Snipers and The Correct Application

Brokenwolf · Oct 14, 2020

Natsymir said: ↑

I think Haqq snipers took a very hard hit in N4. A large culprit is the fact that their shock damage got much worse, due to all the NWI models having shock immunity now. But that's not the only reason.

Previously, we had one of the best snipers in the game in the form of the humble Ghulam sniper for 16 points. She was a standard feature in all my lists, being able to threaten almost everything due to her range band. I used her primarily as an ARO piece, covering any long but small fire lane. But now that our lists have become limited to 15 models, and Nadir and Daylami are auto-includes due to the damned overpowered link teams that are everywhere, there's no space for her in my lists anymore.

The Tuareg sniper also took a bit of a hit. She was good at surprise AROs against the, in N3, ubiquitous warbands, and placed in a tower, I once had her mow down four or five Taigha creatures, as well as a Noctifer with missile launcher. But now, the game seem to be shock full of TAGs and ultra-hard heavy infantry that she doesn't stand a chance against. She's also eclipsed by the Nadir, as he's almost compulsory due to being one of our few effective tools against link teams. Still, she can do good work, if you somehow manage to remove everything that can easily murder her. But it gets harder and harder to justify bringing her because the Nadir does her thing, surprise AROs, much better. Her low BS has always been a problem as well.

The Lasiq Sniper, however, might actually have gotten slightly better, due to now having MOV 4-4. She was never a good ARO piece, due to her Mimetism -3 not being enough to protect her, but rather an active turn piece thanks to her climbing plus, and her increased MOV makes her better able to seek out those long fire lanes that she needs. She also has the +1 damage profile for 2 points extra, and that might actually be worth it now. I actually had her bring down a Zeta TAG today, however, in the end it was not worth it as it basically cost me all my orders for that round, and the enemy managed to heal the Zeta back up again afterwards. Still, she did manage to both get decent odds against a main battle TAG (it had one shot at 8, she had two at 12 - not great, but I'll take it), and actually take three wounds out of it. Had she had the Damage+1 profile, she might have done even better.

Those are the three snipers I've run in Haqq. The other sniper profiles, I haven't even looked at in a long time, so I can't speak for them. But I'm curious about the Hunzakut sniper. It seems he could get quite positive modifiers out of his Infiltration and Mimetism and Surprise shot, like a very low-budget Tuareg - after all, they have the same BS. I actually wanna try him out.

The Hortlak Janissaire with AP sniper rifle is another profile that's interesting. It costs 10 points more than the Lasiq, which is a very hefty sum indeed - I'm not certain it's worth it. But it does pack mimetism as well as MSV1 and AP ammo, and has BS13, which could make for quite favorable exchanges if you manage to outrange your enemy. Edit: But okay, I guess at that point you might as well pay 4 points more to get Armand Le Muet...
Click to expand...

You might wish to try the Al' Hawaii sniper. In N4, for 2 point more than the Hunzakut, you get a regular order and mine layer.

sololobo · Oct 15, 2020

Natsymir said: ↑

I think Haqq snipers took a very hard hit in N4. A large culprit is the fact that their shock damage got much worse, due to all the NWI models having shock immunity now. But that's not the only reason.

Previously, we had one of the best snipers in the game in the form of the humble Ghulam sniper for 16 points. She was a standard feature in all my lists, being able to threaten almost everything due to her range band. I used her primarily as an ARO piece, covering any long but small fire lane. But now that our lists have become limited to 15 models, and Nadir and Daylami are auto-includes due to the damned overpowered link teams that are everywhere, there's no space for her in my lists anymore.

The Tuareg sniper also took a bit of a hit. She was good at surprise AROs against the, in N3, ubiquitous warbands, and placed in a tower, I once had her mow down four or five Taigha creatures, as well as a Noctifer with missile launcher. But now, the game seem to be shock full of TAGs and ultra-hard heavy infantry that she doesn't stand a chance against. She's also eclipsed by the Nadir, as he's almost compulsory due to being one of our few effective tools against link teams. Still, she can do good work, if you somehow manage to remove everything that can easily murder her. But it gets harder and harder to justify bringing her because the Nadir does her thing, surprise AROs, much better. Her low BS has always been a problem as well.

The Lasiq Sniper, however, might actually have gotten slightly better, due to now having MOV 4-4. She was never a good ARO piece, due to her Mimetism -3 not being enough to protect her, but rather an active turn piece thanks to her climbing plus, and her increased MOV makes her better able to seek out those long fire lanes that she needs. She also has the +1 damage profile for 2 points extra, and that might actually be worth it now. I actually had her bring down a Zeta TAG today, however, in the end it was not worth it as it basically cost me all my orders for that round, and the enemy managed to heal the Zeta back up again afterwards. Still, she did manage to both get decent odds against a main battle TAG (it had one shot at 8, she had two at 12 - not great, but I'll take it), and actually take three wounds out of it. Had she had the Damage+1 profile, she might have done even better.

Those are the three snipers I've run in Haqq. The other sniper profiles, I haven't even looked at in a long time, so I can't speak for them. But I'm curious about the Hunzakut sniper. It seems he could get quite positive modifiers out of his Infiltration and Mimetism and Surprise shot, like a very low-budget Tuareg - after all, they have the same BS. I actually wanna try him out.

The Hortlak Janissaire with AP sniper rifle is another profile that's interesting. It costs 10 points more than the Lasiq, which is a very hefty sum indeed - I'm not certain it's worth it. But it does pack mimetism as well as MSV1 and AP ammo, and has BS13, which could make for quite favorable exchanges if you manage to outrange your enemy. Edit: But okay, I guess at that point you might as well pay 4 points more to get Armand Le Muet...
Click to expand...

Interesting.

Back in N3 shock ballistics were passed out like drugs at a rave, now everything immune. I have to ask CB why even have the rule then. lol But, that’s neither here nor there.

And, yes Daylami did get better; however, when I did field them back in N3 they couldn’t hit the broad side of a barn it was embarrassing.

So, from the comments, Haqq and snipers is a fools errand when I thought it beats the basic rifle for half a SWC. This leaves me with HRL/ML for ARO. MG/Spitfires w/ AP for active turn. HDs for TAG/HI. And, cloak and dagger units with mines for more abstract cases. Good to know.

Knauf · Oct 15, 2020

Don't disregard the value of a B3 AP/Shock sniper rifle in active turn. Haqq doesn't have AP HMGs and AP Spitfires cannot threaten a target at long range.

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Snipers and The Correct Application

Brokenwolf Protector of the Search for Knowledge

sololobo Well-Known Member

Knauf Transhumanist

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