Leadbelchers; Why Reload

While toying around with unit types, I stumbled upon a question. For what game balance reason is the Leadbelcher reload required? Many uncannily similar unit types have a far more destructive and efficient ranged weapon, and yet can fire every turn.

You'd think that the Leadbelcher's limited range, line of sight, crippling misfire result, and inability to hit would be penalty enough. Granted, I would never wish that leadbelchers would be as good as the undoubtedly broken salamanders, but isn't a middleground reasonable?

Who knows.  They do hardly any damage in shooting (average a little over 1 wound caused per leadbelcher)....and are just normal bulls with LA in CC.  I think they gave them the "reload" thing because they can stand-and-shoot (unlike warmachines).  I really wish they'd get rid of the reload crap because it's not like they can deal much damage as it is.  If they got rid of the "reload rule", make them BS4, and make it so they get all the normal minuses for shooting (except multishoot...since it isn't really multishooting)....LB would be a lot better.  So what if they could shoot each turn and also stand-and-shoot?!?  That'd actually make them worthwhile for the 16 additional points (cost over Bull with LA).

As a Lizardman player....I'm annoyed when people call salamanders "broken"....because they aren't.  They are underpriced, but that is all.  Each unit takes up a rare choice, can't stand-and-shoot, are fairly easy to beat in CC, and all their shots (yes a lot of them) are only S3 armour piercing.  They are great on certain units (light armoured, low toughness targets), but worthless on everything else.  Once they bump up sally price to ~85 points per....no one will be complaining.

I think its because they sounded really good on paper, hell i know i thought that when i was only learning the rules, but in practise they are not the best.

-Arante

How about making Leadbelcher more like organ guns  and removing the to-hit roll ?  That would make them more useful.  Or the ability to fire a Str 5 cannonball instead ?  I hardly every take Leadbelchers anymore and when I do it's as Psychological bait.

Personally, I'd just give them flails, remove their reload and light armor, and bump them up to 60 points a piece.

well if you will note, the hell blaster volley gun got hit with the same ruling as the LB have, so i am guessing that is going to be the norm when all the books get redone.

but on another note, for the price of a unit of bulls, you get a great unit to protect flanks from light cav (shoot them) or skirmishers (beat them up in combat) i use two units of two and protect my flanks and use them also as bait units and flank chargers. there have been games where i have not fired a single shot from them but they still made their points. i find they are like gnoblars, all the potential shots are great, but you can't rely on them

But then again, if all you are doing is using them as flank protectors, woudn't a unit of three bulls perform that role more effectively and cheaply?

The last thing I want to see is leadbelchers be is redundant.

a unit of bulls does not  have the option of shooting those pesky LC, i find that a unit of bulls just gets lead around and shot up. it only takes 3 wounds to cause a panic test, and with the low leadership, they often run off the board early game. while a unit of LB suffers from the same thing, at least they can cause a few wounds and hopefully panic the unit they are shooting at.

and you guys over look the s4 and Armour piercing. that makes them decent against infantry and calvary, that 1+ save becomes a 3+, thats about a 16% better chance at killing a knight. they are properly priced and balanced for what they can do.

and you guys over look the s4 and Armour piercing. that makes them decent against infantry and calvary, that 1+ save becomes a 3+, thats about a 16% better chance at killing a knight. they are properly priced and balanced for what they can do.

I would never, ever consider a 50% chance to kill an Imperial knight per leadbelcher per volley to be anywhere near significant, especially considering a leadbelcher unit will rarely get more than one shot off in a game.

Think of it this way. A volley from a pair of leadbelchers has, on average, the same damage potential as a round of shooting from ten handgunners.

The main reason I take Leadbelchers is so I can shout "BOOM! Hur hur hur!" when I fire them.  I pretty much only ever reload while fleeing. 
Once they have fired, my opponents start to ignore them, and I work them into the backfield to wreck his day... two ogres are US 6, you see, and therefore any enemies that flee through them will be wiped out.  And when my rhinox riders get stuck in, there will be some fleeing, oh yes!

Hi Ogres,

I've only played 2 games with my OK army sofar, and used a unit of 3 Lbs against my friends Empire army a few days ago. Using them to guard the flank against his outriders, and heavy cavalry. With my friend moving first i was able too get a round of shooting with them on my first turn against his Knights. I promptly  rolled 2x miscasts, and a 2...resulting in 5 wounds, and fortunately 2 casualties for the knights. I just shook my head, and had too laugh at my friends reaction too this. They eventually managed too flank his main unit of Swordsmen/BSB with Empire Banner/Warrior Priest unit, with my Bruiser/IGs unit hitting it headon with Bullcharge and although they didn't see out the final victrory against said unit, they definately helped me get my first victory with OKs.

Though i'm new too OKs, i will still be using them in future games as they might just surprise me and get 3 high rolls for firing with no misfire dice...and i wanna be there too see the look on my opponents face.

Thanks
Bigbelly