How to support the PK

[Volandum]

Can anyone tell me about the tactics of Chaos fleets built around a Planet Killer, and how to support the well-armed ship?

[horizon]

If we talk about a fleet engagement, cruiser clash, exterminatus, planetary assault:

Ofcourse a pair of Devastations. That's a given. With the PK that's already 10 lances at 60cm.

Two small escort squadrons at the back of the fleet. They don't do anything except coverings the PK's back.

You can go in pretty close formation, keep an open straight fire path (armageddon gun fires straigh iirc not in arc). In an exterminatus the enemy will focus on taking out the Planet Killer. That's hard. So make him worried with the rest of your fleet.

[RayB HA]

This also depends on who you are playing.

For what the PK is it's quite cheap but BB killers won't care too much about those 2 extra hits. BB Killers being torpedoes (especially Eldar torps), Nova Cannons and massed firepower, the later you can't really do much about other than present closer targets.

For protection against torps you have to have a couple of Devs (but then Chaos should always have Devs!).
You should also put 2 squadrons of 2 Iconoclast either side as a bullet shield (I usually leap frog their turning so the closest target will always be abeam of the main enemy fleet, this usually doesn't come into play but just in case).
All you can really do against nova cannons is present a closer target and stay out of the 60cm until they're all dead or crippled (or BFI'd).

In terms of fleet compostion I would use the PK to get the killing blow with its lances (on Lock-on) and so usually keep it at arms length with is escorts while Slaughters and the like burn it down one of the board edges to distract and hopefully kill the enemy.

Cheers,

RayB

[Volandum]

That sounds very sensible, thank you.