Goatboy’s 40k Thoughts: When Did Missiles Become the New Melta?
Goatboy here again talking about the change in the game I have noticed lately. When did the missile launcher become the hot chick in class?
Lately I have seen so many lists with 10+ missile launchers that it is starting to become a thing that if you don’t have them in a list you are doing something wrong. I know as a thought, missile launchers are obviously a lot easier to “build” and maintain in the dark dank future of 40k, but still it is starting to get a little much.
So why are we seeing such a large number of Missile Launchers now? Well a lot of it has to do with how the game has changed lately.
Cheap
Missiles are cheap. They are probably one of the only options for a long range bad touch device that is super cheap. The units that can take them either get them for free or for almost free most of the time. Besides point cost cheap, they are also cheap to purchase as they are usually part of any marine boxed set as well as easy to convert out of the Rhino Hunter Killer missile.
Maximum Effect
There are very few things that Str 8 can’t hurt. Mix this in with a range that is pretty nutty and you got one of the reasons this has become the standard for heavy weapon carrying models. Also the game has become an opera of metal boxes that drive around each other and this weapon can effect all of those pretty easily enough. Even on a roll of a 6 they can cause one of the big boxes to get scared a bit as the explosion might knock off a track or two. The best thing is that a lot of models will lose all their wounds due to their Toughness being 4.
Really those are the two reasons why the Missile Launcher have become the new hot thing in 40k town. So with that in mind how do we screw over all the Missile Tubes of doom? Well lets look at the disadvantages of the tried and true Missile Launcher.
Armor
The Missile Launcher has a big problem with the best armor in the game. With only having an Armor Penetration value of 3 it means most of the time the killiest units in the game will probably ignore the shot on a 2+. You mix this in with a next to nothing chance to pop Armor 14 on a vehicle and you have some options to punish those cheap Rocket Tubes.
The other interesting thing is that the most effective way to field massed Missile Launchers means you have foot pounders sitting on the table. These guys won’t be able to move and fire and this means that just getting to the launcher’s location usually ensures getting rid of the threat. This also means outflanking guys will have a good chance of getting there depending on placement. This also helps with Deep Striking unit to come in and pound the group with massed fire too.
Have you started to have more local players taking the Rocket Tubes? Have you seen the average Space Wolf player take 15 missiles in every army? It really is interesting as the tried and true Missile Launcher was seen as inferior to the Lascannon in the last edition and even into the early phase of 5th. But with the rearranging of the game as the newer codices came out, has this become the new age of the Missile?
