Have Hellblasters taken the crown from the classic Devastator as the best unit to blow away the enemy with?

Today we look at two units, one as old as dirt, the other new and next generation. Both are vying to be the “default” unit you buy to add some nasty firepower to your list. but which is better:

Space Marine Devastator

You know em, you love em, the Devastators have been blowing up tanks and bad guys since the 1980s.

Pros

Cheaper cost (13 pts per model)

Flexible weapon and equipment options (that you have to pay for)

Greater heavy weapon range on average

Melee options (Sergeant Equipment list)

Signum

Cherub

Cons

Inferior weapons on average

Lesser stats

Easier to get taken down by foes (half the wounds)

Primaris Hellblaster

The new kids on the block. This one harks back to the all special weapons in the unit like the old 30K unit. Let’s take a look.

Pros:

double the attacks

double the wounds

Superior plasma weapons (OUCH -4AP)

Cons

Almost 50% higher cost (18 per model)

lesser range on average

No ablative wound models

Thoughts

Ahh it’s a tough one. On the one hand the classic Devastators represent the old way to fully customize your units. Y0u can take small 5 man squads, and choose to equip the Serg for melee if you want. Most of the heavy weapons run in the 20s pointwise, so they are costlier than the Hellblasters. However you can get much more range and the same effect as a free command point with the Cherum/Signum to make that critical shot count. You get several bolter marines to soak up the wounds before your heavy weapons get nailed. This is a unit that is easy for an enemy to forget about and they can often blaze away all game. It’s the budget, flexible choice.

Hellblasters have the superior and cheaper default weapon. The 30″ plasma incinerator with it’s -4AP is a nasty piece of work and all the squads weapons clock in at the high teens in point value. You will be paying a premium for the unit, and have no margin for error. Each casualty takes nasty firepower with it. However, these are 2 wound Primaris, so it’s more of a pain for enemies to whittle them down. The squad is super lethal for the points, and the -4AP means almost everything not protected by decent invulnerables has to fear them. You can accessorize the unit with nearby Ancients and Apothacaries to keep them in action for longer, but that only increases the cost. The shorter range means they tend to be exposed to more fire, but 30″ is nothing to sneeze at. You opponent will prioritize their destruction.

At the end it’s a matter of style. If you want a small backfield unit to sneak into a list to reach across the table and mess with enemies, the Devastators are your choice. If you have points to splurge and want something dead FAST – Hellblasters will get the job done, but be prepared to see the enemy do everything in their power to kill them before they do.

~It’s a tough one. What do you use in your armies to shoot things dead?