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.

People have talked about Alpha Strike with Dethkopter's in an Ork list. How does this work, and what kind of strategy is involved with Dethkopters?

Thanks!

Saidin

I believe they are referring to a "blitzkrieg" type of strategy where you try to get your Deffkoptas into combat as fast as possible. One sneaky way to do this is, if you go first, to turboboost in the scout move and move 24" inches while also getting the 3+ cover save. You then take your first turn and can move, shoot and assault again all the while keeping your 3+ cover save until your opponents shooting phase.

Although I amnot certain this is what they are talking about as I have not encountered the term myself so I could be wrong. A nice trick nevertheless.

It's doing as much damage as possible as soon and as fast as possible in the game. They probably mention Deffkoptas cause they're fast.

Pretty much a first turn devistion of your opponent's army. I've heard the term used to describe getting everything into assualt first turn but i guess anyway of disabling most of your opponent's army first turn (whether it be mass fire, mass assualt or a mix of both) is covered by the term.

Peace Out!
Jonny!

saidinwg wrote:People have talked about Alpha Strike with Dethkopter's in an Ork list. How does this work, and what kind of strategy is involved with Dethkopters?

Thanks!

Saidin

Alpha striking and koptas is a bit if misnomer. Its more of a suicide blitz. Its not like running at most 3 units of koptas forward for a first turn strike is anything resembling an alpha strike. Those koptas at most kill 3 tanks, then die (and have to be lucky to do that). Is it worth it? Yeah, but it isn't an alpha strike.

Here is what an alpha strike is: Its using your army in a risky way to maximize as much damage in one go as possible, hopefully crippling your enemy in the process. This involves the entirety of you army being used in a pure offensive fashion. This is usually done the in the opening turns of the game, to maximize impact (because late game you have less units intact). http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpha_strike_%28gaming%29

As you can see, just 3 units doesn't make up an alpha strike, it is a suicide mission that can gain you a large early game advantage though.

Right, I'm not certain that orks really can be an alpha strike army. They have a couple of alpha strike elements, but loading up on tons of long-range firepower really isn't the ork's theme...

Orks have another issue with being an Alpha Strike army...
LOW Initiative.

Kinda makes it hard to strike first when most of your army is I2.

In my opinion an alpha strike force needs to be able to do multiple things. Shoot as soon as possible with lots of high strength weapons to kill off vehicles, and they need to be able to assault on turn 2 and preferable going first in said assault to maximize casualty's.

Orks are not an alpha strike army since only Deff Koptas and possibly Lootas can contribute to it. The rest of the army will generally need a turn to get into range.

Dark Eldar are a very alpha-stike-y army, suddenly move 6 venoms within 36". shoot everything. flat out a couple of wych groups in raiders, next turn, 30 wyches all in assaults

Similarly, a Dual Wing dark angels army can be used for alpha strike.

Units of bikes turboboosting across most of the board and half the DW terminator units deep striking without scatter on the first turn.

A good example of an alfa strike army could be a shrike based scout list.

Here you deploy 18" away from him with infiltrate, use your scout move to get 12" close, and if you get first turn you can be shure you can move, runn and charge. While Scouts are not CC monsters they do have S,T and I 4 and you get more attacks on the charge.

Combine this with some scout sergants who has a homing beacon or two and you can land 1 or two drop pods round one witch can really help. Say a dreadnought with melta of flamer and some sterbguards(vanguards ?) who combat squads and shoot up things with special amunition. Ad a cloce combat fast attack squad or terminators who get infiltrate thanks to shrike (remember you combat squad after you deploy you I am pretty shure you can splitt the temrinators into 2 5 man for flanking) and then you have a pretty agresive first turn.

Of course if you do not get first turn you are standing very close to the oponent with many of your units...

Dark eldar can also get first turn charges, as can ork defkhoptas and if you are lucky the crazy rockket jump boys.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Lord Rogukiel wrote:Similarly, a Dual Wing dark angels army can be used for alpha strike.

Units of bikes turboboosting across most of the board and half the DW terminator units deep striking without scatter on the first turn.

Actualy, I think they have spesificly sead that the bikes cannot turbo boost during the first turn in the codex.

Seriously it takes a Wikipedia to learn what a Alpha Strike is?

Yes, Deffkoptas are alpha strike units. Being able to attack your opponent before they get to react is the essence of alpha striking. Deffkoptas are one of the few units that can get off a first turn charge in a standard deployment.

Basic tactic taking a couple single units of Deffkoptas armed with twin-linked rokkits and a buzzsaw. IF you have first turn you scout move close to your intended target usually an armoured vehicle of some kind. On your turn you move up fire your rokkits and then assault. Being that the opponent hasn't moved you auto hit the back armor at strength 7. Then you get gunned down.

This tactic is kinda hit or miss. Especially a miss if you don't have first turn or your opponent is wise to your intentions.