Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I cannot stand it any longer. I see people all over Dakka talking about missile launcher squads in seemingly hushed tones. The only missile launchers I ever even see are on the left arms of dreadnoughts; or the occasional Eldar vehicle. ML are considered weaksauce by everyone I know, or watch play, in several states. I personally have a bucketload of ML bits that were replaced by other weapons in squads. So why do so many advocate for, "3 squads of ML heavies..."? Just wondering.

Efficiency and variety.

It is rare to see them in the same listing, but there it is.

The versatility, plain and simple. I forgot where but I saw a 48 ML (including Devs & Typhoons) Marines list.

Now against Horde armies that's 48 Small blast.

Against mech that's essentially 24 Str 8 Autocannons.

Against Nidzilla or MeQ's that's 48 high str armor negating shots.

I don't play marines so I don't know the efficiency of the list but there you have the reason behind it.

Brettila wrote:I cannot stand it any longer. I see people all over Dakka talking about missile launcher squads in seemingly hushed tones. The only missile launchers I ever even see are on the left arms of dreadnoughts; or the occasional Eldar vehicle. ML are considered weaksauce by everyone I know, or watch play, in several states. I personally have a bucketload of ML bits that were replaced by other weapons in squads. So why do so many advocate for, "3 squads of ML heavies..."? Just wondering.

For Eldar, they are great on vehicles because you can still move 12", fire an S4 blast, and an S6 shuricannon.

For SW's, they are solid awesome because you can get 15 on eighteen dudes for 420pts and they can split fire, whereas for something like CSM's you need to spend 465 to get 12 on fifteen dudes and they can't split fire.

For normal SM's, the give you decent anti-transport/medium tank/MC firepower that can also be halway decent anti-horde, and it's *way* cheaper than lascannons. They are of particular use against Eldar, where Waveserpents make the Lascannons S9 pointless and aside from a couple characters the ML's AP3 works just as well as the lascannons AP2.



They aren't always the best weapons, I certainly wouldn't touch them in an Imperial Guard army, but they do have their uses and place.

They have nice versatility for generic space marine tac squads. A heavy weapon that can take out armor 14 on a lucky roll, and can pop a basic transport rather easily. Or, it can fire a decent blast template that's great for taking out horde units. And, it's free.

Whenever I play Devastator Squads in my C:SM lists, I almost always have a least 1-2 squads with 4 ML's. They're one of the cheapest selections you have, they're versatile, will ID most models, if not at least wound on 2+, and are decent at as Anti-Tank against most DT's.

They have great range and a good AP. Against MEQ's that I try hard avoiding in CC or against other enemy Devastator Squads, they're great for helping to whittle down these units until they're closer to my comfortable CC range.

So, in a nutshell, I like ML's a lot. For my Tact Squads, I usually take a Lascannon or Plasma Cannon, as they're cheaper if taken with Tact Squads than with Devastator squads.

ML's with Eldar, from what I've seen are only slightly less effective, since half of the vehicles that can take them have BS 3, while MEQ's are practically BS 4 across the board. With the exception of Scouts, I don't know of any C:SM unit that has a BS lower than 4.

Hope that helps with whatever you're trying to decide to do with your army!

Missile lawn-chairs are cheap and effective, but I hate them still


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Why have variety when you can have speciality?

It's hard to buy Marine Sets without getting at least One.

My missile launching long fangs are quickly become my favorite unit. I've only been playing space wolves since this summer, but they can take down vehicles, hordes of troops, or throw some AP3 goodness at MEQ squads. They do it all, and cost next to nothing. As stated, splitting fire is ridiculous, especially with all of the small transports that are popular in most lists to taxi troops between objectives. There is a sick sad part of me that thinks of running a third squad...

Rather than questioning the prevalence of something you have no use for, I would question how much I could sell them for to the populace at large

Rather than questioning the prevalence of something you have no use for, I would question how much I could sell them for to the populace at large

Now that is GW thinking.

3x Long Fang Units with 5 missiles is great (and if you feel like it, attach a terminator with cyclones!)

can fire up to 6 targets a turn if needed. give them a razor back for transport

I would agree that for a tailored list they are weak sauce. Heavy bolter is better against hordes, lascannon is better against vehicles. But if you don't know who you are fighting, or you are building your list to be flexible then the missile launcher makes sense.

Heavy bolter is fail against tanks, Lascannon is admittedly awesome against cheap infantry, but too inefficient. Missile launcher gives you some hope against both.

Devastators can split their firepower, split incoming fire, and also get a Razorback. Plus they have a Signum.

Nurglitch wrote:Devastators can split their firepower

I thought that was long fangs?

I hope this isn't to off topic, but do you guys think a third squad of long fangs is to beardy for friendly games? The rest of the list far from competitive, but I don't want people to hate playing me before the game starts.

kenshin620:

Long Fangs can split their firepower by making use of the Fire Control rule, which states that if their Leader is still alive and doesn't fire, then they can split their fire between two targets.

Devastators can split their firepower by making use of the Combat Squads rule, which divides the unit in two. This also has the effect of splitting incoming fire in two, and does not prevent one of the Combat Squads from using the Sergeant's Signum.

I play using RT models. The only plastic heavy weapon in the RTB01 set of Space Marines was the shark-shaped rocket launcher.

Welp.