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Seeing the the general rule of Riptides is to choose the ion accelerator over the heavy burst cannon. Would you agree dropping the "Gets Hot" off of the HBC nova profile, put it inline as a viable choice between the 2 weapons?

Even then its tough. The 12 chances for gets hot are somewhat negligible due to the 2+ armor and possibility for FNP.

The problem is that for 5 points you get 2 very good firing modes, with a nova charge one being a bonus. That frees up Nova charge for the other three uses.

With the HBC you are pretty much forced to use the Nova Charge every turn just to get some use out of the weapon. Really you're only going to get 2 rending shots with it anyways which really makes the IA a better weapon.

If you want to change the HBC, it needs more damage output. Give it a normal and charged fire modes with a nova charged third, and all except for the "normal" mode get hot.

I think the problem is not that the heavy burst cannon isnt good enough it's that the Ion Accelerator is too good. There is very little reason to nova charge it, so I would make the regular version a little less powerful.

I would change the IA to AP3. S7 Ap2 for the normal fire mode is a bit too much imo.

 Exergy wrote:
I think the problem is not that the heavy burst cannon isnt good enough it's that the Ion Accelerator is too good. There is very little reason to nova charge it, so I would make the regular version a little less powerful.

The Ion Accelerator is in line with every other Ion weapon in the Tau codex. S7 is standard, the AP changes based on how large it is. The HBC is also in line with the other Burst weapon; double range, double shots, and +1S/-1AP. However, the Burst cannon to begin with isn't that good, and that's the problem. No one takes stealth suits (generally) and no one takes burst cannons on Crisis suits... because the same volume of fire can be found elsewhere and the other options are just better. It isn't a problem with the HBC, it's that the burst weapons are just sub-par weapons in general.



Automatically Appended Next Post:

 CthuluIsSpy wrote:
I would change the IA to AP3. S7 Ap2 for the normal fire mode is a bit too much imo.

It's an exterminator plasma cannon sans blast. For more than a LR Exterminator. Again, it's not the IA, it's the HBC. Honestly, GW shouldn't have given it as an option... they should have done a larger Missile pod or something. However, if they did somehting like the following, it would be better:

Ion Accelerator:
Standard profile - Range: 72" S:6 AP:2 Heavy 3
Over-Charged - Range :72" S:6 AP:2 Heavy 1, Large Blast

HBC
Standard profile - Range: 36" S:6 AP:4 Heavy 6, Pinning
Over-Charged - Range :36" S:6 AP:3 Heavy 6, Gets Hot!, Pinning

I'd just twinlink and shred the HBC and leave as-is :/

I think were looking at this the wrong way, what if we just left the HBC as it is and just dropped the price of the Riptide by 20-30 points and then just made the IA a 25-35 point upgrade? That would make more sense to me since the HBC is in line with what it 'should' be. Taking note of course that, as previously stated, the burst cannon is just drekk to begin with.

Riptide base price would be too low at anything below 180 with the HBC and Nova Reactor as they are now. Making Ion cost more - or - making Ion replace the secondary weapon as well - or - making the NOVA reactor optional, with a points cost and effectiveness boost (only fails on a 1), while decreasing base cost to 160 would all be options worth considering.

I dunno, a Riptide with HBC and seeker missiles seems way overpirced at 180 poitns. Very little chance to get those points back. Same model at 160 seems slightly more agreeable to my pallet although I still doubt it can make its points back.

The HBC has rending on NOVA rolls, meaning it's like 3 Assault Cannons. Assault Cannons that can be BS5 Ignores Cover with little investment. And everyone should know that Assault Cannons are ridiculous.

 chrisrawr wrote:
The HBC has rending on NOVA rolls, meaning it's like 3 Assault Cannons. Assault Cannons that can be BS5 Ignores Cover with little investment. And everyone should know that Assault Cannons are ridiculous.

Yes, but those dont require a 1/3 chance of causing an auto unsaved wound plus 12 chances of "gets hot" to boot. it's simply not worth the risk which is probably why you wont see it used too often.