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I also like a cheap 'sky hammer formation' devastator unit with only 1 grav + 1 combi grav. with first turn relentless + devastator doctrine you still got 8 grav shots with reroll to hit (and 5 reroll to wound..)..

 Lammikkovalas wrote:

Just bring an allied detachment of C:SM with you. Tigurius, CCW Scouts, Pod and 3 gravcents is 495 points. Just paint them green and say that it's a smurf successor chapter that just looks conspicuously like Dark Angels.

That's a worthy thought indeed. Would mean though that I'd have to spend about a hundred quid. Anyway, Cents would be nice.

For now, I'll roll with either 2 Las + 2 ML, or 4 ML, and stick Grav Cannons into tactical squads with Grav Guns, and maybe even Combi-Grav if I have points to spare.

Sorry for necromancing this old thread, but what weapon loadouts are you guys running in your Devastator squads now in 8th?

And please don't say that you don't run Devastators! Never mind tournaments etc., the rule of cool says you gotta have some dedicated heavy weapons squads!!

2x Lascannon, 1x Missile Launcher, 1x Plasma Cannon, or some variation of the above. Signum means your plasma is immune to overheating (most of the time), cherub means first turn you can either put a dent in hordes, blow up a valuable vehicle, or lay some serious firepower into an elite infantry unit. I run as many ablative wounds as heavy weapons in the squad. I’ve been finding a squad with 4 lascannons and 8 wounds generally last longer for me than running predators ever has for me, and running 100% infantry lists means enemy AT is wasted plinking down 18 point intercessors instead of 180-200 point vehicles.

Zodfrey wrote:
Sorry for necromancing this old thread, but what weapon loadouts are you guys running in your Devastator squads now in 8th?

And please don't say that you don't run Devastators! Never mind tournaments etc., the rule of cool says you gotta have some dedicated heavy weapons squads!!

In the most recent list I built, I dropped my 2 Tac Squads with heavy bolters and just grabbed a Devastator squad with 2 heavy bolters. You don't need to max it out (and probably shouldn't, since you'd want some ablative wounds to keep your heavy guns in the fight) and you can just use it as a Tactical Squad that loses Objsec but gains more good dakka.

Honestly, I don't think anything besides Heavy Bolters and Lascannons are worth it. Storm Bolter should go on the sergeant, and always take the cherub. You can allocate a wound to it if you know a marine is going to die anyway, and if you're crazy you can even revive it with an Apothecary.

Thanks for the tips! I didn't realize you can allocate a wound to the floating diaper-baby, that's a worthy consideration.

Also good point about using 4 x las + ablative wounds in place of a Las Predator.

I like the suggestion about running non-maxed out weapon loads out as well in place of Tac squads. I must try that.

Zodfrey wrote:
Thanks for the tips! I didn't realize you can allocate a wound to the floating diaper-baby, that's a worthy consideration.

Also good point about using 4 x las + ablative wounds in place of a Las Predator.

I like the suggestion about running non-maxed out weapon loads out as well in place of Tac squads. I must try that.

I should also point out if you are gonna be that kinda guy about it, outside of Raven Guard and Salamanders Lascannon Devastators don't match up to Lascannon Predators, and while a Predator will die faster to things that can shoot it from far away (most anti-vehicle), Devastators will collapse from a stiff breeze - but usually people have to get in close to do that, so it's a trade off.

Mix and match, do some test battles, and figure out what works for you.

When I build my list I ask myself... am I doing all infantry, all tank, or a mix. The answer is usually all infantry so I use Devastators. I don't like all tank lists so that is not a concern for me, which means the only time I use vehicles is if I want to pull anti-tank weapon fire away from things like centurions, terminators, or Primaris guys (Read: just Primaris because the others are terrible). If I am doing that I will take Dreads over Preds. Mortis Dread is usually a better bet depending on your Chapter Tactic. The only time I use Preds now is if I am planning on using the stratagem for them.

That being said all of the Heavy Weapons have their place.

The most universal are the Heavy Bolter and Lascannon.

Missiles are great against flyers, or as a filler. For instance I use it when I have a balance of anti-tank (Lascannons) and anti-infantry (Heavy Bolters) and want to add more, but can't add an equal amount. This is a decent hybrid weapon that has the stratagem which can be good too.

Grav-cannons are actually still really good. The problem is their cost and range. They do more against tanks than a Lascannon on average but at half the range. They do more than a Heavy Bolter but at almost 3x the cost. They are a good Hybrid as well, but only if you have delivery. Strike from the Shadows, Lias, or a transport.

Plasma Cannons are great for 1 per squad if they are stationary because of the Signum, or if you run Dark Angels. Otherwise, I skip them.

Multi-meltas I think are the worst of the lot. They are only better than Lascannons in very limited circumstances and IMHO not enough so to warrant the lack of flexibility. If you use them only use them with Lias, Strike from the Shadows, or a transport.

Hope that helped. I run minimum 2 squads of Devs in every list, and one of my lists runs 5 of them. I do run 4 heavy weapons and a minimum of 4 ablative wounds (including the sergeant and cherub). Typically I just do full 10 man units though since that makes them pretty tough as RG in cover, and they need less babysitting against infantry deep striking on them.

I've just made a spearhead detachment containing 3 devastator squad's for my BA. 2 have 1 LC and 2 ML and a cherub, sarge just has a bolter and signum. This gives me flexibility because of the ML's and some dedicated anti-tank due to the LC's, signum and cherubs and a bit of redundancy due to having 2. The 3rd squad has 3 grav cannon's or heavy flamer's and a storm bolter on the sarge. They ideally move up in a rhino or pod or toddle along with something else usually a plasma tactical squad or 2 and aim for heavy infantry which I face a lot of. This is usually lead by a lieutenant for the re-roll on wound's. I swear by a red-shirt for the unit it just helps so much.

I don't agree on having the same weapon's in a squad necessarily, range definitely. A cherub is almost mandatory for non DA plasma cannon's and a unit with 1 of anything you may rely on I would suggest. Maybe if you're only having one squad then fair enough but that's an easy target that can get focused out quite quickly IMHO.

I love the idea of having 2 squad's of dev's in a pod. 4 with grav, 4 with multi-melta. It may cost a bomb but drop it in with a captain or a Dante and it's at least 2 big unit's in bit's.

I've been having fun peppering in a squad with 3 HB's, a ML, and a SB on the Sarge to utilize stratagems along side my 2 las dev squads. Tossing out 2d3 mortal wounds (3d3 once per game) for 2 CP in addition to some cheap anti-infantry has yet to feel wasteful.

With the rule of 3 in effect, I cannot see doing more than one squad this way.

If they're Dark Angels:

4 plasma cannons, armorium cherub.

Cast signum on one plasma cannon, use armorium cherub on the same model.

Cast Weapons of the Dark Age for an average 10 shots, 4 of them at BS2+, rerolling all 1's due to Chapter Tactic. Overcharge for 3 damage per shot if enemy doesn't have any hit modifiers.

Other squad should be 4 Lascannons or 4 Heavy Bolters.

These units should sit at back field while your captain does work with the forward elements.
Conversely, you could group them with Azrael for full rerolls and a 4+ invulnerable save bubble.

I've been using the 3xact same composition, Vortenger, and I love it. Often doesnt attract too mich fire if you manage range well, and adds some desperately needed MWs to my lists.

I like cheap devastators with HB. But the mortis dreadnought it costs almost the same with the same loadout. Who's best as cheap dakka?