Rangers, Are they worth it?

[lawyerpants]

Well the title kind of says it all. In what armies are Rangers worth it, With rangers what do you look out for and what do they excel at?

Im having trouble getting the straight poop on them.

[Templar Coyote]

Siege, Caine's, and Haleys (and maybe Kraye) with lots of guns are Rangers best friends. Their +2 to hit within 5 inches help jack up RAT's all over the board.

Siege and his pet(s) need the boost. Makes life easier with RAT 6 (or 8 standing still) becoming 8/10.

Caine's just like the help. You always like to be sure right? RAT 9 on moving pCaine and RAT 11 on moving eCaine is amazing.

Haley's gun armies like to have more attacks (aka, not just one or two single CRA's... now your guys can fire almost independently and hit) and have them hit.

The unit itself can also self-buff themselfs and form a decent harassing unit that can take on light armored troopers with their military rifles. I really dig the unit, as I used them some in Mk 1 and enjoyed them in that version with Siege. I'm glad to see them get the abilities they did.

Word of warning though, they die to a stiff breeze :)

[lawyerpants]

Nemo, Darius or Stryker? Are they any good in those armies?

[whats82]

It all depend on your army make-up. If you have a lot of shooting that you rely on, then rangers help a lot.

On their own, rangers are decent models with AD, spd7, pathfinder, prowl and pow11 rifles, they can help each other by becoming rat8 on the move, and that is something that only character models tend to be able to do otherwise.

Ranger is definitely one of the above average units in Cygnar in mk2.

[Killionaire]

Rangers are nearly mandatory with any Seige, Caine or eCaine list, and good in others (Particularly shooty Haley lists). The +2 RAT is just too vital for those casters and possible ranged assassinations.

[Marius]

Think of Rangers a bit backwards. Don't think of what your Warcaster can do for them, but what they can do for the troops you use with that Warcaster, or the Warcaster him/herself. If your including troops that will regularly benefit from +2 RAT, then you can find a use for them. Because they're support for ranged stuff, unless your running a ranged heavy list you might you want to save them for larger games.

That said, as a rule of thumb they tend to work well with both Caine's regardless, Kraye with his ranged lights, Gen Nemo if he's going for ranged assasination, either Haley if your playing more defensivly, Siege almost always and Cmd Stryker as he usually has a decent amount of ranged stuff.

With Darius or Cmdr Nemo it really depends on what troops you take to support them.

LCmndr Stryker is the least likely to use them, because it's hard to fit ranged stuff in after all those melee troops and jacks he likes, never mind fitting in support for the ranged stuff.

Obvioulsy, at larger point levels the usefulness with all casters increases, because there is more stuff they can buff.

Edit: The safe money's on Cpt Sloan liking them too.

[Defenstrator]

But even eStryker can find a use for them. They're decent skirmishers and there's nothing wrong with effective RAT 7 Stromblades. That ups their assault effectiveness a great deal.

Rangers are just good. They can go in all kinds of armies and be fine, and will really shine in a few builds.

[isawatsuke]

id say yes in almost 90% of cases. As long as you have stormblades with ua then theyll be worth it. If nothing else they are reasonably costed military rifles.

[Marius]

But even eStryker can find a use for them. They're decent skirmishers and there's nothing wrong with effective RAT 7 Stromblades. That ups their assault effectiveness a great deal.

Rangers are just good. They can go in all kinds of armies and be fine, and will really shine in a few builds.

Damn, i compleatly didn't think of that. And i really should have done considering i used to use them to shoot all the time in MkI.

[Mutton]

General rule of thumb for 50pts: If I'm running a full shooty unit and anything else that wants to shoot, Rangers are in. If I'm running Rangers or have Deadeye/TB then I can take the Stormblade UA.

Haley: If she goes Shooty, she gets Rangers so I can abuse spells other than TB if I just need the RAT boost.

eHaley: Depends on troops really.

pStryker: They are good, as Sniped Assaulting Stormblades from 18" away need the RAT boost. Hell, with a full unit of LGs they are great.

eStryker: Generally no, but on the rare occasion I really want to run the SB UA I'll take them. Maybe.

pCaine: Yes

eCaine: Very Yes

pNemo: Eh, depends on the list

eNemo: Generally no, as I need points for 'jacks and support.

Siege: Yup

Kraye: Eh, depends on the list

Darius: If I'm going ranged firebase + 'jacks, then yes.

[Gorbad]

It's less about the caster and more about the army I find. For instance the Gun Mages can usually hit on there own, and while having RAT 9 gunmages are really cool, they might not need it.

So look at your army and how dependent it is on shooting and what kind of shooting it is and if that shooting will require the RAT boost.
Sure, some casters will naturally gravitate towards lists where Rangers will be a boost, but even then you might not want/require them. Where as other lists might not have that much shooting, but they will fit in really nicely and still perform a vital role.

[Killionaire]

RAT9 Gun Mages are plenty worth it. Because they eat Casters alive. I always take Rangers in my Gun Mage heavy ranged lists, because while rat 7 is good, it could be better. Plenty of DEF 15 targets exist too that are high priority, that RAT9 solves nicely.

[thesavage]

For those of you that know me, or have been paying attention to me on the old board, you will know that I love my Rangers. For those of you that don't know me, know this: I love my Rangers.

I am curious about one thing however. For those of you who have larger armies, to you use the full field allowance of Rangers (2)? Or do you simply just use one squad of Rangers?

The reason I ask is because I am seriously considering getting a second squad of Rangers as my army gets bigger. They are just that cool to me, and they are cheap as well (points wise).

[-Vinsent-]

A question with rangers as Im still getting used to the Mk2 formation rules. (Might be better for the rules forum, but figure I can ask it here) Could you give them an order to run, then run one ranger super out of formation with the unit so its within 5 of then thing you want to shoot at but leaving it well out of formation with the rest of the unit? You ofcourse would have a problem next turn when the unit activated where your out of formation trooper would have to run back to his unit, but if your goal is to get the +2 bonus it seems like a way to keep most of the unit safe but still get the bonus...

[CT GAMER]

i know people seem to love them, but I don't find that the +2 RAT is needed often enough to warrant a whole unit just to get it.

Most of my shooting is with boosted warjacks or with deadeyed gun mages types all of which hit pretty reliably especially when you factor in aiming bonuses.

I just find having to get them into such close proximity to a target to be sort of clunky and predictable.

To each their own...

[phreaker187]

i know people seem to love them, but I don't find that the +2 RAT is needed often enough to warrant a whole unit just to get it.

Most of my shooting is with boosted warjacks or with deadeyed gun mages types all of which hit pretty reliably especially when you factor in aiming bonuses.

I just find having to get them into such close proximity to a target to be sort of clunky and predictable.

To each their own...

Think of the focus you will save when your jacks don't need to boost to hit if there is a ranger around. Freeing up focus to cast more spells and load up your melee jacks.

Rangers are good, maybe not in 35 point games, accept with eCaine, but in 50 they fit in quite nice for a 5 point unit.

[Dino-Czar]

Effective RAT 8 on our 'jack guns is crazy good, putting us on the shady side of the curve where boosting to hit all but wackiest of targets isn't necessary.

I grant that Chargers and Hunters don't get all that much due to their rules and/or preferred targets, but Defenders, Sentinels and Grenadiers love the men in ponchos.

Even at 35 points I try to fit them in, if only for military rifles on speed 7, pathfinding, prowling bases (and Def 14). At 5 points they are a steal.

[halffiend]

A question with rangers as Im still getting used to the Mk2 formation rules. (Might be better for the rules forum, but figure I can ask it here) Could you give them an order to run, then run one ranger super out of formation with the unit so its within 5 of then thing you want to shoot at but leaving it well out of formation with the rest of the unit? You ofcourse would have a problem next turn when the unit activated where your out of formation trooper would have to run back to his unit, but if your goal is to get the +2 bonus it seems like a way to keep most of the unit safe but still get the bonus...

As far as I undrstand out-of-formation models do NOTHING!! So no RAT boost sorry. However its not hard to get a ranger close and keep some protected and maintain CMD range

[iksander]

As far as I undrstand out-of-formation models do NOTHING!! So no RAT boost sorry. However its not hard to get a ranger close and keep some protected and maintain CMD range

I believe your wrong. An out of formation models may not make attacks or special actions but passive abilities aren't turned off. A models doesn't lose Pathfinder, Camoflage, Prowl, etc... for being out of formation.

[elwoodblues6389]

i personally find cygnar rarely needs help hitting what needs to be hit, but if you go up against vlad, sorcha, or most cryx casters they can be a godsend.

[Virgil38]

i personally find cygnar rarely needs help hitting what needs to be hit, but if you go up against vlad, sorcha, or most cryx casters they can be a godsend.

I don't know. when you are still hitting things with your Hunter while rolling a 3 thanks to a RAT 11 standing still with Rangers, it warms the heart a little.

[elwoodblues6389]

I don't know. when you are still hitting things with your Hunter while rolling a 3 thanks to a RAT 11 standing still with Rangers, it warms the heart a little.

very true, but its sooooo not necessary.

[Dino-Czar]

Effective RAT 8 on a moving Defender is wonderful, and 9 times in 10 saves your caster a focus. The more jacks you have the more it saves. Sentinels and Rangers.... yeah, okay, never mind.

Rangers are also the very best of friends with the Storm Blade UA, Storm Lances, Trenchers and the ATGM.

They even shine on their own merits as a means of getting shots into the back field support models.

[CT GAMER]

Think of the focus you will save when your jacks don't need to boost to hit if there is a ranger around. Freeing up focus to cast more spells and load up your melee jacks.

Rangers are good, maybe not in 35 point games, accept with eCaine, but in 50 they fit in quite nice for a 5 point unit.

Two things:

1. What melee jacks? ;)

2. I mostly play 35pt. games and usually have other things I want to field rather then a whole unit to get what aiming and focus do just as well...

[PBear]

General rule of thumb for 50pts: If I'm running a full shooty unit and anything else that wants to shoot, Rangers are in. If I'm running Rangers or have Deadeye/TB then I can take the Stormblade UA.

Haley: If she goes Shooty, she gets Rangers so I can abuse spells other than TB if I just need the RAT boost.

eHaley: Depends on troops really.

pStryker: They are good, as Sniped Assaulting Stormblades from 18" away need the RAT boost. Hell, with a full unit of LGs they are great.

eStryker: Generally no, but on the rare occasion I really want to run the SB UA I'll take them. Maybe.

pCaine: Yes

eCaine: Very Yes

pNemo: Eh, depends on the list

eNemo: Generally no, as I need points for 'jacks and support.

Siege: Yup

Kraye: Eh, depends on the list

Darius: If I'm going ranged firebase + 'jacks, then yes.
This seems like a good take.

Myself, I tend to take Rangers when my army lacks ranged support. So I am much less likely to take Rangers when I have Deadeye. I find them invaluable with Seige, who I like to run with a lot of shooting but lacks shooting buffs. I'm less likely to use Rangers with eHaley (maybe at 50 if I have a lot of shooting) and quite unlikely to use them with Haley--who has both Deadeye and TB to boost shooting.

I'm also much more likely to take Rangers at 50, for obvious reasons. The bigger the game, the more things to benefit from the buff.