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Since I started a marine list a short while ago I've been using two of these as a core staple of just about every list and they've yet to let me down. I've found that most lists contain fliers, skimmers or both so that they rarely have to snapshot and, additionally, 8 snapshots (twin linked if prescient) 4 each at 2 different targets is, well, fine.

What are other peoples experiences?

Stalkers are already twin linked. They don't need prescience. I've borrowed two of these twice and they work pretty well. They are annoying only because they aren't squadroned and take up a heavy slot. Good for elite heavy lists. But I don't like marine elites, so I don't use them for that reason.

Theyre cheap, but take up a Heavy Slot which is why you don't see them more often.

Yeah loosing a heavy slot for them is gonna hurt.

They are pretty good against eldar though. if you have prescience on a psycher you can launch off 8 twinlinked bs2 shots at waveserpents a turn.

Unfortunately HS is too crowded..
Hard to justify a stalker instead of my usual Grav Centurion squad and 2 Thunderfire Cannons..
I hope Blood angels get them with their new codex, so i can field a fourth allied HS

On a side note, i would still like to know what dear mr Robin was smoking when writting the codex. Both Centurion variants (like terminators) should have been elite choices.

Also they dont have Interceptor meaning they suck against anything other than flyers, fmcs and skimmers. But they are good against Wave Serpent spam.

Martel732 wrote:
Stalkers are already twin linked. They don't need prescience. I've borrowed two of these twice and they work pretty well. They are annoying only because they aren't squadroned and take up a heavy slot. Good for elite heavy lists. But I don't like marine elites, so I don't use them for that reason.

They aren't twin linked when splitting fire, so Prescience is good then. 8 shots, twin linked, even at BS1 hit quite alot.

Name a competitive list this edition not running skimmers or flyers. Ain't a whole lot.

As has been said, though, the biggest issue isn't the rules on the tanks per se, but just the slot they take up. Considering Heavy Support contains 3 other fantastic, more universal choices in Thunderfire Cannons, Devastator Centurions and Stormravens, it can be hard to justify bringing one. If you're not full up on your heavy support slots, though, I think they are pretty decent. They're quite good in a biker-heavy army, actually, because you probably won't be needing the siege weaponry of a TFC as much, and you'll already have grav guns equipped on your bikes, and you won't need the physical air support/transport of a Stormraven. Cheap AA compliments that list well.

I play a bike army, so, as SRSFACE says I have less need of TFC and grav centurions have been rather disappointing fro me. I already take 1 storm raven. My HS is usually Stormraven, Stalker, Stalker.

And what if you choose to ignore Flyers? Taking anti-flyer weaponry is not mandatory - the only flyers that are really dangerous is the Hellturkey, Valkyrie/Vendetta and the Stormraven. Others are usually just an annoyance, and if you focus on taking out the enemy's army instead, then even a flyer that survives till the end of turn 6 isnt going to win him the game. Besides, that Vendetta has a greater chance of taking out your Stalker than vice versa anyways.

As a Salamander player, I usually always run 3 Stalkers. I love them. They almost always pay for themselves. You only need to kill 225 pts worth of Flyers/Skimmers. I feel like it fills a large void in the Sallies tactics: kill flyers.

Salamander lists usually run Drop pods with flamers and meltas, both do very poorly agnst flyers. Having Sternguard/Tacticals with Melta/Flamers attached being backed up by Stalkers has been very strong for me.

Sounds like guard hydras. You really want to take them... but... you've got russes and artillery... and...

...then you don't take them.

Drager wrote:

Martel732 wrote:
Stalkers are already twin linked. They don't need prescience. I've borrowed two of these twice and they work pretty well. They are annoying only because they aren't squadroned and take up a heavy slot. Good for elite heavy lists. But I don't like marine elites, so I don't use them for that reason.

They aren't twin linked when splitting fire, so Prescience is good then. 8 shots, twin linked, even at BS1 hit quite alot.

Why would you ever split the fire?

Martel732 wrote:

Drager wrote:

Martel732 wrote:
Stalkers are already twin linked. They don't need prescience. I've borrowed two of these twice and they work pretty well. They are annoying only because they aren't squadroned and take up a heavy slot. Good for elite heavy lists. But I don't like marine elites, so I don't use them for that reason.

They aren't twin linked when splitting fire, so Prescience is good then. 8 shots, twin linked, even at BS1 hit quite alot.

Why would you ever split the fire?

'Cause you can cast prescience on it and get 8 Twin Linked S7 shots to deal with two weak skimmers or flyers. Let's say you were playing against Orks, a couple Dakkajets were on board, that would be killer.

Or when firing snap at ground units, 8 Prescient snaps get 2-3 hits, that isn't bad at a all.

 Ailaros wrote:
Sounds like guard hydras. You really want to take them... but... you've got russes and artillery... and...

...then you don't take them.

amen