What are people's experiences with the Deathstrike Battery? How often does it get to fire; is it worthwhile for taking out smaller war engines effectively on turn one if it survives? How much of a terror unit does it prove to be (as let's face it no one like the idea of 2d6tk coming their way!) and, IF the battery is destroyed or broken in the first turn before it does anything does this usually represent a worthwhile trade off in terms of enemy time wasted? Is one better off taking a shadowsword? Any combination of other choices that work well with the deathstrike? Answers to all these questions and more would be appreciated ;-)
Yrs,
R>

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I find them a useful bullet/terminator magnet.

I normally expect them to die before they fire, but that means that something else isn't getting hit.

I normally set then up alone, just under AA cover when possible.

The Death Strike Launcher can really ruin someone's day if it gets to be used - and that is the point.

For 200 points each missile has ~40% chance of eliminating any DC3 WE and ~25% chance of destroying an fully shielded Warhound. Indeed the two missiles even have ~13% chance of taking down a fully shielded Reaver.

As Mephiston says, this is usually enough incentive for the opponent to launch some form of pre-emptive strike which has the effect of handing the initiative to the IG for some other activity. And if the strike fails for some reason the IG get the bonus of wiping out some significant target (like my BTS last tournament ).

However, the new Death Strike Silo in the EA:Siege supplement is a different matter. For 250 points it is a lot more resilient (DC3 4+RA) so very hard to supress or even destroy, other than by a direct assault. But it can only shoot once per turn. What are people's thoughts on this?

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Sir Hemry Newbolt

But it can only shoot once per turn.

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I don't know why Deathstrikes aren't in every IG army.  If left alone, it's almost unfathomable that they won't make their points back.  And that means that the enemy has to commit something to go after them, usually causing them to overextend in some way.

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Neal

As its limited to 0-1 and will be destroyed by loosing an assault I think its ok.

Many people in the UK play the guard as a more mobile ff army so warhounds are seen much more often than deathstrikes. I'd think about 25% of UK tournament armies would have them.

I still often have them in my guard army and would nearly always have them at 4,000 points or more.

I'd never touch them, never been impressed. All it takes is an artillery strike, or aircraft to eliminate them.

I guess the only saving grace is an opponent must deal with them ASAP. But then I could just spend the pts on something both useful and threatening to the opponent.

Such as?

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Anything else in my list...

Thunderbolts

Manticores

And of course, using those 200pts to bulk up larger formations.

Tank Company

Mech Inf Co.

Storm Troopers


I just don't see the Deathstrikes appeal, especially considering if miraculously your opponent lets you shoot it, you want to shoot it at something worthwhile like a Warlord or Reaver. You're likely to strip the shields but not much else.

If you 'save' the Deathstrikes for later in the first turn, using another formation to strip the shields first, your opponent deserves a dead Titan if they let them fire.

None of which has the potential to destroy 3-4 times their points' worth in just one activation.

Set them up behind a screen of Sentinels (no teleportation) and under good AA cover (no aircraft attack), and you'll be able to fire them every game. Few armies besides Guard have artillery units able to reach in your deployment zone.

Sure you could lose the Strategy roll and have the enemy destroy your Deathstrikes with some far-reaching unit, but if they don't (or if you win the Strat roll), then woe to their War Engines!

And just for the record, I don't really like the Deathstrikes from a balance perspective: no unit so cheap should be able to deal THAT much damage at that range, in my opinion.

My thoughts exactyl really; you've made up my mind Rug :-)

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Given these views on the Launchers, what do people think about the Silo?

While it is essentially a Blitz guard (as it is static) and will only get two shots off in a game, being a DC3 and 4+RA it is much more likely to get these shots off and hence much more likely to get more than its points back in a game.

1) Is this reasonable as a game mechanic?
2) Is 250 the right cost?
3) Is this variant necessary?

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Sir Hemry Newbolt

In answer

1) I don't have an issue. Assault it and win and it's dead unless a commissar is hiding in there!

2) Well as its 0-1 in the kreig list I think its OK.

3) Are any necessary   - There's a model available and its easy to create so I don't see why not.