# Plasma weapons, worth the risk?



## Iron Warrior Tarn (Jul 16, 2007)

I'm new to the game, so I want to know what you think about this. Are plasma weapons powerful enough to risk blowing apart my entire squad?


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## cccp (Dec 15, 2006)

they only kill the user of the weapon. and yeah, i think they are.


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## Iron Warrior Tarn (Jul 16, 2007)

Are they powerful enough to risk putting of a character (aspiring champion, ect.)?


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## cccp (Dec 15, 2006)

i woudnt put then on an expensive model. but they are incredibly useful.


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## Jacobite (Jan 26, 2007)

Hmm hard one - depends on the user. But as a rule of thumb I would say yea they are.


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## Red Orc (Jun 14, 2007)

I'd say yes too, but only for a basic trooper, not a character (unless you can do something like master-crafting to get a re-roll if things go wrong - thank you Greyskullscrusade!)

I too am working on plasmatic traitors... mine are however counted as renegades ATM, as I'm putting them together using Codex: SM. We'll see what happens when the new Chaos codex comes out, though...

:cyclops:


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## Anphicar (Dec 31, 2006)

Neeeeever a character--all i have to say.


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## cccp (Dec 15, 2006)

@orc - master crafting = waste of points. if in doubt, dont give it the the character in the first place.


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## The Wraithlord (Jan 1, 2007)

Never put plasma on a character like the others have said but on basic troop, hell by all means! I have 3 squads of marines in my chaos list right now and all of them have 2 plasmaguns. The risk of overheating and killing the user is negligible when compared to the killyness (yes that is a word dammit!! ) that they are capable of.


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## Iron Warrior Tarn (Jul 16, 2007)

I'll outfit my chaos marines with plasma guns then thanks for the help all.


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## Engelus (Jul 26, 2007)

I don't mind plasma on a character, especially if its got a 2+ save, and bionics, and mastercraft weapon

the odds are 1:6 to overheat
then its 1:36 to masterly overheat
then its 1:216 to fail the save
then 1:259 to have bionics fail too I say its worth it for the slim risk

if you fire twice its worse though 1:194, however, you should have statistically hit with one of those cause of BS5. regular troops cant hit on a gets hot roll of 1 or 2, but HQ's can

so until I can take a meltapistol I will continue to take plasma pistols.


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## Hespithe (Dec 26, 2006)

I agree with most of the posters here. Plasma weaponry is a good choice when placed in squads. I would not issue one to a character, nor would I give one to a VSgt. Any model that has additional abilities, like a leadership boost to a unit, is too valuable to risk losing to an overheating plasma rifle/pistol.

I play IG, and usually cause more casualties to my own unit via plasmagun overheats (1 Priest, 4 Guardsmen and 2 Stormtroopers w/ plasma) than I do to the enemy with said plasma.


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## Jacobite (Jan 26, 2007)

Hespithe said:


> I play IG, and usually cause more casualties to my own unit via plasmagun overheats (1 Priest, 4 Guardsmen and 2 Stormtroopers w/ plasma) than I do to the enemy with said plasma.


Lol they do more damage to themselves with bayonets than they do to the enemy.


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## pathwinder14 (Dec 27, 2006)

I always give them to squad sgt's or aspiring champions. Gives the unit a little extra tank punch.


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## Bloodhound (Feb 8, 2007)

Yes, plasma weapons are worth it. Just dont take them in combination with a power fist and/or expensieve upgrades or else you lose lots of points if it does overheat. Only because my marine squads have all bolters but for the Searge, he has a PF and a PP for the power. Experiment around and have lots of games to find out what suits you though.


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## Dirge Eterna (Apr 30, 2007)

I would say yes, they are. I use almost exclusively Plasma and flame technology in my army, based on my back history, and it works out rather well. Average of one meltdown per battle, but it really depends on the amount of points and plasma guns you have. The more there are, the higher the likelyhood you'll get a failure.

-Dirge


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## Galahad (Dec 21, 2006)

Put plasma on squad special weapon guys.

Do not put it on your characters (you've got a 1 in 6 chance of giving away free VP and mastercrafting is too expensive)

Do not put it on your squad leader if you gave him a powerfist (and you should have). Too much chance of losing the slugger to a bad roll.

They're perfectly acceptable as squad special weapons, however.


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## The Son of Horus (Dec 30, 2006)

It's not that high. It's a 1 in 6 chance of overheating, and you do get an armor save, you know, so you're only hurting yourself on something like 6% of shots. That's a fair tradeoff, I think.


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## DaemonsR'us (Jan 25, 2007)

Agree that its definately worth it, my plague marines run 2 in the squad and will hopefully be rapid fire'ing them, but if they do overheat, you've got the armor save and feel no pain to get past, and always wondered, Chars with BS5 hit ona 2+, but if they're rapid firing a plasma, or 2 shot a PP, but one shot still hits, but on a 2, does it count as overheating still?
My guess, it hits, and overheats, but never really been sure


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## Elchimpster (Jan 31, 2007)

On power armored guys, I love em, on Tau I LOVE em, everyone else...nah.


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## Das Boogie Man (Aug 26, 2007)

they're definitely worth it if the dude you are putting it on has a decent armour save, even characters. Plasma weapons are only really dangerous if you risk Rapid-ing them because the chances of an overheat and failed armour save is LESS than your terminator failing his save so ->do it. i prefer Plasma cannons which dont overheat as often but has the firepower of a Rapid ranged Plasma gun/pistol. few people know this but Plasma guns make excellent light vehicle poppers as well


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## Galahad (Dec 21, 2006)

Elchimpster said:


> On power armored guys, I love em, on Tau I LOVE em, everyone else...nah.


LOL, well yeah. Tau plasma doesn't overheat.

Call me paranoid, I just really don't like paying 15 points for the chance to wound my IC. Put it on a squadie, sweet. Put it on a sarge, maybe (if I can't afford a powerfist) but I don;t like putting it on ICs.

Besides, you have to pick your roles.
ICs have a high BS, but generally very limited firepower options. They're not usually meant for tank hunting (at least for most armies. Tau are, as always, a different story). They also have good WS, extra wounds and attacks, and access to an armoury stocked with melee weapons.

A BS5 shot at S7 is tempting, but that's not what he's there for. Gear him up for assault and do it cheap as possible, then you throw his ass into the fire. Give him a good meatshield to run behind so he can close in and do what he does best.

Consider the cost if nothing else. If you're using the character properly, chances are you're paying 15 points for an extra CCW most of the time. He'll fire it once or twice, but generally if he;s close enough to shoot a pistol he's within charge range. People scoff at 10 points for a 1 shot Hunter-Killer Missile, but think nothing of 15 points for a plasma pistol that'll barely see more use than the HKM

I guess for me it boils down to Plasma Guns and Plasma Cannons, yes (though cost-wise, you might be better off with a ML instead of PC). Plasma pistols, no. (Except in assault squads and the like)


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## DaemonsR'us (Jan 25, 2007)

MY zerkers Love their PP's  but yeah, dont think ive ever put on on a IC for CSM, and really like plasma cannons, cus termies fear them :twisted:


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## Galahad (Dec 21, 2006)

Sadly, these days plasma has all but vanished from my lists. Not because they're bad, but because of the cost. Seems like a small price hike, but it really has made a big impact on how I pick weapons. Now I have to really think about how much they;ll use it and if it'll be worth the cost.

For my Blood Angels, Melta has completely replaced plasma. Shorter range, fewer shots but lower cost and better taank hunting. In mobile mech/JP list they work great.

however, if I were still running a footslogging/firebase list, plasma would show up more.


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## Das Boogie Man (Aug 26, 2007)

i think the main reason Plasma weapons have declined is because of the 4th ed Get hot rules, in the good old days you could pop off 2 plasma shots PER character and the chance of overheating and dying were relatively slim. now one shot rarely makes the difference to justify the cost over a Meltagun while two shots puts you at risk of dying.


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## Red Orc (Jun 14, 2007)

Galahad said:


> ... if I were still running a footslogging/firebase list, plasma would show up more.


Yup, that's my kinda list, and it has a has a few plasma guns in it - don't think I've got any metltaguns (come to think of it, I don't even know what a meltagun looks like, though my tankhunter vets do have a multimelta - and a plasma gun, which I suppose I might end up swapping for a meltagun at some point); the point being that the 'fire support' tac squads have plasma guns, the 'assault support' tac squads have flamers.

My captain has a plasma pistol. I realise this is a no-no, but *really* this is my son's army, and that's the way he wanted it (by *really* I mean, legally or if his mother asks, it's his army, in terms of time and effort... MINE! ALL MINE! Though I don't get to decide things like 'do you want to give your expensive character a weapon with a dangerous misfire rule?'...

:cyclops:


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## Galahad (Dec 21, 2006)

That's how my BAs used to be. Lots of little fire support teams backing up the JP and mech elements.

But now they've made it so that format no longer works for us, so I had to retool for up close and personal. They even took the flamers out of our regular assault sauads for some crazy reason. 

Now the only useful place for a flamer is on a veteran assault sauad...but you're better off with meltaguns for mobile tank-hunting since they took our las/plas squads out of the picture. Flamers feel like a waste on them.

but then I mostly play vs chaos, so flamers are handy but not vital in my lists.


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## Red Orc (Jun 14, 2007)

Ah, yes... I've not really played much marines v marines, still trying to get my second marine list into shape to play against my first; its mostly been orks or 'nids round here... so flamers are pretty handy.

But when the two lists actually do meet, expect much plasma-related power-armour popping death. As I say, my usual marine list runs 3 plasma guns, my new list I'm working on will have 'cleanse and purify' with at least 4 plasma guns, in all probability. Carnage will result, I hope!

:cyclops:


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## nightmarine (Mar 30, 2007)

(note: i did not read replies, so im sry if these were already mentioned)
#1. it entirely depends on the firer. if its a SM then 9 times out of 10 (well actually 2 times out of 3) he will live. a guardsman isnt as safe, but he costs half the points.

#2 it doesnt blow your whole squad up, just the holder, so i dont really like plasma pistols in my leader.

#3, s7 ap2 is a weapon worth the occasional death, it can deal with almost anything (except the front of a lemen russ or any side of a land raider)

#4 thats about it, its worth it period. i have never been disapointed by plasma (although i rarely use it, i like meltas better)


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## Ordo Xeno Commander (Jan 17, 2007)

yea, ive outfitted both my chaos marine squads with melta and plasma gun, and given the aspiring champion a plasma pistol. and they are nurgle, so +1t toughness, makes em extra deadly at close range


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## Sammus Ventris (Oct 31, 2007)

can you imagine the face of your enemy when you blow away his 10 termies strong unit with your squad of 6 regular marines, ha can you ?:fuck::victory:


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## Ordo Xeno Commander (Jan 17, 2007)

dont forget termies have invun saves. so the chance of say 8 shots hitting (statistically speaking of course), say 6-7 wounding, and then mayb 2 or 3 termis make their saves. thats still a good 4-5 termies left to kick your puny power armour ass


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