N18 Delaque, low model count, how low is too low?!

[plainoldandrew]

Hello hive mind!

I'm starting a Delaque gang and am looking for feedback.

https://yaktribe.games/underhive/gang/oculos_tenebris.45151/

Issues I know about but would like to hear your thoughts on:
- I've gone too heavy on Photo Goggles and Gunshrouds
- Could probably drop the Stiletto's on the champs
- Could probably also forgo the Mesh armour on the Leader and Champs
- Flame pistol could probably be dropped in favour of something more useful, but what?
- Overseer could probably be replaced with something more useful. I feel like a small gang needs to conserve it's activations instead of blowing them all in one big push. Maybe Backstab to stack with the Web Gauntlet?

Things I'm mostly happy with but would appreciate a second opinion about:
- Gunshroud and Infra Sight on shotguns seem good, especially with the Marksman skill for the spicy extra damage (on a 6)
- Smoke grenades for their utility

Other points for discussion:
- Grav gun/Photon Flash Flare combo, worth it or not?
- Gang tactics I forsee being used heavily are Vanish, Perfect Disguises, Darkness Descends, and Eyes in the Dark.

Discuss

 

[UnderhiveGangstar]

One thing that stands out to me is that you have photo goggles and infra sights on several models. This is pointless as the way they are equipped, one of the two items is wasted. They are not the same, but the differences between them are wasted on your loadout.

The infra sight gives you the night vision ability like the photo goggles, but also gives you shooting bonuses. The downside is it is only attached to one gun (shotgun in your case), and costs more. If you needed to switch weapon, you could no longer shoot though smoke etc. The photo goggle gives you night vision for all your weapons, but no bonuses to hit. It is cheaper than the sight, especially so for Delaque.

As you only have one gun on these models, you don't need goggles and a sight, just take the sight. The goggles are totally useless, until you have additional weapons without sights. Or keep the goggles and lose the sight to save more money, and get additional weapons now.

Gun shrouds are nice but of limited use, and I wouldn't buy any from the start to be honest. As I assume you don't want to take a larger gang, I would say the rest of your list is fine. Just spend the saved creds for the goggles/sights on more guns or grenades.

 

[Fejwe]

You'll need to add at least one ganger for this list to be legal. The number of gangers has to at least equal the total number of other fighters (leader, champs and juves).

 

[BranBuccarcher]

You can get away with 6 but going lower means you will have issues as soon as anyone gets shot....
As Fejwe said you need another ganger, apart from that with regards your questions:
Infra sight and gunshroud on shotguns is a must on my gangers, makes darkness descends truly punishing for an opponent. The photo goggles are only better if you play the Eyes in the dark tactic as well as darkness, but only against targets in hard cover.
Mesh armour is great if expensive at first and I would keep at least a stiletto on champs as can help if in combat vs a goliath, web gauntlets are better vs everyone else but pricey. The instant down on a wound roll is awesome.
Talking of web weapons, a Web pistol is much better than a flame pistol when considering gang play style as it's silent and can be shot against targets in the dark without giving away your position. Also a long rifle on a champ with fast shot or a Web gun on a hips hooter I my go to's with fast shot or overwatch on the leader (mine has Plas pistol and long rifle to start with overwatch).
Not played with grav gun yet so not sure on it but looks like a fun one that's more tactically used than say a plasma gun.
Smoke grenades are great if you have given everyone infr/goggs. Good juve option.
With regards gang tactics, Friend or foe is very amusing, sneak a fighter past your opponents blob and behind a fighter for perfect backstabs or even just run someone forwards in the open and then have them immune to fire till end of turn.
Assassins is great for ambush scenes as well or one where there are sentries needing to be taken down quickly.

 

[BranBuccarcher]

https://yaktribe.games/underhive/gang/demo.45383/ would be my start gang with delaque, have two gangs built from this model and both do incredibly well, especially if you drop descending dark in first couple of games as you can shoot anyone without giving yourself away with everything but the long rifles (strange you can silence a shotgun but not a sniper rifle....) Also Spidey will always be MVP, has been in both of campaigns I play in.

 

[deFl0]

I played starter game with delaque against genestealer cult the other day.

I had 6 gangers.

I got the drop on my opponent overseer and hip shot a champ first turn and caught my opponents ENTIRE 10 man gang with the Webber.

Most of the gang was seriously injured. I thought it was going to be a curb stomping. I ran my guys and started coup de grasing the crap or if his gang.

Enough stood up flesh wounded that he will was back in the fight.

It ended with a plasma pistol shot from my order at his psycher.

Everyone else was out in both gangs. I ended up with 5 criticals... He ended up with one crit. Lol.

Lesson learned. Necromunda is very much a game of boys before toys and action economy.

I think only Goliath's can really start at 6 guys... Everyone else is much better off being 7+ and closer to 10 if possible.

 

[BranBuccarcher]

Most starter gangs are usually less than 10 models, gsc and Cult tend to be only ones going over much at first.

 

[enyoss]

The problem with having 6 guys isn’t that 6 isn’t enough for a game. It’s more that with a couple of miss next game injuries (which is 2/3 of the lasting injury chart) you’re down to 3-4 people each game.

And then you’re in trouble, as you won’t be able to fill even the smallest crew sizes in the scenarios. For scenarios where you’re supposed to outnumber your opponent you’ll turn what should be a numbers advantage into a disadvantage.

I made this mistake starting with 7 in my last orlock gang and it was punishing.