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S8 AP1 24" Assault1

?

Why?

Even as a Marine player, I don't see a need to improve the Multi-melta. It's fine on a vehicle and when it's hand carried, it should be heavy just like LasCannons, HBs, and Missile Launchers.

However, I think the Multi-melta should have a 36" range.

NOTE: I would suggest not offering to improve anything the Marines have access to. According to many people, Marines are already unstoppable killing machines on the table. They are so strong that even after you lose the game, they follow you home, kick your dog, eat all your Doritos and finish off the last can of Coke. No need to get people b***ching again about how overpowered Marines are.

2112> Why?

Because the multimelta is substandard.

2112> I would suggest not offering to improve anything the Marines have access to...unstoppable killing machines...

What about sisters?

I suggest a move and fire heavy weapon option for imperials would be a superb choice, making the multimelta a great option and relieveing the SoB army of its antitank inability.  Furthermore it would give the marines another viable option instead of the tactical no brainer avoidance of the multimelta.  Vehicles that mount them would remain essentially unchanged it would only affect infantry.  Move and fire and maintaining a 24 inch range would essentially make the Multimelta 30 inch effective range, and allow all sorts of interesting new tactics, as well, but generally be inferior to the lascannon at armor cracking and the heavy bolter at ranged light infantry engagements, enhancing it's ability while preserving it's thematic roll and fictional concept.

? 

I think the Multi-melta should be given its normal power / full power statistic from 2nd edition.  So you get:

36" S8 AP1 ( 2D6 at 18" )

or

24" S8 AP1 Assault 1

Yeah, go and make marines even better. I mean they're soo underpowered and seriously need more firepower.

it techniqually works out well -if- not given to the marines.
IG and sisters could use it but marines would just become useless to play against.
you would have more chances of winning against them on a roll of 6+ on a D6

Thanks for the opinion Mephet'ran on, why don't you follow the advice in your avatar.

(Its not about marines.)

Why don't you ?
In your first post you said nothing about it being only for SoB, and in the second you said:
"I suggest a move and fire heavy weapon option for imperials would be a superb choice, making the multimelta a great option and relieveing the SoB army of its antitank inability. Furthermore it would give the marines another viable option instead of the tactical no brainer avoidance of the multimelta. Vehicles that mount them would remain essentially unchanged it would only affect infantry. Move and fire and maintaining a 24 inch range would essentially make the Multimelta 30 inch effective range, and allow all sorts of interesting new tactics, as well, but generally be inferior to the lascannon at armor cracking and the heavy bolter at ranged light infantry engagements, enhancing it's ability while preserving it's thematic roll and fictional concept.

If SoB got to move and shoot I wouldn't care, I agree that they need more anti-tank options. But SM certainly do not.

As a shooty marine player... I wouldn't give two craps about this change. I'm still not going to use it on anything but a land speeder, and probably not even then.

*edit* - Actually, this change WEAKENS marines, since it gives other armies another mobile, auto-killing, no-save weapon, and this one doesn't overheat, even.

Thank you lord_sutekh, precisely the point. Well written.

I think making the multimelta 36 Inch heavy changes it's roll to much and still makes it inferior to the lascannon. But move and fire makes it entirely different, to the point where they might start showing up in many armies.

I wonder if it weakens marines though, perhaps a multimelta in a pod, or in a rino deploying and firing , might be worth playing, making the days of lascannons and heavy bolters slide by a bit. VBut it would be much better for the sisters, outside of the excorcist, essential their only heavy weapon, imagine retributors out of a rhino firing, could be viable.

?

Before becoming Black Templars, I played my fair share of Vanilla shooty. I personally don't think it would be a good change, simply because such a dedicated anti-tank weapon should only be on vehicles to begin with. In all practicality, look at the weapon itself - the gun itself is larger than a heavy bolter.

It would also make the meltagun pointless, thereby opening up the special weapons slots of Imperial armies to Plasma guns, Flamethowers and Grenade Launchers. I just have a problem with insanely powerful Assault Weapons that are 24" and Str. 8 AP 1.

CK

My problem with the multi-melta is that it's basically a useless weapon as it is. To even use it someone has to park a vehicle within 24" of it, ideally within 12". At least the other heavy weapons (lascannon, autocannon, HBolter) have some decent range to them.

I don't think it should be an assault weapon. I mean, look at it!

Personnally, I would love changing it. I have a Salamanders army, so I only used Multimeltas for my heavy weapons for fluff reasons. From experience, the 24" range hurts.

My recommendation would be to change the max range to 36", but maybe leave the 2d6 range at 12" (that would need to be playtested). I don't think it would make marines any more powerful than they currently are. As far as heavy weapons go, the lascannon still provides superior strength with farther range, and the autocannon provide longer range with more shots. The multimelta would provide a weapon that provides better close-range support. I doubt many armies would take them given the other options, but at least it would make the weapon viable for the armies that do take them.

For SOB, I think the additional 12" range would make it a much more viable option.

I've had good success with the Multi-Melta mounted on Attack Bikes. Turbo Boost that first round, then get them that other 12 inches the next, and their usually right in range to nock anything out.

I've never taken it for a foot slogger, and I doubt I'd do it even with that change.

I'd never complain about an extra bit of range though.

And anyone who thinks that Marines are "overpowered", simply doesn't know how to play another army properly then.

Multi Meltas #1 reason for being on the table is to sit there and give your troops a nice area of grace that you KNOW enemy vehicles will not come in. I think it is grotesque to make them any more powerful than they are.

I understand what you said happypants, but if the same heavy weapons were rocket launchers (for like cost) the area of effect would be 4 feet instead of 2, does anyone actually play multimeltas as a little 12 inch denial zone tactic?  I have never seen or even heard of that ever.  In fact, other than a sister player, I have never seen an infantry multimelta in a marine army ever. That is my evidence for it being substandard...

Don't you think "grotesque to make them any more powerful than they are" is an overstatement? Have you got a multimelta in a marine army, have you ever seen one?  Why would anyone ever need to prevent a vehicle from moving in 12 inches of them with a denial tactic?

...I guess a substandard choice has its place in a marine army (everything else seems great), everyone else has one :thumbs up:  Ha. Maybe it could be left alone...

2112, you've offially been sigged

How about giving it two settings.
Heavy 24" S8 AP1 melta
Assault 12" S8 AP1 melta

OK, I like that too, a bit less powerful than Assault1 at 24 inches. Sure

I'd go with that. Makes it a multi-tasking meltagun.

CK

I was a little scared because of what it does to Cleanse & Purify, but IIRC the meltagun still costs less with that doctrine so there's a point to it.