Torps in a Marines Fleet?

[FistusMaximus]

dunno if that question has been raised already, but oh well:

i own a space marine fleet, and it also includes some hunter frigates. so with the hunters and the toprs from my battlebarge, i get quite a good load of torps. but one thing i have been thinking a lot about was this:

since i have access to both, which ones are better? regular torps or boarding torps?
or, if both have good use: in which situation is it better to use which one?

[Seahawk]

You'll likely want to to regular torpedoes vs Escorts. Following a roll to hit with a 3+ to actually kill it is worse than simply rolling to hit and causing the 1 damage to kill it.

Against capital ships, I find boarding torpedoes to be quite useful. Also, if they are hiding behind terrain, that 45 degree turn is often a surprise.

[FistusMaximus]

a roll to hit with a 3+ to actually kill it

why a 3+? did i miss a rule change somewhere?

[AndrewChristlieb]

In the FAQ2010 escorts got a boost aginst hit and runs. Hit and runs only destroy escorts on a 4+ now instead of 2+, Space Marines still get the +1 to hit and runs tho so they destroy escorts on a 3+.

[Seahawk]

Either way, 3+ or 2+, it's still an extra roll with chance of failure. Never use it when a single damage point from the first roll will biff it.

Unless, of course, they are on Brace for Impact special orders. Then you'll want to hit them with boarding torpedoes.

[FistusMaximus]

Either way, 3+ or 2+, it's still an extra roll with chance of failure. Never use it when a single damage point from the first roll will biff it.

Unless, of course, they are on Brace for Impact special orders. Then you'll want to hit them with boarding torpedoes.

before the FAQ thing with destroying escorts with hit an run only on a 4+ (which i have not noticed until andrew poste dit up there), escorts went down on a 2+ for regular boarding torps, SM get +1 so destroying escorts with boarding torps was AUTO before, no roll required.
and then the only difference between normal torpedoes and boarding torpedoes was that the latter have the ability to turn.


but yeah, wit now havin a roll of 3+ for the marines, regular torps do make sense, since that required roll really makes boarding torps look less attractive if you can get auto hit with regular ones.

[Mallich]

Boarding torpedoes can turn, so they're better than normal torpedoes if you're trying to hit a moving target on the other end of the board. The drawback to that is that enemy warships on the other side of the board are probably undamaged, so might be able to quickly repair any critical hits inflicted on them.

[FistusMaximus]

Boarding torpedoes can turn, so they're better than normal torpedoes if you're trying to hit a moving target on the other end of the board. The drawback to that is that enemy warships on the other side of the board are probably undamaged, so might be able to quickly repair any critical hits inflicted on them.

see, thats exactly what i was thinking about. on the one hand, regular torpedoes do more "actual damage", especially to mostly intact ships, while boarding torps have the advantage of the turn.....
and i was just curious whether there is a situation where one or the other type is definitely more effective (like the already pointed out shooting at escorts from close distance).

so, anybody got any futher advice? 

[Seahawk]

Basically, if you don't have a clear shot and are more than one turn's torpedo movement away, go for boarding. If within 30", regulars do just fine.