To Scrap or not to Scrap: that is a Launcha

I'd like to get everyone's opinions on the Scraplauncha, as well as any tactical advice about how to use it, stories of it doing well or horrible, etc. As some of you know, I'm planning to run an OK army with a LOT of Gnoblars, so I'll actually have the option to field 4 of these things without worrying about the "need Gnoblars first" part. But are they worth 165 pts. each? Have they swung the game for you before? Has your opponent groaned everytime he saw it, or did his greedy little eyes light up at the "free points" for him as you put it on the table?

Im not a big fan of any unit that can just die from any single hit above strength 7, which there is a great deal of anymore. FOr a more static list it would have it's uses but for me its not worth it

I think the bad tempered rule is really sucky for a warmachine. I also don't like the s3 and the model itself. It isn't solid and it is broken every time i took it to my local hobby store. It is to heavy, that's the reason it isn't solid, the scraplauncher should be plastic.

Well I'd be converting my own scraplauncha, so the model sucking in general isn't really a concern for me

The poll and comments are more about its tactical uses, and whether its worth the points cost. I too tend to distrust something easily whacked by a single strength 7 hit, but occasionally you find people that rave about them. And 4 pie plates of doom a turn do have their attractiveness ...

The bad tempered rule in combination with ld5 sucks really bad, your enemy's unit hides in the forest, the scrappa has a big change that he must charge, and you get hits because you charge in the forest.

It can use the generals leadership tho, right?

I don't see the bad tempered rule as a problem. Its all in the tactics and deployment...just make sure you don't let it get in a position where it will possibly charge where you don't want it to! (Anyone who plays an army with frenzied troops will tell you this!) If in doubt keep your general within 12".

I personally think the scraplauncher is great and worth its points. It has multiple uses and in the circle i play it is feared...not only because of the killing blow hits. I have taken out 2 thirds of a strormvermin unit with a direct hit!

Sure strength 7 hits can be a problem but this is the same with any chariot or war machine. Again try not to put it in a position where a cannon or such like can score a direct hit!

Wookie, if you had the option to take 4 of them (because you had enough gnoblar units), would you?  Also, am I correct in assuming that the scraplauncha only has a 90 degree charge arc; if so, keeping it behind the lines and unable to charge something doesn't seem that difficult.

Yep the 90 degree charge arc is correct (Acts like a chariot)

Hmmm....not sure i'd take 4 (The ensuing madness from building 4 of them aside!lol) It would depend on what else i had/want in my army. I wouldn't hesitate to take 2 though. There are other special units which i would fill up the other open slot/s. (Leadbelchers and Rhinox cavalry)

Are you considering 4 then?

Yes, I'm considering both an army with four and an army with only two (that also contains two units of leadbelchers).  I have enough gnoblar units to easily support taking four, and keep in mind I'll be building my own launchas, and not using the horrible metal ones (I prefer plastic for everything and go out of my way to avoid pewter minis lol).  I'm not trying to build a WAAC army (quite frankly I don't think that's possible with Ogres heh), but at the same time I'd like to have something that makes my opponents quake in fear

4 scrappies would be nasty to face. If all 4 got direct hits (Unlikely...but not impossible!) on the first turn it has the potential to decimate your opponents infantry and completely scupper his best laid plans!

The thing to bear in mind with 4 of them though is creating a coherent army. 4 = 660 points and no room for any other specials at 2000pts.

Do you have 2 army lists drawn up (for 2 and 4 scrappies)?
If so post them on the armies of the kingdoms board so we can have a look and offer advice.  

Already done so ...

http://www.ogrestronghold.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=567

As you can see, my army composition has drifted, but still boasts over 120 models

I personally think that at 2000pts there are too few ogres but the only way you will know is if you give it a try! Nothing like a trial by fire to test an armys capabilities.

I would also try and squeeze in a second gorger to double your chances of getting one on the table in turn 2...purely for warmachine hunting/threatening.

Its certainly a very different ogre list and may throw off your opponents enough to capitalise! See if you can play a friend and proxy the models you don't have and see how it plays!

As the only Gnoblars I use are trappers I don't use a scrap launcher. For games at the 2250-2500 I would then consider putting one in with a unit of Gnoblar fighters. 2000 or under it does not even enter my equation.

Harlequin

As the only Gnoblars I use are trappers I don't use a scrap launcher. For games at the 2250-2500 I would then consider putting one in with a unit of Gnoblar fighters. 2000 or under it does not even enter my equation.

Harlequin

You can take scrappies if you have both trappers or fighters.

I'm using a scrapper tomorrow vs. chaos, first time too..

Interesting ... that is the broadest range of responses possible so far.

30% rate it as good or great.
30% rate it as below average or horrible.
40% rate it as average.

That's about as even in the spectrum as you could get.

I'm up in the air about it myself. The main disadvantage is that it is a machine that relies almost entirely on rolls and guesswork.  Between its bad-tempered roll, killing blow roll, artillery dice roll, and low leadership, its a huge gamble. On the one hand, it could be blown up easily, have to charge, etc. On the other hand, it could quite possibly kill off lots and lots of enemy, assuming the slot machine lines up

The other side of the coin is the original MSU Horde I was going to use. It relies a lot less on random dice rolls, with the added advantage of both more numbers of ogres/gnoblars and less "kick me" targets that can be downed by a single strength 7 hit. However a slip-up in deployment or a bad set of leadership checks spoils the soup with it.

Excellent reading, I'd like to hear more views on what is either a hunk of junk or the best Special unit we got going for us

I love the scraplauncher, and seeing as i took the time to build and paint 2 of them (dwarvish grumble) I plan on using them and I always do in 2000+ pts. Some games they do wonders and others hardly anything at all, but some of my scrappie's proudest accomplishments are killing blowing a lone saurus oldblood, an archmage, 6 of 8 cold ones, and 5 of 8 silver helms.

Being the founder, president, secretary, member (only boreal hemisphere member), of the "I love scrapluncher club", I have to vote "I love it".
I have at least 1 in every army (yes, even 1000 pts), and 2 in 2000 pts armies.
it has some very nice potentials, and really scares the hell off of my opponents (even when it does nothing, and never hits... but who cares).
cheers

Well, in my last two battles it has ended up failing a Panic test (on it's miserable Ld of 5) and losing me quite a lot of points (though both times it has done a decent effort up to that point). I would not field one against an enemy with cannons, though.

I kinda like it and the bitz I plan to use for my conversion will show up one of these days, maybe it will be more lucky when it's not a proxy.

I LOVE sracplaunchers.
In the first game i used it, it killed 7 chosen chaos warriors of khorne with geat weopons in 1 shot , and THEN proceded to trounce his demon prince in combat(because i had to charge) and pretty much single handedly won me the game.

For me, they work incredibly well! Especially against slayers and Flagelants!

 - Kyte

Scrappies are one of those units that do really great, or get hit by a cannonball.

I played a bret player once, 1500, with 2 scrappies. One charged a unit of grail knights, killed 3, they failed their panic, and then the scrappie overran into a wood, where it suffered 2 wounds and did not move the entire game. The other held up a unit of pegasus knights for 4 turns, then held up the pegasus knights AND a full unit of knights of the realm that charged it in the flank.

I'm sure many people here will regale you with tales of such stupidly good (and bad) luck, but thats the main point of scrappies. They're big, they're fun and its especially hilarious when you see a scrappie misfire and then fire a gnoblar into a unit. If you want to have fun, get a scrappie. If you want to win, get another scrappie and fire at one target.

I would absolutely love to field a rank breaking, fear causing, hard hitting chariot in my ogre army, but I just don't have the points. I long for the day when a reinvisioning of the ogre book frees up 165 points for a beast like that in my force.

As for cannons blowing up the scraplauncher, remember that against armies with cannons, (dwarves and empire) the thing just isn't very useful anyways. You would not need it to win against those armies.

I guess I'll have to field a srappie one of these days - but I don't miss it of feel the loss.

I just think of all the nerves I still have intact (not to mention hair still in my scalp) from not having to assemble one yet!

I like scrappies - but I absolutely DESPISE thread necromancy! 

^^ someone raised zombies right in front of my scraplauncher last night.  They weren't there for long

I'm not sure what to put as my answer, because I think it's a great unit, but not the best special choice (that goes to yhetees in my opinion).  On the other hand, I would certainly write home about it.  It rocks.  What do I do :'(

I usally don't field one but its not because I don't like the unit. I just hate the model!!! It looks good but is always falling apart even pining where I can and with lots of putty. When I do use it some times wins the game some time doesn't but thats life! I think its alot better then Yhetees but that's just me! So I'm pretty neutral on this.

Hey guys, let's allow this very old 6th edition thread to go back from whence it came
There is a newer post-7th edition topic covering Scraplaunchers already in the Feeding Grounds:

http://www.ogrestronghold.com/forum/index.php?topic=2330.0

Cheers!