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Batteries & Lances |
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blackhorizon
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Post subject: Batteries & Lances  Posted: Wed Sep 12, 2007 9:53 am |
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Joined: Wed Jul 13, 2005 9:40 pm
Posts: 2842
Location: Netherlands
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Posted by me at Port Maw as well:
1. Are weapon batteries overrated?
2. Are lances the best weapon in the game?
I think that I disagree on both accounts. It all depends on the enemy at which you are firing.
Against Chaos, with its 5+ armour, batteries are much better as against Space Marines or Necrons with 6+ armour.
However, against Necrons batteries are quite worthwhile as well: if you shoot FIRST with them and not second as some tactics suggest.
With lances you have a higher chance of hitting the enemy, 50% with each shot. No matter what arnour the enemy has, no matter the distance.
With batteries the chance of hitting depends on armour. 4+ = 50%, 5+ =33,33%, 6+=16,67%.
At a distance batteries roll less dice so at the 45cm-60cm range lances outclass batteries.
But under 30cm, and especially under 15cm you can get a bunch load of dice with batteries. And then the batteries are much better then the very few lances you have.
And there is a crux. Lances always work the way they do. No ?real? tactical manoeuvres are needed. To get the most out of batteries you need to think more about movement & positioning.
In the Imperial Navy this example is best illustrated by its two best standard cruisers: the Dominator and the Gothic. (Remember: roughly 1 lance = 3 batteries). One ship has 12 batteries and the other 4 lances available as a broadside. In essence equally strong. But for a Gothic it is nigh on impossible to do it alone. But when the Dominator goes first the 4 lances of the Gothic become a good killer weapon.
Plus the Dominator should move to get a good target aspect while the Gothic can go abeam and use its lances easily. Perfect match those two. And a perfect example on how batteries & lances support each other.
A lot depends on the way you select your fleet. If you know the enemy you are at an advantage. Against Eldar? Take batteries. Against Space Marines? Take lances (see those strike cruisers go down?).
Personally I like battles most when you do not know what you will be facing (and your opponent neither does). That way you are forced to create a fleet which can take on all kind of enemies.
Cheers!
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http://www.tacticalwargames.net/taccmd/viewtopic.php?f=38&t=19176
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Recidivist
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Post subject: Batteries & Lances Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 9:35 am |
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Joined: Mon Apr 23, 2007 11:30 am
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Location: Fife, Scotland
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I have to say, I pretty much agree with everything you've said. Lances & W/B's aren't really better than each other per se, it depends on your target. Of course, W/B's work a treat against defences too, and would be my choice over lances in that regard. 
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Xavi
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Post subject: Batteries & Lances Posted: Thu Sep 13, 2007 2:48 pm |
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Joined: Wed Aug 20, 2003 12:30 am
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Location: University of Essex, Colchester, UK (soon to be Brighton, Sussex, UK)
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Ditto. I prefer to use a little bit of everything here, with a small bias towards WB: Eldar (and cobras!) are more common around here than SM or Necrons.
Xavi
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