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So I am currently playing around with the idea of running a unit of 8 vespids as they carry AP 3 guns... can benefit from markerlights... and devastator squads are few in numbers... sure you kill 2-4 marines but in context, that is half of the squad!

Play all you want, they're still highly overpriced for the less than outstanding performance.

*laughing* There's so much better that you can put into a list besides Vespids - they rank up there with Shadowsun and the Space Pope for useless.

There's a few things you need to consider when deciding if you'll field Vespids...

How do you plan to deliver their firepower to the fight? Jump them from cover to cover? Deepstrike right next to the target?
Jumping them from cover to cover is nice with their rerolls on Dangerous tests. Deepstriking is nice because it lands them nice and close with the Neutron Blasters.
But the former exposes them to a lot of firepower as they come in, and the latter is subject to scatter rolls, and bunches you up nicely if you fire on arrival.

What sort of target will you be aiming them at? You mentioned Devastators, so I'm thinking you want a nice backfield disruption unit. The important thing to realize is that most backfield units, like Devastators, are placed in cover. AP3 is pointless when you still get a 4+ cover save from their shooting. Marines do not typically run from unmodified Morale tests, so unless you wipe out the squad, you're subject to a vicious beatdown on the next turn.

If you really want a Tau unit that roots out backfield units, think about a deepstriking unit that has flamers and multiple wounds. I'm not intimately familiar with Tau, but don't Crisis Suit teams have this capability?

I have a full squad of them I have used. They are pretty useless unfortunatly. Its an expensive unit to field with so little return. They have some serious potential. I think they were added to the codex on the final day for fun. I think someone said. "Hey lets bring an alien race becides Kroot.... Lets give em wings and a marine killer gun."

Coolest thing I have ever done with them is kill a squad of banshees with them. They promptly got shurikaned to death next round.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

TheRhino wrote:

If you really want a Tau unit that roots out backfield units, think about a deepstriking unit that has flamers and multiple wounds. I'm not intimately familiar with Tau, but don't Crisis Suit teams have this capability?

Yes Tau Do but a suicide squad of suits is a painfully expensive ordeal. You could deepstrike a squad of Gun Drones. Tau really don't hvae a great unit for this purpose.

Ugh looking at vespids for long makes me queasy...

I think vespids are worth it. Deploy them then rush at units like devastators or HQ units with 3+ armour or worse. Ok they are 16 points and aren't very durable but the immediate threat of them to the enemy will draw fire to them, thus saving a few fire warriors. They could also support pathfinders.

TRISKELION7 wrote:I think vespids are worth it. Deploy them then rush at units like devastators or HQ units with 3+ armour or worse. Ok they are 16 points and aren't very durable but the immediate threat of them to the enemy will draw fire to them, thus saving a few fire warriors. They could also support pathfinders.

I have a super-duper idea.

Why don't you and I meet on Vassal for a game of 40k. You bring your Tau with at least one big unit of Vespids. I'll give you an opposing unit of devastators or an HQ unit with a 3+ armor save or worse. We can make a tiny wager; I'm pretty confident in my advice that Vespids are useless...so I'll match your wager 3:1. IE, you put up $20 and I'll match it by $60, compliments of paypal.....and we test out your theory that vespids are worth it.

I don't know how to answer terrible advice except to challenge the author of the terrible advice to demonstrate that it isn't terrible advice. Lets do it.

You can get Vassal from www.vassalengine.org.
You can get the latest Vassal 40k module from http://www.sendspace.com/file/ma6ik2.

We can be in a game in 30 minutes. Whatcha say?

Like the fish head dude said:
"IT'S A TRAP!!"

Personally I'd do 7:1...just 'cause...

TRISKELION7 wrote:I think vespids are worth it. Deploy them then rush at units like devastators or HQ units with 3+ armour or worse. Ok they are 16 points and aren't very durable but the immediate threat of them to the enemy will draw fire to them, thus saving a few fire warriors. They could also support pathfinders.

I'm not going to challenge you to a money match on Vassal (lol), but I have topoint again to the fact that units like Devvies are camped in cover the large majority of the time. AP3 just means they get a 4+ cover save, instead of a 3+ armor save. Yeah, you'll kill a couple, but the rest will shoot your face off with bolt pistols, and then punch you in the skull with power-armored fists in assault just for daring to come near them with squishy bug people.
If Vespids could withstand any sort of retaliatory fire, I'd say it was at least a not-terrible tactic. But they crack like eggs to any sort of fire, so they just aren't effective.

Ideally you'd strip those cover saves with marker lights, but yes, Vespids just don't work well. The best use I ever got from them was jumping behind the devilfish for cover, then jumping to the side when the Dfish go in for the FoF to add some extra umph (and assault anything left over). However after this one manuver your vespids are almost certain to be wiped out, meaning they did too little for too many points.