[40k] How many SM scout snipers in low-point games?

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.miniatures.warhammer (More info?)

In a small 400-500 point game, is it worth fielding a small number of sniper
rifle-equipped scouts in a 10-man scout unit? I was thinking of placing 2
or 3 in the unit, but point-wise and model-wise I could afford to go higher.
If it helps the analysis, here's the list I've been contemplating; it's for
that variant "Loyalist Death Guard" army I mentioned a while back. I'd be
fielding it in the local game store's 500-point version of Combat Patrol
league, so there's no compulsory HQ slot.

Space Marine army: Trust Your Battle Brothers, Cleanse and Purify, Flesh
Over Steel, We Stand Alone

Scout Squad #1 - 10 SM Scouts: 140pts
-2x sniper rifles
-2x shotguns
-5x bolters
-Sgt w/ BP/CCW

Scout Squad #2 - 10 SM Scouts: 130pts
-7x BP/CCW
-2x shotguns
-Sgt w/ BP/CCW

Veteran Squad - 10 Space Marines: 230pts
-True Grit and Counter-Assault (from Trust Your Battle Brothers)
-Infiltrate
-6x Bolters/CCWs
-1x Meltagun
-1x Flamer
-Sgt w/ Bolter, CCW

Now, before anyone complains about the shotgun scouts, they're in there
because I have a bunch of them I got by grabbing painted minis cheap off
eBay, and I'd rather use them here in my little "sideproject" Space Marine
army than the big one I build later (besides, as people here have said
before, they look cool and you just pull them as the first casualties from
the squad). So my question is, will 2 sniper rifles be worth taking here?
Or should I pull one veteran and throw in 2 or 3 extra sniper scouts, taking
it up to 4 or 5? I could also change the Veteran Squad to a regular
Tactical Squad and save 30 points - but I like the idea of having my whole
army Infiltrate.

Any thoughts?

--
Ken Coble

Then, feeling wonderful over all this sin they had just abolished, the
aldermen went a little further and made it unlawful for a male citizen to
carry a gun, fight, drink, gamble, swear, disturb the peace, expose himself
indecently, or "be seen in the company of a prostitute not his wife or some
other relative."
-Leon Claire Metz, _The Shooters_

 

[Chris]

Archived from groups: rec.games.miniatures.warhammer (More info?)

"Kenneth Coble" <flintlocklaser@triad.rr.com> wrote in message
news63Zd.4734$wl4.549308@twister.southeast.rr.com...
> In a small 400-500 point game, is it worth fielding a small number of
> sniper rifle-equipped scouts in a 10-man scout unit? I was thinking of
> placing 2 or 3 in the unit, but point-wise and model-wise I could afford
> to go higher. If it helps the analysis, here's the list I've been
> contemplating; it's for that variant "Loyalist Death Guard" army I
> mentioned a while back. I'd be fielding it in the local game store's
> 500-point version of Combat Patrol league, so there's no compulsory HQ
> slot.
>
> Space Marine army: Trust Your Battle Brothers, Cleanse and Purify, Flesh
> Over Steel, We Stand Alone
>
> Scout Squad #1 - 10 SM Scouts: 140pts
> -2x sniper rifles
> -2x shotguns
> -5x bolters
> -Sgt w/ BP/CCW
>
> Scout Squad #2 - 10 SM Scouts: 130pts
> -7x BP/CCW
> -2x shotguns
> -Sgt w/ BP/CCW
>
> Veteran Squad - 10 Space Marines: 230pts
> -True Grit and Counter-Assault (from Trust Your Battle Brothers)
> -Infiltrate
> -6x Bolters/CCWs
> -1x Meltagun
> -1x Flamer
> -Sgt w/ Bolter, CCW
>
> Now, before anyone complains about the shotgun scouts, they're in there
> because I have a bunch of them I got by grabbing painted minis cheap off
> eBay, and I'd rather use them here in my little "sideproject" Space Marine
> army than the big one I build later (besides, as people here have said
> before, they look cool and you just pull them as the first casualties from
> the squad). So my question is, will 2 sniper rifles be worth taking here?
> Or should I pull one veteran and throw in 2 or 3 extra sniper scouts,
> taking it up to 4 or 5? I could also change the Veteran Squad to a
> regular Tactical Squad and save 30 points - but I like the idea of having
> my whole army Infiltrate.
>
> Any thoughts?
Sniper rifles only seem to do anything when used in bulk, so ideally you'd
have a full squad of them. Maybe keep a couple of bolters as fodder

chris

 

[Guest]

Archived from groups: rec.games.miniatures.warhammer (More info?)

Chris wrote:
<snip>
> Sniper rifles only seem to do anything when used in bulk, so ideally
> you'd have a full squad of them. Maybe keep a couple of bolters as
> fodder

Well, I was thinking that I might pull one of the Veterans out. This will
free up 21 points, so I can field a total of 6 sniper rifles. The
alternative would be to pull one scout from each squad, which would give 26
points back, allowing me to field 7 sniper rifles. But is one extra sniper
rifle worth losing 2 models for in a small-point setup? Or is 6 rifles
getting close enough to "bulk" that it should work?

--
Ken Coble

Then, feeling wonderful over all this sin they had just abolished, the
aldermen went a little further and made it unlawful for a male citizen
to carry a gun, fight, drink, gamble, swear, disturb the peace, expose
himself indecently, or "be seen in the company of a prostitute not his
wife or some other relative." -Leon Claire Metz, _The Shooters_

 

[Chris]

Archived from groups: rec.games.miniatures.warhammer (More info?)

"Kenneth Coble" <flintlocklaser@triad.rr.com> wrote in message
news:kFJZd.27159$wl4.723042@twister.southeast.rr.com...
> Chris wrote:
> <snip>
>> Sniper rifles only seem to do anything when used in bulk, so ideally
>> you'd have a full squad of them. Maybe keep a couple of bolters as
>> fodder
>
> Well, I was thinking that I might pull one of the Veterans out. This will
> free up 21 points, so I can field a total of 6 sniper rifles. The
> alternative would be to pull one scout from each squad, which would give
> 26 points back, allowing me to field 7 sniper rifles. But is one extra
> sniper rifle worth losing 2 models for in a small-point setup? Or is 6
> rifles getting close enough to "bulk" that it should work?
That depends on the target - 6 sniper rifles should be able to cause pinning
tests on light infantry (4+ save or worse) every turn.
That's 5/6 hits x 1/2 wnds x 1/2 saves, or a little over 1 kill per turn.
Better for 5+ or 6+ saves, of course. Against power armour, it's a tougher
proposition. One more sniper rifle (to a total of 7) and you're still shy of
1 kill/turn vs. power armour. It's probably a safer bet to add in a heavy
bolter.


cheers,
Chris