsessed that thing... but i am! 3 units of those should do the trick.

so Bs 2 with reroll... 6 per unit is 6 shots, 2 hits, 4 rerolls, 1.3 hit so thats a low average of 3 hits out of 6 shots
Str 5 wounds T4 on 3+, so thats 2 wounds, which means MEQ saves on average. drat. i need more than 6 drones/unit to kill at least one marine. and then it needs a pinning test.

can markerlights boost Drones?

above, you can see DeAd_cOmMaNdO's first semblance of a tactic taking place. shame it most likely sucks, like all his tactics

[Killermoose]

Yeh, markerlights can boost them. If you take a pathfinder team they are really helpful towards them, as they can give them -1 leadership for pinning tests, and +1 ballistic skill. However, they do take up a fast attack choice.

[DeAd_cOmMaNdO]

no. must not comprimise FA choices
bs 3 drones.
so 6 drones = 3 hits + 1.5 extra hits with reroll = 4.5 hits
Str 5 vs T4 = 3 wounds
= 1 dead MEQ, which forces a pinning check at Ld 7-9, depending on target unit upgrades.

that can be done without DS though - move 12" in turn one and shoot, then jump back.

[Killermoose]

They only move 6 inches in the movement phase, and 6 inches in the assault phase. You could always take a small squad of fire warriors with marker drones and a markerlight to make up for the lack of pathfinders.