# IG Ratlings



## Mikeybx (Jul 8, 2009)

What does everyone think of Ratling snipers ? Ive started using them recently and for there price they are not bad in my opinion. They usually make their points back and rarely die however i think there are better things to spend your points on. What does the heresy community think?


----------



## Tim/Steve (Jan 25, 2009)

They are alright, and a bit of fun... but not really gonna do much to justify their place in a list.
Not a bad choice per say, but I wouldn't put them near the top of my IG priorities.


----------



## HOBO (Dec 7, 2007)

If you want and like Sniper Rifles (I don't) then Ratlings are the best way to get them into a list, because they have the same BS as Vets plus all their special abilities, plus are cheaper than Vets so you can get more of them if you wish. The main reason to take them is that you're not wasting a Vet's SW slots on a poor weapon as they should have Plasma/Melta only.

I think they rarely die because they're not worth wasting firepower on, especially if in small numbers of 3/5.


----------



## Fallen (Oct 7, 2008)

theyre good against armies that have MCs that are a bit hard to get rid of in 1 turn of shooting.

or infantry squads that arnt in transports and can be pinned easily.


----------



## arlins (Sep 8, 2010)

coupled with psykers theyre good at pinning units to slow up advances .


----------



## Mikeybx (Jul 8, 2009)

Good points  thanks and what do you mean coupled with psykers ?


----------



## Aramoro (Oct 7, 2009)

Psyker Battle Squads can Weaken Resolve to reduce a units Leadership to 2, then use the Snipers if they wound they force a pinning check which the unit will then fail.


----------



## arlins (Sep 8, 2010)

Mikeybx said:


> Good points  thanks and what do you mean coupled with psykers ?


 coupled with psyker battle squad , squad uses weaken resolve in their shooting phase 
against any unit ( say a big group of marines ) within 36 inch .
If they pass their test the enemy units leadership is reduced by the amount of psykers 
( so if theres 4 , the seargents LD of 9 becomes 5 ) .
Ratlings then snipe them , 
take pinning test if theres any unsaved wounds at the reduced LD.
Works nice with barrage weapons as well .


----------



## HOBO (Dec 7, 2007)

Use a barrage weapon instead of Sniper Rifles...more efficient. It takes something like 10 Snipers to put 1/2 wounds on a MEQ - type unit, and about double that many wounds on GEQ, which is nothing startingly good.


----------



## Tim/Steve (Jan 25, 2009)

Takes an average of 6 ratling shots to cause an unsaved wound on MEQs in the open (raises to ~8 if they are in 4+ cover). That's not bad since 100points will get you a nice large unit that cvan hide out in terrain and cause some havoc.
The advantage of ratlings over barrage is that they shouldn't do enough damage to force a panic check as well... not such a flaw in general but a massive flaw against ATSKNF. Pinning a marine unit is fine, unless you cause 25% casualties, because then they'll need a panic check, which nilla marines will choose to fail (and those under weakened resolve won't pass)... but then they get a free rally and can move normally in their next turn (unless you can get to within 6").

The sniper rifles on ratlins come into their own when you are fighting MCs; sniper rifles are about 6 times better dealing with most MCs then lasguns, and you get the bonus range so can hit them earlier in the game. Better then that though is the fear they'll cause: someone running a NDK is gonna cringe everytime a big unit of ratlings starts shooting at it: a lucky round of shooting and his 2-300 point MC could be a pile of broken machinery and flesh.

... as I said before: an ok choice, but there are better


----------

