Hey everyone, Reecius here from Frontline Gaming to discuss
Objective Secured (ObSec) in terms of how tactically important it is in games
of 40K.
First of all, what is ObSec? It is a rule available to the
Combined Arms Detachment (CAD) and Allied Detachment in the main rulebook, both
of which can be used to build a detachment with almost any faction in 40K. It
is also available to Gargoyles in the Tyranid Skyblight Formation.
The rule states that units with it (typically troops) can
only be contested by other units with ObSec. It also transfers onto dedicated
transports. What this means in practice, is that these units can be uber-scoring
units that can take objectives very efficiently.
In a game where taking objectives is the objective of the game in most instances, a unit that is
better at taking and holding them is, clearly, coming in with a big advantage.
But is it as big of an advantage as we all think?
The reason I bring this up is due to the fact that I have
been playing a lot of Tyranids and Orks lately. Hey, I love a challenge, and
those two armies are certainly challenging to play! But, the creativity it
forces out of the player is fun and it has forced me to look at the game in a
different way. With my Nids, I have settled on a Nidzilla list with only 2
units of minimum Deep-striking Rippers as troops, and nearly all of my other
points dumped into pure offense (I do take a unit of 2 Venomthropes as they are
an incredibly good defensive buffing unit). I have found that while ObSec is
great, the benefit of scoring Monstrous Creatures which add more offensively,
is better. I find that they simply smush enemy ObSec units and then take the
objectives over their lifeless corpses. Plus, deep-striking, Fearless Rippers
that are now ObSec themselves are pretty incredible!
I have found the same thing with my Orks. Their troops
struggle without support due to Mob Rule. They really need a babysitter to
function efficiently. They also really want more HQs, and ways to mitigate
leadership. As a result, I have been finding that I am becoming less and less
concerned with ObSec and more concerned with specific benefits such as ways to
make a unit Fearless or reroll leadership, or get more HQs and Heavy choices in
the list over looking for ways to get ObSec units in my lists. I am finding myself
gravitating more and more to the Ork specific detachments as while they do not
have ObSec, they do offer some benefits that are pretty incredible such as the
Fearless Bosspole in the Ghaz Relic section or the extra HQ slot in the Ork
Horde detachment. Those I now precieve as actually being more beneficial in
some of my lists.
What I have found is that I win games more consistently when
I find ways to make lists that are flexible and mitigate the specific
weaknesses of the army even if that comes at the cost of less ObSec units.
Conversely with my Marines, I cram in maximum ObSec units because
basic Marines and Scouts are awesome units on their own. I lose nothing maxing
out on these incredible troops and so hey, why not really take advantage of
ObSec? Rhino rush and Drop Pod Marines are most definitely going to be winning
tournaments for that exact reason.
Whether or not to emphasize ObSec units in your list comes
down to the faction you play and the list you are building. It is easy to fall
into the trap of believing that you have to maximize ObSec units in your list when
in reality how you play the game is far more important. If your opponent has 18
ObSec units to your 2, but you kill all of theirs or prevent them from ever
getting to objectives to utilize their advantage, who cares? To that end, if
you can build a list that does those things reliably but leaves you with few
ObSec units, you will be winning more games than you lose.
What do you all think about ObSec? The Bee's Knees or simply
another tool in the complex tapestry of a good list?