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.

What do you all think about Ratlings? Are they worth it? What uses do you think I should put them to?

Most people will tell you they hate them.

That being said, I keep 10 around for fun once in awhile. They are cheap little snipers for an elite slot which doesn't see much action in most IG armies.

Proxy some out for fun and see if you feel like buying them

I will try them. They look like a novalty rather than actually doing stuff but hey thy may work.

They don't usually compete with anything important in the FOC, so if you have spare points laying around that you can't easily spend, they aren't a bad place to put them. Sure, they tend to not do a whole lot, but as cheap as the units can be made, they can be worth it even if you only occasionally manage to pin the enemy with them (or draw fire even).

They may have rending shots, so they may make their point costs quickly paid for, plus they make good diversionary unit. If you have the points to spare.

They are the best deployment of the worst weapon in 40k.

Take that as what you wish.

They are easily wounded but have Stealth for free, and are significantly less expensive than any other deployment of sniper rifles in the game. Hitting on 3+ and wounding on a 4+ means that, on average, you need roughly 8 sniper rifles to reliably put 1 unsaved wound on a MEQ; and roughly 4.5 for GEQs, meaning Vets could not even do it on their own, and quite a few more are needed for non-vets(BS3 models) This makes the weapon complete garbage unless it is on ratlings; as they get the rifle, Stealth, and BS 4 for 10 points/model(much cheaper than either Eldar Rangers or pathfinders)

Ratlings>pathfinders

Pathfinders shooting a doomed unit >ratlings

Ratlings are actually a good deal once the long range of sniper rifles combined with the bs4 of the ratling enters the picture. The real problem with ratlings is their low leadership. Keep ratling units small, and if they get shot at go to ground for a 2+ cover save.

Kommissar Kel wrote:They are the best deployment of the worst weapon in 40k.

This is a great summation. Ratlings are really good at being snipers. Snipers just aren't very good (most of the time).

If you play against MCs a lot, they get a little better, especially against MCs with poor saves like C'tan, greater demons, etc. They also aren't too bad against wraithlords or tyranids.

If you're scoring at home, you'll note that they're best used against units from lower tier books. Based on that, their actual competitive use is left as an exercise to the reader.

I agree with most other folks here. Ratlings are fine, but their weapons suck balls. Sniper rifles are priced in the IG codex the same as Grenade Launchers, but do far less. Heavy vs Assault, which takes care of some of the range difference. S6 vs 4+, which actually makes the sniper worse until you get to T7 MCs. AP 6 vs AP4, except the occasional chance at rending. And to top it off, GLs have a small template.

Anyway, I also think they compete with a lot for the Elite slots, myself. All of the other Elite IG choices are underestimated, except maybe the Psykers. That's a topic for another thread, but ultimately Ratlings are bottom of the barrel in the IG codex to me.

the best snipers IG can have, not that we need them (they are excellent for trooper morale though, bringing their skills to the kitchens )

i usualy only use them when i still have an elite spot open and 30 to 50 points laying around. once you get to 40 points, you can find something better to play (scout sentinel with autocannon). however, they are fun. If you go against SM, the player of SM gets frustrated that ratlings are better snipers and a cheaper unit. I have had games where the ratlings were the worst possible unit ever, and others where they would off a couple rhinos or pick off monstourous creatures.

that being said, they are fun if you have the slot and a small amount of points left over. My elites usualy are Ogryns (5) and Marbo. sometimes storm troopers.

Combine them with the LD reducing power of the psyker battle squad... then watch when your opponent's Tough unit gets pinned.

2/3 hit, 1/6 Rend is the numbers we should really be looking at... 9 are needed to statically give you a rendering result and force 1 pinning check.

Keep in mind that if pinning is what you want, I believe mortars and other barrage weapons are pinning as well and do not compete with more psyker battle squads...

I keep 10 models around for fun. If you infiltrate them in the right area, they can keep small squads, light armor, and MC's occupied for a bit while you bring you bigger guns to bear on other targets. That being said, there is probably more cost effective ways of doing that.

10 Ratlings shoot at marines and you can expect to kill 1 as the most likely result. Against GEQ your most common result is 2 dead. For MCs, the numbers are usually the same as MEQs, since they tend to have 3+. These calculations are for units in the open.

In cover: 1 GEQ, 1 MEQ/MC

Against AV 11: It takes 28 shots to have a ~50% chance to immobilise or better.

Against AV 12, it takes 38 shots for the aforementioned 50%.

Veterans with Lasguns actually have better results against GEQ, about the same (very slightly worse) against MEQ, and obviously suffer a bit against MCs. Oh, and Veterans are cheaper. If you give them camo cloaks and defensive grenades, they cost the same.

100 points of Platton Infantry Squads (38 Lasgun shots) outshoots 100 points of Ratlings on everything but vehicles (and MCs, but only by a little bit: same expected results, just different percentages).

Sniper Rifles need to be Str 5 AP 4 Poisoned 4+ Rending or something. That would up their capabilities to be useful.

I hate them.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
If they had exitus rifles though....

I simply don't like the models. I used them in 4th ed which they do alright and I still proxy them using cadian snipers. It's a harrassing unit. Don't expect them to do much but you need to work on the little that they can do. Place them on one flank in cover and let her rip. The idea is to let your oponant send units to deal with them. From here you can split the opponant up and make piece meal of them or kill the units after the snipers with what ever flavour takes your fancy. Deepstriking stormies, barrages ect. The ratlings themselves are good against MC's which is about all sniper rifles are worth. Even then a good anti-infantry gun would be better like the heavy bolter.

They arn't a game changer but like the other elite options, add some tactical flexibility.

Worth it? Probably Not.

But the models are cute.

I would take them for their ability to infiltrate.

5 or 6 ratlings can screen against turn 1 scout cheese and/or deepstriking shenanigans more cheaply than any other infiltrating unit in the IG codex (basically stormtroopers or harker vets). Who cares if they actually kill anything with their rifles? As a skirmishing unit, their main job is done at deployment, and any annoyance factor after that is just bonus.

They make really good distractions if you put them in the right cover. Anything that normally gives a 3+ save is now a 2+ save and they can soak up the fire. I've had good times and bad times with them depending on who I'm playing.

I've had one squad of ratlings soak up fire from a 10,000 point Space Marine army with six of them surviving.

I've also had them wiped out by sternguards using rounds that ignore cover, but then again the sternguard didn't see my stormtroopers right next to them. Overall, very good distraction.