Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hey guys,

I have a couple of Land Speeders for my Blood Angels force yet to put together, and I'm looking for advice on the best loadout. Definitely going with a multi-melta, so do I pair it with another multi-melta? An assault cannon? A heavy flamer/bolter? Not really sure if it's better to focus them all on anti tank/monster or to make them more utility oriented.

If going one melta, go double melta. if going flamer go double flamer.

Probably Multi-Melta. Assault Cannon is far too expensive to be on such a fragile platform, which is a shame because of how awesome a weapon it is.

Magnets

Is there a reason you don’t want TMLs? They are the best option IMHO.

If you are going to take a MM, take two. You already pay a bit for the platform, so doubling your firepower (and odds of getting something useful done) is worth it.

I’ve had some luck with a MM/HF speeder, but mostly because it’s an old faithful chunk of lead. Not the best choice these days. Classic though. If you were going to fly a pair of speeders in a squadron, it might be worth it. But in a more competitive environment, specialization is rewarded over flexibility.

Land speeder storm is my love. They can carry some scouts for objectives, cheap enough and their blinding launcher can really make a difference.

Heavy bolters. Ive startled necron players with 18 heavy bolter shots. 36" range means you can nail them with your butt to the back of the table. Take a div libbi, preferably in a Librarius Conclave and twin link'em. 18 HB shots will put a hurt on obsec units from the top armys like Tau, necrons or eldar. Plus there very mobile. I used to think they were too fragile, but they have always suprisef me. You just can't beat 18 HB shots for 180 points.

Yes you can.

 Red Marine wrote:
Heavy bolters. Ive startled necron players with 18 heavy bolter shots. 36" range means you can nail them with your butt to the back of the table. Take a div libbi, preferably in a Librarius Conclave and twin link'em. 18 HB shots will put a hurt on obsec units from the top armys like Tau, necrons or eldar. Plus there very mobile. I used to think they were too fragile, but they have always suprisef me. You just can't beat 18 HB shots for 180 points.

If you want to do that tactic, I think you would be better served with two TML/HB speeders then three 2xHB ones.

HBs are OK at killing light infantry in the open. Problem is, most light infantry has the common sense to stay in cover. And for that, the HF is a much better tool. Yes, you need to get in close to use it. But they erase little irritating squads hiding in ruins.

I still like running a pair of MM/HF speeders. They rarely disappoint and can handle a large range of targets.

We've been playing Maelstrom missions, so the double Heavy Bolter land speeder has been a great addition to my list(s). Basically, it can stay at range, jink if needed and at least gets to snap fire it weaponry, and claim backfield objectives while the rest of my army is usually off trying to assault or harass my opponent. Only being armed with heavy bolters, it'll never be high on the opponent's priority list, leaving it to do what I need to actually win the game (be flexible enough to help out with Maelstrom).

In my last 2 games, I've fielded 2 units of 1 dual HB Land Speeder, and I'm fairly certain only 1 was ever destroyed while basically being my all star units when it came to Maelstrom objective grabbing. They even helped hull point out a few vehicles and a dreadnought that turned its back to one.

Multi-melta speeders (and flamers speeders especially) need to get too close to do their work and will be considered easy to get rid of threats. Heavy Bolter Land Speeders barely rate. They're basically ignored. They're greatest ability is availability.

I don't understand why you wouldn't want the typhoon when it is the best landspeeder variant there is. Is there a particular reason?

If you have got a multi melta then double it up with another multi melta I would say.

They're ignored because Heavy Bolters don't do any real damage for the cost. You're paying points for a unit that won't do anything and will therefore get ignored. How is that viable in any way, shape, or form?

Slaphead wrote:I don't understand why you wouldn't want the typhoon when it is the best landspeeder variant there is. Is there a particular reason?

If you have got a multi melta then double it up with another multi melta I would say.

Slayer-Fan123 wrote:They're ignored because Heavy Bolters don't do any real damage for the cost. You're paying points for a unit that won't do anything and will therefore get ignored. How is that viable in any way, shape, or form?

I can only assume you guys didn't read my full post, as the answers to your questions are self evident. Unless, of course, being a major contributor to helping win the game isn't a viable use of a unit.

I know common knowledge is that the Typhoon is the best variant for long range/survivability reasons, and I might magnetize my speeders to have that option available if I need it. I just wanted to see what others were running.

My basic idea is I'm thinking about putting together a mechanized CAD list with a Baal Pred, tri-las Pred, las/plas razorback, rhino, and some jump Death Company and Sanguinary Guard. My thought was double melta speeders would be threatening enough to be a target priority for my opponent, and add some target saturation to my list by forcing the opponent to make a decision between shooting my assault units, tanks, or speeders; the fact that they are fast as hell too means they work well with the rest of the list in snatching objectives/redeploying.

It seems like the answer is to magnetize the weapons and try them out to see what works for me. I like the look of speeders as they are fast and can carry some ok weapons, which seems to fit in with a mechanized BA list pretty well.

Slayer-Fan123 wrote:Yes you can.

Nevelon wrote:

 Red Marine wrote:
Heavy bolters. Ive startled necron players with 18 heavy bolter shots. 36" range means you can nail them with your butt to the back of the table. Take a div libbi, preferably in a Librarius Conclave and twin link'em. 18 HB shots will put a hurt on obsec units from the top armys like Tau, necrons or eldar. Plus there very mobile. I used to think they were too fragile, but they have always suprisef me. You just can't beat 18 HB shots for 180 points.

If you want to do that tactic, I think you would be better served with two TML/HB speeders then three 2xHB ones.

HBs are OK at killing light infantry in the open. Problem is, most light infantry has the common sense to stay in cover. And for that, the HF is a much better tool. Yes, you need to get in close to use it. But they erase little irritating squads hiding in ruins.

No, in fact you can not beat that. If you could you would have mentioned it.

And yes adding tl missle launchers to anything suddenly makes them great. Add tl MLs to a grot and it becomes awesome. But for the low, low price of 180 points it cant be topped. If you need to erase tiny squads of obsec infantry, well...do it with anything. Use scouts or just ram them with a rhino. Plus suicide runs with template weapons rarely work out, ymmv.

I've used one with an AssCan and MM and believe it or not the combo works pretty good. Managed to damage a land raider not with the MM but with the cannon once.

I keep the Heavy bolter and have done both the TML and the AssC. I like the Assault Cannon, because Assault Cannons.

Since you're going with a MM I'd suggest either another MM or an Asscann. At least it keeps your ranges at 24. S
Since you're using shorter range weapons do you plan on Deep Striking them?

Double multi-melta speeders with Dante trait can be useful as well, especially since you can re-roll reserves. Not amazing, but it's an option to be considered.

Double MM using Vulkan Hestan as your warlord is even better. All your melta weapons essentially become twin linked.

 bomtek80 wrote:
Double MM using Vulkan Hestan as your warlord is even better. All your melta weapons essentially become twin linked.

While true, this is for BA.

I like double MM for what it's worth.

 Red Marine wrote:

Slayer-Fan123 wrote:Yes you can.

Nevelon wrote:

 Red Marine wrote:
Heavy bolters. Ive startled necron players with 18 heavy bolter shots. 36" range means you can nail them with your butt to the back of the table. Take a div libbi, preferably in a Librarius Conclave and twin link'em. 18 HB shots will put a hurt on obsec units from the top armys like Tau, necrons or eldar. Plus there very mobile. I used to think they were too fragile, but they have always suprisef me. You just can't beat 18 HB shots for 180 points.

If you want to do that tactic, I think you would be better served with two TML/HB speeders then three 2xHB ones.

HBs are OK at killing light infantry in the open. Problem is, most light infantry has the common sense to stay in cover. And for that, the HF is a much better tool. Yes, you need to get in close to use it. But they erase little irritating squads hiding in ruins.

No, in fact you can not beat that. If you could you would have mentioned it.

And yes adding tl missle launchers to anything suddenly makes them great. Add tl MLs to a grot and it becomes awesome. But for the low, low price of 180 points it cant be topped. If you need to erase tiny squads of obsec infantry, well...do it with anything. Use scouts or just ram them with a rhino. Plus suicide runs with template weapons rarely work out, ymmv.

I don’t know what BA pay for speeders, so I’m using vanilla prices here. It looks like you pay more. But I’m not talking about just tacking TMLs on, but dropping a speeder from the squadron to pay for the weapon upgrade. Typhoon Missile Launchers are also not twin-linked missile launchers, but get two shots. Important distinction, especially if you are considering buffing the unit with a div lib.

Three 2xHB speeders is 150 points. Two TML/HB speeders is 140. So the two units are roughly equivalent.

The HB speeders are a larger squadron. This gives you more HP, so is harder to shoot off objectives if you are using them to claim. It also makes it harder to position them behind LOS blocking terrain and otherwise maneuver them. Getting all three into range shouldn’t be too much of an issue due to the range on the HBs, but I’ve run into problems with squadrons packing short range guns. If you have the spare FA slots and don’t need to run them as a single unit, these problem are lessened (but offers up easier kill points/first blood).

TMLs can threaten a much larger selection of targets the just HBs. Don’t get me wrong, I like HBs. But they are a pretty focused weapon. And what they are good at (killing troops, particularly light infantry) is generally something marines don’t have a problem with. IMHO it is well worth dropping the volume of fire to increase the quality of damage. You only get 10 shots, rather then 18, but 4 of those are S8 AP3, (or frags) rather then S5 AP4. Obviously, shooting at targets with only a 4+ save, the HBs are going to do a decent job. But how many units like that do you worry about? Big blobs of necron warriors are the only thing that comes to mind. But how many things could use 4 krack missiles? It’s a much larger list.

If your main goal is a low threat unit to zip around and claim objectives, you might be better serves with attack bikes. They are lower profile, so can hide and take advantage of cover better. Can still turbo boost, and have a number of other advantages. TL bolters and a single HB might lack the shots downrange of the 2xHB, but I know they cost 10 points less in the vanilla codex, not sure how it is over in BA.

All good points, and I appreciate the input. I was actually thinking about deep striking a couple of MM speeders in to blow something up/give my opponent something else to worry about other than my Death Company/assault units... in this scenario, I would not take the TML, but would either do 2xMM or MM/HF

In my take-all-comers list, I take a squadron of three with MMs and HFs, which I Deep Strike using Lias Issodon's Locator Beacon, ideally within range of a Librarian. I find that the versatility is great and I can drop them strategically so they can delete a thing on the turn they show up, then pop out of cover to delete something else the turn after.