AoS Rule of One and Voracious Appetite

Voracious Appetite: Each time a model from this unit attacks with its Vicious Beak and scores a hit, immediately make another hit roll against the same target. Carry on until a hit roll does not score a hit, then make any wound rolls.

The 3rd rule of one: Any extra attacks, hit rolls or wound rolls gained by the use of an ability cannot themselves generate extra attacks, hit rolls, or wound rolls. For example, the extra hit roll generated by a Ripperdactyl's Voracious Appetite ability could not also generate further hit rolls.

Does the 3rd rule of one completely negate the "carry on until a hit roll does not score a hit?" It sounds like this means that the Rippers are only getting at most two attacks with the beak (up to 6 with the toad)? That's pretty weak on attacks for 160 points, though I guess their swooping dive ability is still pretty good.

I haven't had the chance to use them, but I'm regretting building as rippers instead of terradons at this point

 

Maybe I need some help in understanding how to use them well. It seems like a unit of rippers could come in and take out maybe a magic user or artillery and then probably die next turn. Magic is usually 80-120 points but you're spending 140 (maybe an extra 170 if you need a shadowstrike to keep them alive to kill before being killed?). Is swooping dive usable every turn (on your turn), even when you are already in combat, provided they live? It really doesn't seem like they could take out a hero to me if they have 3+ saves (common)

 

well 3 of them will just make around 20-24 Wounds, so they can kill a little bit^^

 

20-24 is fairly optimistic.

Assuming you have 3 rippers you trigger the following saves on average
2 saves with the spears
7 saves with the claws
With the toad an average of 10 saves with the beaks
Without Toad an average of 3.5 saves with the beaks

So with the toads you'l average 19 save rolls. This'l probably kill, or at least severly maim, anything that doesn't have at least a 3+ save (or a re-rollable 4+).

Without the toads you'l average 12 save rolls, this'l really only kill squishy heroes.

This does make em a tad underwhelming as far as assasins go, especially as these are only average and you'l get worse results with some regularity. Also they don't have any rend or mortal wounds to guarantee those attacks will actually stick which doesn't help their burst.

They aren't terrible for their point cost though. They have quite a lot of use for board control with their toads & are a nice distraction as they look very scary when those toads are around so you can fairly easily goad your opponent in shooting at them instead of at say your carnosaur. Also, their stats are good enough that if your opponent does decide to ignore them they'l eventually start raking up some kills even if their immeadiate burst isn't astonishing.

 

What do you think about units? I was thinking six in one unit would help for the shadowstrike, but then you only get one toad, vs two units of three with two toads (one in the air, one...just around I guess)

 

Depends what else you're fielding and what kind of objective you're playing.

With respect to what you're fielding good rules of thumb would be:
If you the rippers are your only "big scary" unit, use 1; they'l be focused immeadiatly so might as well make it as powerfull as possible so it kills its target on the first strike.

If you have other "big scary" stuff, use 2; the 2nd unit can focus as a distraction as it forces your opponent to choose which scary thing to focus.

With respect to objectives good rules of thumb would be:
If you want to contest 2 objectives (or will probably need to split up for whatever other reason) use 2 cuz well 1 can't split... Also having 2 toads will be very usefull in this situation.

If there is just 1 objective you probably wanne stick with 1, especially in a shadowstrike host so you can immeadiatly throw it in it's entirety on the objective.


Try to figure out which aspect will be the most important and you'l do fine.