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How competitive do you think Assault Cannons would be if they were available for Space Marine Devastators for the same points cost as they are for tactical terminators?

*If* you are taking Devastators in the first place, that is (i.e. this isnt a debate whether they would make Devastators more viable). I.e. would SM players who field Devastators love to have this change, or are they "meh" about it?


This whole thought process came to my mind after I started thinking whether GK Purgators were still viable...given the colossal nerf they took in the new dex due to the Psycannon rules change to salvo, meaning it effectively ended their ability to cruise around with a Rhino, delivering 4 S7 shots at upto 24" (followed by another 4 S5 shots from the Rhino and its previous psybolt loadout), but I am beginning to think that was overpowered anyway, and now they they will spend more time being stationary and firing those Psycannons, you could compare them to a squad of Space Marines all armed with 4 Assault Cannons, except in this case they are +1S, so even better.

If I could, I'd probably do it out of principle, quoting the TF2 Heavy any time they could start shooting. Even with snapshots, they're gonna hit something with 16 shots. Not sure how well it would do, though. IMO 24" heavy weapons should be on relentless platforms/vehicles.

I wouldn't take them. Devastator Squads are meant to camp out and hit long range, and Assault Cannon's range isn't suited for that. Four Lascannons make the best use of Dev squad, IMO.

If ravenguard or raptors, 100% yes! 3 ten men squads in rhinos.
Scout 12" forward. Move a further 6" turn 1. Unload and snap shot. Turbo boost rhino in front of them to cover. Turn 2 - 48 assault cannon shots + bolter shots, very likely sitting on objectives. 12 of those assault cannon shots hitting at bs5 lets not forget. And the opponent has to eat through 6 marines in each squad before being able to kill the assault cannon bearers.
Massive presence in the centre of the board.

All for 705pts.

I'd switch the idea upside down, and field a Terminator squad with a multi-melta or a lascannon instead.

That would make 'em awesome.

 Tigramans wrote:
I'd switch the idea upside down, and field a Terminator squad with a multi-melta or a lascannon instead.

That would make 'em awesome.

YES.
BY THE EMPEROR YES.


On topic: though I don't actually field them anymore, if I still did I would most certainly take them. Yeah, they are short-ish range, but by the Machine Spirits, it would be FRIGGIN AWESOME.

 Ond Angel wrote:

 Tigramans wrote:
I'd switch the idea upside down, and field a Terminator squad with a multi-melta or a lascannon instead.

That would make 'em awesome.

YES.
BY THE EMPEROR YES.


On topic: though I don't actually field them anymore, if I still did I would most certainly take them. Yeah, they are short-ish range, but by the Machine Spirits, it would be FRIGGIN AWESOME.

This could make Deathwing uber competitive.

Not assult cannon troops, short range and less mobile, I'd rather mount them to land speeders and my custom pred tank.

No. Assault cannons are for high volume of shots at mid range and then assaulting. Your devs should be parked in a building shooting things at long range. You should never ever ever be charging someone with a dev squad, so assault cannons would be a waste. Missile launchers and lascannons are the only sensible options for devs.

well I guess that really does make purgation squads crap then. 24" is too short a range to just stand and shoot - it also puts you in enemy bolter range

As a da player yes I would. I'd put them in a rhino with mm's and assault cannons, drive em up with a 4++ techmarine raider in front of em. They would then arrive and derp you in the face from the fire points with some of the heaviest ordinance space marines have for short range work.

I've said for a long time I would love to see Heavy Flamers introduced as an option for devs.

It would change the entire dev play style and I could see 10 strong with 4 heavy flamers drop podding in creating utter carnage against any kind of blob list.

 The Home Nuggeteer wrote:

This could make Deathwing uber competitive.

Screw Derpwing, give this exclusively to Vanilla Mehreens, 'cause dem Dark Angels already can take an insane PLASMA CANNON...
Multi-melta option would make Vanilla Terminators cool, crazy-dangerous and competitive (hey, three C's!)

Also: imagine giving the Termies some custom grav weaponry (smaller than cannons, bigger than rifles)

I run Devs but I'd never run Assault Cannons even with the option. The range is too short for them to be useful, as I want to plop my devs somewhere and not need to move them.

 throwoff wrote:
I've said for a long time I would love to see Heavy Flamers introduced as an option for devs.

It would change the entire dev play style and I could see 10 strong with 4 heavy flamers drop podding in creating utter carnage against any kind of blob list.

Sisters can do it, and it is awesome. not sure how effective it would be without Divine guidance though.

 throwoff wrote:
I've said for a long time I would love to see Heavy Flamers introduced as an option for devs.

It would change the entire dev play style and I could see 10 strong with 4 heavy flamers drop podding in creating utter carnage against any kind of blob list.

Our group has made this a house rule for Salamanders: May Replace any HB for a Heavy Flamer.
So far no one has taken this option, but it looks to make them fun.

Come to think of it, Ultramarines tactics could make assault cannon devs work, for a turn. Slap those gun-happy devs into a drop pod, have them come in turn 1, pop the dev doctrine (or the other way around, can't remember which) and go to town. The more, the merrier!

Didn't salamander squads back in 3rd/4th have heavy flamers in normal tac and dev squads?

I'd rather see each termie with an assault cannon. Storm bolters are puny

 Vector Strike wrote:
I'd rather see each termie with an assault cannon. Storm bolters are puny

I loved the 2nd Ed Space Wolves with all of them caring an Assault Cannon and Cyclone Missile Launcher. Only then they had a chance of Exploding!

BladeSwinga wrote:
Come to think of it, Ultramarines tactics could make assault cannon devs work, for a turn. Slap those gun-happy devs into a drop pod, have them come in turn 1, pop the dev doctrine (or the other way around, can't remember which) and go to town. The more, the merrier!

They become relentless if they HAVEN'T disembarked from a vehicle, sadly. Otherwise I would've made a lot of MM devs in drop pods.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Anpu42 wrote:

 throwoff wrote:
I've said for a long time I would love to see Heavy Flamers introduced as an option for devs.

It would change the entire dev play style and I could see 10 strong with 4 heavy flamers drop podding in creating utter carnage against any kind of blob list.

Our group has made this a house rule for Salamanders: May Replace any HB for a Heavy Flamer.
So far no one has taken this option, but it looks to make them fun.

I would've slapped on every single squad that drop pods with flamers!

I wouldn't take Assault Cannons for Devestators.

They can already take Heavy bolters, which are close enough, with better range, even if they loose 1 shot and rending.

Ralis wrote:
I wouldn't take Assault Cannons for Devestators.

They can already take Heavy bolters, which are close enough, with better range, even if they loose 1 shot and rending.

and -1S

over 4 weapons, that adds up to be a significant differerence

Poly Ranger wrote:
If ravenguard or raptors, 100% yes! 3 ten men squads in rhinos.
Scout 12" forward. Move a further 6" turn 1. Unload and snap shot. Turbo boost rhino in front of them to cover. Turn 2 - 48 assault cannon shots + bolter shots, very likely sitting on objectives. 12 of those assault cannon shots hitting at bs5 lets not forget. And the opponent has to eat through 6 marines in each squad before being able to kill the assault cannon bearers.
Massive presence in the centre of the board.

All for 705pts.

This guy gets it!!!

I'd take Assault Cannons, but not at +25pts (that's the cost of them for Space Wolf Termies anyway). If it was 15pts, then definitely.

Depends on what Army I'm playing the assault devs against. They'd be good against Meganobs and Helbrutes, but would only be able to attack at BS 1 against anything that can exploit the cannon's short "24" range like Most a Eldar can.