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I need some help with Obliterator tactics. Some of you may think...well don't move them, lash enemy units and well...obliterate. Sorry, but no. I use a strict Nurgle army only. No Lash lists for me. Getting back on topic, I was wondering how to use Obliterators effectively. IMO they seem like a huge target that for 3 full squads (675 points, 9 guys) seem like they would just get ripped apart and focused. I know that they're VERY capable of pumping out the fire power, but is it really worth it? You can cover them with Rhinos and shoot from afar, but that can only go so far. What else can you do?

You have a strict Nurgle-aligned list, so you don't use Sorcerers or Daemon Princes of Slaanesh, but you have Obliterators? Why not Havocs with an Icon of Nurgle?

Still, since you're going with Obliterators, you can also Deep Strike them with superb accuracy if you include Icons in your army. You don't get as much shooting from them, but you do get to use their twin-linked shorter ranged weapons, which can be better against Land Raider spam or hordes.

Still, if you're going to drop them in then you should either take some other Heavy Support to sit back and shoot, or you should leave some Obliterators back to cover your advance. In addition, dropping Obliterators combine nicely with Lesser Daemons to provide a screen to power weapon assault troops, cover against plasma fire, and interdiction against return fire. Just throwing them in alone is giving your opponent the opportunity to chew them up one by one, given the unreliability of reserves. You need to spam reserve so that stuff is more likely to be supported when it arrives, though that's somewhat mitigated by dropping on Icons.

I don't think you can claim that a Chaos army featuring a lot of oblits is a Nurgle themed army. If you are shooting for a WAAC style list then you are ham stringing yourself by not taking lash.

G

waac Chaos army without Lash...

WAT

To be honest I was just curious as to the tactics someone might implement. The obliterators are just a thought. Something I may get to add to my collection. I plan on using vindicators tbh, I was just curious as to how these things do dmg b4 they get ripped apart. Plus getting 9 obliterators is ridiculously expensive compared to 2 vindicators.

9 Obliterators in cover = 9 lascannons that take alot of wounds to silence. Shoot 9 lascannons at something until it dies or comes into range of your multi-melta, then you shoot 9 multi-meltas. Then when the troops come in range, shoot them with 9 plasma cannons. Easy.

I don't know if it's really that simple. Wouldn't Sternguard spam lists romp that "strategy"

What do the sternguard have? If they all have combi-meltas and they drop in on you, there's not really much you could have done anyway. If they don't have combi-meltas, then you don't worry about it because their ammo is AP3, so you don't care because you have a save of 2+. Then on your turn, you double tap plasma back or fire plasma cannons, dealer's choice.

Not to mention if they had combi-melta, they would have toasted anything else you would have had in the oblits place, namely the two vindicators that you were going to use.

Well, your definitely lowering the armies potential effectiveness by not using lash.

But as for a competitive nurgle/oblit list I would use:

Prince w/ MoN, Wings, WT
Prince w/ MoN, Wings, WT
GD

5x PM Squad- 2x melta, champ w/ fist, combi melta (rhino with EA)
5x PM Squad- 2x melta, champ w/ fist, combi melta (rhino with EA)
5x PM Squad- 2x melta, champ w/ fist, combi melta (rhino with EA)
5x PM Squad- 2x melta, champ (host) (rhino with EA)

2x Oblit
2x Oblit
2x Oblit

15pts shy of 1850, you can either give the other champ a PW (kinda a waste), 3 rhinos extra twin linked bolters, one a havoc launcher, or give 3 rhinos dozers (my preferred option).

Oblits fire through lanes (inch or two gap) created by corralling the rhinos, meanwhile preventing assault. Princes hide behind the rhinos till assault. Generally you drive onto objectives turn 3/4 (it takes a hell of a lot to shift all these units, especially late in the game). When using effective mech tactics, lists similar to have been proven to compete with and even beat Tier 1 lists.

Alternatively, you could drop one of the PM squads to up the oblits to 9 if you really wanted to max out on firepower at the cost of scoring ability.

I have a lot of trouble with my roommate's Obliterators. Their versatility alone makes them great units for their points, not to mention the survivability of a 2-wound Terminator. He only uses 1 unit of 3, but they bring a lot of pain. It helps that he's got 2 Land Raiders full of berserkers and/or terminators that I have to worry about, as well.

The only luck I've had against them is a melta-bike command squad and He'stan + TH/SS termies assaulting them (on separate occasions, not at the same time - my dice don't hate me THAT much).

Having trouble vs. Obliterators?
That's how it should be. They were even better in the previous incarnation of the codex.