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Now that I have my Heldrake, are there any good tactics I should know about? I haven't played with flyers before so I will need to read up on the rules, but any advice from playing against or with them would be helpful.
Whilst I would initially have mocked this in line with the Tactica: Riptide that GW released, I could probably be more helpful.
If possible, magnetize the weapon. 95% of the time you'll want the Baleflamer, but the other thing can be helpful if you're really, really short of anti-air.
Unless the situation absolutely cries out for it, don't:
- Evade. The 'Drake's Invul save is better in every situation that isn't Night Fight.
- Go into Hover Mode (unless you're going second and it's turn 7. Or you really need something behind you dead)
- Expose your rear armour. The voonrible under-belly of the beast is about it's only weakness.
Do:
- Read the Torrent special rule, then the Heldrake FAQ (Linky:http://www.games-workshop.com/MEDIA_CustomProductCatalog/m3180050a_Chaos_Space_Marines_v1.2_APRIL13.pdf). Get out the 'Drake and set it on the table, grab a tape measure / range ruler and the flamer template and see the wide variety of positions you can flame.
- Think ahead. The Flyer rules are more restrictive on movement than normal for vehicles, so try and work out what you want to Vector Strike next turn, as well as what to VS this turn.
- You've paid the cost for two attacks that are AP3 Ignores Cover, so focus on units that make the most of those rules -> 3+ Sv units in cover.
Mmmm... I don't try to use Heldrakes on their own, I always pair them up with some other unit.
Sure, a Heldrake is awesome, but it's more awesome when it vector strikes something my bikers are about to charge, and baleflames the thing that would shoot them after they ace the unit they are charging.
Another thing: never count on them for more than one round. Hit on the unit where they can do the most damage the quickest.
There's always a little more than meets the eye in 40k.
People hate playing against the Heldrake. He just makes opponents pick up models. If you're in a scenario where winning is very important, you can use that to your advantage. Make a bit of a show of how crazy good the Heldrake is, how he's going to fly on and wreck stuff, and Vector strike everything. Your opponent will think about that and perhaps will start to play a little differently, hopefully to your advantage. Sounds silly but it is truly a demoralizing unit.
As far as actual tactics go, I try to get two good turns out of my Heldrake, so the first turn he comes out, he's protecting his own rear and taking whatever he can get as long as he stays safe. The next turn, it's balls out, vector-striking the juiciest target then flaming the next juiciest. If your opponent only has an AV12 front or side to shoot at, he'll probably find out that the Heldrake is extremely resilient and will likely still be flaming and vector striking him again next turn, having wasted a lot of shooting on it.
I don't like to be a "always/never" guy, but always take the Baleflamer. It is so much better than the autocannon that it is a noticeable handicap when you take the autocannon over the flamer. Non-twin-linked BS3 4 shot gun just isn't going to do anything in the grand scheme of things.
Don't forget your 23 special rules, they are all very powerful, even the lowly Soul Blaze on the Baleflamer. Many a time have I finished off that last Fire Warrior or Scout that escaped the breath of the dragon the first time.
Fly Molo of Dark Future Gaming!
http://darkfuturegaming.blogspot.com/
when you're at your weakest at night..in that period between reality in sleep..you'll hear a noise in the distance sounding a bit like gunfire going..dakkadakkadakkadakka
FirePainter wrote: Since when does the baleflamer have soul blaze?? I have never heard any chaos play local or on here use that.
Since its in the profil of the weapon...
thats why i've got those loevely Galeforce9 flame markers.
But because a lot of people view Soulblaze has useless, they often forget about it or simply don't bother with it.
While personnaly having a free D3 bolter hits on Eldar of IG models, i find it hilarious, when they die on their own, killed the Officer of a PCS like this and a Techy servant of a Thunderfire cannon.
Soul blaze is such a stupid rule but once in a blue moon it does actually kill something important so try not to forget it.
same goes for the it will not die regeneration, the option to use daemon forge along with the requirement to roll to see if you lose a hull point.
Forest hunter sept ~3500 
guardians of the covenant 4th company ~ 6000
Warrior based hive fleet
