Plasma vs Melta in 8th

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**Taffy17**

Whats everyone's thoughts on the Plasma vs Melta debate?

Plasma appears to be a heck of a lot cheaper and when you supercharge it there doesn't seem to be a lot between them and despite the new increased risk with plasma there's so many ways to re-roll 1s or all fails to hit now this risk is greatly mitigated.

For me the versatility and lower cost of plasma is winning out.

What does everyone else think?

**vipoid**

I think it comes down to how disposable the model is.

- If the model is cheap, fragile and/or expendable, plasma is the way to go.

- If the model is expensive and/or durable, melta is probably best.

For example, I really don't care if I lose a guardsman to a plasmagun overheat - they die in their droves anyway and the gun cost more than he did.

However, if I was using, say, a Thunderwolf Lord, I'd probably be rather hesitant to give him plasma. If I roll a 1, that's 7 T5 3+/4+ wounds down the drain.

**Aaranis**

I'll be running a full plasma squad to escort my Dominus, he allows rerolls of 1 to hit so Supercharge all day. With 3 dudes that's potentially 6 shots guaranteed to inflict 2 Damage each, at longer range than Melta and with a more stable damage output. However I don't have access to Melta in Mechanicus armies so what do I know ? Meltas are still good when you have a way to get really close, like with a deep strike or that broken Starweaver full of Melta clowns. It all depends on the usage mostly.

**hereticharry**

I think this is a good question with some good answers.

The big problem with melta is the short range and single shot. You really need to take a decent amount of melta to ensure you destroy the target. If you don't drop the target then your melta squad is usually pretty toast anyway.

Plasma has longer range and rapid fire. You don't need to take large amounts in a squad for them to be useful. The overcharge is dangerous on expensive models but is useful option when the unit is on its last wound and is in danger of dying anyway.

Plasma is definitely the more versatile option and is what id consider to bolster my main gun lines. But id also take a dedicated melta unit in transport for heavier targets.

**Titanicus**

I'm really liking plasma I think it can even be fine on some higher cost models just make sure to keep a reroll 1s model nearby. Also the non overcharged plasma is just so much more flexible you can really use them to much anything.

Plasma also is much safer vs pesky neuron quantum shields.

Also I just love me some plasma.

**Taffy17**

Some great discussion here so far.

I'm planning to run Militarum Tempestus and my Blood Angels in 8th.

For tempestus scions i can drop my plasma gun squads in rapid fire range and can use either orders or command points to re-roll their ones. Melta guns i'd get half as many, not much better, shots for almost twice as many points.

For my Blood Angels things like Sanguinary Guard can get Plasma Pistols for almost half as much as angelus bolters and almost a third as much as inferno pistols and can use them to shoot even when locked in combat with easy re-rolls from being near my warlord.

In these cases it seems like a no brainer!

Admittedly i would keep it away from captains and high wound count models however as there'll inevitably be that one time you re-roll 1s for 1s and it'll all go wrong!

**daedalus**

Plasma is going to be the thing I focus on (which is unfortunate, because I have far more melta guns for my mordians) but there's still a place for melta. My scion command squad is going to go down with meltas. The potential for a punch in the face 2d6-4d6 wounds is too necessary in this edition to pass up. Sometimes you look at a target, and you know that target, no matter what the cost, just needs to disappear. Meltas are going to be the means to that end.

**Taffy17**

daedalus wrote:
Plasma is going to be the thing I focus on (which is unfortunate, because I have far more melta guns for my mordians) but there's still a place for melta. My scion command squad is going to go down with meltas. The potential for a punch in the face 2d6-4d6 wounds is too necessary in this edition to pass up. Sometimes you look at a target, and you know that target, no matter what the cost, just needs to disappear. Meltas are going to be the means to that end.

I know what you mean, Meltas were my go to's in 7th as well.

When you start talking about squads of melta's doing 2d6, 3d6, or even 4d6 wounds they do sound very awesome, especially with command points to get you just the right rolls!

**DanroMalaw**

Awesome topic all, thank you for addressing this.
My background in question where this would apply is Marines- bikers and speeders only (occasional dash of scouts....in speeders), and Mech Guard.

Always been of fan of both, in both. Previously because they were for very different things, with a thin margin of overlap. Now, said overlap is close to universal, but still one is better than its counterpart in some circumstances.

For its versatility i think plasma is the way to go as a majority, not a replacement. Ratio of 2 squads with plasma to 1 with melta should overall do the trick. This is of course not even taking grav or flamers (Marines) into account, and grenade launcher for guard/astra.

Admittedly im spoiled on the Marines front, as my loadout ha usually been a mix of plasma and flames in on squad, meltas in the next. Last setup had 2 with plas, 2 with melta, and 1 with flame, bit that's 7th so we'll see.

For Mech Guard, it seems a bit trickier. Current list being Tank Commander battle cannon las, 2 demolisher s with las, another battle tank with HB, hellhound HB, and 2 squads of vets with plas and grenade launcher (steel legion models, don't have time to convert melta) so we'll see how it goes. Oh, and sponson HB all around the Russ', just for clarity. Comes to 1250 even if i did the math, and may further postpone bringing melta until time for modeling presents itself.

Now, some heretics and xenos are in need of my attention....

**Aetare**

I'll be going with plasma predominately.... maybe a meltagun here and there for the potential d6 damage.

**Biophysical**

Plasma overcharging is a real problem for game balance right now. Here's the thing, an overcharged plasma gun averages about the same number of wounds as a melta gun thanks to the extra shot and the Damage of 2. It's also cheaper, longer range, and the extra shot makes it better against multiple model squads. The only thing melta has going for it is that it's an Assault weapon and it's safer, but there are so many "re-roll 1s" mechanics that plasma is not nearly as risky as advertised. So I think you pretty much default to plasma, but keep melta in mind for squads that don't get re-roll access and are too expensive to risk losing.

**Nightlord1987**

My bike units have always been 3 units plasma, 2 units Grav, one unit Meltas and MM attack bike. Basically I bought a lot of Dark Vengeance bikes and converted about half of them, It was impractical, and I often wished i just proxys more Grav, but i stubbornly played on with plasma guns, overheating and killing many gunners in the process.

I'm loving how well that composition works out for 8th.

**vipoid**

Biophysical wrote:
Plasma overcharging is a real problem for game balance right now. Here's the thing, an overcharged plasma gun averages about the same number of wounds as a melta gun thanks to the extra shot and the Damage of 2. It's also cheaper, longer range, and the extra shot makes it better against multiple model squads. The only thing melta has going for it is that it's an Assault weapon and it's safer, but there are so many "re-roll 1s" mechanics that plasma is not nearly as risky as advertised. So I think you pretty much default to plasma, but keep melta in mind for squads that don't get re-roll access and are too expensive to risk losing.

I'd argue that melta's real problem lies in the new deep strike rules - which get a model into the optimal range of plasma, but leave them outside of the optimal range for melta weapons.

If you could deep strike within 6" of an enemy, I think you'd see more meltas used - because AP-5 and d6 damage with a reroll is pretty damn good.

**macluvin**

I think it has to do with playing to synergies. I plan on running combiflamers and combimelta on chaos space marine chosen to allow for additional mobility for an assault oriented unit. I would take lascannons over melta for vehicle popping because for a mild poimts increase you can really reach out and touch someone. Plasma I would put on a medium range support units like a squad of havocs or marines. Any target that you wish to target with melta you can quadruple the range and slightly boost the strength for a modest increase in points. I would take plasma on anything meant to be shooty over melta.