To all you monolith haters!!

[Strassa]

To those of you dont know im new to 40k and I played with the monolith for the first game yesterday. that thing is a rockstar it took shots from rail guns and all sorts of stuff i just hid it so it had a cover save. it rained hell on both of my enemies.

I dont understand all of the bad talk towards it! you just have to use it right and it dominates!!!! It was the shining star in my game and I expected it to explode really fast didn't even hapen.

[yWizePapaSmurfy]

Because, more often than not, it DOES die a fiery death to a suicide melta unit.

Try facing IG with the Monolith, see why I'm still on the fence.

[PyroSikTh]

Monolith doesn't fear Railguns, who still need a 4+ to pen. It fears Melta which needs 6s to pen on 2D6.

Also it's a huge model, how did you manage to get cover for it?

[Strassa]

A big building and you only have to cover 50 percent which is not as hard as I thought it would be

[Cryage]

I love the monolith still, but i hate how it fears melta I wish they would have kept it 235, or even 250 and keep it immune to lances or melta

[Badarmies2]

Mono is crap I only play it when I am face opponents that are tactically challenged to make the game somewhat more fun for them. In all honesty i would rather just play 200 points short than have they giant square turd reminding me what it used to be.

[Aeviaan]

BadArmies, if you really think the Monolith is that bad, you're using it wrong.

[Badarmies2]

BadArmies, if you really think the Monolith is that bad, you're using it wrong.

If you are using it period you are doing something wrong. Its a fail boat.

[edmundblack]

I wish they would have kept it 235, or even 250 and keep it immune to lances or melta

I'll let you. If the same applies to my Land Raiders.

The 'Lith is a psychological weapon too, it's still a big powerful beat-stick that's reasonably tough and can lay down some hurt and still do Reserve things nicely.

And anyway, it's not like you weren't expecting it to get toned down a little, right? Besides, if it was as powerful as it was still, how would they sell their other vehicles which wouldn't be anywhere near as tough?

[MalkThe2nd]

Also it's a huge model, how did you manage to get cover for it?

This.

Even if you've got the terrain to do it, your opponent should almost always have the fire lanes and/or mobility to deny it.

Smurf nailed one of the biggest factors. I can say from experience, IG players have no fear of AV 14. That stat is also wasted against armies with Lance.

[scorcher5]

If you are using it period you are doing something wrong. Its a fail boat.

In what ways is it a fail boat? You all keep rambling on about how it's vulnerable to melta when everything is! My suggestion, don't let the enemy get so close! The enemy has to be 6" away for melta range and 12" away for multi meltas. So, put a squad of warriors in front of it to eliminate ay threats. Even if the enemy finds a way to get so close, you can't expect the monolith to live the whole game.

Benefits:
INTIMIDATION FACTOR-Maybe it has 14 all around armor but come on, at just 200 points it's got your opponent pissing his pants by turn one.

SOAKS UP BULLETS-I guarantee you your opponent will use half his firepower just to bring it down. By that time, your scarabs/lychguard will be at their front lines waiting to tear through his front lines.

PORTAL-late in objective games when it really matters, you can teleport your troops to an objective and turn the tide of the battle.

COVER-This thing is so big it serves as both moving cover and a line-of-sight blocker.

LIVING METAL-on a 2+ it ignores shaken results and on a 4+ it ignores crew stunned

My point is, you can't expect it to do great every game. All vehicles have flaws. (and ALL are vulnerable to melta ) The monolith has its benefits and so do other vehicles. All in all, for how versatile the monolith is i would bring it in all of my battles

[MalkThe2nd]

In what ways is it a fail boat? You all keep rambling on about how it's vulnerable to melta when everything is! My suggestion, don't let the enemy get so close! The enemy has to be 6" away for melta range and 12" away for multi meltas. So, put a squad of warriors in front of it to eliminate ay threats. Even if the enemy finds a way to get so close, you can't expect the monolith to live the whole game.

Most everything is vulnerable to melta, but most everything isn't 200 pts for a single model. Yes, for 200 points I would expect it to do well most games and occasionally survive. Bubblewrap is fine and all, but what about Deep Strike, Outflanking, Scout, or Skimmers? Or other weapons like Rail Guns and Str 10 Ord?

Remember versatility is partially determined by cost. The Harrier Jump Jet is extremely versatile and used is by the US military constantly, while the new F-35 has stealth capability and can be used for the same types of missions... but is seen by many as an overpriced joke.

[edmundblack]

OR there's the arguement of: "I've paid a sh*t load for this model, I'm going to bloody well use it, internet be damned". Hence why I run two Land Raiders.

[MalkThe2nd]

Or two Soul Grinders?

[edmundblack]

Naw, that's Pyro's thing, not mine.

[Badarmies2]

In what ways is it a fail boat? You all keep rambling on about how it's vulnerable to melta when everything is! My suggestion, don't let the enemy get so close! The enemy has to be 6" away for melta range and 12" away for multi meltas. So, put a squad of warriors in front of it to eliminate ay threats. Even if the enemy finds a way to get so close, you can't expect the monolith to live the whole game.

Its 200 points, vulnerable to melta's as others have said, and its max range is 24 inches, or D6 if you try to use the POS gate. It can't even DS safely anymore. As if it wasn't bad enough it can only move 6 inches so there is no getting away. Its total crap. If you play with it you are handicapping yourself by about 50 points at a minimum. There is a reason no one plays certain units in this game. The monolith is now one of those units. Maybe when 6e comes out its heavy rule and ds will get better but as it stands here is everything it gave up for a 35 point reduction.

Immunity to extra pen
Always able to fire matrix no roll required
Charge out of portal
Removal from combat
Safe DS
1S and AP1 under the hole ordnance
Main gun can be destroyed
d6 per squad 360 degree shooting for 12 shots at 4 units
Additional reanimation rolls

Probably gave up more but can't think if it off the top of my head. Its a junk unit.

Or two Soul Grinders?

Soul Grinders are bargain. I routinely run 3 in my demons army and they make people cry. The melta protection as it would be is close combat. They have multip DCCW's and with fleet. Good luck getting the 6 inch 2D6 pen and they are immune to krak grenades. Plus a soul grinder really adds something to the demon army where as the monolith just subtracts points better spent elsewhere.

[Aeviaan]

I think scortcher nailed it nicely. There's nothing like deepstriking into a great mid-back field spot, laying down that ordnance blast, and pulling your team of 8 lychguard with an overlord out of reserve and through the portal in one turn. That has been the kiss of death to the enemy in 2-3 of my games.

Even where 1 game against Tau I lost the particle whip first turn, if kept moving forward, then blocked movement through a valley of impassible rock and a large dt center. And that denied him access to contest that objective. Plus the flux arcs kept his hammerhead stunlocked the rest of the game.

It's even better for re-deploying your death ball unit. You deploy first? Enemy totally kite the side that the Lychguard team went on? Well, just pull em through the portal! All of a sudden, you've given them a free 30' move.

Everyone who says that it's useless or would just rather play 200 points down either hasn't tried it, or had 1-2 bad experiences and is dismissing it too quickly. I don't believe you ever need more then 1, but then again, you never did need more then 1 monolith.

And BTW, a ghost ark/doomsday ark on *slightly* higher ground will provide a coversave to the monolith.

[MalkThe2nd]

Meh, Soul Grinders add more assault and anti-infantry to an army that desperately needs more shooting and anti-tank. BS3 and one shot does not a good Str 10 gun make.

Daemon Princes with Bolt are much better as really, you need to spam as much Bolt as possible.

But, I do use them occasionally because, like eb said...
1. I bought and painted them. (Note: most of my models are still grey... cause I'm lazy)
2. They look cool as hell IMO, and are fun to use.

/offtopic

[commandojimbob]

Personally i think what the Monolith does its bang on the money for 200pts - whether it is worth taking in lists is as debateable as any other unit in the game - comes down to personal preference.

For me comparing it to the old codex version is completely wrong - the Monolith was grossly under costed for what it was - IMO - it should of been near 300pts. The only reason that the Monolith felt ok in the old codex was because everything else in the book was rubbish and there was really only one real competitive list.

So in my head, yes it lost a lot of stuff but it was not at the cost of 35pts, more like 100pts as if the old Monolith was in the new Codex it would definately be 300pts+

[bigfishboy]

I have 3 monoliths, they not as good as they used to be, still have some uses though! But I prefer to spend the 200 points on something else instead, weapon wise it is too short ranged, I use them to teleport more then anything!