Core & Heavy Helix Tactics: I need advice

[FragEmAll]

Righto, my first Core Helix and Heavy helix are currently on the painting table and I have my first game scheduled against Terrans in 2 weeks time. It's only going to be a small 2k-2.5k game, but I would be interested to hear of any tactics or bits of advice you more experienced Lizards can give me.

A few specific questions:

1) As I only have the one Heavy Walker in the core helix right now would you recommend using it as an APC for the heavy infantry rather than a gun platform?

2) target priority: do you normally pick off the enemy scoring units first? or their heavy firepower?

3) do you focus on ALL the objectives or do you just pick on for example the secondarys?

4) Bearing in mind I have 2 Kakun light skiff squadrons, would you have them both in the core helix? or would you keep one in each helix.

5) Most importantly, does anyone else make motorbike noises when moving their Kakun's? Or is it just me?

[cas]

1) Terrans move slowly so you want to get your infantry up the board, stick them in the walker. Remember to leave one scoring unit behind at your tertiary.

2) Depends on their list. If they have lots of scoring units, direct your heavy firepower at their firepower. If they have sacrificed scoring units for more shooters, focus fire the scorers and win. Remember that sorylian troops have an odd fire order just like the armada. Your borka (medium tanks) specialise in gunning down scoring troops. 

3) Again depends on what your opponent does but terrans are usually slow so going for your primary will be hard and they will find it nigh impossible to get to your tertiary. The fight will largely be over the secondary.

4) There are good reasons for both. Id put them in the core helix. That way your first placement on the board is your one/two unit heavy helix, then they have to deploy a bunch of their stuff. You want the kakuns to be placed last and at least one unit of kakuns to go last in a turn.

5) You are a heretic. Ka'kuns clearly make speeder noises. 

[privateer4hire]

Yes, afraid the skiffs sound like this, not motorcycley, at all.

[FragEmAll]

lol I am NOT making Jetson noises when I move them hahaha. I'll compromise with this:

The other thing I will need assistance with is the unit selection. We have settled on a 2000 point game. Having spent several hours trying to figure out what to take I am stumped. I have the contents of a Heavy Helix and a single Core Helix available to me. I was thinking;

1 x Hukka Heavy Walker

3 x Borka Medium Walkers

5 x Kakun Light Skiffs

5 x Kakun Light Skiffs

3 x Light infantry gun teams

1 x Hukvokka Heavy Walker

3 x Sorka Tank Destroyers

The gun teams will hold my own objective with the Heavy helix assuming firing positions. The rest of the core helix will advance and take on the secondaries.

Sound like a plan or am I missing something?

[Duskland]

Looks good vs Terrans. I'd be very careful with the three stand infantry unit if you're up against skydrop armies though. There's nothing Nix like better than a small tasty unit in their primary.

[FragEmAll]

To be fair I just had spare points. As we don't actually have any 10mm buildings at the gaming club right now I fear they may be pointless anyway for holding objectives.

Could it be worth ditching them for some tactical points?

[Commander Drakere]

I don't see point in the suggestion of holding your own Tertiary. Terrans will not make it there unless you play on a board that's not 4' in length, but I suppose due to small points, you can't really afford to get them an APC and bump them to a decent unit size to go for secondary objectives. Also, imo there isn't a general targetting order, just go for targets of oppourtunity as they present yourself unless you're actively trying to hunt down one certain thing. I'd also consider using Bor'Ka a waste on infantry if there is a more heavily armoured target present, your 3 Bor'Ka at 10" EF will be your heaviest hitting hammer in that list, use it to smash his armour if possible.

[FragEmAll]

it was more the bonus to the Zero hour tracker that I was considering for the tertiary holding unit.

[cas]

Yeah - 'sacrificing' a small infantry unit for the TV associated with your tertiary is well worth it. 

[Crusader]

Perhaps I'm a bit late, but I wanted to share my experience as Terran against Sorylian forces(alas it was 3001pts not 2k-2,5k). All tactics depends on terrain and setup, but I strongly suggest that you steer away from the Heimdals (medium tanks) with your Borkas. Recon+normal move puts you dangeriously close to the magic 16" of the Heimdals and AD24 hurst a lot. In the long run you will fare better if you just stand and shoot in your first turn, then in the 2nd flank the terran with the bikes and rip them apart with AD20 from the side (-1 DR).

I would say your priorities should be: Heimdals -> APCs -> Recon buggies then flank what you can with the bikes.

 

Just my 2 cents from friday's battle .

 

PS: It's just anecdotal, but I did shot to pieces the Borkas when they recon moved and normal moved towards my Heimdals and I could get in EF with my first turn. And it was also brutal when 5 hover bikes got in range of my Tank Destroyer mediums: 20AD 17 succes after shields in the sides.

[Khaleth]

After several games with my sorylians I've come to this option,

1st turn hide your borkas, pressure the flanks with our skiffs, and make your heavies and heavy core walkers stay put and shoot at +3 at your enemies heavy helix and mediums, you have the best reach put there! Use it

2nd turn start manuevering your borkas to hunt weakened units,

Continue pressing with your skiffs

Start moving your heavy walker core squad to the front

Make your heavies manuever to engage new units or prepare for incoming enemy units (flyers and scouts)

3rd turn now you have everything at its optimum range, throw dices and enjoy, all cards are on the desk by now

[FragEmAll]

thanks for the tips people. will let you know how it goes!