Interceptors, worth it?

[celestialatc]

I love assault marines...and I now love interceptors. I love the idea that I can suddenly appear 30 inches away from where I was an lay down the pain with N Str5 shots with psybolt ammo. But the question I have is how everyone thinks they should best be deployed?

I am thinking Falchions and Psybolt ammo and in a group of 10 if I have the point. That gives me two combat squads with units with 3 attacks (4 on charge) with STR5 Storm Bolter Shots. Hold one or both units back for most of the game and in the last couple of turns, Shunt them to were they are most needed.

I think Teamed with a purifier army they will be amazing but are they worth it? Are Interceptors just a waste of points and should I just get a Strike Squad or another purifier unit?

[DarkLink]

Take 8-10, and take psybolts. Interceptors won't be in a vehicle so you'll always have the opportunity to shoot, might as well buff it for that cheap. Plus you get the opportunity to shunt into a vehicle's rear arc and pen AV 10 without the need to buy psycannons.

CC upgrades may not be worth it, though, aside from a hammer and maybe one or two other weapons. Those points add up very quickly, and you're not adding any real survivability to the squad. Interceptors aren't really a frontline assault unit anyways. They're a mobile harrassment unit.

[Kawauso]

I'd say their mobility (which is considerable) absolutely justifies their cost/use.

However, as they are essentially fancy Strike Squads, I don't know that I would both giving them much in the way of CC upgrades, personally.

Their strength would appear to lie in their ability to provide additional firepower when you need it, where you need it. So I'd say a unit of 10 (combat squads or no) would be best off with psybolt ammo and a pair of psycannons. Psycannons are great and while its true they are at their best when firing 'heavy' and doubling their shots, they're still assault weapons, and 4 psycannon shots after a 30" shunt is nothing to sneeze at. Especially when you account for the S5 storm bolter shots with psybolt ammo.

Also, don't forget that psycannons can take out vehicles pretty handily as well. If they rend they even have a 2/3 chance of penetrating AV14.

I'd say giving the Justicar a daemonhammer is worth it - simply because it is such a cheap upgrade and, come on, it's a thunder hammer. Beyond that, I personally don't think spending points on close combat weapons is a good call for these guys. Yes, they can handle their own in an assault by virtue of being marines with power weapons, but ultimately I think they'll really whine when providing a highly mobile increase to your firepower.

[fuzzbuket]

hmm anyone else thought about using a 5man unit with fachions? if you are facing a midfield army or a CC army you could shunt the interceptors behind enemy lines and kill the dev/scout/ranger squad holding the rear objective? frankly 5 extra attacks for 25 pts is very good!

[Lemt]

hmm anyone else thought about using a 5man unit with fachions? if you are facing a midfield army or a CC army you could shunt the interceptors behind enemy lines and kill the dev/scout/ranger squad holding the rear objective? frankly 5 extra attacks for 25 pts is very good!

5 or 10, depends on how you understand the rule.

Nevertheless, remember if you shunt you can't assault that turn.

[plawolf]

I plan to have 10, with twin psycannons. I would combat squad them most of the time, and if I take a GM, I would def make them troops.

If I had the points I would give four of them Falchion and 1 hammer, they would be the suicide squad and shunt behind cover so they cannot be shot, then jump and assault some expensive fire support unit next turn. Do not forget that their 'jump' move ignores all obstructions.

The other half will take the psycannons, sit in cover and provide fire support. If they are still alive at the end, they can shunt onto an objective and claim it. Although they tend to die when I do this (surprise surprise), so in the future, I might use grand strategy on another unit and just use the fire support half to contest an enemy objective instead.

I would still expect them to die most of the time, but at least that puts pressure on my opponent to take the effort to kill them or else I am going to be contesting one of his objectives.

[DarkLink]

5 Interceptors in their own is asking for them to get picked off. You shunt them into your opponent's backfield, then his razorback squads will just hop out and rapid fire them, then get back in next turn. Waste of 130pts.

10 (or 2x5), however, are durable enough that your opponent has to take them slightly seriously.


Either way, you're buying Interceptors for their mobility, not their combat prowess. Throwing points at the squad to try and fake a good assault unit won't work. You'll just end up with a 350+pt unit of 10 guys. Interceptors are not durable enough to justify that sort of expenditure.

[EasyC]

Personally I think they are a good choice. I like the NFH option. If you take a GM and give them scout, they can pull off a first turn assault with I6 Force weapons, not to bad to me, but the +1A with falchions is an option also

I am planning on using a squad of 10, with 2 psycannons and psybolt ammo. Even though I wont be making them troops, from the GM, with the scout ability I can get them where I need them and lay down cover fire for the rest of the army and their jump infantry status means I can get them where I might need them during the course of the game.

[celestialatc]

I still like the idea of giving them falchions but maybe you all are right. I will have to try both ideas and see if they are worth the points I sink in.

I do like the idea that have psycannons in a group, I was not even thinking of that but seeing some of the opinions, I think it's a great idea, teleport them behind a weapon platform and get some rear armor shots!

[Bean]

They seem good. As's been said, spending a bunch of points to tool them up for combat doesn't seem like a good idea. Take two psycannons, maybe psybolts, and use them as mobile shooting that does close combat when appropriate, rather than focusing them on getting into close combat.

Definitely take the psycannons, though. They're highly versatile, and very strong anti-tank.