Steve54 wrote:
What armour is there that 2 formations of terminators can't deal with ?
Curious what the giant boner everyone has for Terminators is all about. I've never understood why they are so revered for the their supposed anti-armor capabilities. A Steel Legion formation of 13 Russes would laugh at eight terminators, for one. Even a 10 Russ Company would snicker derisively.
So, again, let's walk through this - eight terminators have eight standard attacks and eight macro CC attacks. However, we must remember they can't bring them all to bear at the same time, since I don't see a captain or SC in most Terminator formations. So you have a terminator formation assaulting, let's say with 4 terminators supporting. Alright, let's run through the math.
Let's just be generous and round up and say that 3 standard attacks and 3 macro attacks get through. Then let's say that 3 support shots get through. We have 6 standard hits and 3 macros vs the Russ formation.
1.5 of the standard hits get through the Russ' armor. Then, 1.5 of the macro attacks get through. Let's just average this out and say you get 3 dead LR tanks for your efforts.
Alright, so in this assault, the Russes get to attack back. Four of them are in CC, the other 6 are in FF range. Statistically, 0.66 of the 4 CC attacks land, while 3 of the FF hits land. Let's just call this 3 hits. Statistically, .75 hits will make it through the terminator armor, but for ease of this illustration, let's just say 1 stand of terminators dies.
Moving on to combat resolution, the Terminators have killed 3 tanks, and the Russes have killed 1 stand of Terminators. The Terminators are up +2 combat res. It looks like Pati is taking an SC here instead of a Chaplain, so no +1 for inspiring. And now, the Russ formation still outnumbers the terminator formation 7 tanks to 3 Terminator stands. Oh, my, that's 2-to-1. Now the Terminators are only down to EVEN combat res.
And what you have is a dice-off at this point to see which formation breaks... but I thought 2 Terminator formations were supposed to blow right through armored formations?
Instead, the Space Marine player has spent 800 points to get even odds vs. a 650 point formation. And if you lose the assault, well, there you are with a broken 450 point unit and no more SC re-roll. Better luck with the next unit of 4 Terminators, I guess, assuming you retain the initiative and give it another go!
Even assuming you had taken a Chaplain, you'd have a roughly 16% edge on the resolution.
Even if you do win the assault, well, you've now got 800 points wrapped up in 7 stands that will plod 15cm per move for the rest of the game and have 30cm assault cannon shots. Meanwhile, the 7 strong Russ formation retreats to safety and maybe rallies later on.
If we're talking anti-tank, I think I'd rather spend the points on 12 Predator Annihilators that pump out 36 brutal AT shots from 45cm....
What do you all think? Even if I'm off on a dice roll here or there, I think the point still stands. You've spent a great deal of points on... really, nothing as far as AT goes.
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