Top Ten shoot units in 40K

[Colonel Voss]

remember this is based off of his personal experiences. So far, avengers have been very blah around him. But that'll change and he'll have to revise his list.

[Primarch]

I remember that he used to complain about how weak marine bikes are and then between someone at the Osaka 40k Event a couple of years ago and my Mantis Warriors, he was proved wrong.

[me_in_japan]

hah!


hah!



and thrice hah!


badruck, yer talkin' out yer green arse on this one.

I'll post my own list, as requested, but I have to take umbrage at the eldar units' placings.

1) dire avengers are the basic infantry of the eldar. They are not elites, nor heavy support. They are dog soldiers. For dog soldiers, they rock. They can gut most basic infantry with a half decent volley (not even a bladestorm. And that's most basic infantry, not a 30 boyz unit. For the cost of a 30 boyz unit, the avengers can afford 10 avengers, an exarch, and a farseer. Or a Wave Serpent to put em in). Theyre BS 4, Ass2, S4, AP5. They can then also charge into combat. They are one of the (very) few multi-purpose units in the eldar codex. They are also a damn fine tarpit unit AND can hold objectives. They also dont run away. Don't knock em.

2) Pathfinders cost 24 pts each. They shoot once per turn, and thats if they dont move. They might kill a greater daemon or similar, but thats a big might. They also cost more points than aforementioned greater daemon. (240 pts for 10 of em. You whack em with a flamer, and they be gone...) Overall, theres a reason that people dont use em.

3) Fire Dragons. You play orks. you dont appreciate the screaming heebie jeebies this unit causes marine players. Or...do you remember the second time you played me with your 3 land raider, 2 dreadnaught, multiple rhino list? Y'know, the time you almost got tabled?

Right, with that off my shoulders, here's what I consider, off the top o me head, the shootiest units in 40k:

in no particular order:

1) Sternguard - nice and multipurpose, especially scary to greater daemons.
2) Dark eldar with darklance spam. Horrible, for the points.
3) Fire Dragons. To date I have never seen anyone field a full size unit of 10 of these. This is because a half-strength unit will kill anything.
4) Dark Reapers: a unit of 5 of these can wipe out a unit of 10 marines in a single volley. I know, Ive done it. More than once. Against mass GEQ, they still kill lots, just not enough. But then, you dont use em against GEQ, do you?
5) Flamers of Tzeentch. Fast moving, flame template, bugger all armour save or cover save. Horrible.
6) A full 30man squad of guardsmen. Too many shots to stand up to.
7) 5 chaos chosen with plasma guns. Can kibble a ten man unit of most anything. Terminators? not a problem anymore...
8) Marine Devastators/CSM Havocs/Long Fangs (all the same thing): 4 heavy bolters will chew a hole in most things.
9) Noise Marines - as already noted.
10) Destructor spam Seer Council.

Overall, it kinda depends on what youre shooting at. A Dspam Seer council will muller a mob of boyz, or Tau, IG, or anything which is T3 Sv4 or worse. Against Marines, its still not bad. Against tanks, their guns stop working (but they are S9 in CC...). Are we taking versatility into account when measuring our top ten? Or ability to follow up into H2H? its all a bit situational, really...

[Primarch]

Given the vast number of units there are in the game, I think its difficult to rank units since they often have different stats, abilities or special rules.
For example Long Fangs have one more heavy weapon than a Devestator Squad. They pay less points per gun and can split their fire. However, they cannot combat squad and lack the ablative wounds provided by having a bigger squad.

I think that versatility is a key point here. Units which can engage any target are better than super specialised squads. 5 Fire Dragons will kill a tank or a combat squad dead, but will be looking down the barrels of 25 lasguns/shootas if they try to take on horde infantry.

For that reason, I would rate units which can customise their weapon options (Sternguard, Chosen, Chaos Terminators etc) or units which have variable types of fire (Oblits, Missile Launchers) higher than units which have one set weapon loadout.

My pick for best shooty units are actually single models.
Rune Priest with Jaws of the World Wolf (can one shot anything)
Librarian with Vortex of Doom (cos no-one likes S10 pieplates).

[Admiral-Badruck]

I remember that he used to complain about how weak marine bikes are and then between someone at the Osaka 40k Event a couple of years ago and my Mantis Warriors, he was proved wrong.

never thought bikes sucked they are not that great if they were I would take them more often they are nice and I like what they can do but at the top of this I said non Bike units... so again what ever... I notice for all your points on why some units should be on the list you still have not posted a top ten of your own... guess you don't have one..

[Primarch]

I notice for all your points on why some units should be on the list you still have not posted a top ten of your own... guess you don't have one..

Given the vast number of units there are in the game, I think its difficult to rank units since they often have different stats, abilities or special rules.

If you really have to know what I think are the best shooting units in the game:
1. Njal Stormcaller - From turn 4 onwards, he can potentially hit EVERY unit in 12" with d6 S8 hits AND can use Jaws of the World Wolf which can potentially kill any non-vehicle unit in the game without a save.
2. Doom of Malan'tai - It drains the enemies wounds in BOTH players turns and dishes out a potential S10 AP 1 Large blast. Even including the cost of a mycetic spore its still cheaper than nearly everything on this list and twice as killy.
3. Sternguard led by Lysander - Magic bullets plus twinlinked guns makes them the best anti-personnel squad bar none. With their ability to take combi weapons, heavy weapon and other bits and pieces they can and will kill whatever you point them at.
4. Chaos Terminators - Again, the combi weapon option coupled with fantastic armour and power weapons all round.
5. Chaos Chosen/Havocs - Multiple special weapons in a unit is great
6. Space Marine Librarian with Gates of Infinity, Vortex of Doom, terminator armour and the Epistolary upgrade - S10 AP1 blast that can teleport around the board.
7. Fully kitted out 50 man guard unit - Thats 5 special weapons, 5 heavy weapons, 5 plasma pistols and 30 lasguns that can be twinlinked, ignoring most cover or just chucking out an extra 30 shots.
8. Obliterators - Because choosing the best gun for the job has never been easier
9. Tau Battlesuits - Loads of high S, low Ap shots on a unit that can stay at arm's length.
10. Dark Eldar warriors with Lances and Blasters - Will kill most things without breaking a sweat at a very cheap price.

[Admiral-Badruck]

remember this is based off of his personal experiences. So far, avengers have been very blah around him. But that'll change and he'll have to revise his list.

You see Voss knows what I am talking about...

[me_in_japan]

Oooh! aye, stick that bugger Malantai in my list too. Very killy...

[Admiral-Badruck]

MIJ... sorry to say but Dire |Avengers are not cost effective IMHO

As for your list it is a bit Eldar heavy... no particular order WTF are you that indecisive that you cant pick Top Ten units you like to use and hate to face... make a stand have some guts oh wait you are and Eldar Player you cant help but not have any of that stuff... .. I cant argue with any of the things on your list being good I think they are all worth their points... I guess the Eldar Units you put on their work well for you and that is cool but I notice that Dire Avengers did not make your list guess they cant even get love from you... sucks to be that bad really... by all means keep taking D-Avengers against me..

I know just how much Fire Dragons hurt marines they are very very mean that is why they are on the list... Considering the price of path finders I would have to say they are looking less nasty but I just remember them pining all my guys and in one game they not against you but an other eldar player they shot 5 shots and smoke 5 Marines... so much for my vanguard... they are perfect for taking out most things... in the same game they popped my Rhino and pined one of my units of stern-guard... I finally rolled a hit with my W-wind and took them down... but they gained my respect. the dire avengers have done nothing to gain any respect from me in all my games against Eldar. I could be inclined to put Dragons in the place of Pathfinders.. it seems like every one thinks they are better... I just have bad memories of Pathfinders. As not talking just speaking from experience...

Dark reapers are good and I gave lost a fair few games because of them... in my experience they are better in Assaults... as on more than on occasion they have killed a hard core assault dedicated hero of mine..

[Admiral-Badruck]

1. Njal Stormcaller - From turn 4 onwards, he can potentially hit EVERY unit in 12" with d6 S8 hits AND can use Jaws of the World Wolf which can potentially kill any non-vehicle unit in the game without a save.
2. Doom of Malan'tai - It drains the enemies wounds in BOTH players turns and dishes out a potential S10 AP 1 Large blast. Even including the cost of a mycetic spore its still cheaper than nearly everything on this list and twice as killy.
6. Space Marine Librarian with Gates of Infinity, Vortex of Doom, terminator armour and the Epistolary upgrade - S10 AP1 blast that can teleport around the board.

Psykers do not count as shooing in my book but yes these are all great units

As for the rest of your list I cant argue with it the all seem very good.