And one of the reasons I proposed the 2-3 size formation.

I think you overestimate the effectiveness of Ork FightaBommaz. The all round fire doesn't make up for the relative lack of firepower or maneuverability. Given the choice, I'd take almost any other race's airpower for similar points. And that's where the problems with the Hellblades lie. I have X points to spend on interceptors? I'd want to spend it on Hellblades.

Morgan Vening

What about exchanging 2x 15cm shots for 1x 30cm AA shot per plane and decrease to 2 for the HB?

So 1x 15cm and 1x 30cm....

I was playing a game against AMTL the other week, using my standard 3k Black Legion List (I wasn't sure who my game would be against), my hellblades were next to useless.

I know that's highly situational but aside from placing a blast marker a couple of times it was 200 points gone to waste. Admittedly they are very good at shooting up broken infantry formations, but again surely that's situational too (you're relying on them not needing to intrecept anything and for your ground attack to be clear of enemy AA)
I'd like to see them keep a 6+ save and stay at 200 for 3.

Just curious as I am I admit not very familiar with Chaos stuff - but the hellblade fighters look very much to me like they should be armed with fixed forward twin linked reaper autocannons and as autocannons generally follow the principle that their AA is in line with their AT wouldnt the following stats represent the hellblade better.

Fighter
Armour 6+
Twin linked Reaper Autocannon 30cm AP3+/AT5+/AA5+ Fixed Forward

Could probably have 3 for 175-200pts with those stats quite easily.

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Hellblade weaponry is 2 x Twin Linked Autocannons with anti aircraft mount

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Here is an interesting little tid-bit

Hellblades (although incorrectly labelled in IA6) can be upgraded to be Daemon Possessed! Ooh, Hellblades with Invulnerable Save. Hmmmm!  

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Hell Talons too.

In Aeronautica Imperialis the Hell Blade is the only aircraft with only one single hit point (even the very small Arvus Ligher has two hit points) but it is very agile (only Lightnings, Nightwings and Phoenix are as agile) and only the Nightwing is slightly faster (all others are at least 1/3 slower).

So i see no nead to remove it's save. Rather i would see a 7+ Save but a 3+ Jink Save.

And a 1:1 translation of its twi tein-linked Autocannons would be:
2 x Twin Autocannons 45cm AP4+/AT5+/AA4+ Fixed Forward Arc
or if allowed a wider fire arc due to it's exepctional manouvreability:
2 x Twin Autocannons 30cm AP4+/AT5+/AA4+ Forward Arc

If you think Autocannons have to great range for an aircraft then swith to Reaper Autocannons:
2 x Reaper Autocannons 30cm AP4+/AT6+/AA4+ Fixed Forward Arc
respectively:
2 x Reaper Autocannons 15cm AP4+/AT6+/AA4+ Forward Arc

As the Reaper Autocanon is the only AA capable weapon where it's AP and AT stats are more than 1 pip away the AA stats could be 1 pip worse than the AP stat (usual is AA = AP if the weapon has an AT stat or AA = AP+1 if it hasn't)).
So the stats could look so:
2 x Reaper Autocannons 30cm AP4+/AT6+/AA5+ Fixed Forward Arc
respectively:
2 x Reaper Autocannons 15cm AP4+/AT6+/AA5+ Forward Arc

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I was bored at work, so I went through the PDF's of a bucket of lists. And in the Chaos ones, I noticed the following statline for Hellblades in the Red Corsairs list.

2xReaper Cannon       30cm      AP4+/AT6+/AA6+       Fixed Forward Arc

I have no problem with this statline for 3 at 200pts.

Comparison of Squad to Thunderbolts (the apparent standard for comparison)

On Intercept/CAP
3x Hellblades ~2 Hits
2x Thunderbolts ~2 Hits

On Ground Attack Infantry
3x Hellblades ~3 Hits
2x Thunderbolts ~1.66 Hits

On Ground Attack Vehicle
3x Hellblades ~1 Hit
2x Thunderbolts ~1.33 Hits

On Ground Attack LV
3x Hellblades ~3 Hits
2x Thunderbolts ~2.66 Hits

On Ground Attack Mixed
3x Hellblades ~3 Hits Inf, Trade up to all for 3:1 Odds vs AV.
2x Thunderbolts ~ 1.66 Inf Hits, 1 AV Hit, Trading up to .66 for 2:1 Odds vs AV.

In their primary roles, identical. Elsewise, the Hellblade is better against infantry and worse against mixed, and within a decent margin of error for Vehicle and LV. The redundancy gained by the third plane and maneuverability (Fighter vs FighterBomber on GA) being worth the extra 50pts for the squadron.

If the formation still overperforms, a reduction of range is an obvious first choice. But as it stands, it's a formation I'd still definitely consider taking, and one I wouldn't have a problem facing.

Morgan Vening

Thats not the current version. The current version is the one found in the Black Legion playtest changes:
2x Reaper Autoannon 15cm AP4+/AT6+/AA5+ Forward Arc

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Yeah, that's the statline that causes the problems for me. Making them much too good for a 3 unit formation at 200 IMO.

There is a big problem with Hellblades. It's fairly apparent to some that the formation is overpowered, but there seems to be no movement on any potential solution. Raising the cost, changing formation size, changing stats.

Oh well, it makes my Chaos armies easy to build.

Morgan Vening