Deathwatch Tactics- Special Issue Ammunition vs Bolter Discipline

The recent FAQ removed the ability of Deathwatch units to use Special Issue Ammunition and the new Bolter Discipline rule in combination. This has led many Deathwatch players to ask which is better to use in which situation? I've run the numbers and here is a rough guide to what Bolter type to use against a variety of foes. 

In each of the tables below, the average number of unsaved wounds caused is listed for each ammunition type against a range of common model types. Each example assumes that the shots are being made out of rapid fire range, so single shot for SIA and two shots for Bolter Discipline. In addition, the effects of re-rolls (Watch Master, Watch Captain or Mission Tactics) are not taken into account. It also assumes the unit did not move, in order to gain the benefit of Bolter Discipline.

In the section for Hellfire bolts, the first number is for vehicles, while the second number is for monsters.

EDIT- This information only applies at long range and not at rapid fire range, where Bolter Discipline has no effect. I did not feel the need to spell this out, but a lot of people have been commenting to point this out in other groups that SIA is better at rapid fire range. I didn't feel this was necessary to specifically point out as I thought it was an obvious conclusion, but do so now just in case there was any confusion. 

Deathwatch Veterans

The examples below assumes 5 Deathwatch Veterans armed with Bolters. 

As can be seen from the table, the Bolter Discipline is better or equal to Vengeance Bolts in almost all situations. Only for models that are T5 or above (and not vehicles) are the Hellfire shells a better option. Once you factor in re-rolls, the Bolter Discipline is superior, simply due to a higher number of shots, so more chance of getting to use re-rolls. 

White Scars Tactica: Part 1- Army Overview and HQ units

Welcome to the first part of a new series of posts on the blog, my very own Tactica articles. The first in the series will take a look at my main tournament army, the White Scars. 

This Tactica is designed to give you a look at how I construct and play my own White Scars tournament army, which units I favour and some of the tactics that I employ while using the army. This is not to say that this is the best style of White Scars army available, it is simply what I play and what I have had success with. If there are any tactics that I don't cover or something you think is missing, leave a comment and get the discussion started. 

Before we get into the bulk of the army, let me give you a quick overview. I have been playing the White Scars since the beginning of 2015, starting with the Chapter Tactics that were introduced in the 6th edition codex. I have taken them to 7 tournaments in that time, ranging from small events, to doubles tournaments, to larger national events. At tournaments, I tend to win about two thirds of my games (about the same as in casual play). As a result, I often place in the top third of the tournament listings, with my best finishing being second place at Stronghold V, a sixteen player 1250 pts tournament in Glasgow. I think I have a pretty decent tournament record, I have played and won some very tough matches, but have come up against better players who have stomped me at some events. 

My preferred tournament list has a strong focus on Bikes and MSU (Multiple Small Units). This makes it a great army for objective-based missions and maelstrom missions. My army can generally put out a lot of damage in the shooting phase, but can suffer in Kill Point-type missions as it tends to be made up of multiple, smaller, fragile units. 

This first article will take a look at the White Scars rules, my favoured builds for constructing the army and the HQ units that I favour in the force. Future articles will look at the other units in the army, some hints and tactics on using them, and a look at how to face different army builds in a tournament setting, and how to plan for different mission types. Some of this information may seem obvious to seasoned players, but it is useful just to put down all the info so that newer players can see where the army influences come from.