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So as any IG player knows we are spoiled for FW choices, but sifting through all the raw data to figure out what works and what doesn't is a tricky thing to do with units no one ever seems to talk about. So I'm asking who has any experience with FW units and tactics: what works and what doesn't. perhaps we can create a resource for FW IG tactics.

I personally have little experience with FW other than reading the IA books, but it seems that the Vulture Gunship armed with Punisher Cannons would be a good counter to the necron air force as with twenty shots at BS 3 you average 15 hits then average 2.5 glancing hits. so if you're above the average by just a little bit you'll kill it. compare that to a vendetta which averages 2.75 hits with an average of around 2 glancing or penetrating hits.

anyone else have any good FW IG tactics?

The vast majority of IG Forge World units are slight tweaks on their Codex units and play pretty much the same way...

Sabre defense platforms brah.

150 pts gets you 3 Twin-linked lascannons, each t7w2 with skyfire and interceptor.

Boom.

They are typically overpriced as well. One thing I have found in Apocalypse games is more is better. I've played against Warlords, and Emperor Class Titians and the 8 Warhounds supported by tons of Leman Russ always do better than an eggs in one basket method. I don't know how the fliers do, I sold my airforce a year ago after never fielding it. I hate myself for that now.

Sticking to the standard 40k units, since Apocalypse is just about bringing cool models:


Awesome FW models: powerful units that will significantly improve your chances of winning if you use them in the right list.

Sabre gun platforms. Replaces a HWS with an artillery unit (now a MC with guns), twin-linked weapons, skyfire AND interceptor, and for a reasonable point cost. If you have the prerequisite platoon and are willing to play a list with a significant static element there's really no reason not to include at least one unit of them.

Artillery. Formerly mediocre units that were fragile and couldn't even pivot to aim at new targets, and formerly cheap because of it. With the new 6th edition rules turning artillery into pseudo-MCs they now have a giant pile of cheap T7 meatshield wounds (with a nice aegis line cover save) and 360* firing arc, and they still have the dirt cheap point costs. Until FW does something to re-balance them (expect at least a major point increase) these are absurdly powerful, and you can expect justified complaints if you spam too many of them.

Hades drill. You know that Tyranid thing that tunnels up from underneath you and drops a pie plate on something? It just wishes it was as cool as a Hades drill, which gets a STR 10 AP 1 melta pie plate, can ram tanks with a STR 10 melta hit, has a blast melta gun as a weapon, and delivers a veteran squad armed with melta/plasma that can charge the turn it arrives (the Hades gives an explicit exception to the usual rule of no charges out of reserve) and deliver 10x melta bombs to any vehicles within 18". Of course it's an all or nothing unit, it can do amazingly powerful things, or it can just sit in reserve wasting points until turn 4 and then scatter off into empty space and then get your unsupported veteran squad killed the next turn.

Vulture gunship. Trade the Vendetta's transport capacity for strafing run and vector dancer, and then add twin-linked punisher cannons. And the other options aren't bad either, you have a nice selection of weapons, and the combination of flyer rules + vector dancer ensures that you can deliver them anywhere you want. It doesn't replace the Vendetta, but there are very good reasons to take it in addition to Vendettas.

Good FW units: they're not as powerful, but they can still be useful in some situations.

Thunderbolt and Avenger fighters. Probably not as good in terms of raw power as the Vendetta, but each has their own advantages in weapon choices. The main drawback is the high point cost and heavy support slot, as you'll often find yourself asking whether you can really afford to take them.

Valkyrie Sky Talon + drop Sentinels. It's a "dedicated transport" unit that doesn't take up an FOC slot, and with 2x rocket pods it costs as much as an un-upgraded Valkyrie. Add a couple drop Sentinels with multimeltas and you have a cheap flyer threat that can handle a lot of different target types.

Hydra and Manticore platforms. Cheaper, but weaker AV and only 2 HP. Obviously you get better firepower per point, but you're a lot less likely to keep them long enough to do much. On the good side the Hydra platform gets skyfire AND interceptor, so it's a lot more effective for the short time that it lasts.

Salamander Command tank. Effectively it's a Chimera that trades its transport capacity for a "built in" CCS that issues orders from the tank. Most of the time it's not very useful since a real CCS is awesome, but it can do very useful things in low-point games where it gives you a cheap and efficient HQ and lets you spend your points elsewhere without giving up the powerful CCS orders. Keep it in mind next time you play a 500 point game.

Leman Russ Vanquisher. FW offers an additional option to buy a co-axial heavy stubber, which means that if any of the heavy stubber shots hit the target the main gun becomes twin-linked. Since the Vanquisher's main drawback is the low BS this makes it into a much more credible anti-tank threat.

Chimera. Like the Vanquisher, FW offers extra options, the most relevant one being a cheap upgrade to an autocannon for the turret gun. It's up to personal preference whether the AC or ML is better, but it's definitely a nice option to have.

Weak FW models: they might be cool and you probably won't be throwing away any hope of winning by taking them, but they are definitely less powerful than codex options.

Everything else. You should probably look through them yourself in case there's some perfect-for-you unit that I missed, but in terms of raw power you probably aren't going to find anything.

One of my friends runs the vanquisher co-axial heavy stubber on a bs4 Commisar Russ. It's a real threat to mech at range.