Rough Rider Questions

[PedroKantor]

Hey there,
Bout to paint up a 5 man squad of Rough Riders and had a couple questions as i've never used them before.
1st- Calvery. So it states they move as infantry (6 inch movement), that they have fleet (d6 inch run movement in the shooting phase) and a 12 inch charge. so they do have the potential of a 24 inch charge?
2nd- Hunting Lances. it states that they count as a strength 5 initiative 5 power weapon on the charge and can not be used again. Does this mean they can only be used once per game or once per charge? seems to be worded towards the former, but just want to clarify
3rd- Any IG players take the 2 optional weapons (melta, plasma, flamer) instead of the lances. This is definitely a preference thing, but would love to hear how people who use Rough Riders, actually use them.
Thanks ahead of time!

[blackarmchair]

1. Yes - exactly - just carefully read the rules on charging through difficult terrain; they roll 2d6 and DOUBLE the best result. Example: you roll a 3 and a 5, 10" is your charge range (double 5).

2. Once per game only.

3. I wouldn't take any. To be honest, given that you have Hellhounds and Vendettas I don't see much of a role for Rough Riders in an IG list especially given their lackluster statline (WS/T3 with 2 attacks on the charge is not great). They ARE cheap and they CAN do some one-hit-wonder kind of damage provided you take a larger squad. To make them hit hard enough to be worth the slot you might as well just pay the 10-20 extra points to get the Vendetta or a friggin Bane Wolf (that thing will KILL marines like it's nobody's business).

Good luck with them though, what models are you using?

[PedroKantor]

Good luck with them though, what models are you using?

Thanks for clarifying those points.. The only reason I am even thinking bout using them, is i've been building and AdMech Guard Army for some time and just purchased 5 of these little awesome models... http://www.shop.microartstudio.com/iron-brotherhood-ltru02-p-172.html
and figure they would convert up nicely. My other thought is to make em into heavy weapons squads similar to the ones i built http://www.lounge.belloflostsouls.net/showthread.php?t=7205&page=2 here (scroll down a bit). but already have 9 lascannon versions of those, so don't really want or need any more...
even though no-one seems to take em these days, i still probably will just take just for a cheap harrassing unit that maybe just tries to contest objectives.. I do agree a hellhound would be better though ;)
Thanks again though

[blackarmchair]

Those are pretty sweet! I'm digging the mech'd out look you've got going, you can't really go wrong with Imperial Guard anyway. I'm pretty sure one could post the codex pages on the wall, throw darts at them and come up with a pretty respectable army. Rough Riders are definitely a cool unit too.

[Culven]

I have used Rough Riders on a few occations. They tend to be a one-use weapon, especially when taken with only Hunting Lances. I prefer a 10-man Unit with two Meltaguns. Then they can, in theory, have a chance at popping a Transport and then Charging the now disembarked Unit. If they manage to actually win the combat, then they are left as a Unit of two Meltaguns with some ablative wounds and some, though limited, mobility (extra mobility can be gained by charging enemy Vehicles).

[Capn Stoogey]

You're pretty game writing about rough riders on here! I've lost count of the amount of times I've seen people crapping on about how Rough riders are "Teh suck"!
Whenever I see that I just think they either enjoy recycling received opinion or they simply use them wrong.
My regular opponent usually takes a squad of 5 and they are normally quite high on my kill priority list. They have killed many a Marine, and even several Termies. You do NOT want to be on the receiving end of a Rough rider charge!:(
Oh, and on the subject of Banewolves vs Marines... If you see one across the table from your lads in power armour, kill it, kill it quick!:)