For myself I prefer just to play to prevent situations where my models might get backshot, and spend the points up-gunning the rest of my army, but to each their own.
Do I miss something about new Spec.Fire, or is that you missing lack of +3 rangeband on new grenade launchers?
With speculative fire being on an 8, I dont see much use for the grenade launcher on that profile. The heavy rocket launcher is really good as an ARO option, though. That being said, I feel like the cheap version might be the way to go. I like mines, but I feel like that version is so order-intensive that it really wants to be in a 15-model list, which is much easier to do in Vanilla or Dashat than it is in Ramah.
It's actually a mixed bag. It doesn't remove Spec.Fire penalties anymore like it used to (I think?), but between reactive turn legality and removal of WIP penalty it's probably much easier to inflict.
Yup. I'd say it makes the Ghuam LGL a very niche option. The Ghulam LGL NCO, however, remains useful, as Smoke grenades can be fired within LoS without worrying about the Speculative mod. On afterthought: but please keep in mind that in some - rather niche, true - situations, being able to deliver an Impact Template migt be useful to affect more than the one, initial, target, even in Direct Fire mode. For example, AROing a Fireteam on the move. Missile Launcher does it with a bigger ooomph!, of course, but in some (close range) situations GL might be a better choice. And defintiely is cheaper. Bottom line - if you already have it with you, don't hesitate to use it if the opportunity is right.
