Resurgence of the Big Shoota

In 5th edition I always equipped my boyz units with rokkits. Statistically, 3 rokkits and 3 big shootas have the same lethality to MEQ, 1 causality.  However rokkits are actually pretty good against AV11, and there was so much of that in 5th that it was simply silly to take big shootas.

Now that the vehicles have calmed down somewhat in 6th, the big shoota is on it's way back. When I was running 1750pts I knocked one unit from rokkits to big shootas just because of points. The more I played them the more and more the big shootas were awesome and the rokkits did nothing because they were out of range. I've done notable damage to infantry with them.  So much so that I've now equipped both units of shoota boys with big shootas. 

Obsolete?

A lot of that has to do with the nob bikers, and the boys just hung back on objectives most of the game. Even without the nob bikers being able to have that total range of 42" with S5 shots against mostly infantry isn't bad. Heck they can even glance most flyers.

I was thinking about trying out a large unit of deffkoptas as an annoying shooty unit. Having T5 and jink might add to their survivability enough where they can come on and shoot and then survive.  Maybe. I was going to run them with rokkits but now I think all big shootas and a buzzsaw is the way to go, keeping them cheaper.  The changes to morale is a big part of that as well.

If I take 4 koptas with big shootas and 1 buzzsaw, they will always try to rally on their LD7. If I take 5 then with just 1 left he would need snake eyes.  Not great odds, but a whole lot better then 5th!

Returning to a tabletop near you?

The one thing I've noted in my games without the nob bikers is that getting to objectives is hard. My perception is that it's harder then it was in 5th, but that may be the nature of 6th ed armies where there is just more anti-infantry shooting.  Koptas add that outflank harassing ability lost with Snikrot but have more survivability then kommandos.  The other option is a wierdboy trying for 'ere we go!

4 of them with a buzzsaw is 165pts, 30 more then a dakkajet.  Unlike a dakkajet though, they are a denial unit and a scoring unit in The Scouring and have a shot at taking out annoying things like Long Fangs.

Buggies however, still suck.  Don't take them, ever.

If I ever break out the kan wall again, big shootas are definitely an option there as well.  Actually, so is the KMB..