Tank Hunting Vets - Worth Points?

[christopher300]

is this overkill for a veteran unit?

Sergeant with Power Fist and Plasma Pistol
3 veterans with Meltaguns
6 veterans with Shotguns

Demolitions Docterine so they have Melta bombs and a demolition charge

A chimera as a dedicated transport with a dozer blade and replacing its flamer with a heavy bolter.


In total its 220 points. Is that too much for this unit?

This is obviously a unit that is going to chase the tanks around the board so hopefully once in range they can shoot meltas and then assault the vehicles with melta bombs and use demolition charges.

Is this a lot easier said than done? Is it effective?


I am also thinking of running a Rough Rider unit with 3 meltaguns and the sergeant with melta bombs as a reserve to help these guys out.

[emptyhat]

I've used three meltaguns, demolitions, lasguns and chimera a bunch. If your opponent has a bunch of tanks (especially ones that are coming at you) then it is pretty good (and draws in enemy firepower). If they only have one tank but you really want it dead then these guys can still be good and you can always try using them to score linebreaker/grab an objective if they complete their mission; and if your opponent is any flavour Space Marines then they'll still be plenty busy.

I've also heard good things about paying out even more for an air transport.

[christopher300]

What route do you take to the enemy?

What i mean is do you just go straight line, as fast you can head on to the tank or unit you are targeting and them disembark.

or would you try and do a loop around the flank?

or would you go so far and have your veterans walk behind the chimera as cover then charge?

[Julian Sharps]

You are paying 220 points to be able to kill anything up to and including a Land Raider in one turn, provided you can get into melta range.

I'd probably leave the plasma pistol at home; it's not strictly necessary, and there's a chance that it could take your power fist with it.

Other than that, there is usage to be considered. What are you supporting them with, other mounted squads? Aircraft? Tanks? Advancing waves of infantry?

[gamma016]

Don't forget the chimera has fireing points, your vets can fire their meltaguns from the safety of the chimera. If you plan on running your chimera straight in make sure it has cover from other units or something else going in with it. If not it will be taken down fast. I ran a chimera with a CCS with Straken in it as an assault squad and it was gunned down fast so make sure you have something else to share the heat.

[christopher300]

Ahh of course, I never really considered that they could fire melta weapons from firing points. Can shots from all firing points go in one direction?

How would you share the heat?

[hendrik]

personally i wouldn't use them as my main tank hunters, but rather a denial unit, eg, you're dreadnought might think twice about coming near our lines, with my meltas sitting here. IMO the best tank hunters are the ones that take down a tank from afar since A) this means the tanks is still most likely further away, meaning it'll have spend less turns on the board then a tank that managed to get into my deployment zone..
B) tankhunter tanks look awesome
C) delivering an alphastrike in turn one, crippling his tanks, can be a real psychological blow for him and cause him to lose focus

[christopher300]

Jan 16, 2013 17:09:33 GMT -5 hendrik said:

personally i wouldn't use them as my main tank hunters, but rather a denial unit, eg, you're dreadnought might think twice about coming near our lines, with my meltas sitting here. IMO the best tank hunters are the ones that take down a tank from afar since A) this means the tanks is still most likely further away, meaning it'll have spend less turns on the board then a tank that managed to get into my deployment zone..
B) tankhunter tanks look awesome
C) delivering an alphastrike in turn one, crippling his tanks, can be a real psychological blow for him and cause him to lose focus

What do you mean by Alphastrike?

[Paradill]

Alpha strike is when you are able to strike out at the enemy in the first turn. Usually with weapons powerful enough to be devastating to a particular aspect of the enemy's army. Tanks, for example.

[christopher300]

Ahhh okay i see, yeah I will be using basilisks. I am sort of avoiding leman russes tanks, I kind of want a bit of an artillery and infantry feel to my army.

[gamma016]

If you like the artillery and infantry feel then I defiantly suggest getting a manticore. Also whatI meant by share the heat is don't run the chimera in alone run it in with an other chimera or two or hellhounds or even just foot guard, that way your melta vets are not taking all the shots.

[Paradill]

If you only have one vehicle to target, all your enemies anti tank will be poured into it and it will die. A sacrificial hellhound or something like a Russ that can take a beating will also help the enemy get distracted from the real threat.

[christopher300]

Im not sure how etiquette works in all this but if I have three chimeras and only one is occupied, once the game has started do I have to ell them which one the unit is in?

Kind of like guess which cup the ball is under?

[gamma016]

It seems like a dirty trick to just not tell him which chimera your veterans are in. Also a hellhound or devil dog moving up with the them would be a second target plus deadly if they don't take it out

[christopher300]

Yeah, maybe not the right thing to do!


now then this Devil Dog, just had a look, yes that seems a canny idea. As it has a melta cannon it will be a blatant threat to them so its either try to deal with the big tank with a melta weapon or the unit with melta weapons.

A very good idea indeed and 120 points isn't much (Mind my bank balance wont enjoy the idea as much!)

Is this a tactic you have used yourself before?

[gamma016]

Haha I know what your bank account is feeling. I have done similar with a devil dog and a bane wolf. I ran the bane wolf in first with the devil dog in behind it against necrons. The bane wolf got taken out by scarabs and the devil dog took out his annihilation barge then was about to take out his dooms day ark. It work pretty well though.

[hendrik]

if you do intend to buy the hellhound kit (or frankly any other non-basilisk vehicle) i would suggest you also order some magnets. with only a minor effort you can magnetise that model so it can be all three variants.

[verminard]

I love the melta vets, but I just run them with the three melta guns. Demo doctrine is nice, but if they are in a Chimera you need to get out and wait a turn before you charge with them. Making those melta bombs pretty hard to use without advertising it to your enemy. The demo charge is nice, but I would rather have more vets with meltaguns.

I run mine like this
Vets with three Meltaguns, Chimera (multilazer, H.Flamer) 155 points

Usually I take a couple and back them up with
Vets with tree Plasmaguns, Chimera (multilazer, H. flamer) 170 points

This keeps them cheap and abundant.

WIth your heavies / fast attack you can either escort or bunker down and force them to come to you. Its amazing what a manticore and 4 bassies can do to put your enemy into a frantic state of mind.

4 bassies and a manticore (all three heavy slots) 660 points
3 Melta vet units 465
3 plasma vet units 510

Leaving you with 365 points for HQ's or vendettas or whatever. (I think you can do two Vendettas with non upgraded CCS in this but I can't swear it)

[Jackal-0311]

Its a nice setup, I feel its one of the best anti-armor units in the game, but that's just me.

[grendel]

How about this tactic using harker? infiltrate it in and forego the chimera?

[commisarblur]

Quick question: What are the stats on the Shotguns?

[Julian Sharps]

Don't you have a copy of the codex, 'Blur?