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This kind of seems like a bit a stupid question but I figured I would ask. I once thought the answer to this question was cut and dry that Melta is preferred over Plasma because Melta is a bit more reliable and you won't possibly loose a marine in the process of firing it but the more and more I look around at lists trying to figure out what I want to do with the expansion of my Imperial Fist: Sentinels of Terra part of my army, the more I am starting to question whether I want to have a crap ton of Melta over Plasma since a lot of lists I look at actually favor Plasma over the Melta weapons except if it is a Sternguard squad coming in via drop pod because then all I ever see is nothing but combi-melta and meltaguns.

I never had these problems with GK, you either take a Psycannon or Incinerator and it is pretty clear cut on which to take. My current troop choice for my Imperial Fist allies is a 10 man Tactical squad outfitted with a meltagun and combi-melta but as I expand and get another troop choice to take the Imperial Fists as the main detachment, I am kind of thinking that I messed up with the first squad and I should of gave them Plasma. I just hate the thought of my guys dying because their gun exploded. This being said, for the second troop choice, kind of thinking that I should give them a Plasma and Combi-Plasma to kind of rectify this.

But when is it good to take melta and when is it good to take plasma? And should a Tactical squad ever take Melta given the limitations on it? I mean they aren't like a Sternguard squad who just can go wild with combi-meltas making them an awesome quick drop take care of a vehicle problem solver.

it really depends. Plasma is better vs 2+ and Monstrous Creatures, while Melta is for Buildings/vehicles. I'd rarely use Melta vs stuff like Tyranids and Dark Eldar (paper vehicles); OTOH, AM and vehicle-heavy Marines can't be dealt with by Plasma.

The Marine player at my previous locals (5th Company Raptors I believe) ran squads of both in a TAC.

Advantages of Melta include AP1 and Armourbane against Vehicles so you're likely to cause an Explosion, as well as being cheaper (according to my SW Codex). Disadvantages include having to get close to make use of the Melta rules.

Advantages of Plasma are that it has a longer range so you can threaten MC from further afar while they have to run up to you. Some Plasma weapons are Rapid Fire or Blast weapons, so you can force more wounds. Disadvantages include being a tad more expensive and obviously, Get's Hot.

Hmm...then maybe I didn't screw up as bad as I thought and having both isn't so bad. It would let me select and direct as I need having a melta squad and a plasma squad.

What i can tell is that plazma synchronises well with rhino's mobility. While drop-pods can reliably bring you into melta range, rhinos have limitations. Thus, rapid fire s7 ap2 might work more often than s8 ap1 but 12' melta. Both weapons have their uses and are better in different cases but personally, i prefer plazma+combi-plazma for rhino marines. They're a versatile squad with high emphasis on mid-board controle.

Gets Hot! isn't so bad in the grand scheme of things - you'll lose a marine on average once from eighteen shots.

One of each type isn't bad. You can always find a use for four plasma shots.

There are a lot more marine special and heavy weapons, and they overlap a lot more in role. Plasma guns are a good generic choice, because they are literally a bolter but better (albeit riskier) - any other weapon has disadvantages as well as advantages relative to the boltgun you're swapping it for.

Depends on your meta and play style. If you face a lot of bugs and daemons, they will laugh at your meltas. If you face mechanized armies, your meltas would make them cry.

My meta sees a mix with enough armor to be worried about but enough daemons and tyranids to need the plasma so in this light, I definitely think that having one of each is actually pretty practical and let's me have a versatility that makes me comfortable.

I generally prefer meltas in a tactical squad because:

They are cheaper
They insta kill T4 not just T3
Much better against vehicles (2d6 & AP1)
Can assault after shooting
They don't have gets hot - not a massive downside but still a downside

Plasma has:

Double the range for a single shot
Twice as many shots at the same range

I tend to keep Plasma back for squads that I can then spam in greater numbers for MC/2+ hunting. My tactical have to be more versatile.

Both are good choices. Like many things Space Marine, which is better depends a lot on what your list needs. And there is nothing wrong with a little of both.

I've come to prefer melta/combi-melta for my tac squads. It opens up a new class of targets that you can effectively engage, and remains fairly effective against 2+ armor. Being assault weapons, melta also enable me to effectively shoot at and then assault MCs and vehicles with a meltabomb sgt. Also, having Instant Death capability against T4 models can be invaluable in some metas. Those poor enemy ICs don't stand a chance sometimes.

I do run Plasma on my IF marines, since I have a back field full of devastators who are handling AT. Plasma is definitely better at pure dakka against other infantry and MCs - if that's what you expect to face, then it's sort of a no-brainer.

 Crazyterran wrote:
Depends on your meta and play style. If you face a lot of bugs and daemons, they will laugh at your meltas. If you face mechanized armies, your meltas would make them cry.

Nothing laughs at S8 AP1. Maybe those bugs that don't get hit by it.

Melta USR on a melta gun kicks in at 6", otherwise it's more an AP1 krak missile. If you are that close, you can just take a melta bomb and go for the charge. Ofc Plasma gun + melta bomb costs as much as 2 melta guns...

 DanielBeaver wrote:
I've come to prefer melta/combi-melta for my tac squads. It opens up a new class of targets that you can effectively engage, and remains fairly effective against 2+ armor. Being assault weapons, melta also enable me to effectively shoot at and then assault MCs and vehicles with a meltabomb sgt. Also, having Instant Death capability against T4 models can be invaluable in some metas. Those poor enemy ICs don't stand a chance.

I agree with this line of thinking for tacs. Works well in my local anyhow.

You're going to have to get pretty close to that MC to melta him then assault. Don't you run the risk of being on the receiving end of a charge?

Isn't it better to engage at distance with plasma?

(I ask because my next game will be against a Tyranid list)

I do like the idea of bolt pistols, combi-melta and a melta shot, and then charging in for melta-bomb action against a carnifex or such. I would think you'd have good odds there. Is throwing a krak grenade an assault? 8" range?

zerosignal wrote:
You're going to have to get pretty close to that MC to melta him then assault. Don't you run the risk of being on the receiving end of a charge?

Isn't it better to engage at distance with plasma?

(I ask because my next game will be against a Tyranid list)

In that instance, Plasma is going to be better. Try and fit some Grav Weapons in too, Nids hate those

Yeah, my bikers are taking grav I am still torn on whether to combat squad and run a ML in 10-man though, or whether it's best to have the bodies and push for closer engagement.

zerosignal wrote:
You're going to have to get pretty close to that MC to melta him then assault. Don't you run the risk of being on the receiving end of a charge?

Isn't it better to engage at distance with plasma?

(I ask because my next game will be against a Tyranid list)

Range is definitely an issue if your marines are footslogging or in Rhinos - against Tyranids, plasma is often the better choice. Melta is only better for a few edge cases, such as getting instant death against Tyranid Warriors.

I am still torn on whether to combat squad and run a ML in 10-man though, or whether it's best to have the bodies and push for closer engagement.

I'm not a fan of heavy weapons in general for Tac squads, as tac squads work best when they are mobile. But a heavy weapon can be okay if you're splitting them into combat squads and using the heavy weapon squad to camp a backfield objective. I normally suggest a Lascannon, but an ML will work just as well against Tyranids MCs. Still... I think Heavy Bolters jive a bit better with a bolter squad, as you'll be able to shoot at enemy infantry squads more effectively (the frag missile's small blast is not very effective if you're only shooting once, it really needs to be part of a 4 man devastator squad to get multiple blasts and really expand the wound pool).

Range for me is not a problem since I use Drop Pods so they should be going where I want them and only need distance if they kill whatever they were going after but Plasma would definitely be good for when I want Tacticals to hold an objective after eliminating a force. So I do think I will mix one melta and one plasma. Thanks for the input, it helps me figure out everything in this upcoming army.

For me its kinda like a necron player choosing to go with only immortals or only warriors as troops; thing is that you should take both. Plasma has a better range and rapid fire but has a low chance of blowing up. Melta has a much shorter range but destroys vehicles and buildings. In my lists I usually never have a melta on a normal tac squad unless i plan to put them in a DP and have them go right next to a vehicle. Plasma is something that a tac squad should have for siting on objectivs or riding around in rhinos because of its ability to wreck 2+ saves and equally put wounds on MC's. If you're wondering about anti armour, leave that up to dev squads, predators or vindacators. You like IF so dev squads have the tank hunter trait (and I think that caries over to ST right?). The only time I would use meltas with any marine squad is the infamous sterngaurd alpha strike or a lesser 5 man tac squad alpha strike. Plus plasma can cause probems for light vehicles (up to AV 11 being the max). But just make a strong list at X points and just switch out plasma and melta with little to no unit changing and just see what works and what doesnt. We cant all just sit around and talk theory hammer, go out and play.

Melta gives you fewer shots that are slightly more reliable at a reduced range. For my money? Salamanders go melta, everyone else with plasma.

There's an old adage... it's good to learn from your mistakes... it's better to learn from other people's