Getting the most out of - Warp Talons

[Harley]

Put them on bikes, they do a bit better.

[Charon]

Soft targets are no fun

Besides, Warp Talons are somewhat maligned, usually when compared to competing slots. This is about trying to look at them in objective isolation, so people might be better informed about what the unit is actually capable of

There is no "objective isolation" as units do not operate in isolation.
Viewed in isolation the farseer is a terrible unit. In concert with other units he becomes an excellent unit.
You could probably make them work in a psi heavy daemon army as MoT and cursed ground will give them a 3++ while multiple fast moving threats could up their chance of not getting shot at.

[Mr Mystery]

Oh but I beg to differ.

Warp Talons and Mutilators, viewed on their own, are fairly potent units. And to someone wanting to explore them, you have to look at what that unit can do on it's own.

Once you understand that unit's capabilities and restrictions, you can start to look further afield at synergies within the army.

Remember, this isn't about trying to convince anyone they're actually super-duper-hard and the victim of some conspiracy to stop people using them by opponents. All too often, whilst there are good reasons a unit is lesser spotted on the field, it becomes a perceived wisdom. With these threads, I'm picking on the most maligned units to discover whether they are as utterly bobbins as we think (Pyrovore), or actually pretty good, just out competed (Mutilators and Warp Talons).

Less meant for established gamers, more for people looking at starting that army

[marful]

Oh but I beg to differ.

Warp Talons and Mutilators, viewed on their own, are fairly potent units. And to someone wanting to explore them, you have to look at what that unit can do on it's own.

How exactly do you make that evaluation? Doesn't it require a comparison of some sort to decide whether one is more potent than the other?

Even looking at Warp Talons from a purely mathematical perspective (mathhammer!!!!) they fail to live up to their points when compared to Raptors.

30 Points per model (34 with mark of Slaanesh) vs. 17 Points per model (19 with mark of Slaanesh)

Raptors are 56% the cost of Warp Talons, have a shooting attack, get access to Icons (like the Icon of Excess!), Melta Bombs, Special Weapons, Frag & Krak grenades and cause Fear also.

Once you understand that unit's capabilities and restrictions, you can start to look further afield at synergies within the army.

The one exception where Warp Talons shine, and by "shine" I mean make absolute dog meat out of something, is when you take a mark of Slaanesh, and then assault a MEQ unit. The effectiveness of such a unit when it closes is disgusting (and by disgusting, I mean gleefully satisfying, hehehehe....).

But then again, a fully kitted unit of such Warp talons is 340 points... which is coincidentally exactly the cost of two Heldrakes with Baleflamers. Which is also a Fast Attack slot.

Which do you think is a more effective troop killer? Which is more likely to close and wipe out a unit?



I should note at this point, that I was given by a friend a box of Raptors/Warp Talons. I elected to make Warp Talons because of the following:

1.) I play against a lot of MEQ's, so having a unit of power weapon equipped, 5++ save assault troops was the better choice than Raptors.
2.) They look freaking awesome.
3.) At the time I felt that CSM was lacking in ap 3 capabilities.

I've actually used them in 3 games. In two of those games, they completely decimated the opponent. (Tau and Iron Hands). As soon as an opponent realizes you have a full unit of dual wielding lighting claws they become a target priority. The third game (Crimson Fist), they failed completely and were a waste of points. I spent quite a bit of effort trying to deliver them to my opponents lines, and by the time I finally did close, he had whittled them down so much they weren't capable of effectively destroying the enemy unit.