Plasma Pistols: does anyone? Honestly?

[phreakachu]

ive got nearly a full company of imperial fists, with exactly 3 pistols and one gun. the pistols rarely get used, and in the 3 games ive put the gunner in play, hes managed to not fry himself never.

frakk plasma weapons.

[Leviticus Stroud]

I find them too unreliable, and not worth the points.

On a single wound character it simply isn't worth the risk of removing your own squad leader from the battle, even more so if they are carrying any other upgrades- which should generally be considered before spending points on weapons with a 12" range!
On a multi wound character the chances are a pistol is only there for the bonus attack, so you may as use the cheapest option- a bolt pistol.

It wouldn't be so bad if the old 2nd ed rule for the bonus attack in CC from a pistol being made with the pistol's statline was put back into play. In that case I'd probably start taking some...

[Anggul]

Plasma pistols are terrible, but that's because pistols in general are rather useless. They're used to provide +1 attack and that's usually it.

You generally get one or maybe two chances to fire them in a game, and you almost always don't because it will probably put you out of assault range.

Pistols should be similar to hammer of wrath. Make your charge, then fire them. It would represent them firing as they close with the enemy as the fluff says they do, and would mean people would actually use them instead of it being detrimental to your cause.

[spiralingcadaver]

I don't think there's any problem with pistols (basic meltas are the same range, don't get the extra attack, and people take them pretty often for anti-vehicle shock squads). I'd argue that the problem is that GW doesn't know how to (or doesn't care to) price gear appropriate to its effectiveness.

In ye olde codex: CSM 3.5, there was a gear price for basic champions and a separate one for independent characters. An equivalent pricing where things were actually based proportional to context (ex: 4 lascannons across 4 tactical squads is less effective than a dev squad with 4 so should arguably be priced lower) could save a lot of stuff.

[Alaric]

Plasma pistols on the Assault Squad vet sergs Cuz..well..play like u got a pair..and ap2 of course.

[KeyLimePrime]

LET ME TELL YOU ABOUT PISTOL SILLINESS.

Ork Meks have the option of taking Kustom Mega-blastas. Pretty much an Assault 1 S8 plasma gun. It's only about 5 points. HOWEVER. They may exchange it for a Kustom Mega-Slugga, which is a pistol version. For 10 points. How ******* loony is that??

As for plasma pistols, I play Death Guard as well, so they don't off my guys as much as others. I think they're too expensive, but I don't suffer from killing my own guys. But then again, equipping them on plague marines gives me someone nearly as expensive as a terminator.

[Wolfshade]

I like them, but then if I have a plasma gun and plasma cannon, then obviously the sergeant needs a plasma pistol!

They are unreliable, though I was doing very well with not loosing anyone then mephiston failed a couple of perils then blew himself up with a failed gets hot. Indeed, he didn't lose a wound to enemy fire :'(