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Recently I have found myself rather enamored with the heavy bolter and I wanted to see what the community thinks of them.

I have been taking Devastator squads with either 4 heavy bolters or maybe 2 and 2 ML. I know these are often considered sub optimal but I have discovered that weight of fire seems to have a benefit all its own these days. Ive used them to tear apart Terminators, hordes, light vehicles and even a flyer! It seems to be a good all around weapon, and compared to my luck with templates its looking fairly decent these days. I know the odds are not always in favor, but as I have discovered with the Imperial Guard, more dice leads to more death. Plus the savings in points is fairly decent and ive found myself putting my work horse heavy weapons like Plasma cannons and Lascannons in combat squaded Tactical marines, giving me more flexibility in target priority. Now obviously Heavy bolters are no Auto cannon when it comes to true versatility (it makes you wonder why the astartes gave them up but chaos kept theirs!), but I have found myself fond of them in space marine lists after seeing the ridiculous amount kills I would get from even snap firing heavy bolters on my chimeras and Leman Russes. The only thing i cant seem to justify them in is on Storm Talons because of the utility (and same number of shots) of Skyhammer missiles.

Plus I would like to point out that Heavy bolter marines look super awesome.

The main problem is that Heavy Bolters are only marginally more effective than considerably few standard infantry weapons. On Marines, they're so mediocre and inferior to the other options that there's literally no point taking them on infantry, not even- scratch that, especially on Centurions.

There's a very limited case to be made that Imperial Fist Heavy Bolter Devs are worth it, but personally I and many others would far prefer the Thunderfire Cannon anyday, and you don't get Heavy Support slots to waste in the Marine lists most people run.

With the IG the versatility of the Autocannon is always a better option; complementary heavy bolters on vehicles like the Leman Russ and Chimeras are only worth it because getting close enough to use the heavy flamer is typically suicidal and its usually a waste if you outfit all your vehicles with them on the hull.

I neglected to mention that I run Ultramarines, so while i am missing out on Imperial Fists two of my doctrines will bolster them in shooting and mobility.

I like HBs. They are OK vs. a lot of things, but not great at anything. The only thing holding it back is the opportunity cost of not taking something better. So when I'm writing a list, I almost never end saying "I'll use a HB here" There are a few exceptions, like with sniper scouts where they are my heavy of choice. But mostly they show up as "I could have upgraded, but didn't" like on my attack bike, or typhoon/HB land speeders.

I will agree that they look awesome on foot marines. I've got one with a chain bayonet that needs to be fielded more often for that reason alone.

 Nevelon wrote:
I like HBs. They are OK vs. a lot of things, but not great at anything. The only thing holding it back is the opportunity cost of not taking something better. So when I'm writing a list, I almost never end saying "I'll use a HB here" There are a few exceptions, like with sniper scouts where they are my heavy of choice. But mostly they show up as "I could have upgraded, but didn't" like on my attack bike, or typhoon/HB land speeders.

I will agree that they look awesome on foot marines. I've got one with a chain bayonet that needs to be fielded more often for that reason alone.

HBs were never my default choice, they creeped into my last list due to a lack of points and the fact that ive had rotten luck with templates from TFC and Plasma Cannons. Since ive tried them ive become endeared a bit

 generalchaos34 wrote:

HBs were never my default choice, they creeped into my last list due to a lack of points and the fact that ive had rotten luck with templates from TFC and Plasma Cannons. Since ive tried them ive become endeared a bit

My scatter die hates me. Many of the situations where HBs work can be done with a frag missile. Which can also swap ammo and take down tanks when needed. Which is why you see a lot more MLs in lists. But if people are using wide unit spacing, the frag missile becomes less attractive. Or if you scatter off target all the time. HBs just work. You take your shots, and kill some targets.

Now that xenos are on the rise, I think more people will gravitate to the heavy bolter. Tyranids are coming. Start using HBs today and beat the rush.

I'll be honest, I don't use HBs, I usually play against heavily armoured chaos, so usually end up using ML or MM, I can see they'd have their use against orks and xones though

It wouldn't be so bad if all Space Marine Heavy Bolters had the option for Helfire rounds, but no, only scouts get that for some odd reason.

 Tannhauser42 wrote:
It wouldn't be so bad if all Space Marine Heavy Bolters had the option for Helfire rounds, but no, only scouts get that for some odd reason.

It was criminal that sternguard didn't get them. Doubly bad since there is a cool looking HB on the new sternguard sprue, and you have to be a certain kind of crazy to pay the points to actually give the vets one.

Fingers crossed that if/when they release rules for tyrannic war vets they fix this oversight.

 Tannhauser42 wrote:
It wouldn't be so bad if all Space Marine Heavy Bolters had the option for Helfire rounds, but no, only scouts get that for some odd reason.

I always wondered about that, since that would make them amazing utility items! Ive always felt that HBs should have had an extra rule attached to them like pinning (or rending, but thats a little on the extreme side) to be a little more fluffy since its a hail of fire from an automatic grenade launcher!


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 Nevelon wrote:

 Tannhauser42 wrote:
It wouldn't be so bad if all Space Marine Heavy Bolters had the option for Helfire rounds, but no, only scouts get that for some odd reason.

It was criminal that sternguard didn't get them. Doubly bad since there is a cool looking HB on the new sternguard sprue, and you have to be a certain kind of crazy to pay the points to actually give the vets one.

Fingers crossed that if/when they release rules for tyrannic war vets they fix this oversight.

I ended up buying that sweet sweet HB bit so i could make a devastator with a HB/Bayonet

I like bringing them on my IF devs, usually I run a LC dev squad and a HB dev squad, but change it up if i know who i'm going to be playing. Vs light xenos vehicles, like trukks, venoms, raiders, or even SM land speeders, basically AV 10 stuff, they get me 1.29 HP each per round, vs .65 for a ML which costs more. They're also really good IMO against things with 4+ or 5+ saves like necron warriors, kabbies, tyranids, and guardsmen, where the S4AP6 of a frag missile cupcake is still gonna allow saves.
Vs space marines armies, don't bother.

Run imperial fists for bolter drill if you like HBs.

I am thinking of building a heavy bolter havoc squad for my Iron Warrior army, mainly because I have a bunch left after buying boxes of chaos marines!


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Don't know how often they will get used though, as I also have autocannon havocs obliterators and a vindicator.

I run HBs in my Tactical Squads for IFs and leave the Devs to the bigger weapons, mostly.

I have attempted a HB heavy Dev Squad, but found that either they were overkill for the situation at hand or not as useful as having another weapon available.

 Farseer Faenyin wrote:
I run HBs in my Tactical Squads for IFs and leave the Devs to the bigger weapons, mostly.

I have attempted a HB heavy Dev Squad, but found that either they were overkill for the situation at hand or not as useful as having another weapon available.

I have the opposite issue. Im more inclined to put my harder hitting heavy weapons like Lascannons in Tactical squads as an Ultramarine player so that I can make use of the tactical doctrine. Additionally the devastator doctrine has allowed me to have a reasonable chance at damaging light flyers with 4 heavy bolters with all those rerolled snap shots, and seems to even out over snap shotting things like lascannons or missiles in the long run. Although a mixed HB and ML devs with flakk missiles would probably prove to be quite the anti-light armor/flyer/horde jack o all trades set up

I used Heavy Bolters with hellfire rounds on my scout squads for the first time yesterday.

Found them to be very effective,

- 1 HB scout killed 2 Bikers and a spawn
- the other Heavy bolter killed 2 spawn

Unfortunately the scouts to succumbed to close combat.

The Heavy Bolters more than paid for their points!

IF they were heavy 4 they might be worth taking but heavy 3 isn't worth it. or actually salvo 3/5 might be better.

My Adepta Sororitas Retributors never leave home without four heavy bolters. It's not a flashy weapon but it has range (unlike anything else they get) and helps keep small gribblies off my troops. And I sometimes use it as the heavy weapon in a cheap SoB squad, the one meant to hang back and secure my home objective. It's only three shots but sometimes three shots in support of an advancing squad can be helpful.

On marines it's not quite as useful since they have better options both in weapons and transports - if I had drop pods you can bet you'd see Retributors with four Heavy Flamers. ;-)

 generalchaos34 wrote:

 Farseer Faenyin wrote:
I run HBs in my Tactical Squads for IFs and leave the Devs to the bigger weapons, mostly.

I have attempted a HB heavy Dev Squad, but found that either they were overkill for the situation at hand or not as useful as having another weapon available.

I have the opposite issue. Im more inclined to put my harder hitting heavy weapons like Lascannons in Tactical squads as an Ultramarine player so that I can make use of the tactical doctrine. Additionally the devastator doctrine has allowed me to have a reasonable chance at damaging light flyers with 4 heavy bolters with all those rerolled snap shots, and seems to even out over snap shotting things like lascannons or missiles in the long run. Although a mixed HB and ML devs with flakk missiles would probably prove to be quite the anti-light armor/flyer/horde jack o all trades set up

I could certainly see this in most settings. I play in a pro-FW crowd, so my anti-air is typically covered by non-Dev models like the Mortis Contemptor. :-)

I think people were expecting the humble heavy bolter to become salvo in 6th but hey, better luck next time.

I've seen it used effectively in rhino tactical squads which pair well with a plasmagun. Drive up on an objective and just camp. Not as specialized as a melta-drop squad or an immobile plasma-plasmacannon camper, but it's generic and works against most any foe. Add in a combi-flamer on the sarge if your really want to go take all commers.

Personally like the HB in 10-man squads running up the field due tu 6th ed snap shots especially.

I guess the MM would be similar but i find it expensive for an anti-infantry squad.

HB are useful on a squad that is geared for anti-infantry, though rarely are dev squads set for this.

Getting them into position is also a problem in most games.

I've only had success using a chaos havoc team with 4 HB that gets infitrated using hurons warlord trait. Of course HB that can light things on fire is always fun.

Hehe Heresy Heavy Support squad, Heavy bolters come stock if I remember, for 75 points over base you have 10 heavy bolters in a squad. I would still use Culverins over heavy bolters but that 10 man squad of HB is still cheaper than 5 culverin marines if I remember the points cost correctly.

HBs are a nice weapon and also just look bad ass.

Marines don't have problems with infantry, especially when taking TFCs, which most will.

Thus making the HB redundant and taking up valuable slots that would shore up weaknesses and be more useful, like LCs.

HB's arent that useful for Dark angels, and dosent offer enough compared to what plain dakka bolters offers.

My friend ran three landspeeders with two heavy bolters each. For less than the cost of a tactical squad he had 18 HB shots, yeah they were very fragile, but also mobile and agile!

He positioned them really well, generally with the only unit that could see them being the unit they were going to wipe out.

Plus they used a Fast Attack slot, leaving more Heavy Support options open to him.

My lesson was learned, Heavy Bolters are to be feared!

 CaptainRavenclaw wrote:
My friend ran three landspeeders with two heavy bolters each. For less than the cost of a tactical squad he had 18 HB shots, yeah they were very fragile, but also mobile and agile!

He positioned them really well, generally with the only unit that could see them being the unit they were going to wipe out.

Plus they used a Fast Attack slot, leaving more Heavy Support options open to him.

My lesson was learned, Heavy Bolters are to be feared!

The irony of this is I remember never ever filling my fast attack slots before the new codex and now im filling it more than elites and heavy slots these days. When you can't argue with the cheap effectiveness of Stormtalons and grav gun bikers Im finding less and less room for my plucky little speeders.

Heavy Support is still our most important slot. The focus just shifted from Elites and HS to FA and HS because things like terminators and Sternguard are not as good as they used to be, and many of the worse units got shoved to Elite, like VV and assault Centurions.

Also FA and HS can score 1/6 of the time, elites are just dead weight unless they are a unit so good you have to take them.

With the recent Inquisition supplement, psymeras are really the only way/reason to run a HB. They're remarkably good with them, too, but that's psybolts for you.

 generalchaos34 wrote:

 CaptainRavenclaw wrote:
My friend ran three landspeeders with two heavy bolters each. For less than the cost of a tactical squad he had 18 HB shots, yeah they were very fragile, but also mobile and agile!

He positioned them really well, generally with the only unit that could see them being the unit they were going to wipe out.

Plus they used a Fast Attack slot, leaving more Heavy Support options open to him.

My lesson was learned, Heavy Bolters are to be feared!

The irony of this is I remember never ever filling my fast attack slots before the new codex and now im filling it more than elites and heavy slots these days. When you can't argue with the cheap effectiveness of Stormtalons and grav gun bikers Im finding less and less room for my plucky little speeders.

AV 10 HP 2 is a horrible stat line for what speeders cost.