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Mandrakes


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Only use I've seen that's remotely viable on any consistent basis, is to place them on the battlements of a fortification and use their BS4 to fire gun emplacements. This is especially viable if the fortification isn't in your deployment zone.

 

Anyone found uses beyond the above that make the mandrakes consistently viable?

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Poor Mandrakes.  GW still can't quite grasp how to make stealthy units effective.  I look at Lictors, Kommandos, Striking Scorpions, and Mandrakes and I see a lot of wasted potential.  Kommandos in Snikrot's formation are good, and Striking Scorpion Exarchs are nice too, but, in general, these infiltrating/melee units are pretty poor.  It's very upsetting, because they are some of my favorite models in both actual models and fluff.  :/

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Poor Mandrakes.  GW still can't quite grasp how to make stealthy units effective.  I look at Lictors, Kommandos, Striking Scorpions, and Mandrakes and I see a lot of wasted potential.  Kommandos in Snikrot's formation are good, and Striking Scorpion Exarchs are nice too, but, in general, these infiltrating/melee units are pretty poor.  It's very upsetting, because they are some of my favorite models in both actual models and fluff.  :/

Scout bikers do it pretty well, with both 12" scout and infiltrate. You can really get into an opponents deployment zone if they fail to place units 18" from both corners. Not really a melee unit, but you can still do the charges.

 

As for the mandrakes, they presently have two save granting abilities (cover bonus and daemon invulnerable), but no real offensive bonus (aside from normal DE high initiative, WS and attacks). Should work fine against no-save infantry, but they aren't cheap enough to use in most other roles. Melee weapon access, haywire grenades, or even just something like that chaos boon table would be pretty amazing for mandrakes.

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Yes, scout bikers can get into an opponent's deployment zone quickly.  Then what?  Shoot a bit?  They aren't a melee-focused unit, or, if they are, are a really poor one.  Also, they can't assault turn one anyway in that set up.  

You forget they have krak grenades stock. They aren't a very good anti-infantry melee unit, but they work just fine against vehicles with rear AV10. I think they still have the rapid fire grenade launcher access too, so you could go that route, or a combi-weapon, or just throwning krak grenades and bolterfire. Not a horrible unit, espeically with some of the chapter tactics (like salamanders).

 

As for turn 1 assault, remember that if you go second, you can assault turn 1. It does mean a turn of hiding, but a cheap unit like that can be hidden reasonably well. It does grant potential for a first blood target, but opponent's will often deal with larger threats over units like this.

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As for turn 1 assault, remember that if you go second, you can assault turn 1. It does mean a turn of hiding, but a cheap unit like that can be hidden reasonably well. It does grant potential for a first blood target, but opponent's will often deal with larger threats over units like this.

Not any more. Now Scouts and Infiltrators can't Charge in the first Game Turn.

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What westie said.  Also, krak grenades are certainly nice, but the change in 7th to vehicles always have WS1 means that it would take 9 scout bikers to take out ONE vehicle with AV10 in the back in one round.  9 scout bikers is what 160ish points?  Hardly a cheap and disposable unit and definitely not much of a threat against vehicles.  

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