Help me deal with OVERWATCH

I am just getting back into gaming after a short absence. I have always concentrated my efforts on the assault phase, but I find I am losing too many models to OVERWATCH for my assaults to be effective. On a ten man squad, I regularly lose 3-5 models, which seams high. I know I will need to re-balance my list to focus more on shooting and less on assault, but I don't want to abandon my Wych units.

The only counter I have found is to assault with a tar-pit unit like Wracks or Wyches and then bring in an Archon/Succubus/Heamonculus/Incubi the next turn.

Recently I thought about charging with the Transport first. Hoping the Raider/Venom will survive OVERWATCH then declaring a charge with the assault unit it was carrying. I have not been able to try this in game yet. (and it might be a little cheesy.)

My most common opponents are Primaris Marines, Adeptus Mechanincus, and Tau.

How is the rest of the Dark City dealing with OVERWATCH?

What are they firing to get that many hits on you?

Off the top of my head

hit them with a Haemonculus with vexator mask first - stops overwatch
charge from out of sight so they don't get overwatch on you - easier if you're playing ITC

Rapid-Fire weapons and Flamers seam to be the worst. My opponents always get lucky on the hit rolls during Overwatch.

CHARGE FROM OUT OF SIGHT! Of Course! It's so oblivious, I can't believe I didn't see it! (See what I did there? )

OVERWATCH happens when you declare the charge, not when you move the models into base contact, so if no line of sight when declaring, no OVERWATCH. Please fill me in if this statement is not correct in any way.

This is the answer I have been looking for, and should help me bring back a strong Assault Phase. Thank You.

Archon wrote:

I thought about charging with the Transport first.   (and it might be a little cheesy.)

Since when is making a smart move allowed by the rules cheesy?
I ALWAYS charge my raiders in first. It is ridiculous not to.

A good tactic for spots without terrain to block line of sight, then!

Charge from 8.1 inches. No flamers. Still requires an 8+ to charge. Shouldn't be a problem with rerolls.

Clawed Fiends are basically made for absorbing Overwatch.

All else fails, send in the Archon first. Shadowfields are way more durable than anything our other melee units have.

Great advice fellow Archons/Succubi. I haven't played many games in 8th yet, but no matter how bad my opponents dice have been when rolling for Overwatch those 6's keep coming up like crazy! And, I haven't quite got my head out of 6th/7th edition, yet.

Thank You all for such quick help!

harleys have a relic, vexator mask (prophet of flesh on heamy), banshees from eldar, (there is an HQ with a bansheee mask as well), charge out of sight (my fav), charge with the transport (most commonly used plus our transports arnt terrible in CC)

As I have heard, once you are in a ruin you cant' shoot out of it but also can't be shot at but still can charge out of it.

Or was that only in ITC rules?

I've never heard any such rule, it's certainly not a normal rule for ruins

ITC rules are that bottom floors of ruins are "magic", and you cannot shoot into/out of. But that is ITC only (cant find the link, this rule is not mentioned in the Rule Pack).

Please dont forget that the Vexator Mask does not shut down Tau shooting For The Greater Good (where units within 6" get to shoot also), only the unit you are charging with.

Yes, you 100% should be charging in with your venoms/raiders before your squishy troops attempt a charge. You will occasionally loose a vehicle, but our vehicles get their S4 AP-1 attacks which can put an additional wound on the enemy (and you are legally required to laugh maniacally when this happens).