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hi everybody.

i just brought a full mob of burna boyz (with 3 meks) and i need some tactics. can someone write in and let other get use of the tactics too?

cheers.

I think most people would probably advise against the Meks, but maybe 15 burna boys with a KFF Big Mek /w burna in a BW for drive by shooting. Pull up, hang a template over the side, multiply number of hits by 16.

I just can't wrap my head around mekboys anymore. The KMB used to be an OK weapon, back when it was a blast weapon. But now, BS2 and it still gets hot. Bleah.

The best use for burna boys is to stick them in an open topped battlewagon. Drive up to something and watch it disappear in an inferno of flaming goodness.

They are also a good clean up unit in HTH. Since they all have powerweapons (if you don't shoot), they are ideal for cleaning out whittled down units or assisting in a fight that is already ongoing.

Yes. That is pretty much the definitive tactic.
Nurglitch posted something where you use the burnas to burninate something, and then have a unit of grots run in front of them to give a cover save. Not a bad idea. Though obviously if there's anyone left in the burninated unit you should charge them.

Yeah battle wagon is the best, you can use a trukk and hope your enemy thinks it's just a some boyz (kinda risky) They are amazing for killing terminators, or really any power claw high armour uber unit. but they must be able to move fast as just running towards the enemy is suicide.

I use 10 Burnas with 1 Mek and 1 Big Mek with KFF in the middle of 3 BWs with KillKannons. The 1 Mek has a Big Shoota and has a single job.

After my 3 BWs move their 7" the very first thing to fire in my whole army is the Mek with BS if I know the Burnas aren't in template range of anything. I have him shoot at what ever target my 3 killkannon BWs are going to fire at, even if it's a AV 12 or 13 vehicle. The 36" range tells me if my 3 KillKannon shots are going to be in range which or course are 24". This way I never have to worry that my KillKannons won't be in range or thier targets.

Sneaky but legal.

yeah,
OK noob question;
If I have a squad of 15.
Can I in the shooting phase fire 5 templates from the guys at the front of my squad.
Then in the combat phase have the 10 boys that can't fire the burnas (because the template will touch friendly models in front) use their burnas as power weapon attacks?

So 5 template weapon attacks then 30 PowerWeapon attacks to mop up?

Panic???

+1 for the burna battle wagon, it's won me 2 turnies. I remember when people said that it was a useless unit, and everybody should use stormboys LOL.

About meks, I always take 3, they give the unit something to do before it gets to where it's going (if you are scared of KMB use big shootas) it's the only foot unit that can take 3 KMB or 3 big shootas in a small 5 man unit, and the other 2 guys are armed with flamers/powerweapons. Oh and they can have a go at fixing that battlewagon when it gets broken.
3 meks work good with a Kan wall. helping to keep them fixed up and working, while adding extra KBM/big shoota shots. depending on what they have.

And yes you can only fire some and use the rest for PW

Back in 4th, it wasn't as good if I'm remembering properly, and stormboys seemed fantastic due to the extra D6.

I find it works really well too, though it attracts a lot of fire from anyone who has seen it work .

Some numbers with a conclusion in the end.

10 Burnas vs. 10 Marines

ALL BURN

Shooting
(assuming 3 hits per model, not unlikely IMO)

30 hits - 15 wounds - 10 saves - 5 dead Marines

Assault
(9 Burnas hitting back after Marines are done)


27 attacks - 13, 5 hits - 6,75 wounds - 4,5 saves - 2,25 dead Marines

TOTAL: 7,25 Marines dead - 9 Burnas still standing


ALL POWERWEAPON

Shooting

NA

Assault
(8 Burnas hitting back after Marines are done)

24 attacks - 12 hits - 6 wounds - 0 saves - 6 dead Marines

TOTAL: 6 dead Marines - 8 Burnas still standing


HALF-n-HALF


Shooting

15 hits - 7,5 wounds - 5 saves - 2,5 dead Marines


Assault
(assuming you take casualties from non-PW Burnas)
(8,5 Burnas still standing after Marines are done)

24 attacks - 12 hits - 6 wounds - 1,5 saves - 4,5 dead Marines

TOTAL: 7 dead Marines - 8,5 Burnas still standing

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Note that in the case of "All burn", the Marines get a -1/-2 modifier to their Break test after CC.
In the case of "All powerweapon", that modifier is -4.

In the end you'll lose another Burna, but double the modifier imposed on the Marines.
This is very relevant in determining wether you keep your Burnas in combat or not. Marines might choose to auto fail the Break Test via Combat Tactics (if available) if given the chance, leaving our boyz stranded. This means that we should inflict as many casualties as possible in the shortest amount of time. Leaving "All burn" as the prefered option.

Conclusion: Remember to almost always make them do the Burny Dance. It is just a question of how long the dance is.

An important thing to remember is that all use of the flamer-aspect of the Burna assumes that 3 enemy models are hit. This is a very conservative number, I'm sure you'll all agree. More hits will, of course, point towards more use of the "All burn" option. Which almost always is the prefered option anyway. Exceptions are show below. Calculations are not shown due to lazyness.

Tactical Marines: Use "All burn", expect to kill 7,25 Marines and WIN cc by 1-2.

Normal Terminators/Thunder hammer Terminators: Use "All power", expect to kill 5 Terminators and WIN cc by 1.

Assault Marines: Use "All burn", expect to kill 6,75 Marines and LOSE cc by 1-2.
Use "All power", expect to kill 4,5 Marines and WIN cc by 1.

Lightning claw Terminators (this is going to hurt!): Use "All burn", expect to kill 3 Terminators and LOSE cc by 5
(Use "All power", expect to kill 1,5 Terminators and LOSE cc by 6)

Grey Knight Terminators are even worse. Let's not go there.

We would have gotten away with it too, if it weren't for Initiative 4!

Steelmage99 wrote:Some numbers with a conclusion in the end.

<removed the numbers>

An important thing to remember is that all use of the flamer-aspect of the Burna assumes that 3 enemy models are hit. This is a very conservative number, I'm sure you'll all agree. More hits will, of course, point towards more use of the "All burn" option. Which almost always is the prefered option anyway. Exceptions are show below. Calculations are not shown due to lazyness.

Actually 3 guys seem a little low. First you tankshock the group of marines/whatever. This usually will cause them to bunch up. Now your striking 5-6 guys per template.

I got a buddy who runs immolator SOB flamer heavy lists. Trust me, tank shock is where this tactic gets its punch.

Also a more fair points to points match would be 12 Burnas versus 10 marines if they were both slogging.

Mad Doc Grotsnik. Full unit of Burnas and three Meks with KMBs. Give 'em all Cybork, so they get an Invuln save and Feel no pain. Laugh at Gets Hot results while you fire three 24" Str 7 AP 2 shots into groups of space marines and terminators with reckless abandon, and then assault them with Power Weapons and Power Klaw.

KMBs are now S8. Still not worth it IMO.

Panic wrote:yeah,
OK noob question;
If I have a squad of 15.
Can I in the shooting phase fire 5 templates from the guys at the front of my squad.
Then in the combat phase have the 10 boys that can't fire the burnas (because the template will touch friendly models in front) use their burnas as power weapon attacks?

So 5 template weapon attacks then 30 PowerWeapon attacks to mop up?

Panic???

I'm pretty sure that if your burnas are standing so that only 5 of them can fire their burnas without hitting friendly models, then in the assault phase the 10 that did not fire may use the burnas as powerweapons.

When would half burn be useful, unless you were in a weird position where a couple models couldn't hit anything?

augustus5 wrote:

Panic wrote:yeah,
OK noob question;
If I have a squad of 15.
Can I in the shooting phase fire 5 templates from the guys at the front of my squad.
Then in the combat phase have the 10 boys that can't fire the burnas (because the template will touch friendly models in front) use their burnas as power weapon attacks?

So 5 template weapon attacks then 30 PowerWeapon attacks to mop up?

Panic???

I'm pretty sure that if your burnas are standing so that only 5 of them can fire their burnas without hitting friendly models, then in the assault phase the 10 that did not fire may use the burnas as powerweapons.

Or you can simply elect not to fire the other 10, then use them as Power Weapons. So yes, you can do that Panic.

@Despoiler, half Burna would be useful against MEQs that fight back. A good dousing of templates to cut their numbers a bit, so you can be certain you finish them off in close combat.

I still do not understand why they were not given a transport option at all.

Burnaz an Mad doc go really well together.