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The missile launcher is one of the most ubiquitous weapons in the 40K universe. They are also plentiful, in bits boxes if not on the battle field. I have come to the conclusion that if the missile launcher is not hysterically over produced it must then be at least to an extent under utilized. The solution? A missile launcher tactica thread. The goal here is to have some basic targeting questions wherein you may propose a target scenario, and all your Dakka Dakka friends respond with the appropriate munition.
Here are some possible answers to your proposed target:
1. Frag
2. Krak
We all get what Flakk missiles are for, but if you are into sussing out aerial targets after we make some conclusions about ground units that sounds fine to me. What I would like to see less of in tactics are list building tips, such as don't take missile launchers. The idea here is hey I have brought them to the battlefield now how do I best employ them? As an aside though I am open to that discussion on whether the flakk upgrade is worth it for insurance or a TAC type list. Which is of course the point of the ML it can be utilized to deal with almost any target on the board at long range.
I will start us off with a few simple scenarios.

Scenario A: I have space marines from a formation that get 'Ignores cover'
1st Target: Thunderwolf Cavalry with storm shields and cyber wolves-
2nd target: Marines bunched up in cover with shroud-
3rd target: Squad of three Venomthropes

Scenario B: IG heavy weapon teams with a command squad (orders available)
1st target: Deep striking Terminators
2nd target: Marines in the open
3rd target: Termagants within 12"
4th target: White Scars Command squad (yeah on bikes)

Scenario C: Marines with preferred enemy
1st target: Black Knights
2nd target: marines in the open
3rd target: Terminators in cover

So that is a start, let me know which you would use, and supply your own targets and scenarios. Again lets not leave bait just so we can respond haha wrong answer. The idea here is a focus on TAC lists that want to make the best out of their

Against anything T4, the Krak missile is just shy of twice as likely to wound, ignores 3+ saves, and auto-kills multiwound targets.

Therefore, you can think of a shot in the sense of "how many models do I need to cover with the frag template" to do better than a krak missile shot.

In scenario A - with ignores cover (somehow).

The Thunderwolves have a 3++ save and are too tough to be autokilled. So it's a case of needing a 2+ to wound (Krak) versus needing a 5+ to wound (Frag) but getting multiple hits. A straight comparison- I'd need to hit 2.5 guys with the frag missiles to break even. But given the size of their bases, not gonna happen. Krak.

Marines bunched up in cover - well, the cover is irrelevant. It's probably irrelevant anyway, given the marine's armour save. Given that Krak gets to deploy its AP value, you'd need to hit 3-4 marines with the frag template to break even. Do-able, but highly dependent on the definition of 'bunched up'. Still, probably Krak.

[Note - one missile launcher here or there makes little difference, but the psychological effect of massed frag templates is surprisingly good at persuading people to spread the hell out - at which point you can switch back to Krak next turn]

Venomthropes - Kind of a wash. Krak pops one in one hit if it hits, whilst frag hitting two or more models will do a similar amount of wounds on average. As a rule, though, you tend to see 'thropes as singletons, to spread their spore cloud out as much as possible. Krak.

[More general advice - regardless of weapon options or armament, if you have a squad with ignores cover and long-range weapons, shoot the venomthrope with it first anyway. They're not tough to kill (shrouded aside) and are one of the most critical army buffs to a tyranid army after synapse]

In Scenario B with a command squad

Deep Striking units land in base-to-base. This is a lethal environment for frag missile and mortar fire - your AP value is irrelevant against tactical dreadnought warplate, whilst an accurate shot against models that bunched up can hit 5 or more targets. Frag.

Marines in the open - much the same as marines in cover with ignores cover, but less bunched up (presumably). Krak.

Termagants - The difference between a Frag hit and a Krak hit on a termagant is fairly irrelevant, but Frag generates multiple hits. Frag.

White Scars Bikes - Getting enough hits to justify Frag is hard, but so is getting through Jink. Remember that you declare what ammo you're firing before you fire, which is after you find out if orders were understood. So use Fire On My Target and fire Frag if you failed, Krak if you passed.

Scenario C - Marines with preferred enemy

Black Knights' big party piece is T5 and a rerollable 3+ jink - if you don't have ignores cover you're wasting your time throwing heavy weapons at them. Still, if you've no other target, doing as many wounds as possible to large based models means blasts are less useful, and 'direct fire' means your reroll to hit comes into play. Krak.

Marines in the open - Still Krak.

Terminators in cover - Still Frag. Never fire an AP3 weapon at terminators if you have another option as it's almost always better.



The weakness of missile launchers isn't blowing up infantry - people don't like it because it's not quite powerful enough to be a true antitank weapon and most assume it should be - it can stop rhinos and chimeras but not Knights or Land raiders. It's a fraction more expensive than a mortar or heavy bolter but all you're really buying is range. Think of it as an anti-personnel heavy weapon with some emergency antitank utility.

This is one big edge of anyone who can rack up Tank Hunters on a missile launcher unit (Imperial Fists are good for this). Since you tend to need a 5+ or 6+ to hurt anything nasty, the reroll is damn near as good as an extra shot, almost doubling your killing power.

locarno24 wrote:


The weakness of missile launchers isn't blowing up infantry - people don't like it because it's not quite powerful enough to be a true antitank weapon and most assume it should be - it can stop rhinos and chimeras but not Knights or Land raiders. It's a fraction more expensive than a mortar or heavy bolter but all you're really buying is range. Think of it as an anti-personnel heavy weapon with some emergency antitank utility.

I agree with most of what you said, and this is especially great. I like the ML for its ability in mass to bust open lighter transports and then be able to threaten the light infantry inside on the following turn. It does that role better than the AC.
Still I will admit that it is not highly useful as an Anti tank weapon. I have struggled with even Chimeras (excepting tank hunters).
Oh and the Raven Guard Detachment's Pinion Battle Company provides ignores cover.

Another thing to remember is that Krak missiles can be fired on the move (albeit snap shooting) while Frag missiles can't.

Sure, it'll only hit on a 6, but when you have to move that 10-man unit up to approach Assault Range (but haven't quite reached it yet), that extra missile might just tip the scales in your favor once you get there: one less enemy is one less enemy.

Of course, Flakk missiles could be fired on the move as well, but they'd be snap shooting also, and if you're going to snap shoot a flier anyway you've negated Skyfire; you might as well use the Krak missile's S8 AP3 instead of the Flakk's S7 AP4.

I think if you are taking missile launchers, you might want to consider taking a plasma cannon instead, for the same points. Why?
Its small blast is better than the frag, and while against vehicles it is 1 less strength than the krak it has AP 2, which means a pen can actually blow up a vehicle or immobilize it on a 5+. That said, the best use I've seen has been firing krak with ignores cover at light vehicles or MCs with 3+ or worse saves. You can also try to target T4 3+ save characters if any leave their units.

Indeed. Lone snap shots are unlikely to do anything, but getting a lot of snap shots over the course of the game are better than not.

Overwatch with a Krak missile is another good one.

Man-portable plasma cannons are nice, but the odds of AP2 helping are low and the reduction in chances of a penetrating hit significant. Having at least a few plasma cannon are worthwhile, though, because nothing's more annoying than having only AP3 weapons when facing 2+ saves...

I quit using missile lauchers that weren't typhoons a long time ago. With the typhoon, I'm almost always shooting kraks if that helps.

Martel732 wrote:
I quit using missile lauchers that weren't typhoons a long time ago. With the typhoon, I'm almost always shooting kraks if that helps.

Don't underestimate the Cyclone. Heavy 2 Frags with the ability to fire a Storm Bolter at the same time is pretty devastating against Infantry in tight quarters, and the Heavy 2 with Kraks eats AV10 and 11 for breakfast.

But I digress: I think the OP's question was regarding standard MLs, not Cyclones and Typhoons.

If you could take cyclones on more than a couple terminators that would be outstanding, but you can't.

It also boggles the mind why you can't take Devastator heavy weapons on terminators in the first place. They are clearly better equipped to use them than devastators are, so why can't they be taken?

 TwilightFox wrote:

Martel732 wrote:
I quit using missile lauchers that weren't typhoons a long time ago. With the typhoon, I'm almost always shooting kraks if that helps.

Don't underestimate the Cyclone. Heavy 2 Frags with the ability to fire a Storm Bolter at the same time is pretty devastating against Infantry in tight quarters, and the Heavy 2 with Kraks eats AV10 and 11 for breakfast.

But I digress: I think the OP's question was regarding standard MLs, not Cyclones and Typhoons.

Cyclone sucks because terminators suck. The words frag and stormbolter shouldn't be in the same sentence as "devastating". No unit that's any good care about frag missiles or stormbolters.

I like to think of flying monstrous creatures as an excuse to move my ML squads when I play guard.
The Typhoon (especially in the new SM codex) is marvelously under-costed for its effectiveness.
There are a number of superb formations for speeders in the DA codex and in the Damocles books. Frankly I am surprised I see so few mention of speeder spam, or the like.
I think in a world where Grav-cannons can go on Tacsquads, and eldar D-weapons the definition of "Units that are any good" will continue to change to include some stuff that cares about frag missiles.
Not sure if it will be enough to cover putting them on Termies, but I haven't run those since they got 2 dice drop the lowest on armour saves. The point drop seems like what the doctor ordered.
I was primarily looking at the ML as a squad based HW, but of course vehicle based makes for similar targeting ultimately.
Chessix dice have a slightly higher chance of rolling 1s and honestly that puts me off the PC. I ran them on sentinels and got to fire one out of three blasts just a bit too often. While your point is valid, I wonder if in most games 12" of extra range is as valuable as it used to be?
So lets suss that out. I value much of the ML cost on the fact it can insta gib T4 at 48 inches. But are your opponents moving so fast that this no longer means two extra shots a game? Are you even getting 1 extra shot with this range?

"The Typhoon (especially in the new SM codex) is marvelously under-costed for its effectiveness. "

No, it's appropriately costed in the SM codex. This is a game where 4 S6 shots at BS 4 with a 3+ save costs 27 points. Most SM units are appropriately costed or overcosted, still. The only thing that keeps the SM in the top tier is grav cents backed up by cheesy psykers like Draigo or Loth, and formations that give them a ton of free stuff. Lists like Tau and Eldar don't give a damn about run-of-the-mill marine units, as they will mulch them all day, every day, twice on Fridays. Hence, 80% of the SM codex is garbage, just like 100% of the BA codex is garbage.

Death company are still one of the best units in the game, and now they are scoring.
There are certainly units in this game that are more fluffy than effective, but the whole point of this article was to consider how it is some things become more common place while other things become less common.
It is not in anyway an easy attribution such as you would denote. It is a bit hard to stomach paying as much or more for BA equivalents of SM goodies. Still, that does not mean BA scouts are garbage. Sometimes it is about finding the hidden gems.
BA scout bikes I think could be doable, and a LibyCan is nothing to sneer at even if it has less attack on its profile.
Just because there is a better thing, does not mean that the thing is garbage.
I am looking at building a force that is mostly scouts, skimmers and Jump infantry, and I have considered BA in that regard.

In 7th ed, less good is usually getting into garbage unfortunately.

Missile launcher heavy support squads are pretty much an auto include for most of my lists. With an attached siege breaker to give them tank hunters they are flexible enough to give effective fire support against any target. 10 missiles are going to do something unless your dice are in dire need of replacement.

I love ML but never use frag, theres always something worth krakking within range, small blast isn't worth anything unless youre playing new players that don't space like they should.

Clustered up troops do occur in game - deep strikers, people who've just charged and killed a transport, people who roll a '1' for consolidation after an assault. Frag lets you take advantage of this.

It's generally the second option, but it's a nice option to have.

locarno24 wrote:
Clustered up troops do occur in game - deep strikers, people who've just charged and killed a transport, people who roll a '1' for consolidation after an assault. Frag lets you take advantage of this.

It's generally the second option, but it's a nice option to have.

This is why I found the ravenwing support squadron to be so brutally effective, Interceptor. There are nearly always some deepstriking units in a game, and while the opportunity to obliterate them with 10 bs 5 frag grenades may not be worth the 455 points it costs to run one, it certainly makes some of its points back. Even better if they forgo depstrike because of it.

What are some ways we can get interceptor on IG ML squads, or in Dev ML squads?

Chaos Space Marines or Renegades that use Missile Launchers can choose to have them be upgraded to chemical weapons for free granting gets hot and shred to the frag blasts. I think that makes them a decent option!


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