Sacrificing Units (a.k.a. For the greater good!) Part 2

"Statistics, Logistics, Economics, Tactics, Luck, and Determination or How To Be A Good Theoretical General." Post 006

"I regret that I have but one life to give for my country." Nathan Hale

Some examples of powerful baiting units:

• Space Marine Thunderfire Cannons
• Space Marine Sternguard with a Drop Pod
• Imperial Guard Basilisk and Medusa Batteries
• Ork Lootas
• Eldar Fire Prisms
• Necron Destroyers and Heavy Destroyers
• Tau Broadside Suits

Units in this category can all considered to be the center pieces of the army they are in, and it is a fact that the vast majority of players would never consider them as units to be thrown away at the cost of potential victory. Nevertheless, this is a solid strategy in games where your troop choices are more valuable or your opponent has an assault based army and you need to separate it to ensure victory.

One of the best units to use for baiting is the 100 point Space Marine Thunderfire cannon. This new edition to the Space Marine arsenal is one of the most powerful anti-infantry weapons in the game for its point cost, and with its different types of ammunition and 60" range it is useful in almost every army. As a sacrifice though, the range and ability of laying down fire makes this unit a great bait for any mobile opponent. Just by simply putting the cannon in one corner of the board (in a building for a +3 cover save with the Techmarine's Bolster Defenses is best) and the remainder of your army in the other corner will put your opponent in a precarious position. To send units after the Thunderfire or to take shots from the Thunderfire all game? Ether way, you can rest assured of victory or draw with this tactic in play. This tactic can also be used with Imperial Guard Basilisk and Medusa Batteries, Ork Lootas, Eldar Fire Prisms, and Tau Broadside Suits.

Another method to using powerful units with the ability to be anywhere on the board is what many call “kiting”, the process of dragging your opponent's unit or units to where you want them to be by using superior mobility (like guiding a kite on a string). The most prime example of a kiting unit are the Necron Destroyers and Heavy Destroyers. This unit, as Jetbikes and Platforms, can move 12” and fire their heavy weapons or Turbo Boost for 24” in a pinch. So a good tactic, similar to the Thunderfire Cannon, is to put them on one side of the board with your army on other. Then using their range and mobility move them to always be just in range (36” for Destroyers, 48” for Heavy Destroyers). If your opponent moves forward after them, just move back to keep them at the edge of your range (hence, kiting).

One other form of baiting/kiting is one that resembles what would happen if someone fired a heat seeking missile in one direction and you light yourself on fire to get it to turn around. This can be done with any Deep Striking unit but is best done by a unit of Space Marine Sternguard in a Drop Pod. Mounted in the Drop Pod secures that the Sternguard well land unharmed, and with there firepower you can drop them behind enemy lines to force your opponent to turn his army around to deal with them (If it's a 1500 or higher game, throw Lysander in the mix and get some re-rolls on the bolter shots).