Ok, so this isn't really a rant but it something that I have started to find does impede my enjoyment of the game. I'm sure some of you reading this will just roll your eyes and whatnot, but bare with me.
I play vanilla space marines and have done ever since Warhammer 40K was first dropped on our selves twenty five years ago (with a break during the horror fest that was 2nd edition). I like space marines but I'm not the sort of player who wants them to be utterly awesome or to have them play like they are represented in the novels.
However the bugbear in the room for me is the sheer amount of AP2 and AP3 weapons present in the game. I'm looking at Eldar, Dark Eldar and Tau, and to those annoying monstrous creature lists from Tyranids and Daemons. I feel that space marines are already overcosted and considering that a big chunk of that points cost is the 3+ armour save it is irritating to contantly find that I'm being denied it. That is my bone of contention here.
The topic really came up when talking to my friend Joel last night (Daemons, Eldar and Tyranids player) when we were discussing the rumours of the supposed upcoming Eldar codex. He wants lots of anti-flyer weapons, howling banshees to have AP2 close combat weapons again, and in the discussion I raised my points that Eldar are still a really good codex that doesn't need twinking up. I have to admit that I did get a bit angry about it for a short time.
I have played too many games under 5th and 6th edition where AP3 weapons and power weapons decimated my army. I'm dreading playing against Tau now after watching their new codex in action over the last couple weeks. It has got to a point where I feel it is too prevalent in the game right now.
I know nothing is going to change, and probably shouldn't, but one reason for my current break in playing is because of this.
If it's any consolation, I've played Tau with my Vanilla Marines in a 1200 point game and they aren't that bad to play against. Granted, he didn't have a Riptide, but he did use a lot of Crisis suits with plasma weaponry.
ReplyDeleteMy advice is use cover if you're having trouble with low AP weapons. Not many low AP weapons deny cover (with the Tau markerlights being a glaring exception) and its surprising what even a 5+ save can do compared to just dying outright.
What kind of list do you usually run? I'm still building my Marines up and looking around for ideas.
At the moment Tau are doing really well around here, though I figure it is a new codex that people have to get used to. Give it time and things will be fine with it. I still have yet to playa aginst it.
DeleteI do use cover where possible but I always seem to find that sweet spot where I have to go out and then I get torn down by either shedloads of AP2/3 weapons or sheer volume of fire (scatterlasers mainly).
At the moment I tend to focus on troop heavy lists, TH/SS terminators with Redeemer, with some air support from a Stormtalon. I tend to go through phases and this is my current one.
I haven't played against Eldar in years, but I do remember them being a bit of a pain.
DeleteI'm no professional at this (I haven't gotten to play with my marines much as of yet), but terminators and land raiders have always let me down. I've never had good luck with them.. ever. Sure armor 14 all around is great, and 2+ saves are cool, but then your opponent expects that every time and brings the right toys to deal with it. I prefer dreadnoughts and vindicators, but the stormtalon has been a great deal of fun lately. Something about assault cannons just puts a smile on my face.
Now where the Tau really tear things apart is when they're up against armies like the Orks. The poor greenskins almost never get saves (even from cover) and the standard fire warrior can take out almost every Ork vehicle.
And whats this about Dark Eldar giving you problems? I guess with mass-shooting maybe, but unless your opponent is fielding disintegrator cannons on every one of their raiders (or three ravagers with all disintegrators) then there shouldn't be much in the low AP area. And if the latter is the case, then surprise them and take more vehicles (though I doubt they could afford to throw away their dark lances if you bring a Land Raider to the table).
I do think the Space Marines codex is getting a little dusty, but its still not the worst out there.
Land Raiders actually do me better now with the 6th edition hull point system for some odd reason. The HP never seems to work for anyone else.
DeleteDark Eldar arn't too bad. It is the dark lances on everything that I remember being a pain.