Tarpitting with Sisters and IG
Since I think alot of IG players (and those who use IG in their armies as allies, namely Sisters and Demonhunters) are afraid of close combat (and they should be) I figured I should explain how tarpitting works in 5E.
Setup
You need a Sisters of Battle unit with a Veteran Sister Superior and Book of St. Lucius for this to work.
Then all you need are some line Guard, your typical 10 man squad with Lascannon (and a special weapon, perhaps).
Cover
First off, alot of armies will be moving towards light weapons fire to torrent you to death. It's just the way 5E is.
Second, you stick the Sisters in front (they have a 3+ save) of the Guard who then get a 4+ cover save.
Third, if you do this, your Sisters become a force multiplier for your Guard.
Tactics
Now how do you tarpit the enemy with Sisters and Guard?
Well here's how:
:marine: :marine: :marine: :marine: :marine: :marine: :marine: :marine: :marine: :marine:
- Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister:
- guardsman: :guardsman: :guardsman: :guardsman: :guardsman: :guardsman:
- guardsman: :guardsman: :guardsman: :guardsman: :guardsman: :lascannon team:
Marines come up, fire at your Sisters. Now it's your turn.
You can move forward everything and rapid fire, but if you don't kill or break the Marines--they will assault you.
This you do not want.
So you instead do this:
- marine: :marine: :marine: :marine: :marine: :marine: :marine: :marine: :marine: :marine:
- guardsman: :guardsman: :guardsman: :guardsman: :guardsman: :guardsman:
- guardsman: :guardsman:
- guardsman:
- guardsman:
- guardsman:
- Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister:
- lascannon team:
Controlling the Assault
So, you fire your Sisters (and whatever else) at the Marines. Sure, if you get lucky and get them down to a three guys or less you might as well rapid fire; but Marines sometimes do not die.
Instead of allowing them to assault (+1 attack) or rapid fire you again (hit on 3+, wound on 3+, and bad saves if any on your guard)...you will assault THEM.
Normally this means you will lose combat, and run away.
Get 'em
You assault, they counter-attack.
- marine: :marine: :marine: :marine: :marine: :marine: :marine:
- guardsman: :guardsman: :guardsman: :guardsman: :guardsman: :guardsman:
- guardsman:
- guardsman:
- Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister:
- lascannon team:
Remember to keep the Lascannon team centered behind the Sisters. That'll come up later.
Now you've assaulted. Odds are you'll do some damage, but you'll lose combat.
Let's say you lose by 4. Even with a re-roll and a HSO around (the HSO usually gets shot dead, him and his standard bearer but whatever) that's still LD5.
That means you will run away. Tarpitting = fail.
So to succeed, you want your Sisters unit to turn on the Book of St. Lucius. LD9 (or 10 with a Canoness) unmodified.
That means you'll probably stay.
Then it's HIS turn, and all he can do is fire through the CC (but not Flamers, something Guard are vulnerable to) or join it.
But he knows on HIS turn, not only will he chop up what's left of the squad but you'll turn the book off so the guard run away...so you can fire at him again.
Most armies can't take multiple consecutive turns of fire from a IG gunline at point blank range. K, just be serious about that fact.
Now to the game-breaking, rule using abusive game play everyone loves.
Rattling the Drain
Since GW did not listen to my comments on this cheesy tactic, I will show it to the Internets and they can have fun abusing it.
So, what IS rattling the drain? Well, you know how the chain goes down the bathtub but the plug won't?
The Lascannon team is the plug, and the Sisters are the bathtub.
Remember how I said to keep that Lascannon team centered behind the Sisters.
This is your backup plan, in case you roll double 1's.
Odds are between your charge in, and his assault phase...the guard are down to 1 or 2 guys.
That's normal. It also works in your favor.
See, that fat Lascannon base won't fit between the Sisters in front of it.
Now read the rules, what happens when you can't move into contact (and you cannot since the Sisters aren't involved in this combat)?
Here's how it looks:
:marine: :marine: :marine: :marine:
- Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister: :Sister:
:lascannon team:
That's right, combat ends.
Hey look ma, I just rattled the drain!
Alternatives
Conscripts and Why They Suck
You can tarpit with large Conscript squads, but that means you *must* run Gaunt to keep them from getting run down when they lose combat (costing you a HQ slot) because even 50 IG that get charged lose by ALOT versus assault troops. LD5 requires Fearlessness to stay (ask any Tyranid player how those Gaunts work, ok?) and that means a lot more casualties per turn due to being Fearless.
Rough Riders and Why They Suck
Everyone can see them coming, and torrents them to death.
Seems simple, but some people really think they can hide them then come zipping 24" across the battlefield.
Please don't think it. Think true line of sight.
