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I'm putting a Devastator Squad together, and I'm wondering what the pros and cons are to each weapon. Posting in 40k Tactics because this seems like a tactical issue.

well, the Plasma Cannon doesn't have the range the Missile launcher does, but it does have better AP and strength when using the template. I would say if you are fighting MEQ with a lot of troops go with the Plasma Cannon. If you are going against a lot of armor or hordes (tyranids, orks) I say go for the Missile launcher.

The Plasma Cannon sucks.

I say this, because with my last MEQ army (Smurfs), I played about 25 games, and in 20 games, my Plasma cannon 'Got hot' on its first or second shot.

Thus, I flat out refuse to use them because I am terrible at dice rolls.

I also prefer being able to chose Frag or Krak with ML.

Plasma cannons aren't very good for the primary role that MLs are taken for. That is anti tank, the scatter and lower strength means that it just isn't good against the targets ML should be fired at. Against infantry, the plasma cannon is better, but the AP 2 is diminished somewhat by cover. Its more of a what role the weapon is meant for than anything else, MLs are anti tank with standby anti infantry ability, and PC are anti infantry, which can target light armor in a pinch. Since the PC is usually more expensive than the ML when you can take either, the ML is usually the better choice (especially due to what 5th has done for mechanized lists).

My advice is the plasma cannons are way to expensive in Devastator squad if you really want one on put it on your tactical where is cheap.

PCs are a cool toy, but they are just outperformed by the dual purpose that a missile launcher has.

One a side note: why are you even taking devestators at all? the heavy weapons are all way overpriced. get Predators, Vindicators, or Typhoon speeders instead.

I take devastators because I work best with infantry.

As for anti-armor, that's why I'm packing multi-meltas.


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General_Chaos wrote:My advice is the plasma cannons are way to expensive in Devastator squad if you really want one on put it on your tactical where is cheap.

I bought a Devastators box, so I assumed that PCs were Devastator only. I guess I must be playing Dawn of War too much.


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Grey Templar wrote:One a side note: why are you even taking devestators at all? the heavy weapons are all way overpriced. get Predators, Vindicators, or Typhoon speeders instead.

Because Heavy Bolters are the s**t!

I take devastators because I work best with infantry.

Sternguard then. Small 5 man 2 weapon squads are quite cheap, and with better bolters to support them.

For devastators I'dd try 3 missile and 1 lascannon. Works alright with signum. Gets hot is a big problem with devastators since they don't have FNP or twin linked.

Wolfun wrote:The Plasma Cannon sucks.

I say this, because with my last MEQ army (Smurfs), I played about 25 games, and in 20 games, my Plasma cannon 'Got hot' on its first or second shot.

'Gets Hot!' happens on a D6 roll of 1 ... and then you get your armour save. So a single space marine has 1/6 chance of burning themselves and 1/18 chance of actually dying. The odds of a unit of devastators losing some one to gets hot are 20.4% (21455/104976)*100 per turn ... odds of it happening during 6 turns (average game length) is 74.6%.

On the other hand you get a ranged weapon that can hurt light transports and roast heavy infantry ... If it wasn't for things like storm shields and 5th cover I'm sure they would be playing a bigger part.

Missiles are for Devastors. Multiple shots is what kills vehicles.

Plasma Cannons are for Tacticals. Tacs are good at killing foot guys, plasma cannons are much better than missiles at that.

General_Chaos wrote:My advice is the plasma cannons are way to expensive in Devastator squad if you really want one on put it on your tactical where is cheap.

smart man - devestator squads are good cheap and with 4 missile launchers - give your plasma cannons to you tac squads for 1/3 of the missile launchers (on devs) cost its amaizing!

I agree with the above. The nature of the missile dev squad lends itself well to tank hunting and can kill MEQ or light infantry in a pinch, but a plasma dev squad requires heavy infantry out of cover to be truly effective for it's points. Your opponent will deploy to try and avoid or mitigate a plasma dev squad in ways that they can't against the missile version.

Plasma canons in tacticals other then just being cheap give you the ability to cover larger areas of the battlefield without being forced to fire at sub optimal targets with so much firepower.

Plasma cannons have always been a luxury item for me. If by the time I get done purchasing long range fire and meltas and I have points, I would purchase some.

MM cannot be your only Anti-vehicle. The 24 inch range of MMs is not enough to destroy transports or long range weaponry, such as rifleman dreads.

You need a mix of weapons, and that's where ML and MM together work wonders.

Dev sqaud with 4 multi meltas in a drop pod fun and lethal.

commisar rhodes wrote:Dev sqaud with 4 multi meltas in a drop pod fun and lethal.

I hope you arn't firing them the turn you pop down because that would be illegal.

commisar rhodes wrote:Dev sqaud with 4 multi meltas in a drop pod fun and lethal.

No. Really No. Any tanks roll back so your +12" and shoot the out of them.

To be frank I'd go as far as to say devastators should never be in a drop pod.

I hope you arn't firing them the turn you pop down because that would be illegal.

How is it illegal?

One or two plasma cannons should go in every army that can take them, just because of how they effectively take options away from the opponent. E.g. Terminators or BA Assault Marines will not want to risk shooting after deepstriking.

However, Devastators are probably not the place to put them.

commisar rhodes wrote:

I hope you arn't firing them the turn you pop down because that would be illegal.

How is it illegal?

they're heavy weapons.
Deep striking (or deploying from a deep striking Vehicle) counts as moving

So they arrive and cannot fire.

ok i see now

PC's are great at 2 things - killing terminators and MEQ's. Otherwise, they're not much good. Plus they're expensive.

ML's are great at other things - can wound MC's, the kraks great for hordes, its great vs vehicles, has a super long range, and is cheap.

ML's are a better "all comers" weapon

Nothing... aka slow

I played Black Templar so I don't get Devs, but a techmarine with 4 HB servitors rocks!

I usually give my longfangs 2-3 PC's and 2 ML or LCs. I've had amazing luck with them. Just having them forces my enemy to rethink certain things. I play against mainly GK and necrons, and he has learned to hate them. Forcing him to use his 5++ with the terminators, and killing enough necrons that his unit is denied WBB is deadly. When I take full ML he barely bats an eye though.
I don't know how efficient they are in regular SM builds though.

DarknessEternal wrote:Missiles are for Devastors. Multiple shots is what kills vehicles.

Plasma Cannons are for Tacticals. Tacs are good at killing foot guys, plasma cannons are much better than missiles at that.

This. The MLs pop the transports and the PC combat squaded tacs sitting in hard cover slag the squishy troops inside.

I run a Plasma SPAM list at 2.5k, 21 Plasma Weapons including 8 Devistators with Plasma Cannons. I have yet to fight a list thad did not just melt away. Now I admit I have not fought Armoed Fist or Leaf Blowers list.
I loose 2-4 a game, but when one Volley will make a 10 man squad of Terminators Squad make Moral Checks it is totaly worth it.

Do not Fear the Plasma, you you will loose a 50 point model here and there, but then they cripple intire squads in a single volley

Missile launcher : Doesn't get hot, kills light vehicles, anti multi wound meq, with instant death against toughness 4, has small blast for horde killy. Versatile.

Plasma cannon : Gets hot! Kills any infantry dead if they don't have cover, no instant death to the standard toughness 4, always a small blast.

If you want balanced, take missiles, but if you really like devastators, running one squad as plasma shouldn't hurt too much...

I would say if you want to use Plasma cannons (and they are cool) put them on a Tac squad. Devs are overpriced as it is, giving them anything other than ML makes it extremely difficult to justify the points.