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Hey everyone, I've been thinking about running either devastators or hellblasters in my list for ITC events. Which one do you think is better( especially with the ITC champions missions)? I know devastators are more of a stationary army while hellblasters are more manueverable but need mobile wrap to keep them alive.

I'd pretty much always go with Hellblasters.

I can see uses for both, probably grav devestators in this case. IT just depends on what you want them to do.

There's no right or wrong answer, but I'd generally go with Hellblasters with regular Plasma Incinerators.

You can get them in to rapid fire range turn one, which should allow to out damage the devastators with most loadouts against most targets, factoring in that the hellblaster sergeant gets a plasma gun too!

Outside of Raven Guard shenanigans, they're much more durable and mobile than the Devs. They can move and shoot without penalty and have more wounds, plus the extra attack on every model means they are as good in melee as Assault marines with Chainswords. Which is to say not actually good, but still better than a lot of things!

Always go Hellblaster.

I think what is better depends if you want to use the strategem to move them close (hellblasters) or have them sit back as a fairly durable firebase (devs). You might even want to do both.

As others have said, Hellblasters. You gain manoeuvrability and twice the amount of wounds (assuming 5 man units)

For DA on the other hand, I do like 4 Plasma Cannon Devastators hiding in a ruin. The free "captain buff" helps tip them over on Hellblasters for me personally.

I think the lack of range cripples hellblasters in many matchups. And they require babysitting.

Hand to hand prowess doesn't matter in 8th, and that's coming from a ba player.

They have an effective 36” range. That’s pretty good.

Devastators all day every day for me. 4 models with Plasma Cannons do nearly twice the damage over 5 models with Hellblasters at long range. Devastators can obviously get a wider array of weapons, too. Lascannons, Plasma Cannons, and Grav Cannons are my go to loadouts.

Also, they can go in Drop Pods. Hellblasters can only mount up in an incredibly expensive tank.

 Primark G wrote:
They have an effective 36” range. That’s pretty good.

Not really. They get half firepower at that range. Unacceptable for their cost.

My 2c: If you're going to be using the Hide in the Shadows strategem on them, you probably want to use Hellblasters. You can plop them forward in cover before the game begins, where they're going to be impressively difficult to shift, and the 15" rapid fire range over the 9" perimeter means they'll usually be able to hit what you want them to hit.

However, if the plan is for them to sit way in the back and plink, you're going to want Devastators. Hellblasters hanging back lose a lot of performance, which Devastators generally retain.

Martel732 wrote:

 Primark G wrote:
They have an effective 36” range. That’s pretty good.

Not really. They get half firepower at that range. Unacceptable for their cost.

I wouldn't say so. For how durable that are I think that's totally acceptable.

The point is you have more options though, such as moving around like this while laying down fire. Devastators perform very well in one specific circumstance. Hellblasters trade a little bit of that raw offensive long range power in exchange for shoring up all of the Devastators weaknesses quite a bit.

Personnally I'd go for the hellblasters. Because if they are shooting plasma at you it doesn't matter, but when it comes to small arms fire you'll take a wound after 32 splinter shots, which will either kill a standard marine or wound a primaris marine

Hellblasters. I get that some people prefer a longer range firebase with Devastators, but Devastators can't move away from an enemy and require great deployment with plenty of line of sight, something not always available. Hellblasters can move, survive much more fire, and do plenty of damage. Coupled with Captains, Lieutenants, and an Ancient, they get even better.

 Insectum7 wrote:
Hellblasters can only mount up in an incredibly expensive tank.

Yeah it is a little pricy( the loadout I have makes it 348) but it keeps your guys safer than being in cover. I was already taking intercessors and hellblasters so a repulsor wasn't far off, plus for the price of a land raider you get the guns and about 8 more. A repulsor buffed up to T9 with rerolls from Gulliman is really good (at least until my friends learn to deal with it)

For Raven Guard I would recommend Hellblasters. That stratagem of theirs where they can show up within 9" and then proceed to shoot the crap out of you? From experience I can attest that, with Hellblasters, that hurts. A lot.

When you say Raven Guard. Do you mean "Raven Guard"

I use Lias Issodon a lot and you often run into a range issue with helblasters and units like devs with gav cannons. However hellbalsters do give you the option of being hyper aggressive with strike from the shadows.

Devs also give you the awesome combos with missile launchers and hvy bolters than combine with strategems and cherubs and the sgt's auspex.

Finally, if we are talking about heavy fire power for Raven Guard don't forget about ven dreads and contemptors. For Raven guard they are very effective shooting at 2+ with re roll 1s and the -1 to hit and they are very similar in price to devs, put out similar fire power (4 heavy weapons) and are far more durable.

Martel732 wrote:

 Primark G wrote:
They have an effective 36” range. That’s pretty good.

Not really. They get half firepower at that range. Unacceptable for their cost.

You run every Marine including the Sergeant with an Incinerator - no reason just to take five.

That is completely irrelevant. It's still rapid fire.