3 Blaster Born or 4?

I'm curious as to how many most people take? Do Archons out there take 4 blaster born for the added reliability of popping a vehicle in one volley or is it not worth the extra 27 points?

I think 4 per squad is definitely the way to go, three is just a bit too fragile for me. Of course, it all depends on how many points you have available.

I used to take 2 squads of 4 Blasterborn in Venoms, but in my current list I have just one squad of three accompanying a Blaster Archon. Reavers replaced the 2nd squad.

I like 3 myself. Certainly less reliable I usually take those extra points and diversify my Blaster/Dark Lance holdings. More targets, more angles, more redundant. I can totally see the flipside though.

I go with four almost every time, though this probably has more to do with me needing 10 dark light shots to strip a hull point off of a Rhino

I run 2x3 myself. Cheap and still dangerous. Lately i have taken to giving them haywire grenades as well... its just hillarious when the venom moves 6", they disembark 6" shoot 3 blasters at a tank/walker then charge it and finish it off!

Massaen wrote:

I run 2x3 myself. Cheap and still dangerous. Lately i have taken to giving them haywire grenades as well... its just hillarious when the venom moves 6", they disembark 6" shoot 3 blasters at a tank/walker then charge it and finish it off!

Haha, that sounds annoying to receive.

I think I'm going to add three blaster born to a new list I'm making. It'll be my first tournament list and is 1,250pts. I'm looking forward to trying the combo of Reavers and Blasterborn.

3 as well here, its almost an annoyance for my opponents to shoot at my mini ravagers as I like to call them Especially if they have disembarked into a 4+ cover.

Darkgreen Pirate wrote:

3 as well here, its almost an annoyance for my opponents to shoot at my mini ravagers as I like to call them Especially if they have disembarked into a 4+ cover.

Do you often disembark them then? I guess it limits their mobility but allows the Venom to move 12 and fire. Also creates two targets for the enemy.

4x is ofc the best, but you can easily go down to 3 to save points. You dont lose much effectiveness overall in the list.

In the past couple games Ive played (against nurgle marines and codex marines), the blasterborn suffered a LOT from losing the ability to fire while moving 12.

You guys still like them?

I've done both lots. usually 3x3 units with blasters in venoms. if I don't do that then I oftain do 2x4 tb with blaster in venom. just depends on what I feel like.

mug7703 wrote:

Darkgreen Pirate wrote:

3 as well here, its almost an annoyance for my opponents to shoot at my mini ravagers as I like to call them Especially if they have disembarked into a 4+ cover.

Do you often disembark them then? I guess it limits their mobility but allows the Venom to move 12 and fire. Also creates two targets for the enemy.

just so I'm clear on this; a venom with blasterborn can move 12, fire both cannons, and have the blasters fire at normal BS because they're assault weapons.

Noob question there but I just wanted to be clear on it before I played it incorrectly.

You cant, you will fire snapshots in this case and status of weapons wont mean much here.

The only way to get 12 move and fire is move 6 and disembark 6 and then fire.

I have 2-3 units and 3-4 depending on the points, i like to run grots so they normally take up my other elite slot.
I normally deploy them as far forward as possible, move 6", disembark 6", fire 18". The 30" threat range is pretty good and you can normally get some shots off at a vehicle or two turn 1.
If they stay alive after that its a bonus! i often end up with a guy on his own pooping off the odd marine .

mug7703 wrote:

Darkgreen Pirate wrote:

3 as well here, its almost an annoyance for my opponents to shoot at my mini ravagers as I like to call them Especially if they have disembarked into a 4+ cover.

Do you often disembark them then? I guess it limits their mobility but allows the Venom to move 12 and fire. Also creates two targets for the enemy.

It depends on the game really, If i think its valid to do so I will. Like I dont "need" the Armour punching/vehicle killing and want a denial/annoyance unit, or I want to embark something else, or even have them assault I have been spending the 3 points to give them plasma nades lately.Just cause I have the points and can be a nasty surprise for my opponent.

Not to delve into the mathhammer but on average 3 trueborn hit just over twice, and wound little less maybe,whereas the venom wounds on average 4 times. I stop there, cause it depends what you are shooting at!

The 3 man 18" shooty range forms a nice 3 foot bubble, and most opponents are loathe to shoot them as they can go to ground and suck up a disproportionate amount of fire. It is very situational but it can be valid.

Darkgreen Pirate wrote:

mug7703 wrote:

Darkgreen Pirate wrote:

3 as well here, its almost an annoyance for my opponents to shoot at my mini ravagers as I like to call them Especially if they have disembarked into a 4+ cover.

Do you often disembark them then? I guess it limits their mobility but allows the Venom to move 12 and fire. Also creates two targets for the enemy.

It depends on the game really, If i think its valid to do so I will. Like I dont "need" the Armour punching/vehicle killing and want a denial/annoyance unit, or I want to embark something else, or even have them assault I have been spending the 3 points to give them plasma nades lately.Just cause I have the points and can be a nasty surprise for my opponent.

Not to delve into the mathhammer but on average 3 trueborn hit just over twice, and wound little less maybe,whereas the venom wounds on average 4 times. I stop there, cause it depends what you are shooting at!

The 3 man 18" shooty range forms a nice 3 foot bubble, and most opponents are loathe to shoot them as they can go to ground and suck up a disproportionate amount of fire. It is very situational but it can be valid.

Awesome man thanks! I'll consider that tactic when I test run them in a couple of weeks. Also, do you ever give them HWG as they can finish off tanks they don't kill pretty reliably if they're in assault range.

as silly as it sounds after giving them plasma nades for 3 points, I wont give them HWG for 6. Then again I usually play at 2000 points and have a silly amount of lances for my local meta, where mech is not the order of the day. Also, I disembark them into cover and typically not close enough to charge. If something nasty is bearing down on them, I'll run away or use my opponents mistake to get behind and out manouver him. After all, the squad is sub 75 points in a 2000 point list!

I know there is alot of discussion about in or out of the vehicle what with all transports causing S4 on an explosion now,as being damaged on a 4+ in 5th is a 3+ now. That increase however is only an increase of 1 in 6. I dont worry about it that much, T3 is still harder in a vehicle most of the time.

As long as they are just in "annoyance" range, as opposed to "omg, those guys are wrecking face" range they can be very effective out of their venom. A fun unit to run as well is three man trueborn with two splintercannons.

I think I'm liking the idea of Trueborn with Haywires.

It would be tempting to go 3-4 dudes, 2 splinter cannons, and haywires to fill the dual role.

Generally Blasterborn have felt very... eggs in on basket. That 81 points for 3 guys with no saves to speak of is kinda pricey. I mean... for 3 more points you can get a 22 wound beast squad that can also put down vehicles.