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.

For my Scion Drop Troop army, I am debating on whether or not I should take one of my Vultures and throwing a bunch of Skystrike missiles on it. Is it worth focusing so much on flyer-hate right now? Or am I better off allocating points elsewhere?

Given the fact that skystrike missiles aren't even effective AA (lol GW, please learn how to do math) no, it isn't a good idea.

A 3+ isn't good enough?

DeathKorp_Rider wrote:
A 3+ isn't good enough?

Not when the stat line of the weapon is so weak, and you aren't hitting on a 3+. Even if you don't move (and therefore give up your own -1 to hit) you're only hitting on a 4+. You're better off throwing a bunch of lascannon shots at the problem because even though you only hit on a 5+ each hit is far more effective.

Skystrike missiles get a +1 to hit air targets; if you move and you're shooting an aircraft with -1 to hit the Skystrikes will be hitting on 5+ where other weapons will be hitting on 6+. The Vulture isn't a good plane to carry an AA loadout. (You can tell it's built for air-to-ground by Strafing Run (+1 to hit targets without Fly))

The other problem with Skystrikes is that they're horrendously overpriced; from a purely practical standpoint a 108pt Hydra is a better AA unit than a 240pt skystrike-autocannon Vulture, as it's got almost as many shots (8 down from 10), they're way more accurate (hitting planes on 4+ instead of 5+ and 6+), and you have access to a lot more support abilities to make them work better.

If you like Skystrikes and want to find somewhere to put them a Lightning with Skystrikes is all of 5pts more than that Vulture and as it starts at BS3+ the missiles are a lot more accurate against air targets (plus you get the lascannons hitting air targets on a 5+). If you just want some Navy air support a Thunderbolt or an Avenger is cheaper, at least as good at AA due to the starting BS3+, and more flexible since it doesn't have to weaken its ground attack loadout to shoot aircraft.