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Since it keeps coming up... why the complaints?
As far as I can tell, they compare favorably to other wagons and the Blitz Brigades compare favorably with KoS set up to fulfill similar role.
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V. Flakwagon: Even if you think the gunwagon's extra range is nearly worthless, so is 30cm AA.
I also think the extra range is worth more than most people are giving it credit for. It effectively doubles the area covered by the Gunwagons. If you take the extra range into account when positioning the units it makes a substantial difference in the chances the Gunwagons will get to Sustain Fire (or attempt to Sustain) as opposed to Flakwagons.
Basically, you have to use them like Big Gunz. Not only do you hit the best target of opportunity when they activate, you set up to optimize the next attack. It's possible with Gunwagons to move/shoot/support AND end up in position to threaten 2 enemy formations with potential Sustained Fire at the beginning of the following turn.
That is substantially more difficult (nearly impossible) with the Flakwagons' 30cm range. Further, Flakwagon can never threaten a Sustain Fire action against a unit that is outside of assault range. A 15cm move, plus a 15cm FF range means if the Flakwagons can hit the target, the target can assault.
The Gunwagon definitely outguns the Flakwagon on the ground when used in that fashion. I don't see how anyone can make the case that it's not a substantial difference. I think the fact that you don't actually see very many Flak Brigades in Ork armies is good evidence that people recognize that, even if it's at a subconscious level.
The real issue has, imho, nothing to do with the Flakwagon being innately better. It is that in certain combinations the advantages of the Gunwagon over the Flakwagon are nullified and there are a fair number of those combos in the Ork list.
As the list is constructed, with the KoS all 30cm or less and Ork Warbands at 30cm range, the 30cm range of an attached Flakwagon loses very little over a Gunwagon because the advantages of the Gunwagon's range are negated. This range factor can also show up in a BB of Koptas and Flakwagons
In a Zzap Brigade the Zzap is so overwhelming in the amount of firepower it provides that the positive effects of taking Gunwagons over Flakwagons are proportionally quite small while the AA ability remains basically unchanged in its expected effectiveness.
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Blitz v KoS - in the "fast fire support" role, the other competitor in the Ork list is the Warbuggy.
12 Gunwagons cost the same as 16 Warbuggies.
Gunwagons have better AT and worse AP in roughly equal proportions (+/- ~1/3). Gunwagons have the better range and therefore the same kinds of advantages they do against Flakwagons.
Gunwagons are AV as opposed to LVs, so they have a greater per-unit toughness even at equal armor value. That is offset by the greater numbers of the Warbuggies.
Warbuggies, due to numbers, are better at assault. Depending on what kind of fire they face, they are nominally better with regards to Mob Up but that depends on how long they last (mostly on whether the enemy has good AP fire).
As formations, the BB has the option of having organic Flakwagons for a bit of AA, Deth Koptas for a few higher armor screens, or Oddboyz to make them shooty. The KoS has the option of being more assault-oriented with Skorchas or Warbikes. I put the formation options about equal.
On net, you might make the argument that the Gunwagon BB's better firepower options don't offset the Warbuggy KoS's better assault, but the options are not seriously out of line.
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In the Speed Freeks list, the issues of negating the Gunwagons' range advantages is seriously mitigated.
There are no Zzap guns, just Speedstas. Speedstas, while a nice firepower boost, don't have nearly the firepower of a Zzapwagon so the relative difference between Gunwagons and Flakwagons continues to be relevant. Also, the 45cm range on the Speedsta matches up well with the Gunwagons.
Personally, my SF Blitz Brigades are usually 3 gunwagon, 1 Flakwagon, 1 Speedsta, and as they get better I'm less likely to keep the full ratio of Flakwagons. The formation has to either waste their firepower or get closer to the enemy than is desirable.
I've also had good luck in the SF list with formations which combine Big Gunz and Gunwagons. The formation ends up with about a 50/50 mix of 45cm and 30cm ranges, but that's enough to give a lot more fire options.
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I think improving the Gunwagons would be bad. It might make them more competitive in the niches which currently fit the Flakwagon better, but it would cause other internal balance problems.
For example (just picking one of the recent suggestions) if the Gunwagon went to 4+ armor, why would anyone ever take a Deth Kopta? LV status and half the firepower is hardly a fair trade for Skimmer.
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Neal
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