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Ok, so Sarge may take PW or Plas Pistol. I'm inclined to take the latter on that, seeing as these giys will be anti-meq/2+. PW is rubbish with S3. Melta bombs is a given; I can decide game-by game.

The real question is do I bother with specials? I'm inclined to take a flamer (BS3 plus I have a ton of flamer bits.) or melta. Thing is, does anyone think this is a worthwhile tactic, or should I run them naked?

The reason I ask is I am modelling my RRs now, and I want to decide whether or not to add the special weapons.

Model them for looks. Keep them at home, bring an additional squad of veterans.

Oh yeah thanks for the tip. Very constructive.

Anyone got anything useful to say?

Just leave them bare bones with the lances. Their job is to charge a big scary unit, vaporise it, then die.

Dont spend any more points than you have to with RR. Mekboy has it right!

Cool Mekboy, thanks. Think I agree with you. They'll be used to suicide attack groups of Termis, MCs, or small HQs. Might still give the Sarge something pretty.

I agree, unlike bebe-paquito and many others out there, I ALWAYS take rough riders, but bare bones as people say....

Yesterday I played 2 units of 5 versus a Hestan list (1250 pts)...1 unit managed to wipe out a combat squad with 3 marines left, then went on to explode a predator with krak grenades before being boltered to death..not a bad trade off!!

The other had no choice but to bounce off the hestan led assault termies, but they did manage to kill 1 termie...

In the game before that I played a mech eldar/seer council jetbike list (1250) with the same list...1 unit charged an outflanking war walker squadron (with 2 walkers remaining)..on the initial charge they wrecked on and WD the other before finally being overwhelmed (difficult to hit with krak G need a 6 to hit), they did enough since the last walker was blown up after that. And the second unit managed to kill the autarch on a jetbike, which was trying to wipe out an IG squad in hth......

So even barebones they can do their job as long as you do not overestimate their capabilities..with krak grenades they are quite good tank hunters after the charge especially vs stationary vehicles, most players do not realize how effective they are this way (even the lances do a good job since on the first charge a unit of 5 has 11 s5 attacks vs AV10!!)...and in several games in lieu of models with a wound the RR use their first charge vs vehicles as they were the better targets of opportunity, and have done VERY well...

kit them up with meltas. anti vehicle and assault weapons.

Bare bones. No upgrades at all. Charge down a squad with Hunting Lances and, assuming they survive afterwards, have them attack vehicles with their Krak grenades.

Every special weapon is one less Hunting Lance.

I agree with MinMax, they will be best for selecting 1 unit to atempt to rape. Then hunt tanks because if they atempt another unit charge without huning lances they will be some dead pony's *but they can assist a winning combat if desired*

I would tend to go with the majority here, with a 'naked' Rough Rider squad. I do however use larger numbers (currently 9 - my 10th model is the 'standard bearer' which the current codex doesn't allow) in order to maximise the damage they can do whilst keeping a number of fast-attack slots free. This is normally enough to take out the majority if not all of a 10-strong Meq squad on the charge.

My only tip is to keep them in reserve (for as long as you can!) to counter attack any deep striking termies or similar.

Also, does anyone know of any particular reason why the codex doesn't allow the Sergeant to have a bolt pistol - I don't want to change the model if this is just a 'typo' & will be corrected in the next FAQ???

I wouldn't think you are crazy if you gave them a melta or two. At least then they'd have some kinda purpose when facing an army that has no intention of giving you a non-vehicle model to charge. Also, there is that small chance they can pop open a land raider with the shot then charge the unit that falls out.

It would be an event like that, which might fool you into thinking that rough riders are a competitive choice.

How are you modeling them? Tallarn? Atillan? Your own special creation?

Hmm, Meltas. That's an interesting proposition.
Well Shep I'm actually modelling them as Vostroyans - sort of.
I'll post up the pics at some point this week. My army has a sort of 19th Century-in-the-future thing going on, with lots of Vossies and a quite a few conversions.

hehe Cossacks. Anyway putting in a special weapon is a weapon that will not get removed on the first charge. After the first charge they become ablative wounds for a special weapon. This only works with more then five, the more the better. whether you want them to tank hunt or something else is your choice and requires your choice special weapon.

I run 1 or units of 8 in my IG list depending on game size. they hang out behind my artillary tanks to countercharge units/vehicles (ala skimmers) that get too close. I keep them bare bones. there lances are enough to take out units and they come with frag/krak so they are more than capable of dealing with most tanks.

I dont like RR, but if you must use them keep them cheap. If you give them guns you will expose them by getting into positions where they can shoot, and any losses to the unit will effect the amount of damage it can do when they get their charge.

Between the two options the power sword is superior. However, like most everyone said, keep 'em cheap.

Man, do RR deserve their own special formation (and not just in Apoc). Too bad the days of Chapter Approved are long gone...

Good for you for going for flavor, Tek. Can't wait to see those.