Hi I'm very new to Epic. I have been late to discover this gem after years of 40k.

I have a question about Guard artillery formations. Most lists I've come accross (if they include artillery) seem to have 1 or 2 formations of 3 basilisks/maticores. Why does nobody choose the larger 650 formation?

I know you get two activations and can fire at two different targets but it seems that the effect on the enemy is extremely limited. The larger formation is a points sink and looks like it could be suppressed relatively easily. However the effect on the enemy seems fairly devestating.

What am i missing? Is it the points or something else?

Thanks!

It's the points (the formation is a bit overpriced) combined with the vulnerability... a big artillery formation is quite vulnerable to air attacks or teleport strikes, and so needs another 500pts of units to protect it!

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In addition to the reasons E&C mentioned, it is quite possible that an Artillery Company will be your BTS, and it simply doesn't have the durability to make it if the enemy concentrates on it. There is also the issue of flexibility. You can lay down three templates and an 2 BMs per formation with a Basilisk company. With three Basilisk batteries you can lay down three templates and three BMs on a single formation, or one template and one BM each on three different formations, and what's more your opponent will have to use at least three activations to silence them. All that for +100 points? Sign me up.

The difference is even more pronounced with Manticores: a Company lays down three templates and five BMs per formation, three batteries lay down six templates and six BM if concentrated on a single target. Double the area of effect also means roughly double the number od extra BMs from Disrupt.

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SG

Ghost's Paint Blog, where everything goes that isn't something else.

Fair points. As a follow up if one was to run 2 formations of 3 vechiles what would people prefer: basilisks or maticores or 1 of each?

Interestingly, we were just discussing that in another thread, near the bottom of the page.

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SG

Ghost's Paint Blog, where everything goes that isn't something else.

For a nicely in depth discussion of the formation go to:

viewtopic.php?f=74&t=22567

:-)

We covered most of the bases there!

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You should take an art.co. if you think it look cool or if you like the feeling of placing three templates over you enemy’s positions imagining the destruction that 9 basilisks could cause.
If that’s the case, then 650 or 600 points will not make any difference. The risk of those 50 points will make the difference between winning and losing (should you be concerned about that) is minimal.

/Jacob