Having played a few campaigns now I was pondering on Heavies, are they essential or just a huge points sink?
An average gang with a two heavy load out will often go with Heavy Stubber & flamer. This is often the suggested load out on forums. Those two gang members with just those weapons come to 280 credits. Over a quarter of your gang in two models and that's without any other equipment.
I have run a gang without Heavies admittedly it was Scavvies and they can't take them... and I took two Scalies. But their lack of heavy weapons meant they were not used in the same way as heavies.
Heavies tend to be static and often make you protect them with at least one ganger or juve, so if you play a clever opponent they will simply avoid the heavies line of sight and render him useless.
They can be made more flexible by using Special weapons instead of Heavy weapons, but the loss of higher strength, multiple shots, huge range or a template can lead to them getting less exp.
In my current gang I have a Heavy with a Heavy Bolter and another with a Plasmagun. The HB heavy has earned far more exp than the PG heavy. But that is one of the things I was thinking, with all that exp on the heavy if you play a game with randomly chosen members, and don't get your heavy you can end up taking a kicking.
These are just some thoughts I was having what are your thoughts on heavies?
Heavies are the badasses of a gang - if you don't use them, you obviously don't want your gang to be badass.
ReplyDeleteI find that buying a pair of heavies at the outset is key, and will usually end up arming both of them with flamers to start out with, or one with a heavy stubber and one with a basic lasrifle/autogun/shotgun. Once the gang gets some credits saved up after a few games, then I'll upgrade one or both with better weapons, grenade launchers and missile launchers are particular favorites of mine due to their various payload options.
ReplyDeleteafter using the heavy bolter and missile launcher for the first time this campaign i think at least one heavy weapon is a good investment at the start of a gang, i normally ran two plasmaguns or a flamer and plasma but after tasting the heavy weapons power i dont think i go back even if i run a combat gang
ReplyDeleteI like taking special weapons or a heavy stubber. The ammo rolls on the other heavy weapons are difficult and usually with range and cover you need close to 6's to hit. (This all depends if you don't have a variant rule for ammo checks)
ReplyDeleteI was thinking about heavies the other day (sorry it's taken me so long to comment, just got back into Necromunda).
ReplyDeleteIf you've got a table crammed with terrain, the heavy weapons suffer limited lines of sight anyway, so why not arm your heavies for close combat, they all get access to muscle skills and only Delaque of the original houses don't have access to a second skill table that's useful in combat. I can guarantee your opponent won't be expecting it!
I nearly always run two heavies and only ever one heavy weapon, the other gets a special weapon and maybe a sword if he gets good in combat. The terrain is a huge issue. Not enough heavies dominate - too much no shooting
DeleteI tend to live by the maxim "the sustained fire dice is king". I've fielded a lascannon before (to mix things up) and it was a total waste. A heavy stubber can lay down more shots in a single turn than something more powerful will in an entire game. Sure, it's not devastatingly powerful but one gang member is able to lay down as much fire as a whole group of gangers.
ReplyDeleteLater in a campaign (assuming Weaponsmith, Armourer, and ideally a weapon reload) heavy bolters become the upgrade. Two heavy bolters means four sustained fire dice per turn with considerable range to boot.
The question is - for that number of gang rating points could one buy as many shots?