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Seeker Missles!

Started by Chicop76, August 30, 2013, 08:08:52 PM

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Chicop76

The subject was kinda hard to write on since I am not going to go heavily in the missile itself, but had a lot of thoughts and ideals which hit me while I was reading my book.

Orginally I ran armies in 5th and under with a lot of seeker missiles. Besides being more expensive they did pretty well. I been trying to write a good tournamnt list that can handle heavy armor and still do well.

Due to the point cost reduction for 100 points I can add 12 missiles to my army rather easily. The main concern orginally was I can just run 11 more fire warriors instead. Heck a fire warrior is worth almost the same as a missile, nice both are much cheaper.

The missile solution dawn on me when I am trying to fit more anti-air and tank units. I have 200 points to spare and ca't really find that solid unit I really want to use those points on. My solution was two devil fish with 2 missiles each. It than dawn on me if I drop a devil fish I can add 12 missiles really easily.

The issue at 1850 you start filling out slots and start running redundant units. The missiles help with that problem.

Next was the thought what should I add missiles on?

Obviously the devilfish, but do I add them to my sides and my long strike hammer head?

The more I thought about it I started to realize something. I never thought about abilities in conjunction with missiles, I did a little with tank hunting seeker missiles that re roll on pen and re rol to wound on MCs. However I ddn't really think about the differant possibilities out there. Also it brings up a lot of differant questions as well.

Before I go into questions I want to go into my ideals.

My first ideal is Intercept and Seeker missles. The only unit that can do this is broadsides first off. The problem with Intercept is that your weapon system is down basically after shoting the weapon. With seeker missiles it really don't matter since it's a one shot weapon any way. Which make it perfect for intercepting Broadsides. Tank outflanks 3 ignoring cover missile fires as soon as it hits the board. However it would be nice if said missiles can fire at flyers.

The only way I can figure out to get said missiles to fire is to take stealth suits. The suit lead is the only model to be able to intecept or skyfire with a marker light. Since he will need 6s to hit not really great when a flyer comes in or if you wait you can paint, but that is what a skyray is for.

If you don't use the light with the sides the missile will fire at regular bs and doesn't strip cover, so unless you can get some intercepting marking lights out there this ideal is ok.

That being said on th following turn if you use your high yield to fire at the flyer you have a nice jucy missile you can launch the following turn, again marker lights are nice.

If your skyray can intercept it would be awesome. However the missiles are still good for dealing with outflanking bikes, etc.

The bonus is you can fire the seeker and smart missiles, while keeping your high yield or railguns up next turn.

The following ideal I alreay brought up is for a commander to join broasides for MC and Tank hunting seeker missiles. I think this is really good on high yield sides, since it adds range via missiles if a target is beyond 36". Also I want to point out it's good with rail guns as well. I use target lock with my broadsides, so this will give me two strength 8 hits per 3 targets or 6 strength 8 shots, know the winged hive tyrant may not like that.

Which brings up a side note. Since only the bearer can fire the missile. It makes sence to put seekers on other models now, before you can have your marker shoots fire the missiles which meant one skyray or two was god enough. Now with multiple units with missiles you can spread the missile love.

My next ideal is missile love devil fish. This adds anti tank to a good transport unit. You can do, so with pirannas as well. Honestly pirannas can make great seeker platforms at 56 points at least. Meaning at 112 points I can have 2 vehicles than can launch 4 missiles and drop of 4 drones, for a bit more points you can take a melta and switch from long range striking to short range melta. With a 12" movement gap you can drop 3 strength 8 shots into one target, which can change a role from anti tank to anti tank and specialty troop like bikes, I have dem cover saving bikes.

Another point I would like to point out. For each missle and light you add to you army the more anti-air you are adding as well. Which means your pathfinder or marker drones that mange to hit a flying target will give you basically skyfire to your seeker bearers, besides your flyers and skyray.

Which means having skyfire marker lights is a good thing. Also if you run out of seekers on you skyray, you can use the skyfire marker light to paint flyers for your other seeker bearers.

Next thought is you can overwatch with them with Broadsides. Pathfinders overwatch with lights and you use the light to fire seeker missiles.

One thought is making the seeker missle re roll to hit. Not sure if that is possible or not.

I think at thispoint I will add in some missiles to my army. It gives me more options to play with. Also it adds more value to adding more marker lights as well.


Rarity Declis

I think this is a very in-depth and nicely considered article, however, the thick block of text and the jump from point to point nature of it makes it difficult to read, at least for my lazy self. But, I would be hypocritical if I didn't put my money where my mouth is.

Seeker Missiles: The Chicop Report, edited by Declis

The subject was kinda hard to write on since I am not going to go heavily in the missile itself, but had a lot of thoughts and ideals which hit me while I was reading my book. For context, I ran armies before 6th Edition with a lot of seeker missiles. Besides being more expensive, they did pretty well. I been trying to write a good tournament list that can handle heavy armor and still do well.

Thanks to the new Codex, the cheaper missiles means I can use many more of them. The main concern was originally I can just run 11 more fire warriors instead. Heck a fire warrior is worth almost the same as a missile.

The missile solution dawned on me whilst I was trying to fit more anti-air and tank units. I have 200 points to spare and ca't really find that solid unit I really want to use those points on. My solution was 2 Devilfishs with 2 missiles each. It then dawned on me that if I drop a Devilfish, I can add 12 missiles really easily, solving the issue of games of 1850; you tend to start filling out slots and start running redundant units. The missiles help with that problem.

Next was the thought what should I add missiles on?

Where to put them?

Obviously the Devilfish, but what of with a Longstrike piloted Hammerhead? I started to realize something. I never thought about abilities in conjunction with missiles, I did a little with tank hunting seeker missiles that re-roll on pen and wound on Monstrous Creatures.

First Ideal Combo: Broadsides and Seeker Missiles

My first ideal is Intercept and Seeker missles. The only unit that can do this are the Broadsides. The problem with Intercept is that your weapon system is down after shooting the weapon. With seeker missiles it really don't matter since it's a one shot weapon, which makes it perfect for intercepting Broadsides. An outflanking Tank will get 3 cover ignoring missiles as soon as it hits the board. However it would be nice if said missiles could fire at flyers.

To further improve this, I'd suggest a Commander to join Broadsides for MC and Tank hunting seeker missiles. I think this is really good on high yield sides, since it adds range via missiles if a target is beyond 36". Also I want to point out it's effective even with a Railgun loadout. I use target lock with my broadsides, so this will give me two strength 8 hits per 3 targets or 6 strength 8 shots, knowing the Winged Hive Tyrant won't like that.

Side Note:
Since only the bearer can fire the missile, it makes sense to put seekers on other models now. Before you could have your markerlight shots fire the missiles which meant one Skyray or two was good enough. But now with multiple units with missiles, you can spread the missile love.

The Second Ideal: Devilfish, Piranhas and Marker Lights

My next ideal is Missile Love Devilfish. This adds some anti tank to a good transport unit. You can do so with Piranhas as well. Honestly Piranhas can make great seeker platforms at 56 points. Meaning at 112 points, I can have 2 vehicles than can launch 4 missiles and drop of 4 drones, for a bit more points you can take a Fusion Gun and switch from long range striking to short range tank-hunting and dropping anything else that's tough or using those Seeker Missiles to take out cover-saving Black Knights, or jinking Skimmers.

Regarding Markerlights:

If you don't use Markerlights, you won't be getting to ignore cover, and you'll be firing at reduced Ballistic Skill. If you use a volume of fire, you'll not only do some damage, but you'll have a nice little Markerlight counter you can use to launch a missile and hurt something. That said, firing on your normal Ballistic Skill is still a good thing; it's still a missile after all.

To solve the Flyer problem, having Skyfire marker lights is a good thing. Also if you run out of seekers on your Skyray, you can use the Skyfire marker light to paint flyers for your other seeker bearers. Another solution is I figured out to take stealth suits. The Shas'ui is the only model to be able to Intecept or Skyfire with a marker light. Since he will need 6's to hit, it's not really great when a flyer comes in or if you wait you can paint, but that is what a Skyray is for.

Another point: For each missile and markerlight you add to your army, the more anti-air you are adding as well as every pathfinder or marker drone that manages to hit a flying target will effectively give you Skyfire to your seeker-missile bearers, as well as your flyers and Skyray.

The good news is that, even if you cannot hit a flyer due something not having the right rule, it can still deal with things such as outflanking bikes. The bonus is you can fire the seeker and smart missiles, while keeping your high yield or railguns up next turn.

Next thought is you can overwatch with them with Broadsides. Pathfinders overwatch with lights and you use the light to fire seeker missiles.

I hope you have all enjoyed my thoughts, and I know I will be using more Seeker Missiles in my forces as a result of them being tactically flexible, usable by many units within the army, and a further example of how the Tau force works together to overcome any challenge. Thank you for reading.