Assault Marines

[Brother Pax]

Thanks for clearing that up guys (Stupid GW FAQ)

[Khorneeq]

I'm using two assult squads (or one of these two):

1) 10 man, sergeant with power fist and plasma pistol and two more plasma pistols in squad; they can open transport and get the "precious inside part" quite easily :P , MC or termies can also be softend if there is no better option...

2) 5 man, sergeant with power fist mounted in rhino with storm bolter; this rhino is really cheap moving cover and I think this is the only way of using 5 man assult squad, without it they die too fast

 

But this is my way of playing, flamers with power fist will be probably more reliant

[Koremu]

5 man, sergeant with power fist mounted in rhino with storm bolter; this rhino is really cheap moving cover and I think this is the only way of using 5 man assult squad, without it they die too fast

 

If I was doing that, I would upgrade to a Razorback ASAP.

[brgerkng]

I'm using two assult squads (or one of these two):

1) 10 man, sergeant with power fist and plasma pistol and two more plasma pistols in squad; they can open transport and get the "precious inside part" quite easily ;) , MC or termies can also be softend if there is no better option...

2) 5 man, sergeant with power fist mounted in rhino with storm bolter; this rhino is really cheap moving cover and I think this is the only way of using 5 man assult squad, without it they die too fast

 

I wouldn't put a plasma pistol on the sergeant, you wouldn't want to risk him to overheat, rather just risk your scrubs to getting fried.

 

Also, the assault squad can only take a rhino or droppod if they lose the jump pack. Granted if you take a razorback with a tac squad or something your assault squad can take it for a spin, just they can't deploy in it.

[Koremu]

Also, the assault squad can only take a rhino or droppod if they lose the jump pack. Granted if you take a razorback with a tac squad or something your assault squad can take it for a spin, just they can't deploy in it.

Jump Infantry can't enter vehicles at all. p66 BRB

[Boomsly]

in the assault squad entry it says, if they remove thier jump pack the can take a rhino or a drop pod for free.

[Koremu]

Yes, but he's talking about ASM w/ JP getting in another squads Razorback. Can't be done.

[Boomsly]

i see, well i read his post as, that when they loose jump packs then steal the tacticals squads razorback, its fair game either way it doesnt matter

[Cedric]

A transport may carry a single infantry unit and/or any

number of independent characters (as long as they

count as infantry)

-BRB on Transport Capacity

 

It's in the BRB, "Jump Infantry" aren't "Infantry" and so can't enter transports unless specific codex rules changes that.

[elijahdprophet]

Does that mean that if I take an assault squad without jump packs, deploy them in a rhino, and they get out of the rhino, they can't get back in?

[Cedric]

No, it means that an Assault Squad without jumppackscounts as Infantry, rather than Jump Infantry.

[Duce]

Slightly offtopic but where can he get thunderhammer form? theres a pic on the back of the assault marine box with serg holding one but when i opened it i didnt have any inside. so it may have to mean he gets one from a termie?

[waaanial00]

Slightly offtopic but where can he get thunderhammer form? theres a pic on the back of the assault marine box with serg holding one but when i opened it i didnt have any inside. so it may have to mean he gets one from a termie?

 

Best way to get one is to buy an Assault Terminator Squad. The arms they use have additional Terminator Shoulder Pads which means that if you just use the arm without the additional Terminator Shoulder Pad then it is almost exactly the right size without having to chop the arm around.

 

This is exactly how I have an assault Sergant with a thunder hammer

[Brother Swift]

10 man 2 flamers 1 fun time killing people

[brgerkng]

Slightly offtopic but where can he get thunderhammer form? theres a pic on the back of the assault marine box with serg holding one but when i opened it i didnt have any inside. so it may have to mean he gets one from a termie?

 

There is a bit for a thunder hammer in the Iron Hands Tactical Squad (check the GW website, it should be in the troops menu). Theres a pic in the sprue gallery resource.

 

If you just want the bit I imagine you can find it somewhere on ebay or something.

[Marwynn]

Hmm good discussion! Back in 4th my Assault Squads were mostly Plasma Pistol whippers with a PF, but that was when MEQ was the standard foe and cover saves weren't so abundant.

 

10 AMs, 2 Flamers, and a Sgt with a Powerfist seems to be the new standard. But I've been itching to give him a Plasma Pistol instead (and maybe upgrade to a TH if I can get one... I don't wanna snap it off the Assault Termies, I might need it).

 

It's 45 points on one Sarge who can get himself killed by shooting the Plasma Pistol. But I diversify the targets I can engage. It'd be even riskier giving the Plasma Pistol to the Chaplain. If Meltaguns were an option I'd seriously consider getting one. Or even a Combi-melta.

 

Doesn't seem worth it for a small chance to inflict some AT damage.

[brgerkng]

Hmm good discussion! Back in 4th my Assault Squads were mostly Plasma Pistol whippers with a PF, but that was when MEQ was the standard foe and cover saves weren't so abundant.

 

10 AMs, 2 Flamers, and a Sgt with a Powerfist seems to be the new standard. But I've been itching to give him a Plasma Pistol instead (and maybe upgrade to a TH if I can get one... I don't wanna snap it off the Assault Termies, I might need it).

 

It's 45 points on one Sarge who can get himself killed by shooting the Plasma Pistol. But I diversify the targets I can engage. It'd be even riskier giving the Plasma Pistol to the Chaplain. If Meltaguns were an option I'd seriously consider getting one. Or even a Combi-melta.

 

Doesn't seem worth it for a small chance to inflict some AT damage.

 

I'm also thinking the full squad with a fist and flamers is a standard. Personally I only run one flamer since I often don't want to find the points. I don't think the plasma is really worth it. If you take plasma you probably should take two, whereas just one flamer can help. If you're using assault marines for hunting vehicles you're probably better off taking multi-melta attack bikes.

[Marwynn]

Well it's not really vehicle hunting as it is Transport-popping, then slicing the gooey stuff inside.

 

It'll come in handy if the IG ever do get cheap open-topped squad transports, and handy now if it could work against the Trukk Ork lists. Heck, any mechanized lists.

[Ethrion]

So is it generally best to use a 10 man assault squad as a counter-charge unit (holding them back protecting a tactical squad etc), or aggressively and go hunting for squads to chop up?

 

I ask because I would really like to use assault marines but haven't had a chance to work them into a list and/or use them effectively.

[Reinholt]

So is it generally best to use a 10 man assault squad as a counter-charge unit (holding them back protecting a tactical squad etc), or aggressively and go hunting for squads to chop up?

 

I ask because I would really like to use assault marines but haven't had a chance to work them into a list and/or use them effectively.

 

In my experience, that will vary wildly depending on the rest of your list, your opponents list, and the setup on the board. For instance, my current marine list has everyone either in a transport, wearing a jump pack, on a bike, deep striking, or being a vehicle themselves. There is nothing that stands and shoots; thus, the assault squad would not be able to stay back to protect anything.

 

However, in a gun line, that might be directly reversed. It all depends on the precise game you are playing. The advantage they have is mobility, and there are a lot of ways to use that.

[ShinyRhino]

The thing I struggle with in regards to Assault Marines is keeping them alive til they can get to grips with an enemy. How do you keep a 10-man unit out of LOS so they don't get lit up like a Christmas tree by that platoon of Guardsmen you want to stomp on?

Assault Marines haven't performed well for me, beyond a single instance where my lone surviving sergeant played footsie with three IG tanks for two turns before biting the dust. The rest of his squad had been bombed by a Basilisk before that (7 out of 8 killed).

Assault Marines make for big targets when 10-strong, either for concentrated small-arms fire, or template ordnance. How are you folks keeping your Marines alive?

[Ethrion]

So if you are using a 10 man assault squad as a counter charge unit it might be best to keep them in reserve and bring them on your table edge later in the game. That way they aren't a target from the get go.

[Marwynn]

Well one alternative is to give your opponent more immediate worries. Assaulting a gunline like the IG would require at least two such squads I think, with some advancing armour or transports to hide behind or cause a distraction. Terrain only gets you so far, the best way to not get shot at is to make your opponent want to shoot something else.

 

Deep Striking them also means 1 turn of them not assaulting and being very still for the enemy guns to get a bearing on them. And there's always a chance that they won't arrive on the turn before you need them to countercharge.

[Ryjak]

A wall of rolling armor (Rhinos and Vindicators) has always worked well to shield my Assault Marines. You don't have to mess with finding terrain to hide behind if you bring your own, and since they all move 12" a turn...