Webway portal or "normal" Deep Strike?

Count Adhemar wrote:

Brom wrote:

I'm gonna be that guy and say they generally just ain't worth it. Even for elder. Maaybe 1 as an alternative deployment. For the most part though your just better off starting on the board inside a raider. The opportunity cost of 2nd turn or later arrival plus an additional cost of 35 and an hq if not the compulsory choice is just too much.

For example consider fire dragons.. a very aggressively costed melta unit at 130 with exarch for 6 shots and good for unlocking a serpent. Yet add a 95+ pt wwp portal and the unit becomes a worse version of scourges and is nearly as fragile.

I believe the unit actually needs to have great ranged damage output, durability and combat ability and remain affordable in order to justify the cost over say a flyer.

I would love to be proven wrong since I want the portal to be that good.. I just don't see it that way.

The difference between the Fire Dragons and the Scourges is that the character with the WWP can remain safely embarked on the Wave Serpent whilst the Dragons disembark to nuke stuff and don't stand around in a nice tight bunch waiting for any pie plates, templates etc to ruin their day. They can also run into cover after shooting if the terrain is good for that. Plus, they do more damage and are cheaper than Scourges (in themselves).

While this is true that approach delivers a gunboat right into enemy lines where it has no business being. Rather I'm questioning the value and need for a webway or not. Consider the same Dragon unit + WS. However instead if the webway archon buy a FA raider for the dragons. The WS gets to stay back and shoot, the dragons can fire from inside the jinking raider and can still DS if necessary with a wide berth since disembark + battle focus + fleet gives them huge threat radius.

I really like the idea of dropping 10 Grots with a shadow field archon down in the enemy backfield, and aethersailing or deepstriking the rest. Point sink for sure but what a target to deal with.

dhrakon wrote:

You may be right check this:

BRB pg 162 wrote:

In the Movement Phase during which they arrive, Deep Striking units may not move any further...

further being defined as

Quote :

to a greater degree or extent

meaning they've already 'moved' and the only thing that happens before the movement phase is anything happening at the start of your turn, RAW I can see you being correct.

Doesn't change the fact that the WS that they're coming in is lethal in its own right vs. rear armor. The Fire Dragons inside is just toppings on the cake.

Or the fact that the wave serpent is already lethal without putting it into assault range or exposing itself to rear armour or even getting within firing distance for that matter.
Thats my issue with the webway. FDs already do those things turn 2, turn 1 against aggressive armies. Its an elf drop pod without DPA that requires an IC. Really wish it had turn 1 arrival.