# weapon set up for my Shas'O



## Orochi (Jan 28, 2009)

I'm not sure what set-up to use on my Shas'O,

Im heading toward the standard *Fireknife*, Plasma rifle+missile pod,

but can anyone suggest anything else?

take into account that the 2 man bodyguard will be armed the same way

regards


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## the cabbage (Dec 29, 2006)

It's become the standard because it's probably the best. Maybe a fusion gun or two to tackle those tanks?


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## HighHubris (Mar 16, 2009)

i personally like the twinlinked fusion blaster, plasma rifle, HWMT setup with the 2 bodyguards having the same and tossin in a couple target locks. this setup has to be an HQ due to the hardpoint/wargear requirements so it works out for figuring out how i set up my commanders. both HQ's being this and deepstriking with the pathfinder devilfish reroll can tackle an IG tank company nearly singlehandedly.

and terminator running players have to walk very carefully when they see it sitting on your display board/ in your army box, w/e


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## The Wraithlord (Jan 1, 2007)

> Im heading toward the standard *Fireknife*, Plasma rifle+missile pod,


This is the standard simply because you can't beat it for effectiveness. I have tried many different combos of weapons and without fail the Fireknife wins hands down. It can take out light armour, any kind of armour save, works on hordes and MEQ's equally well, etc, and best of all it can easily stay out of reach of the enemy. Any other setup may cost a bit more or less but all of them will force your precious suits to get closer to the enemy than you should ever want to be with them.

In fact, I have not run a single non-Fireknife configuration for the past 3-4 years. Some people like to point out that a DS'ing suit squad with fusions is great for cracking armour and such but with the new vehicle damage tables it isn't nearly as effective as it once was and you WILL lose said squad almost immediately thanks to them being left in the open.


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## Someguy (Nov 19, 2007)

I'd agree with most of what has gone before. Fireknife is the default set up for any suit in my opinion.

With characters, you do have the option of taking a third weapon and a hard-wired multi tracker. You could also take one of the various support systems that exist for characters, some of which are worth having. It's very common, for example, for people to take a shas'el with +1 BS rather than a shas'o - though personally I think that's a bit boring. I often go with a cyclic ion blaster, airbursting frag or fusion blaster as a third gun.

I see no point in a bodyguard. Just get a normal crisis team and save 10 points on each guy - for no difference at all. The team leader in a normal team has access to special issue gear so I sometimes run one with an airbursting frag projector, since his BS doesn't matter much there. That's as well as his plasma rifle and missile pod, naturally.

These days I'd recommend getting some drones if you are using a commander and squad, or it hurts too much when krak missiles come your way. Fireknives can often use your vehicles for cover though, so a heavily mech force doesn't need as many drones.


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## HighHubris (Mar 16, 2009)

actually DS fusions is one of the best ways to crack armor nowadays. 2d6 armor penetration gives you a better chance at blowing a vehicle than a railgun due to averages, both give you the +1 to damage chart making a vehicle go boom on a 4+penetrating. and if they're twinlinked fusions then you have an overall better chance of blowing a tank than a broadside, only thing is you have to get closer. sure some tactics are involved, but that's what the game's about. and the great thing? you still have 3 heavy support options to fill with hammerheads. fire knife is overall the best i'm not disputing that, but i think that specialization, when it comes to crisis suits, is a major asset.
as for losing the squad afterwards? yeah. but it probably won't be because of any of the tanks you just put out of commision for a turn, if not the whole game. it's come from anti-infantry weapons, which when shot at that squad are not shooting at your best unit... firewarriors.


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## Someguy (Nov 19, 2007)

Right. One melta shot at close range is better than one railgun shot. 

The problem is that you only ever get one melta shot, and only if you are lucky. Also, your deep striking suit only shows up on turn 2 at the earliest, which is too damn late. There's no point shooting a land raider once the assault terminators have already got out and are in close combat. You need to stop the thing before it does its job. 

To do that you need to be on the board on turn one, firing. Fireknife is as good as it is because it gets started right away, blowing up rhinos and trukks *before* they bring problems. Then, as the enemy gets closer they become increasingly effective until at close range their firepower is very difficult to live with.

A fusion blaster is a back up, not a strategy. Deep striking suits near the enemy inevitably leads to the death of your suits, more often than the death of the enemy. The trade off is not worth it.


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## HighHubris (Mar 16, 2009)

Someguy said:


> Right. One melta shot at close range is better than one railgun shot.
> 
> The problem is that you only ever get one melta shot, and only if you are lucky. Also, your deep striking suit only shows up on turn 2 at the earliest, which is too damn late. There's no point shooting a land raider once the assault terminators have already got out and are in close combat. You need to stop the thing before it does its job. again... tactics, you aren't going to IGNORE the land raiders on turn one, you'll railgun them. then on turn 2 your dudes come in and either finish it off or shoot the hell out of the termies that were inside with 3 AP1/2 shots boosted by marker lights while your railguns can then go into pie plates. put in a shas'el and spend a couple points on cheap weapons and a positional relay and they WILL come in on turn 2, unless you fooled around with some dice gods daughter...
> 
> ...


read in the pink  maybe it'd work better if i didn't write inside quotes, but this way i can address all issues that come up. this has been a solid tactic for me for a long time after i realized it.


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## Someguy (Nov 19, 2007)

If there's a crusader full of assault terminators and it hasn't yet got close to your lines, then it can be a fair trade off. I tend to try and build all comers lists though and I don't see how you can use this unit successfully against most of the top armies around at the moment, many of which are all infantry.

My own preference has always been for quite large numbers of railguns backed up by quite large numbers of missile pods, with one or two fusion blasters around the place. Missile pods are devastating to most transport vehicles so I can take away a lot of my opponent's mobility early on. They are also fine for spamming into monstrous creatures and even most infantry. 

If I need to send a fusion blaster at a hidden basilisk or equivalent (much rarer these days now that orks and iron warriors don't have them) then I do have the option, but I'm not locked into doing it by having units who can do nothing else. This is really why I like the third gun option on a shas'o.


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## HighHubris (Mar 16, 2009)

but a fusion/plasma doesn't lock you on anything, you still have a 24'' rapid fire ap 2 kill zone so it lives and breathes being an all comers, since if you take one squad of this you don't need to take another fusion/plas squad. it has the ability to take down the toughest tanks in the game, the toughest infantry and is still capable of 3 shots/suit. Again, i'm not saying it's the end-all be all, but it is a good, solid option and doesn't deserve to be just written off because it requires a little bit extra attention to work well.


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## Someguy (Nov 19, 2007)

You are right and I don't mean to discount it. I'd just recommend a fireknife set up for general use, and for anyone starting out.


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## Orochi (Jan 28, 2009)

So a good bet for going into a tournement would be either

Fireknife (plasma rifle + Missile pod)
or
Death rain (TL missile pod/Missile pod + flamer)

?


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## Wu-Tang-Tau (Apr 2, 2009)

HighHubris said:


> actually DS fusions is one of the best ways to crack armor nowadays. 2d6 armor penetration gives you a better chance at blowing a vehicle than a railgun due to averages, both give you the +1 to damage chart making a vehicle go boom on a 4+penetrating. and if they're twinlinked fusions then you have an overall better chance of blowing a tank than a broadside, only thing is you have to get closer. sure some tactics are involved, but that's what the game's about. and the great thing? you still have 3 heavy support options to fill with hammerheads.


^Hell yes!!! Of course DS fusion suicide teams can work horribly wrong when you roll 1 twice for shooting.... and rolling double 1s for penetration or rolling 1's on the damage chart... all happened to me before :alcoholic::alcoholic:

But when they work they really work!!!! Especially good when IG players hide their friggin basilisks from ya!


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## Wu-Tang-Tau (Apr 2, 2009)

I am a fan of plasma/fusion suits on my shas el and team (I never use Shas O cause it's a waste of points!) cause they will kill anything uber characters you want!!! I especially love using them against souped Tyranid heavy creatures!!!

Just slightly off topic for a sec, I think making twin linked plasma rifles 30 is pretty stupid. Because if ya take a fireknife or plasma/fusion config your only paying 2 points extra for way more fire power!


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## HighHubris (Mar 16, 2009)

I'm always tired after i read your posts wu-tang... there's always so many exclamation points. guess i should use some tactics and have an energy drink ready for when i read what you say. (see how i tied in the tactics to the comment? witty huh? *wink wink nudge nudge*)


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## Wu-Tang-Tau (Apr 2, 2009)

HighHubris said:


> I'm always tired after i read your posts wu-tang... there's always so many exclamation points. guess i should use some tactics and have an energy drink ready for when i read what you say. (see how i tied in the tactics to the comment? witty huh? *wink wink nudge nudge*)


WOOOOOO!!!! Ya got a problem homes?!!!! :angry::angry::angry:






Jokes au  I didn't specify any tactics wif da config cause it's really obvious!!!! Choose a big mofo creature or hero (like dat suckah Marneus Calgur!) and put 9 AP2-1 shots in and watch da homeboy drop!!!!


You know what I am sayin?


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## HighHubris (Mar 16, 2009)

yeah i was just kidding, me = bored = likely to post whatever


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