Are heavy bolters good?

[FatDoinkRipper]

They have way less damage than a normal bolter for their description but do they make up for it somehow?

[KyuuMann]

I personally prefer shuriken and dark elf long rifles, but I find it hard to justify putting xenos weapons on dogmatic characters

[dustin1280]

Argenta arch-militant heavy weapons built with heavy bolter, can lock down half of a battlefield.

The heavy bolter is a HUGE bump from normal bolters, provided you spec and build around it.

[Divolg]

Originally posted by FatDoinkRipper:

They have way less damage than a normal bolter for their description but do they make up for it somehow?

Burst fire mode. If you build for it, it is insane on a heavy bolter.

[Moisesjns]

Originally posted by dustin1280:

Argenta arch-militant heavy weapons built with heavy bolter, can lock down half of a battlefield.

The heavy bolter is a HUGE bump from normal bolters, provided you spec and build around it.

This its crazy with burst fire ability

[zpc]

You haven't lived until mowing down waves of heretics with a heavy bolter =) Burst is a must indeed - especially against [Dark] Eldar.

[Sotanaht]

Compared to regular bolters, yes they are good because the Rate of Fire. If you can get flat damage bonuses (which you can), the lower base damage doesn't matter much when in the end you're talking about the difference between doing 170 damage per bolt, or 160 (it can go higher than that). Double the bolts more than makes up for that.

However, there are weapons better than heavy bolters that fill the same niche. Personally I would go for the Calibrated Heavy Stubber, which has a ROF 12, counts as a heavy weapon but only costs 2 to burst fire. With talents, that can go down to 1 AP to burst fire. There are also some Drukkari heavy weapons with 7 or 11 ROF that are significantly better than a heavy bolter if you can obtain and use them.

[Commander & Chief B.O.G]

The Heavy Stubber is the way. With the proper buffs 20 shots of 100+ damage mows down everything.
I keep hoping I will find a better version of the Heavy Stubber and some better gear for Ulfar because so far he's been very disappointing.

[Cutlass Jack]

The heavy bolter is way better than it looks on paper. I finally have Argenta rocking one and she's incredible now.

[Commander & Chief B.O.G]

I think the heavy bolter is bugged in my game, I have the talent that should give -25 STR requirement for heavy weapons but it's not applying to the heavy bolter.

I've only used it a bit on Ulfar to not so great a result, his Astartes Bolter is better damage wise.

[F-Man]

Yes. Yes they are. Have one on my on char skilled for crits and damage and it just owns the fight.
Everygame needs overpenetration now! That feature makes just looking at it so much more fun.

[Sotanaht]

Originally posted by Commander & Chief B.O.G:

The Heavy Stubber is the way. With the proper buffs 20 shots of 100+ damage mows down everything.
I keep hoping I will find a better version of the Heavy Stubber and some better gear for Ulfar because so far he's been very disappointing.

I assume you mean Calibrated Heavy Stubber, which is just better than Heavy Stubber in every way, purchased from one of the shops

That said, it has terrible range and accuracy, and armor penetration, so bringing something like the The Deadshot Splinter Rifle as a backup weapon makes a ton of sense. Actually the splinter will probably do more damage on the first turn or two before you ramp up a ton.

[Khloros]

Yes it is, very good, especially late game

[JustaGamer]

Originally posted by Commander & Chief B.O.G:

I've only used it a bit on Ulfar to not so great a result, his Astartes Bolter is better damage wise.

It's because he's not built for it. Per Owlcat tradition and I'm guessing they do it on purpose, pretty much all late game companion always have mess up and crappy build comparing to those that you have nurtured.

The people who put a heavy bolter on Argenta has build her for that purpose since level 1.

[KyuuMann]

Ulfar is better as a melee hybrid I think

[FatDoinkRipper]

Thanks for the responses. I respeced argenta into arch militant and gave her the Improved Heavy Bolter. This damn thing needed 75 strength... Worth it though, shes a damn monster now. Might have to bump up the difficulty to hard or unfair. I wanted to put it on Ulfar but he's just not built that well or at least not built for mowing down an entire room.