Footslogging DE?

Just wondering if anyone has successfully run a DE list with a lot of Kabalites on foot. It would look sweet, and could probably gun down some mobs.

My concerns would be that we do not have the right units to support such a static army, as our biggest asset is mobility.

Still, it could look cool

I'm thinking this may be the only time that the realspace raiders detatchment benefits would become useful.

It would definitely look good.

It would definitely get stomped by any decent opponent. It's not just that mobility is a DE asset, it's a necessity due to their fragility. The only way a glass cannon army can work is by overwhelming firepower combined with minimisation of return fire.

If you've got big squads of 10-20 warriors on foot, they have no way to force their firepower onto their opponents in one particular place, and they'll get whittled down by incoming fire as they try to advance.

I would say this is only viable in Cities of Death, where there is so much terrain that vehicles have a hard time moving about safely.

I think it's harder now that you can't spread Haemy's around like you used to for FnP (or, in this case, the buff to PfP).

Even at T3, Kabalites are surprisingly durable with a 4+ cover and FnP. Even 5+/5+, for the points, is quite good.

I would imagine you could do some interesting things with one large blob led by a Haemy - look at Mushkilla's Ramblers list for how to use large, durable brute squads effectively (read; without transports beyond WWP). Setting up the board favorably for a walking unit (with regard to objectives) can make a unit like this quite viable - it's size would allow it to easily contest 3 objectives on each turn (yes, you have to pick one, but you'd be in position to fire to full effect and pick which of the 3 you need). With an ObSec unit that's decently hard to shift? And late game fearless, and even Rage if push comes to shove?

Interesting.

jbwms713 wrote:

look at Mushkilla's Ramblers list for how to use large, durable brute squads effectively (read; without transports beyond WWP).

Hmm, not sure how learning to use a durable, high toughness, multi wound unit with no shooting power helps you to use a fragile, low toughness, single wound unit of gun-carriers?

4+ cover on the unit I agree would be good, especially when combined with FNP, but as cover saves are taken on a model by model basis that means you have to have the whole unit 25% obscured to gain the benefit, which usually means cramming them close together, which means making them an ideal target for ignores cover template and blast weapons (whirlwind, flamer are the two that immediately spring to mind, along with the wave serpent of course for denying you your FNP as well).

Add to that, if you've got them in cover you limit your movement still further thanks to having to roll 2D6" for your move (which fleet doesn't affect), meaning you'll have to rely on running more often, which then means you'll not be able to maximise their shooting, which means you won't do enough damage to offset the inherent fragility of the unit.

Don't forget also that fearless is a double edged sword, because it means you can get stuck in combat against units you can't hurt, and you can't go to ground to take advantage of a cover save. Also, regarding combat, small units of durable enemy assault troops become incredibly dangerous to your plan, because they pull your whol unit off an objective as it's so spread out and you can't not pile in. Your only advantage in combat is numbers, which you've squandered by spreading out in the first place to cover multiple objectives - basically you'll have a 3" pile in to get as many models as possible within 3" of an enemy (ie - within 2" of a model within base contact) so basically anything more than 6" away from an enemy at the start of the combat won't be fighting.