Hellion? Hell yeah!

The Hellion has improved greatly since the last codex, but I cannot help but feel it is still missing a little something.

I suggest that with +1 attack on the charge (to improve the utility of their hit and run) and the ability to charge after advancing (giving them some extra speed), they would make a damn solid horde-breaker assault unit.

Thoughts on this concept?

Give them something to protect them from ranged attacks (like the old PGL used to) and they'll be absolutely golden.

Agreed. They went a good direction with Hellions, I just feel they could stand to go a little further.

Yeah I really love the hellions.
But the high price tag with the survivability is insane.
Hell orks sure are slightly slower (although not much since they can advance and charge). And they cost 8 points each. They lose out on the shooting, but gain some t and attacks. Not saying we are not better, but we are also not twice as good. And we cost more then double.

i always believed that -1 to hit would be critical to make them viable at 17 pts. giving them invuln seems too similar to an "hail mary" save.

I think being able to Charge after Advancing would make a lot more sense for Reavers, who strike me more as a direct-strike kind of unit. Hellions are harriers, their main tactic being to hit and then run. Thats why they have the ability to Charge after Falling Back, which works for them much better.
I'm not even sure an extra attack is really justified considering they COULD have that from Combat Drugs anyway.

I think their main role, at least in fluff, has always been to strike and withdraw, to annoy and distract. As a result, I think if they have an ability to reduce the BS of a unit they Fall Back from it would make a lot more sense.

I honestly think Hellions could be allowed to fall back after they attacked, in the combat phase. You know, the old Hit and Run.

As for Reavers, i'd rather see them deal mortal wounds when they advance over a unit.

The thing is that at 17 points per model with the durability of a 3 point model (the conscript, who can now also have strength 4 for their 3 points), the Hellion needs to be incredibly fast AND incredibly hard hitting to compensate.

I would almost suggest making their guns rapid fire two rather than assault two while still being able to fire while advancing AND giving them an extra attack AND give them the ability to charge after advancing, given how frail they are for their points. They need that offensive power and speed to compensate, because they die fast if anyone can strike back.

So you want them to be a super hard gamble : something that dies as a conscript, but costs almost 600% of its cost, but hits super hard.

Since Hellions are, in fluff, not an elite unit at all, and are actually some wretched scum that can only afford some weird flying junk, i'd like them to be more expendable, so here's my take on them :

- 12pts
- Offensive abilities : just like they are now. 3 S4 D2 // 2 S5 D2 is nice, really.
- Can charge after advancing
- Hard do hit
- Some special rule for Stunclaw

And most importantly : troop choice. They are scum, they should be easy to recruit and field.

oh yes, make them troops! a nice alternative to wiches i'd say!

Archon Rixec wrote:

oh yes, make them troops! a nice alternative to wiches i'd say!

And give our HQs a skyboard option. Maybe give them some kind of AV option, too. Hellion gang army!

I would really love a hellion gang army.

I really like hellions, even though right now they are very expensive.
(Initially hellions where quite nice when people in my area did not know what they could do, now people just shoot them out of the sky and they die in droves)

It's not like jump pack assault troops getting access to special weapons is without precedent. I'd love to have the option of replacing splinter pods with something like twin heat lances (assuming they become viable) or the like to let them crack open transports before mincing the poor sods inside.

The thing is... reavers already have that role.
I'd rather see those 2 units not overlap. I think they are supposed, lore-wise, to be used hand in hand, and i kinda like how reavers are supposed to wreck tanks and elite while hellions wreck infantry.

The problem is that they are both overcosted, to different degrees.

Well lets hope they listen to our letter