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What do you guys think of the large blast bolter template that does not require LOS, and do not allow cover saves?

It can be used against some armies. Personally, I prefer Hammerheads+Pathfinders for removing troops from cover, but that option falls apart as points scale upward and you need the Broadsides to deal with increased armor saturation.

I get hit with it whenever I play my Guard or Nids against my Tau friend.

He always deepstrikes the model exactly where he needs the shot (Guardsmen in cover on objectives, acting all safe, or to weaken a flank of gaunts) so I don't get to shoot it off the board before he gets a turn or three of shooting.

its nasty against Orks.

no cover save or armor save(unless they are 'Ard boyz)

I gave it a try in the Kill Team level.
I had one test game, then took it to a Doubles Kill Team Tourney w/ 3 rounds.

15 shots made.
0 Kills.

Now, one can say the scatter die was horrible.
I did get some wounds, but the str4 is so-so, and the penetration is just enough to do really well vs. Cover Saved MEQs.

I just don't think it's a safe nor consistant weapon. A fething burst cannon would be more reliable in that game.

Granted, there was no need for 2" coherency in Kill Team, but due to Fire Lanes, Assault armies, and pathing, they generally got close together enough to have some tempting shots.

So... I'm not a fan.

Against normal Mech Guard armies, the use of Meltavets, Chimeras having only one access ramp, and Tau more frequently Exploding vehicles (yay for AP 1), there are some *very* tempting shots for blast weapons.

Don't forget pinning...it's a barrage weapon (unless i'm mistaken...where's my codex?...)

You are correct it is a Barrage weapon... I think it is kind of hand when you include markerlights to reduce leadership... BS 5 (Shas'o) and a few markerlight hits with the volume of hits (large blast template)... I think it could be effective.

QuietOrkmi wrote:You are correct it is a Barrage weapon... I think it is kind of hand when you include markerlights to reduce leadership... BS 5 (Shas'o) and a few markerlight hits with the volume of hits (large blast template)... I think it could be effective.

Ya it may not be really effective against an SM army because of good armor saves but i have really good effect against ork and i imagine i'd have the same effect against IG.

QuietOrkmi wrote:What do you guys think of the large blast bolter template that does not require LOS, and do not allow cover saves?

Very effective (I think my record is like 13 Guardsmen with one shot). With BS5 it seldom scatters totally off. However, as you can only get one of them, you really can't count on it.

A large plate for 20 points is too nice for me to pass up at pretty much any point level, especially since you can still basically have a 100% 'normal' functioning suit if you want.

Usually, even vs marines, I find it's actually well worth it in game, also.

You can't use markerlights for it, I think it's RAW.
You only use BS5 if it's in LoS, don't forget.

In addition, as a barrage weapon, you only hit top floors of buildings/ruins.

I don't find it useful unless you plan on alot of tank shocking.

I run it on a Shas'el with TL Flamer and HWMT, and if I have points some drones. Against the squishier armies it rawks.

if its against horde put it on the board!

It's not 'great' vs. hordes by itself. That would be naive and an oversimplification.

You need to tank shock stuff so that they are forced to bunch up. Otherwise, spreading out limits the number dead.

Orks can count on their T4 as the Frag isn't so strong.
Nids can have carapace or even FNP to mitigate the usefulness.

In addition, the Suit is operating at a very dangerous distance from a horde if he wants better shots other than 'at maximum range away'.

In addition, it sounds like tailoring, which is loathed or not by some people.

As Sanctjud said. The AFP is handy but requires some setting up to use properly. It works against Guardsmen, and meltavets. It *can* annoy Marines (keyword being annoy).

That said, the AFP complements the Tau strategy of parking vehicles in front of enemy hordes to force them to zigzag towards the Tau lines (buying the rest of the Tau time to shoot). Mainly as you don't get to consolidate after assaulting a vehicle. Do you *really* want to charge that Piranha for the extra movement?

It is a very nice weapon. IMO, it should be included in every army simply for the opportunity shots. Sometimes, that one weapon can win you the game. A commander with the AFP cleared out two of my infantry squads from an objective (with some help of course, but he did most of the work), and won the game for my opponent.

It is cheap, you have to take at least one suit anyway, and it can be extremly useful. That is enough for me to take it every time

I used to take it on a shas'el with twin linked flamers.

Then I realized the BS was a waste, since flamers auto-hit, and the AFP was a blast template, so I switched it up with my shas'ui suit. Now he's cheaper, and more expendable. Though he doesn't always make his points back, recently he ripped apart a squad of dark eldar warriors after I blew up their ride, then absorbed a grotesque charge, which I thought was good too.

ssREV wrote:I used to take it on a shas'el with twin linked flamers.

Then I realized the BS was a waste, since flamers auto-hit, and the AFP was a blast template, so I switched it up with my shas'ui suit. Now he's cheaper, and more expendable. Though he doesn't always make his points back, recently he ripped apart a squad of dark eldar warriors after I blew up their ride, then absorbed a grotesque charge, which I thought was good too.

Shas'ui cannot take AFP. Do you mean Shas'vre?

Absolutely nasty against Orks - have to second that one. ><

Dashofpepper wrote:Absolutely nasty against Orks - have to second that one. ><

True a few weeks ago I popped a truck with deathrain, and flamed, AFP the 12 burnas down to 1. Total awesomesauce.

1 shot = 10 dead orks the 1st time I used it.
I took out an entire heavy weapons team/emplacement when I used it vs. IG. They learned that trees don't help them vs. Tau.

I never take it vs. MEQ because, well, it would suck against them.

Backfire wrote:

ssREV wrote:I used to take it on a shas'el with twin linked flamers.

Then I realized the BS was a waste, since flamers auto-hit, and the AFP was a blast template, so I switched it up with my shas'ui suit. Now he's cheaper, and more expendable. Though he doesn't always make his points back, recently he ripped apart a squad of dark eldar warriors after I blew up their ride, then absorbed a grotesque charge, which I thought was good too.

Shas'ui cannot take AFP. Do you mean Shas'vre?

whoops, I didn't realize what I said. Yes, I send a single team leader in (shas'vre). Its because of that, and getting a hard-wired multitracker, so its the only way to make it work. Thanks for the correction.

agnosto wrote:1 shot = 10 dead orks the 1st time I used it.
I took out an entire heavy weapons team/emplacement when I used it vs. IG. They learned that trees don't help them vs. Tau.

I never take it vs. MEQ because, well, it would suck against them.

That seems like quite a feat. My opponents almost never place their models so close together. I wish they would.