The rise of Melta Weapons

We are about a year out since the release of 5th edition for 40k.
In the many games that I have played I have noticed the trend; people love Melta Weapons.

I thought to myself, not unusual, it is certainly better than Plasma at killing Vehicles.
Then I began to see the Multi-Melta as the heavy weapon of choice among Tactical Squads and Dreadnoughts.

I thought I would investigate. I computed the chance for a certain strength weapon to Destroy (Wrecked or Exploded) a vehicle it was shot at, based on Armor Value.

This is what I came up with..
I realize that the chart is a bit hard to read.
I will explain the trends that I found. Remember, the values represent a chance to destroy a vehicle, not just damage it.

First we see that the melta (outside of 1/2 range) dominates all other weapons at AV 10.
At AV 11-13 only Str 10 weapons perform better while the Melta performs better or equal to a Str 9 weapon (like a Lascannon). Only at AV 14 do Str 9 and 10 weapons outperform a melta weapon.

Obviously, when a melta weapon gets within 1/2 range, it eclipses other weapons (sometimes outperforming them by integer multiples) *Except in the case of Monoliths. When you add in Twin-linking (Vulkan) it just gets ridiculous. Aside from the Monolith, the chance to destroy a vehicle with a melta weapon within half its range is never less than 25% and rises to almost 50% on the lower end.

The worst part is, the lascannon costs more points then the Multi-Melta. When I play Blood Angels, I run 4 Lascannons in my tactical squads. It think that is about to change.

-Mike

Challenge Board, Game 2.

I am now on the second tier and must defend my position.
My opponent is Justin and his Black Templars.
Captain (Marshall?) in Terminator Armor
Emperors Champion (preferred enemy vow)
Techmarine
7 Assault Terminators
9 Templars + Rhino (Emp champ rolls with)
9 Templars + Rhino (Techmarine rolls with)
Land Speeder w/Heavy Bolter, Assault Cannon
Vindicator
Dakka Pred (Auto, 2 HB's)
LRC (Termies and Termie Captain)

The Mission is a Secure and Control Pitched Battle (5 Objectives!)
*I forgot my camera this day, my Apologies.

I deploy first and go first.

Turn 1:
Me: Most of my Infantry Squads move forward to wards the countless objectives.
I destroy a Rhino w/ The Emperors Champion and friends.
I shake the LRC and the other Rhino.
Justin: Everything, save the non-destroyed Rhino moves forward. The LRC smokes.
The Vindicator and Land Speeder kill an entire Lascannon squad. The dakka pred kills a single base from another squad.

Turn 2:
Me: With copious firepower, I kill the Emperors champion and his entire squad. I manage to remove the assault cannon off of the Land Speeder.
Justin: The LRC tank shocks and breaks the conscripts. The LRC fires and kills an entire 10-man plasma squad. The Dakka pred kills another entire squad and teh land speeder takes 2 guys out of another squad.

Turn 3:
Me: I Immobilize and shake the land speeder. The rest of my force moves towards objective or fails at shooting Vehicles...On the bright side, my conscripts rally! (Due to an order)
Justin: The LRC kills an entire Infantry squad armed with one of my 4 meltaguns. The Vindicator kills 5 conscripts.

Turn 4:
Me: I manage to shake the predator, destroy the speeder (via powerfist) and degun the Hidden Rhino (parked near an objective)
Justin: The Rhino disembarks the squad it held and kills an entire nearby flamer squad.
The LRC kills an entire Plasma wielding command squad.

Turn 5:
Me: I shake the predator again and manage to kill 2 Templars (who fail their morale test and fall back from the objective (about 2 inches from the board edge).
Justin: The broken squad rallies and moves back up to the objective.
The Terminators finally disembark from the LRC and kill 2 entire 10 man infantry squads that were sitting on an objective. They take no casualties in return.

Turn 6:
Me: My heavy weapon shots ring true and I manage to Destroy the Vindicator. I also manage to kill about 2 Templars. They run 2 inches forward. I leave the termies alone, I do not want them getting an extra move.
Justin: With various shooting he manages to kill a few guard, but most of them have "gone to ground" in cover near an objective.

The die of destiny ends the game. I have 2 objectives, Justin only has 1. The others are in contention.

A post game review.
This would be a tough game for anyone given my 20+ scoring units. Justin only brought 2.
The LRC was definitely the man of the match, it accounted for at least 35 casualties throughout the game. Justin used his LRC very well. Before he moved each turn, he asked me to point out where the Meltas were in my army, he would either then kill the squad, or go the opposite direction. Good play on his part. The only criticism I have is that he should have deployed his Terminators much earlier than turn 5. Forcing me to deal with 8 Terminators would have limited my ability to spread out on the table to ALL of the objectives. ( At one point I had a scoring unit on each objective, forcing him to dislodge me. With so few units it would prove difficult.)

A great game. With this I am 2-0 on the challenge board.
My overall record improves to 34W 14L 13D.

-Mike

Challenge Board, Game 1.

Dreamwizards, a local gaming store holds a Challenge Board.
You must beat an opponent to move up a level.
Once you win a game at that level (defending your spot) you are issued a token to challenge someone on a higher level.
1750, I bring the AIIG.

This is my first game, at ground level.

Game: Capture and Control (often called "capture the draw"), Pitched battle.
My opponent: Pat Eibel, Sho-T himself. He brings Tau.

Commander Plasma/Missile
3x 12 Warriors, Devilfish
12 warriors w/o Devilfish
a large (28) man Kroot unit
6 Pathfinders
2 Hammerheads with Rail Gun.

I deploy (in standard "across the board" fashion) and go first.
Pat Deploys in the rightmost corner of the Board. He deploys a unit of fire warriors on his objective.

Turn 1:
Me: Most everyone runs forward. I issue an order for my Lascannon team to destroy the Hammerhead in view. They comply.
I shake a Devilfish. I kill 3 Pathfinders and 2 Fire Warriors from the squad on the objective.
Pat: The Devilfish, Commander, and Hammerhead open up. They manage to kill 1 guardsmen from the Plasma Squad, 4 from a regular squad, and 3 from the Plasma Command Squad.


Turn 2:
Me: Through heavy weapons fire, I Immobilize the Front 2 Devilfish of his convoy. I kill one more Pathfinder and 2 Fire Warriors.
Pat: The Kroot arrive and outflank on my right flank. (NOT the side that has my objective)
The Fire Warriors in the Devilfish roll out. The Fire Warriors kill a flamer squad and a command squad. The Hammerhead ordnances 7 guys to death.
The kroot double charge a missile team and a 6-man remnant squad. Easily killing them.
They consolidate away from my gunline behind a hill for cover.


Turn 3:
Me: My heavy weapons Immobilize the last Devilfish and Stun the Hammerhead. The Mortas kill 10 Kroot and Pin them.
I manage to kill 9 Fire Warriors from one squad with awesome Frag Missile Shooting.
Pat: Pats Drones detach and his remaining Fire Warriors run towards his objective.


Turn 4:
Me: My heavy weapons continue their unrelenting fury as they de-gun the hammerhead and kill 8 of the 12 Fire Warriors running to the objective.
Those same fire warriors fail their pinning test.
My spare firepower kills the rest of the Kroot.
Pat: His drones and unpinned Fire Warriors kill2 from a 4-man unit and 3 from a seven man unit.


At this point with objectives firmly in my control, Pat concedes.

Some post game analysis, as I am pretty sure Pat will read this battle report.
Pat made 2 key errors, they were both deployment errors.
Pat deployed the majority of his force as far away from my objective as was physically possible.
I realize that he did this with the intent to shield his transports from my heavy weapons, but all it accomplished was to let my 4 heavy weapon teams (2 las, 2 missile) cause a jam in his mobility.
The second was to out flank the Kroot on the opposite side of the board as my objective. While I have no kind words for Kroot, they do beat guard in close combat.

With this I move up to the next tier. This puts me at 1-0-0 in the Challenge Board.
My overall (5th edition only) record is now 33W 14L 13D


-Mike

Return of the AIIG.

With the arrival of Codex: Imperial Guard, I break out the All-Infantry Imperial Guard (AIIG)
I am playing 1750 point games in order to practice for the Challenge Board.
HQ
Command Platoon
w/Kell, Power Fist, Bodyguard, Officer of the Fleet
Grey Knight Brother Captain
w/Psycannon, Psychic Hood
Troops
Platoon 1
Platoon Command w/2 Plasma Guns, Vox-Caster, Boltgun
Infantry Squad w/Meltagun
Infantry Squad w/Meltagun
Infantry Squad w/Vox Caster
Infantry Squad
Heavy Weapon Squad w/3 Heavy Bolters
Heavy Weapon Squad w/Mortars
Heavy Weapon Squad w/Mortars

Platoon 2
Platoon Command w/2 Meltaguns, Vox, Standard, Powerweapon, Bolt Pistol
Infantry Squad w/Plasma Gun
Infantry Squad w/Plasma Gun
Conscript Platoon
Heavy Weapon Squad w/3 Missile Launchers
Heavy Weapon Squad w/3 Missile Launchers
Heavy Weapon Squad w/3 Lascannons
Heavy Weapon Squad w/3 Lascannons

Platoon 3
Platoon Command w/Powerfist, 2 Flamers, Vox-Caster
Infantry Squad w/Flamer
Infantry Squad w/Flamer
Infantry Squad w/Vox Caster
Infantry Squad

Total 1750



Game 1: Spearhead Annihilation.
My opponent: Thomas and his mono-khorne Daemons.
Bloodthirster (upgrades)
Bloodthirster (upgrades)
20 Bloodletters
20 Bloodletters
20 Bloodletters
Khornate Daemon Prince

I defer the go first to Thomas. Neither of us deploy anything.
Turn 1:
Thomas: Deep strikes 2 Bloodthirsters and a khornate Daemon prince in or near my board quarter. They run.
Me: I chill.


Turn 2:
Thomas: No reserves arrive... The daemons walk/fly around, confused at lack of opponents.
Me: I get 2 Mortar squads, a lascannon squad, a missile squad, a squad of 40 combined guard, and the plasma command squad.
I use "first Rank Fire, Second Rank Fire" (FRFSRF) on a blooodthirster and send him back to the warp.

Turn 3:
Thomas: 1 Bloodletter squad arrives, everyone RUNS!
Me: I get a bunch more reserves, i forgot to list them. I kill all the bloodletters and the Daemon Prince.
I do 2 wounds to the bloodthirster.

Turn 4:
Thomas: 2 20-man Bloodletter units arrive. They run.
The Bloodthirster charges and kills 4 guardsmen, the 36 man unit remains in the fight,
Me: I fire and kill all but 1 Bloodletter out of 20, the other 20 is unharmed.
In assault, the guard beat down the Bloodthirster. (Yes, You read it right.)


Turn 5:
Thomas: Engages in a huge multi-assault that sees 5 entire units die. (mainly mortar, missile, and las teams)
the Daemons lose 12 from the 20 unit and the lone member perishes.
Me: I am out of range of the last 8 daemons on the board. Everything runs to meet them.

The die of destiny ends the game in a 5-5 draw. For the record there are only 8 Bloodletters left on the board and 8 is the number of Khorne.
I have well over 120 models left. This was an unlucky roll for the guard.


Game 2: Sieze Ground, Pitched battle
My Opponent: Mike and his Space Marines.
Shrike
5 Terminators TH/SS
3 10 man tacticals w/Multi-Melta, Meltagun, melta Bombs
3 Rhinos
2 10 Man assault squads w/Lightning Claws
Land Raider Redeemer

Mike Deploys and goes first.
After I deploy, he infiltrates Shrike and a 10-man Assault squad 18 inches away.

Turn 1:
Mike: Everything runs forward; All Vehicles pop smoke. Shrike and his unit jump 12, run 3 then assault. (they have fleet)
Shrike and his squad kill 2 10 man guard units, they lose zero.
Me: I use my orders to immobilize the Land Raider via Lascannons. I destroy a rhino with Krak Missiles. Various other shooting kills 9 men from shrikes unit.


Turn 2:
Mike: LRR uses its Assault Cannon to kill a lascannon team. Shrike and friend double assault a missile and Heavy bolter team. Some die.
Me: I degun the LRR's assault cannon. I Kill 5 assault marines and 1 Terminator.
The command squad charges and wipes Shrike and friend, they lose 4 however.


Turn 3:
Mike: His lone Rhino from reserves arrives. The Terminatros fleet, assault and kill 3 guard. But lose 2 in the process.
The Assault squad charges and kills 4 guardsmen, but lose 3 in the fighting. Both of my units break.
Me: I blow up a Rhino, kill the remaining Assault squad members.
The Terminators kill 3 guardsmen in close combat.


Turn 4:
Mike: The conscripts get boltgunned and lose 7 of their number. The terminators kill 4 guard, who break.
Me: 3 Frag missiles kill 6 Space Marines.


Turn 5:
Mike: He kills 3 guard, who break and runs a unit to the center objective.
Me: I kill all Marines on the Objective. I Destroy a Rhino.


Mike Concedes as I have 2 objectives. He has 1.


These 2 games bring my record to 32W 14L 13 D.

-Mike

Catching up on June Batreps

In June, I broke out the Blood Angels for a few games. I was only able to complete 2 over a course of 2 weeks because of time issues.
I seem to have lost all of the pictures I took with my Angels...
It is a shame because Dameons army is beautiful.

For the two games I completed, I brought.
Lemartes, Guardian of the Lost
10 Space Marines
w/Lascannon, Meltagun, Powerweapon
Razorback
10 Space Marines
w/Lascannon, Flamer, Powerfist
Razorback
10 Space Marines
w/Lascannon, Flamer, Powerfist
Rhino w/Storm Bolter
10 Space Marines
w/Lascannon, Meltagun, Powerweapon
Rhino w/Storm Bolter
6 Death Company
w/Jump Packs
2 Attack Bikes w/Heavy Bolter
2 Attack Bikes w/Multi-Melta
2 Attack Bikes w/Multi-Melta
Baal Predator
w/Heavy Bolter Sponsons
Baal Predator
w/Heavy Bolter Sponsons
Predator
w/Heavy Bolter Sponsons
2000

Game 1:
My opponent Dameon and his thousand sons.(A GREAT looking army, by the way)
He brings:
2 Daemon Princes w/MoT, wings, Bolt of Change
18 Thousand sons w/Rhino
9 Thousand sons w/Rhino
a pack of lesser demons
3 Twin CCW Chaos Dreadnoughts
2 Defilers

Dawn of War Capture and Control.
I deploy 2 Lascannon combat squads.
Dameon deploys nothing and opts not to sieze the initiative.

Turn 1:
Me: I move everything on to the board from my board edge.
Dameon: Moves everything on. A daemon prince kills 1 attack bike.
Thousand sons plus a defiler kill 2 from a lascannon squad.

Turn 2:
Me: MM bike pops a Rhino, another MM wounds a Daemon Prince
The Baal predator wounds a daemon prince, a Lascannon finishes it.
The heavy bolter bikes and Baal combine to kill 2 thousand sons.
Dameon: The lesser daemons arrive; The daemon prince immobilizes the predator. A razorback gets stunned by a Defiler.
The daemons assault and kill an attack bike.

Turn 3:
Me: A 5-man tac squad runs forward and flames 2 daemons to death. A Baal de-guns a Chaos Dreadnought.
The Rhino, a lascannon, and a melta combine to do 2 wounds to the daemon prince. In assault with Daemons, it is a 1-1 draw.
Dameon: The thousand sons whiff at firing at the attack bikes. The daemon prince kills a rhino, one passenger dies.
In assault, one casualty is inflicted, teh participants stay and fight.

Turn 4:
Me: Chaplain Lemartes and the Death Company arrive from reserves.
A lascannon destroys a defiler. The dakka pred immobilizes a Rhino.
In assault, the Chaplain and Death Company charge the daemon prince, one Death Company dies, Lemartes kills the Prince.
Dameon: The defiler fires and kills 2 death company marines. The thousand sons again fail to wound the attack bikes.
A dreadnought charges and destroys a Baal predator. Another dreadnought charges, whiffs, and loses an arm.

Turn 5:
Me: I kill 5 thousand sons with various shooting. In close combat, I draw with the lesser daemons (long combat)
In combat, the dreadnought kills 3, but the power fist kills the dreadnought.
Dameon: the thousand sons do a wound to a multi-melta bike. The defiler gets a 2 for difficult terrain and a 1 for fleet to put him out of assault range.
In combat, the marines beat down the lesser daemons.

Turn 6:
Me: Baal de-guns the defiler. The rest of the army kills the rest of the small squad of thousand sons.
In combat, a dread kills 1, the other goes 0-0. I assault the large thousand sons squad at an extreme end of their deployment.
Their 6 inch counter charge moves them off of their objective. Strangely, I kill 2 whilst only losing one.
I move my chaplain and DC within 1 inch of the defiler, but do not charge.
Dameon: His defiler chrages, and kills the death company. The big assault ends in a draw, with the only scoring unit on dameons side being too far to control.

The Die of destiny ends it, bringing about a 1-0 Blood Angels victory


Game 2:
My opponent Dan and his Blood Angels
He brings:
Lemartes
Dante
5 Veteran assault marines with a variety of weapons
10 Death Company
Venerable Death Company Dreadnought
10 Marines Missile, Plasma
10 Marines Lascannon, ?
Razorback with Twin-plas, lascannon (using forge-world rules and cost)
Baal Predator
Vindicator

Spearhead Annihilation
I deploy (combat squad everything) and go first.

Turn 1:
Me: My Baal pred kills 2 marines.
Dan: Moves everything forward. The vindicator stuns a Baal amd kills an attack bike.

Turn 2:
Me: Meltagun stuns the vindicator, Bolterbikes Immobilize the Razorback.
The razorback kills 2 marines. Other bikes and Baal whiff.
Dan: gets a land speeder and veteran assault squad in reserves. The vets get a bad scatter and return to the reserves.
The baal goes fast, the razorback kills an attack bike.
Dante meltas the rhino and assaults the survivors, who also die. I do kill 2 DC though.

Turn 3:
Me: A multi-melta kills the venerable dreadnought. I stun and de-gun the razorback.
Dan: The veterans come back in from reserves, another speeder flies in.
A Baal pred kills 2 from a 5-man squad. The veteran assaulters kill an attack bike and a marine.
A speeder kills a rhino, a passenger dies, DC assaults a bike and kills it.

Turn 4:
Me: Both Baal predators roll a 1 and stall. 2 Attack bikes and 5 marines kill 1 veteran marine.
A razorback shakes a speeder. The Baal predator finally kills the razorback.
The 4 man squad shoots and kills 2. In assault, I kill zero marines and lose 4 marines.
The lighting claw vet dies, I lose a bike and kill a Bp CCW vet.
Dan: His baal kills a marine from one of my las squads.
Dante Immobilizes the Baal Pred. 1-1 draw in combat with vet assault squad.

Turn 5:
Me: My razorback finally kills a speeder. The Dc shoot and kill a DC. The baal kills 2 death company.
In combat, I lose 0 and kill 2.
My DC charge, his dante and lemartes kill 4, I kill all of their death company.
Dan: The vindicator destroys a baal pred. His baal destroys my last baal.
In combat, I finally kill the veteran assault squad.
Dante kills a DC, loses 1. Lemartes takes 1. I lose by stay.

The die of destiny ends this one (Dan has 9, I only have 6) a big loss for the Angels.

I was disappointed across the board in this game. My 4 lascannon firing every turn caused not a single glancing or penetrating hit.
Despite firing at AV 11 and 13 targets, they did nothing for me. Rolling 2 misses at a crucial state with my multimelta bikes was frustrating.
I made an error when moving my melta wielding rhinos in to pop tanks. It was a gamble that I lost. Next time I will know better.

These bring my record to 30W 14L 11D.

-Mike