Devastator Teams

[BuFFo]

Yeah, I am not saying vehicles like Predators are worthless, but heavy support choices on foot are wonderful options that many players automatically pass up without giving them more than a few games with.

[VinceBlack]

Didn't mean to imply that at all, Pred's are still valuable and useful I have personally had more luck banking on the durability and versatility of combat teamed Dev's for my heavy fire support and Pred's for their mobility. I don't trust the bulk of my anti-armor being armor, marines are tough and they have the survivability that I desire.

[chambers]

I personally run one devastator unit w/ 4 ml (most of the time in combat squads). I use the devs to help anchor my back lines and beef up my ant-transport abilities.

And yes I do loose mobility but what I gain in return is a more resilient unit that can take on hoard and light tank with equal ease.

[Chumbalaya]

What? Wait a second....

I take Havocs with quadruple Lascannons. I have also taken Predators as well.

In the first turn of Dawn of War, both units have to move to get into position, and that means move 12" with the tank and fire nothing, or move 6"+d6" with the Havocs and fire nothing. At best, you can move 6" with the tank, and fire one Lascannon, and in Dawn of War, you are most likely not going ot see anything because of night fighting.

So I fail to see how losing ONE lascannon shot in a turn with night fighting breaks Havoks into non usability? I always just run my Havoks into terrain turn 1 anyway, so by turn two, I got my four lascannons firing away as normal.

I respect your opinion, but a vehicle is not better every time. Personally, I avoid the Predator because that thing never moves the entire game anyway.

First off, lol lascannons.

Static fire support squads lose out in 5th because vehicles are more mobile, harder to destroy, and harder to avoid. You stick your Devastators/Havocs somewhere, so your opponent knows they won't go anywhere and plans accordingly. Even then, 4 lascannons aren't going to be knocking out Land Raiders any time soon. Vehicles can move, which is reason enough to take them. Foot squads can get Lashed, PBS'd, and run off the board, vehicles cannot. Foot squads cost 3 times what vehicles cost for no difference in firepower. With cover the way it is, it's impossible for foot squads to really dig an entrenched enemy out. Enter vehicles with mobility to bring nasty stuff like flamers and assault troops in.

I respect your opinion, but play against a couple competent mech armies and let me know how it turns out. I wish I could use Devastators too (I ran 2 squads back in 4th), but they aren't worth it any more.

[Kaar]

Hmm, very interesting arguments from everyone all around.

To Chum's point: I would have to debate the fact that vehicles are harder to kill. While yes, they're more resilient to fire, namely small arms, the modern 5th edition army is usually so kitted out to fight mechanized lists that I've personally found a lot of success going 'against the grain' as it were, and having a footslogging HS choice. Hey, that's great you've got lots of meltas, but each of those only pops one of my men a shot, and I still have my cover... Yes, vehicles can get cover saves too, but if they fail, they could be blown sky high, where at worst, a Dev/Havok team loses one man.

Ultimately, any heavy weapons are very much up to the whims of the dice, I've found. In one game, I had three glancing hits (Immobile, weapon, weapon!) against an LRR in one round of shooting from my Dev's ML's, in another, they couldn't hit the broad side of a Carnifex. I just like to maximize my chances with having more launchers on the field.

[Chumbalaya]

Any army that tailors purely against mech is a poor army. It's not enough to kill vehicles, some armies don't even have them, so a strong balanced list will have infantry killers too.

Problem with static pillbox troops is they cost so freakin' much, have 0 mobility, and suffer from all the problems infantry do (morale, assault, Lash, etc).

[Vince]

Lascannons are not a good anti tank choice with the way the damage chart/cover work in 5th edition. They cost to much and the chance to kill something is to low especially when compared to a melta weapon. You have a better chance at cracking a land raider with a vindicator shot then you do 4 lascannons. I would say if your 2 heavy support choices are a las predator or a 4 lascannon 10 man dev squad leave both choices at home.

Also devastators are at a disadvantage in dawn of war because not only can they not fire the first turn they come in, but at most they can move 6+d6 and are most likely not going to be in a great spot with fire lanes and cover from one turn of moving.

The one use I could see for devastators is if you have a almost pure assault army and you need something to crack rhinos or chims so you can assault the contents. Then I could see running like 7 or 8 of them with 4 Missile Launchers or Autocannons purely for killing transports/dreads/skimmers.

[Chumbalaya]

And even then, Preds, Typhoons and TLAC Dreads would be cheaper and better at it

[Marcus Iago Geruasius]

I take two squads:
1st squad - Sgt w/storm bolter; 4LCs
2nd squad - Sgt w/storm bolter; 4ML

The LCs can crack into almost anything and with 48"s of range the can lays some hvy fire on the board. The MLs are very versatile allowing you to pu 4 blasts on a densely packed horde, or giving you 4 more STR 8 shots at a vehicle up to 48"s away.

The hard part is keeping them from harm, giving them a cover save and good LOS.

[vman]

I love devastor squads because they die easy