Razorbacks and 6th Edition...

I've had a few e-mails about me still including Razorbacks in my attempts at writing balanced lists for 6th Edition...

The general gist of them come down to the fact that 6th Editions vehicle rules make them (Razorbacks) much less survivable and that there are better ways to spend your points. I would have to agree (sort of) with one of those statements (the first) but not the second. As regular readers will know, I don't include anything in a 40K list for 'fluff' reasons...they all have a purpose or they don't get into the list, it's simple as that.

Of course simply saying something doesn't make it so and as some-one who has had to listen to people talk bollocks on a subject for an hour or more with their argument boiling down to 'I'll say this over and over again till people either agree with me or start planning fatal accidents for me to make me shut up' I suppose I should justify my viewpoint with actual information*

*A radical idea I know...I doubt it'll catch on...

So What's Changed for the Worse?
As we're all aware vehicles are no longer the invulnerable, scoring, bunkers of safety that they once were and if your vehicle is unfortunate to be in possession an armour value that makes it vulnerable to small arms fire then that's obviously an issue.

One of the main issues for me is that vehicles no longer score. I know that the vehicle itself never did but parking a vehicle with a scoring unit inside on an objective was an entirely viable 5th edition strategy. However even with the more favourable vehicle rules of 5th Edition it was rare in the extreme for a player with Razorbacks or Rhinos to finish with many (if any) intact ones. They were (and still are) a force multiplier for your army. They added fire-power, unit protection or just got in the bloody way and now is no different.

Also, the overall reduction in cover saves (4+ down to 5+) seems like a nerf to vehicles but generally a vehicle in the threat range of an enemy weapon wasn't getting one anyway or was getting one from a psychic power or similar and that was most likely only 5+ anyway. Once you were in melta range it was generally goodbye vehicle regardless.....

What Hasn't Changed at All?
Protecting an infantry unit in an armoured shell (A Combat Squad normally) is as useful as it ever was as getting your scoring unit shot to pieces is never a good idea. I always thought of a vehicle as an extra Wound  and/or an extra gun and that's no different now. When we are talking about five man Troop units we often find that the vehicle beats them hands down for fire-power relative to cost especially in armies that get a points break on their vehicles. Also the ability to rapidly redeploy a unit is exactly as useful as it ever was ;-)

Changes for the Better.
Given the changes in infantry configuration, reduced cover saves (they effect your enemies as well you know) and reduced fire from enemies in transport units it's a lot less likely that your Razorback is going to die to early suicide Melta units. The general trend towards Plasma rather than Melta as an infantry weapon helps in this area as well.

General Tactics.

With a 5+ cover save (from wherever you can), moving forward either before or behind your infantry (as appropriate) is how I mostly use my Razorbacks in 6th edition (and occasionally in 5th).  Unlike other armies such as Imperial Guard and Eldar (and Necrons since the new codex) who stay embarked on their transports for virtually the entire game, Space Marines (of whichever flavour your using) have their ever useful 3+ save to survive with.

This means they can walk forward and fire with the Razorbacks advancing slightly behind them or if their using the Razorback for cover...slightly ahead of them. With even basic troops having options that allow them to kill a vehicle up close and basic Marines being able to just use Krak grenades to destroy your Razorbacks, using them too aggressively is going to equal a dead Razorback for any enemy unit capable of killing it. Your opponent/enemy may take the risk of getting in close and risking being shot to pieces so it's something you have to consider (and lets be honest that's no different from 5th edition either).

Specific Army Considerations.
We should probably do this in some logical order...alphabetically should be fine...
Blood Angels:  Unlike the other Marines, you can easily run Lascannon and Twin-Linked Plasmagun Razorbacks because being Fast, you have the option of moving 12" forward and firing with full effect and being able to toast three Marines (or equivalent) a turn with consistency is a nice tool to have access to. Pouring those three shots into a light transport is damn useful as well for stripping away Hull Points (possibly not as useful as an Assault Cannon version would be for that purpose...I'd have to run the maths).
Black Templars: Realistically Templars have one option with Razorbacks and that's the Twin-Linked Lascannon version. I suppose they're useful to leave camped in the corners for some long range Fire-power but it's unlikely to ever be a vehicle that Black Templars would 'Spam'.
Dark Angels: To be honest I can't think of a use for Razorbacks in a Dark Angels list as their Troops don't really seem configured to compliment them. Having not looked at the matter to deeply there's a possibility I'm wrong about that though...not a big possibility...but a possibility nonetheless ;-)
Grey Knights: Sigh....Do I really have to....okay then, if you insist. Grey Knight are one of the few Marine codices that have a use for standard Heavy Bolter Razorbacks as they can up them to Strength 6 with the addition of Psybolt ammunition and can be used aggressively as they're relatively cheap. They can also make good use of Assault Cannon Razorbacks as additional fire support for the Grey Knights themselves who are probably better used walking in front of them than sitting inside them.
Space Marines: Generally I'll buy a pair of Tactical Squads with a Razorback each and Combat Squad them. One half sits on an objective armed with a heavy weapon and the other half gets a specialist weapon and a Sergeant with a Combi-weapon of the same type and goes off and kills whatever their weapon load-out suits. If moving forward the Razorback gets an Assault Cannon, If acting as Fire Support it gets a Twin-Linked Lascannon or if you want it to be able to do either then your best bet is the Lascannon and Twin-Linked Plasmagun type.
Space Wolves: Space Wolves don't get heavy weapons on their Grey Hunter Squads so a Las/Plas Razorback fills that hole in their weapon options nicely. Of course Space Wolves players can easily get cheap heavy weapons by simply taking Long Fangs...

...Or 'Rifleman' (That's a Twin-Linked Autocannon on each arm) Dreadnoughts. In which case you'd have the option to give them Assault Cannon Razorbacks to advance in rather than the Las/Plas version.

Okay then. That's my guide to why I think Razorbacks are just as viable in 6th Edition as they were in 5th. They just need to be used a bit differently that's all. It's also worth mentioning that a shot fired at a Razorback is one less shot fired at a scoring unit and that is often the difference between winning and losing ;-)

Thoughts and comments are (as usual) most welcome.