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Amidst the cool new stuff for marines (Sternguard, LR-Redeemers, special-characters-a-go-go, etc) has anyone else noticed how big an improvement has come to the humble typhoon?

I don't think I ever saw (or even heard) of one being used under the previous codex but am now seriously thinking of making a squadron up as a key component of my new marine army.

Fine, it has the usual Land Speeder drawback (AV10) and the usual benefits (deep strike/fast skimmer), but for the points I don't see how you get better mobile firepower into your force.

Move 12" and you can still fire 2x S8, 48" range missiles giving an effective 60" anti tank range OR
Move 12" and fire 3x S5 AP4 and 2x S4 AP5 blasts at 36" - perfect for retreating in front of infantry hordes

for 90 points?


Is this as good as it looks?
Or is the only question how many do I take?

I always used to run 2x Typhoons and 1xTornado as a squadron in my lists. I found these to be a very good flanking unit to distract an enemy or picking off units to prevent them from assisting anything.

Have not yet redone my list for the 5th Ed codex but I still think they can make a valid addition

In a nutshell, I take three.
Though I may make a temporary conversion and trial the new landspeeder to transport Scouts

I'm also of the opinion that the Typhoon is the new assault-cannon Tornado: powerful, versatile, mobile, one of the best FA choices available. Having the potential to get a 1st-turn sideshot on tanks with krak missiles is a potent thing, and I'll expect Typhoons to be catching a lot of fire early on.

I actually just bought 3 of the new Land Speeders and after slapping a HB & AC on the first one I cracked open the codex to give the Typhoon missiles another look. The range and flexibility they possess caused me to equip the other two with HBs and Typhoon launchers.

I like the AC, but it means I'll have to get within 24" with the Speeders to make use of it, where lots of different guns will have a chance to take me out. With HBs and missiles I can stay at 36" - 48" where only the larger guns will be be able to reach me, and with Land Raiders moving up the board I hope I can force some difficult choices on any heavy weapons my enemy may have. I will definitely have to watch out for Outflanking units trying to catch my Speeders with their engines cool, though...

I like them, I'm taking at least 2 in my Wolves army. Its nice to be able to get some good down range firepower for a list that typically lacks in that area.

Somehow I overlooked that frag missiles are a defensive weapon and the versatility this can provide, Actually, can you guys stop pointing out small things that I miss, it's making picking a list for my first 2000 points tremendously difficult.

I'm liking it, I thought 90 points was a bit expensive but looking again I'm finding it hard to see how 2 typhoons could possibly be worse than a 10 man tac squad other than in being unable to capture objectives and they are only 10 points difference.

For the points, you get a lot more killing power from 2x typhoons (in effect 2x heavy bolters and 4x missile launchers) than a tac squad - hell, that's more than a dev squad , plus they can fire on the move and are fast enough to contest objectives late-game.

Downside is they die much more easily and aren't scoring...

While the new typhoon is good, I don't think it's the best buy by far. It puts out shots like an ionhead but is armor value 10 and 90 points. In my opinion the best buy is double heavy bolter speeders. 60 points for two heavy bolters? THis is warwalker level shooting for 60 points on a fast vehicle, allowing you to move 6 and shoot.

Is that an option?

I assume you'd model it as a tornado with underslung heavy bolter but I didn't think it was on the list and I don't have the codex with me to check...

Plus with the frag missiles counting as defensive you can move 12" and shoot with the typhoon.

yeah he's right Calvin, a Tornado can have Heavy Flamer/Bolter, Multimelta, or Assault cannon, as the secondary weapon.

I had an old school Typhoon because I loved the model. I am pleased to see it is now so effective.

2x HBs is a very tempting option too. It just sucks that you have to go hunting for an extra HB to model it properly - the underslung AC would serve as a good HB stand-in though.

For the extra 30 points I like the added anti-tank potential that the Typhoon offers, plus the extra range.

I'm very pleased with the new speeder's potential.

Landspeeders have always been my favorite SM unit and I'm planning on running 9 of them in my first SM army.

I already have two with mulimeltas but a change of plans is definitely in order.

I'm running 6 as of now... I may be going up to 9.

To those going Landspeeder heavy, pray you don't play against Tau. AV10 is still only AV10

Wait I don't get it. Since Frag is Strength 4 you are allowed to fire it regardless?

Yeah, at that point it falls under defensive weapons and on a fast vehicle you can move 12" and fire one primary and all defensive weapons.

I think its kinda funny that the missile launcher doesn't change at all, only the warhead and suddenly it becomes a shoot anytime you feel like it weapon.

Jayden63 wrote:To those going Landspeeder heavy, pray you don't play against Tau. AV10 is still only AV10

Yup, AV10 is terrible.... except when I can outrange 99% of your weapons - and down everything you can field with my missiles.

There are enough long range multi shot weapons that can remove a vehicle squadron in most armies that I think most will have a fair shot at it. Its not pressing the "win" button for either side, but I'd get a little nervous having about half your points tied up in only 9 models.

It could turn out that even if they all live, you just won't put out enough firepower to take down the bulk of the other guy. Marines still miss on a 1-2.

Another trick, take vulkan, now all multimeltas are twin linked. Take double multimelta land speeders.

Move 6" fire, two twin-linked multimeltas. mmm...
I don't think the typhoon is that great...

scuddman wrote:Another trick, take vulkan, now all multimeltas are twin linked. Take double multimelta land speeders.

Move 6" fire, two twin-linked multimeltas. mmm...
I don't think the typhoon is that great...

Yes, please take all all the TL double multi-meltas you want. 180+ model ork armies will love you for it.

That configuration is only good for tank hunting. If the opponent brings mostly foot slogging units, or stuff like deamons where everything has a Inv save, you will really wish you left some of those heavy bolters intact.

Demons can usually be relied upon to have a Grinder or two (or three) that your meltas won't go to waste vs.

Meltas go to waste in that they require < 24" to range - and < 12" to be effective. And at that range, speeders die. A lot.

I was checking out the double heavy bolter, and the new missiles, they're both really good buys (though I think that the missiles are just about 30points better). I would go so far as to call them best buys, but sterguard w/librarian are really nasty too. Even with the new variants of dakka goodness, the assault cannon/hb variants are still really deadly.

A squad of 3 can dish out 11.something kills against any target with Sv 4- and toughness 3- at 30 inches. It doesn't sound like much, but having 3 puny skimmers wipe out a squad of fire warriors, and be able to stay out of range of everything else is good.

That said, typhoons are now WAY up there as best buys.

Oh... and multi meltas are stupid on speeders. melta platforms that can move at 24" a turn right? That's great and everything, but they do NOT have the armor to live long enough to fire those babies. If they got rid of the 1/2 range thing for meltas, the that would be great. but you will never get within 18" without dying.

just my 2c

Why would you ever get within melta range? I would use it like a 24" range twin-=linked typhoon. If you get within 12" you've done something wrong.
Remember the old missile launcher vs. lascannon argument? You've got range like an assault cannon. Why fire ap3 when it can be twin-linked and ap1?

Think an immolator with two twin-linked multimeltas that can move and shoot. You never get an immolator with multimelta within 12" of anything

A bit of a hijack here....

Can you field a Skimmer with its Heavy Bolter replaced with a multimelta then upgraded to have a multimelta as its second weapon

Second question, the upgraded multimelta would be underslung and the replaced one handled by the gunner model. Would anyone object if both were modelled as underslung weapons if the above question is true.

That is how I hope to model one of my landspeeders with the other two being a seperate Typhoon squadron.

Was thinking it would make Landspeeder more threatening as a tank hunter and troop hunters

Yes, you can have 2 multimeltas.

As far as modelling goes, I can't see anyone having a problem with putting both of them under-slung. If its clear what they are, then who cares?

(as an aside - it would be really funny to model the now-defunt gunner as a navigator reading a map )

Chimera_Calvin wrote:
(as an aside - it would be really funny to model the now-defunt gunner as a navigator reading a map )

Ok that settles it,
Step one: Convert Speeder with two underslung MM
Step two: Model second marine clutching a map and stratching his head

Or even better, playing on his xbox in the cab?

I can't think of any time I was excited to put a set of multi-meltas on an Immolator, even though they are not ripped up by bolters, unlike a landspeeder. On the other hand, Sisters have Exorcists, which are like multishot 48" multi-meltas without the melta part, so maybe it was more a case of a better option for the same function.

Still, multi-meltas on anything that isn't hard as nails seems pretty pointless, since most vehicles don't care whether you are shooting them with AP1 or AP3, but rather are more concerned with how far away you are doing it, and whether their Armor is less than or equal to 14.

I find myself planning on pulling one of my two AC/HB landspeeders from my Marines army, and this is making me consider ripping the AC off one and replacing it with missiles. Not being able to move and fire both the AC and HB was driving me nuts during games.

Thus the awesomeness of the new typhoon. Full move and still shoot all your guns.