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.

So, what do you guys prefer to do with your Land Speeders?

I like to have mine individually, so I can strike from various positions when I please, but I know of people keeping them all together.

What do you use, and why?

I'm no SM player, so I can't really help you beyond the fact that I remember this topic: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/333258.page and found it really informative. Maybe this helps.

Cilithan

Well, I basically use Speeders with mm/hf in my vanilla SM army.
This army is mech and so the Speeders will first hide behind the tanks and transports providing cover.
The enemy usually has closer threats he needs to deal with so that the Speeders can advance unhindered.
The mech wall generally advances and when the Speeders are close, they move out of cover.
The question of squadron or not is a trade-off between killability and kill points.

Here is a snip from my article about Vanilla Marine Gunlines and my break down of Speeders.

Landspeeder

fast, hardhitting and cheap, but fragile. there are 2 basic classes of speeders, Gunboat and suicide.

Gunboat: these varities operate best in squadrons where the combined fire power can be used to best advantage. also never mix and mach speeder armament in a squadron, one weapon or another will be wasted each shooting phase.

Landspeeder Typhoon: my personall favorite with a typhoon missile launcher and heavy bolter. better and cheaper then an equilivilant abount of devestators(45 pt difference) each speeder can throw 2 krak missiles down range while moving 12" a turn OR it can move 12" and throw down 2 Str4 AP6 blast templates as well as 3 Str5 AP4 shots from the HB. remember tht Frag missiles count as Defensive weapons and so you can move 12" and fire all weapons to full effect. Imagine 3 such speeders in a squadron firing at an enemy unit, 9 Str5 AP4 shots and 6 Str4 AP6 Blast templates OR 6 Str8 AP3 shots, there won't be much left of anything after they are done.

Landspeeder Tornado: Heavy bolter and assault cannon. this type has a decent range, but must remain stationary to use all weapons and has to operate closer to the enemy then the typhoon. cheaper Landspeeder Tornado: 2 heavy bolters. this tornado type has longer range then the above varity, but has the same basic problem.




Suicide speeder: these should be taken singly as having them in a squadron simply compounds the points cost problem and can throw more weapons fire then is needed making them too expensive for what they do. the exception is described below with the tactics.

landspeeder tornado:Multi-melta and heavy flamer this is a very popular build, but i can't really understand why. Multi-melta's are for killing LRs and HFs are for infantry. i understand the "versaility" argument, but lets think about it. 70 pts for a AV10 vehicle that will at the most get one Melta shot off at your opponents LR, if it kills it; great, it just made its points back 3 time over plus a little extra, but if you don't kill it then you have a wrecked vehicle on your hands and 70 pts down the toilet. and even if you kill the Landraider and then it dies you have still wasted the points for the flamer. In addition to this problem the vehicle can't use both if it moves and this is one vehicle that wants to keep moving.

Suicide Speeder: Multi-melta OR a heavy flamer. this is a more sensable build over the above one. this is a vehicle that is meant to zoom up to a Landraider or Squad of FW/ork boyz/gaunts and lay into them. it will then likely die or if you are lucky survive to repeat the tactic. it is cheap which makes it alot better choice over the MM/HF Landspeeder.




Speeder Tactics: heres a couple of tactical maneuveres that are useful with Speeders in a gunline army.

False flank: this is a type of refused flank deployment that is a very tricksy move. it works best with 3 squadrons of 3 Typhoons. you want to deploy first and deploy your army on one flank except for your speeders, they are placed spread out along the other flank. this gives the illusion of a uniform deployment and your opponent will expect a standard spreadout gunline, but on your first turn you will move your speeders over with the rest of your forces. most refused flank deployments are done by the player going second, but you have just done it by going first. the result is enemy forces that, unless similerly mobile, will be stuck on one end of the board.




Wall of Flame: the exception to only taking suicide speeders singly. this tactic requires a full squadron of landspeeders with Heavy flamers and obviously works best against an infantry heavy foe. the speeders are deployed on a flank while the rest of the force sets up normally. the speeders then advance up the flank and then turn to face the enemy flank. they will then procede to move 6-12" a turn, stopping to give an enemy unit a promethium bath each turn, go down the enemy line untill you reach the end, rinse and repeat from the other side. this can be done with multiple squadrons if desired, but only if there are large quantity of infantry models on table.

The BA codex does not have a lot of competition for fast attack slots, so I usually take two of the MM/HF in separate spots in almost every list. They are so useful I just can't see leaving them out.

I usually don't use them as 'suicide speeders' though. I keep them in reserve, or zooming around behind terrain for a few turns setting them up to deal the death blow to a squad or a vulnerable vehicle at a key juncture. Flying them straight forward first turn to blow up one thing is a waste of their mobility and flexibility.

They are also great for contesting objectives, deep striking next to the beacons on drop pods, or distracting units with rage.

Possibly my favorite unit.