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The new planet strike came out today!

Feel free to discuss strategies and tactics for attackers and defenders!
What do you like or dislike about units in planet stride? What strategy is good, and what is bad?

Discuss!

Not that I've played it yet, but as far as the deployment goes.. It seems like as the defender you could make it damn near impossible for the attacker to effectively deep strike... A couple of "X" shaped hardpoints with rock outcroppings or the like, some kind of impassable terrain, would let the defender dictate where the attacker DS's. Once you force them to DS into the only safe areas you can concentrate your field of fire towards those same areas..

Like I said I haven't tested this out, and I look forward to picking up my copy at the FLGS once I'm off work this week, but being able to set up the table is a HUGE, HUGE advantage imo.

Well, yes. But the attacker could always choose not to deep strike, and bring in things from his Drop Zone. Just coming in from the table edge that he picked.
As the defender I think the more objectives that you put down the better, the basic mission, the defender wins even if he has only one objective under his control... in a small point game many objectives could be tough to handle. Of course the attackers firestorm gets stronger the more objectives are on the table... and the more objectives the more points to spend on strategic assets, some of the really nasty ones are 3 or even 4 points!
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As for the strategic assets, I am going to rate them from a 1-5 (five being awesome).
Defense/
Stronghold-
Ammunition Store(4)- And old favorite from Cities of Death, cheap, useful good for any situation, who does not like re rolls?
Command Center(2)- Meh, not one of the first ones that I would choose, maybe if the enemy has a lot of units that can assault when they deepstrike.
Power Generator(3)- Another from the Cities of death, I can see guard using this a lot as enhances any S3 weaponry greatly)
Sacred Ground(2)- Usually armies have many ways to gain the same effect, save your points and get more killy stuff. Can be useful if you suffer from leadership problems.
Imposing Edifices(3)- I kinda like this one, would not work against fearless opponents, but could be a pain in the neck for a wishy washy attacker .
Turreted- Battle Cannon(2)- Not a super fan, have to spend more points for another gun, that can be stunned, it is not an interceptor and is only Bs2....
Void Shield(2)- I think it would be better if ig could regenerate like voidshields on titans.
Fortified Stronghold(4)- Great for an obective you want to hold to the very last man, makes the unit inside almost impossible to get at this makes for a tough nut to crack, and as the defender that is what you are looking for. Rather expensive so you wont see it regularly...
Obstacle Stratagems/
Krack Attack(3)- Useful, all round general annoyance can hinder enemy units making them not be at full strength once they land, thats always useful. It continues to be in effect for the rest of the game that is a plus, and its cheap.
Las-maze(1)- Meh, you can do this when placing terrain as the defender... use points on something else.
Minefield(1)- Again, just set up terrain to gain the same benefits. Use points on something else.
Trench Network(3)- Cheap, useful if there are a lot of objectives, and the enemies firestorm will be very nasty. Will help keep your defenders alive. And its cheap.
Drop Pylons, and force pylons (0)- Could be useful, but most armies are either mechanized or in have some sorts of transportation method that will ignore this... can be effective against a full infantry force.. The fact that units with grenades can cancel the field puts the last nail in its coffin.
Dirty Tricks/
Escape Hatch(2)- Can be interesting, especially if you placed a stronghold full of close combat units. Remember to have another unit nearby to replace the unit that just "escaped" so that the stronghold does not get captured.
Drop Bastion(3)- An objective that does not help the opponents firestorm, always a bonus.
Drop Zone Denial(4)- Very nasty one, as defender can make only one side look "tempting" and then force the opponent to not be able to take it!... nasty.

Ok well Ill do the attackers ones later. Or someone else can.
Cheers!

I think several of those ratings are wrong. DZD isn't very good, and Command Center + Plague Marines = win.

of course this is from -my- point of view. If you have additional comments on the actual stratagems then make them.

Why dont you think DZD is not good? I see it as a powerful element, considering defender gets to place terrain.

Because it's too easy to ignore. The best attacking armies will be mobile enough that their table edge is either incidental, or they can get around the issue - and your reserves come on a random edge too, it can backfire spectacularly. A 3, sure, but not a 4.

I feel IG are a bit gimped on the assualt part. But maybe thats just me. (I'm no expert)

I've played PS and I LOVED it. SO much fun we had 3k marines vs 3k chaos marines. Marines won 3v2 marines were attacking. Mobile fast things excel when attacking for grabbing objectives. Assault marines and terminators were sick. Firestorm was awesome took out enough troops to claim objectives early on. If i get my necrons soon. No one will survive.

Deep Striking/charging Bloodcrushers as attackers.

I Played a 2000 pts game against spacemarines. my orks being the defender. we had six stratagem paints and three bastions (don't ask.)
i used the escape hatch pretty well. my flash gitz popping up and owning some space marines then hopping back into the bastion.

i also found that putting 30 ork boyz in a bastion is a good choice. he blew it up with a lascannon making me disembark and assault a nearby unit at full strength.

things to note are that firestorms hurt, must avoid at all costs. oh and i won, losing one thirty strong squad to fire storm, Skulgrim Gorfist (thraka) and three killa kanz. he had about 7 spacemarins left.

were having a rematch with switched postions soon.

planning to take supply drop and using it on a few thirty strong units of boyz. ouch thirty melta bombs on a stationary building.

It seems to me that the strategems are a pretty significant part of the game, especially since they appear to occur after you know (on some extent at least) what the other army has. They seem to be essential to if not stop, then mitigate some of the potential 'powerbuilds' that a guy could come up with in the game. IE Terminator / Demon armies being faced with defence pylons. (of course, assuming demons dont have grenades....)

Planet strike seems nice.


I'm starting up a 40k Campaign with some buddies of mine and I'll be using Planet strike's rules alot.

Most Daemons don't get Grenades, which is why Blood Angels are better at Planetstrike - Melta, and Grenades, and Jump infantry. All quicker ways to go through/over Force Pylons, or nuke Building before charging the guys who fall out.

Planet Strike is pure win
Deep striking and assaulting upon arrival is genius
Only problem is ,the same problem actually, everything is damn expensive =[

played my first game yesterday, it was great fun to see my old World Eaters army charging into an ultramarine stronghold.

Now I did have some great luck, one of my orbital strikes hit one of the 2 bastions, and rolled a 6 to penetrate then another 6!

It was brutal, it was close fought, but I do think in manyways it's the attackers to loose! We're organising a rematch in a couple of weeks with my CSM on defense, I can't wait

How my IG love defending. In the first game, I took six Basilisks and a Deathstrike. Turn two, all of my opponent's Terminators teleported in and my Deathstrike launched. None survived. Whee!

Here's another thing.

Daemon defenders. they don't start on the board, but they do get to set the terrain up. this makes the attacker's preliminary bombardment useless.

Seems like some mixed opinions about planet strike, i havnt played it yet, but plan too soon.

Exarch_Nektel wrote:Daemon defenders. they don't start on the board, but they do get to set the terrain up. this makes the attacker's preliminary bombardment useless.

That's more the fault of the aburdly silly and 1-dimensional way Daemons armies are used in 40K (which I've gone into at length in other threads, so won't here) and less to do with Planetstrike.

Anyway, my book arrived yesterday along with a pair of the blastscape crater sets, and I'm picking it up today. 'Bout time really. Still need to save up for those bunkers.

Here's my defender strategy: cover the entire table with impassible cliffs. Take Nids and buy every unit flesh hooks.

avantgarde wrote:Here's my defender strategy: cover the entire table with impassible cliffs. Take Nids and buy every unit flesh hooks.

Good luck playing more than once then.

Exarch_Nektel wrote:Here's another thing.

Daemon defenders. they don't start on the board, but they do get to set the terrain up. this makes the attacker's preliminary bombardment useless.

Not true, you can focus on objective bastions or the equivalent.

Exarch_Nektel wrote:Here's another thing.

Daemon defenders. they don't start on the board, but they do get to set the terrain up. this makes the attacker's preliminary bombardment useless.

Here's a crazy Idea.
Deepstrike in, take the objective, hold it as if you're on defense.
Most of the scenario's, the attacker wins if they are in base contact with the objective anyways.
Hold your ground, and you win.

Or.

If he makes it really tough to deepstrike in with the terrain set up, take up all the good deepstrike zones, and make him misfire.

Set up for their deepstrike before they have a chance to do anything. Plus, you do have the added advantage to blow up bastions and gak if you choose to so that they have nothing to start with.

If nothing else(I have worked since it came out and need to play!!) the Figs look great. Bastion Etc.

Exarch_Nektel wrote:Here's another thing.

Daemon defenders. they don't start on the board, but they do get to set the terrain up. this makes the attacker's preliminary bombardment useless.

they also go first and come in on 3+ with no one defending they just run in and take it and win and you have to get them out good luck.

dareaper wrote:

Exarch_Nektel wrote:Here's another thing.

Daemon defenders. they don't start on the board, but they do get to set the terrain up. this makes the attacker's preliminary bombardment useless.

they also go first and come in on 3+ with no one defending they just run in and take it and win and you have to get them out good luck.

yes, they do, but if you set up right, the objectives will be in areas that are easy for you to attack. All your Daemons have to do is land near an enemy that just deep struck and shoot/charge. Your opponent will be caught out in the open.

I bought the book but haven't had a chance to play yet. I think that as a defender, having a squad of 15 lootas in a bastion getting rerolls to hit for 1 point is absolutely awesome. That's up to 45 shots getting rerolled that are STR7 AP4. Something is gonna die.

Too bad that you can't take stratagems more than once, or I'd have 3 bastions full of lootas with ammo crates.

Cheese Elemental wrote:How my IG love defending. In the first game, I took six Basilisks and a Deathstrike. Turn two, all of my opponent's Terminators teleported in and my Deathstrike launched. None survived. Whee!

This sounds fishy for a couple of reasons:

1. Reserves start on turn one. He got none of his termis turn one?

2. Termis can assault the turn they appear in Planetstrike. He didnt assault any of the basalisks, etc.?

3. He didn't blow up any of your tanks with his firestorm?

If none of these things happened consider it luck not that your IG pulled off some grand win...

Play 2-3 games and see if your luck holds. If it does check your opponent's pulse...

Hmm, can you use 'firestorm' to place craters instead whatever the terrain is? (within reason I guess). - For example, firestorm hits some trees, replacing the trees with a crater.

That could help a bit.

I still think the best way to play the game is in sets of 2 matches, same armies, different army lists but using the same pool of terrain.

The other really important thing for balance is this.

6. Attacker prepares invasion: Blah blah "Once the defender has set up his terrain, the attacker chooses which table edge is nearest to his drop zone."

7. Determine stratagems.
8. Defender deploys.

I think this order is really important. - The defender already knows which location the attackers are coming from and so doesn't need to buy a drop zone denial if they're not coming 'behind' him. Also, he knows about any pre-game stratagems the attacker has to boot before he deploys. Most importantly, the Scorched Skies firestorm of death.

Shameless plug for my first planetstrike batrep... http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/247124.page

There was quite a bit of strategy discussion in it. I have another batrep coming tomorrow where my IG defended against demons.

My initial impressions two games in...

Players with comprehensive model collections playing as defender have a distinct advantage. Some units that are excellent defenders are not really that good in standard missions. Thats why i mention model collections.

Attackers have more powerful (but more expensive) stratagems.

How you choose to use your firestorm can make or break your attack.

How a defender uses his reserves can make or break a defense.

The game seemingly has good internal balance. Unfortunately, due to some of the openness, specifically in the "defender sets up table" section of the rules, is easily breakable. Not that it matters really at all, but planetstrike officially can not be played by two strangers in a tourney setting. For example, nothing prohibits copious amounts of tank traps from being used, along with any other type of impassable terrain. Defenders are going to have to cooperate in at least minor ways with attackers. Funneling attacking troops into deathtraps is fun and easy to achieve. Unwinnable attacks are also fairly easy to achieve, but lack the fun (save for the S&M crowd). Gaming groups with TFG will likely need house rules. Outside of terrain set up, I don't see too much opportunity for abuse.

Automated weapons absolutely make an impact on the game. They seem about as impactful as the firestorm.

Charge after deep strike is only a big deal to an unskilled defender. What it is to a skilled defender is a necessary handicap to their own advantage of starting the game winning.

Its FAST and brutal. We quickly switched to 2k points, and are completing 3 objective games in 2 hours. Armies are being taken down to a tenth of their starting strength very regularly.

I GREATLY enjoyed both of my games. I certainly will play it a lot. I haven't had my chance to attack yet, and I don't really have an appropriate attacker army. But i'll get one together soon. I have some ideas