Thanks to Admiral Drax for and admiral 'BIGGUP' on my continuing love of mortars. In response I've compiled the following analysis of where my love for mortars grew from...
This love affair starts way back here: 29th January 2009. At that stage I was in love with the Missile Launcher. Years of shooting down Eldar tanks and blowing up troops had me in love. However missile launchers have to fire direct, and against Pop-out crisis suits, they died badly. I end of losing 7 to 2 on killpoints ... back to the drawing board methinks.
Two months later I'm back with a different idea. Remember this is OLD codex times, pre release. I've got a solid bubble of leadership and I'm bedding in my heavy weapons (no instant kills here!). This time, on the 19th March 2009 I use ranged fire to hurt the opponent. For the first time I get an inkling of just how effective Mortars just might be ... as I start attacking Crisis Suits who are 'safe'. It was a solid victory.
New codex, new rules. And my mind got to reworking my list. The 30 RT era guardsmen got a makeover and were reborn as Mortar Spam. The 25th September 2009 is a crunch point for me. Mortars win me a game through constant attrition and holding their nerve under fire, they outgun Basalisks and hold the home objective. Mortars replace Basilisks in my affection.
Mortars now appear frequently in my lists(5th November 2009), and the comedy angle/risk of pinging my own guardsmen brings some genuinely funny moments - all too rare in 40k.
And on the 28th of October 2009, Light Infantry lives as 5 mortar teams take to the field and I propose the basics of what will become MORTAR MADNESS. Named after a concurrent meta-phase, The Leafblower Lite is born. In this case it blows serious holes in all manner of Saim Hann.
At the start of 2010, On the 15th January the tactic is set. The inclusion of 4 mortar teams in a 1000pt list proves decisive as Mortars and Multilasers see off Space Marine Bikers and Vendettas. This one gentlemen is quite a read. Only the crafty Chaos Space Marine combo, led by the ubiquitous Anarchic Anton manage to beat us in the final playoff, after we demolished Tau, Orks and all comers. (And mainly through duping my team mate, can't trust Chaos players - honest!)
And so now I've fielded Mortars in Apocalypse and many many many games. My game struggles not to operate around the 555pt Rough Rider plus MORTAR MADNESS platoon. Sometimes we take Autocannons, sometimes Launchers and sometimes Lascannons.
WE ALWAYS TAKE MORTARS.
At the start of 2010, On the 15th January the tactic is set. The inclusion of 4 mortar teams in a 1000pt list proves decisive as Mortars and Multilasers see off Space Marine Bikers and Vendettas. This one gentlemen is quite a read. Only the crafty Chaos Space Marine combo, led by the ubiquitous Anarchic Anton manage to beat us in the final playoff, after we demolished Tau, Orks and all comers. (And mainly through duping my team mate, can't trust Chaos players - honest!)
And so now I've fielded Mortars in Apocalypse and many many many games. My game struggles not to operate around the 555pt Rough Rider plus MORTAR MADNESS platoon. Sometimes we take Autocannons, sometimes Launchers and sometimes Lascannons.
WE ALWAYS TAKE MORTARS.
