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My question is this:

Should a Vendetta Gunship ever be equiped with heavy bolters?

What do yo think?

Ablative weapon destroyed results to still keep it alive and some anti-infantry goodness in a pinch, but for the most part, no. 20 points is not too bad a cost but it's situational. I would take HB's if I was taking Hellfire Missiles.

The reason I ask is because I am building a Vendetta (With 3 T/L Lascannons) Tomorrow and I was wondering if I should put the HB's on, let the doors slide and paint the inside, or if I should just ignore them and glue the doors shut.

I still put the heavy bolter "arms" on and tuck them inside the vehicle, I never take the bolter option on my Vendetta. I wouldn't bother painting the inside anyway as it's a royal pain the ass.

Stormrider wrote:I still put the heavy bolter "arms" on and tuck them inside the vehicle, I never take the bolter option on my Vendetta. I wouldn't bother painting the inside anyway as it's a royal pain the ass.

So you do leave the doors so they open?

Also, by the 'Arms' do you mean the actual gun for just the bracket?

YES!

2x heavy bolters for a total cost of 10pts (not 20) is great. It turns a transport hunter into something that can seriously threaten small squads of MEQ. I always put heavy bolters on my vendettas, and I have never regretted it.

Absolutely not. Get a powersword, two sets of meltabombs, upgrade an IS to Plasmagun. Many better uses.

No. Heavy bolters aren't a great weapon in the first place, their location on the vehicle isn't great for LoS purposes, the BS of the weapon means it won't be hitting much let alone wounding and saves, and the points are better spent elsewhere.

Why put a few anti-infantry rounds on a vehicle solely dedicated to anti-tank? It just doesn't make sense. Its not dual-purpose with them because two heavy bolters won't be dealing much damage in the first place. Everything in a Guard army needs to be as cheap as possible while being able to perform its main task. Unnecessary upgrades are just that, unnecessary. Heavy bolters don't add anything your vendetta needed, nor the army at large. You should have plenty of anti-infantry with hull heavy flamers, multi-lasers, and plates.

*Edit* To illustrate an example. Three vendettas (standard in a lot of lists) with heavy bolters is 30pts extra. Those 30pts would be better off buying an advisor, say an OoTF, as it would have a far greater impact than a few S5 shots you might never fire.

I think yes, but go with whatever you think, what works for some may not work for others, and vice versa, it's mainly about how cool you think the model can look and whether you'll have fun with it, I think the HBs make it more versatile and for 10 points makes great point fillers, on the comment about a power sword, i'd rather have some S5 shots being pumped out of a valkyrie compared to a few S3 hits that ignore saves, power weapons don't belong on guardsmen.

RaptorsTallon wrote:

Stormrider wrote:I still put the heavy bolter "arms" on and tuck them inside the vehicle, I never take the bolter option on my Vendetta. I wouldn't bother painting the inside anyway as it's a royal pain the ass.

So you do leave the doors so they open?

Also, by the 'Arms' do you mean the actual gun for just the bracket?

What Stormrider said, and yes, you leave the doors so they open, and the HB arms swing in and out.
Gives you flexability if you decide to try it, then change your mind.

Not worth it. They can be situationally useful, but I always find a better use for the points. It's not a bad buy, mind you, but I always find something a little higher up on the priority list.

Thanks for all the advice!