How to efficiently use Sternguard Veterans?

[Ultra165]

Hi everyone,

I'd like to get some info about how to use the Sternguard Veterans.

 

I'm more of a painting guy than a gamer, but I've just finished a 5-men Sternguard squad that I'm planning to enter into the coming Golden Demon here in Australia, but as I generally play with all the miniatures I pain, I'd like to knwo how to better use this set of miniatures that look awesome.

 

Thanks for your time!

 

Regards,

Ultra165 :)

[Captain Malachi]

Well that depends, what else is in your army and what have you armed them with?

[Gornall]

Well that depends, what else is in your army and what have you armed them with?

 

When I read that, all I could think of was "Who is your daddy and what does he do?"

 

On a more serious note, I think that most people use SGV as either DP suicide troops with combi-weapons galore or as a 5 or 6-man Devestator squad with 2 HWs and Razorback.

[ShinyRhino]

The trick with Sternguard is realizing that they're no tougher on defense than your other Marines. Sure, they can put out a lot of different fire, some of it seriously potent, but cannot take hits like Terminators. Sternguard are like "fire and forget" munitions. You tend to drop them someplace via drop pod, and let them shoot at whatever they can. They tend not to survive the game if there's only one unit of them.

If you choose to field Pedro Cantor, they make good a good scoring unit, but remember that they don't count as Troops! You can park a large squad of Sternguard on an objective, and pour out a lot of fire onto attackers. They're actually better than Tactical Marines int hat role, though obviously more expensive.

[Ming]

1. A 5-man sternguard squad can pack two heavy weapons, and as such can be a cheap, elite alternative to dveastators or even predators.

 

2. A 5 man sternguard squad has the same basic number of close combat attacks as 10 tactical marines.

 

3. Sternguard can shoot harder and farther than normal marines.

 

4. When I use them (with Kantor), they become the anchor for a fire lane; they hold the "home/deployment" objectives. Their CC attacks then go up another 50% (from 10 to 15), and they count as scoring (to take objectives), but are not troops.

 

5. Sternguard sergeants need a powerfist.

 

6. Although treated as a "one shot" nasty weapon platform by somee, these guys are fragile but very important cheese for any SME player.

[Vel'Cona]

Ming has a host of good points. SG as support, suiciders, or scoring combo'd with Kantor are quite nasty. In particular, support SG are far better than Devastators (unless going 4 HB with the Devs), and suicide squads are beefy with Vulkan (TL Combi-Meltas/Flamers and HF are awesome). However, calling them 'cheese' is far overstating their value. They are STILL basically Tactical Marines to the enemy's shooting, and are by no means compulsory to building a competitive SM list. Basically, to put them at Nob Biker/Lash Prince level is giving them a bit too much credit, IMHO. :mellow:

[Koremu]

They are fantastic for distraction purposes. People will go to incredible lengths to destroy a Sternguard unit, regardless of the cost.

 

As far as Transports go, I like 5 or 6 Sternies in a Razorback, possibly with an attached character. The RB allows the squad a degree of flexibility, either to complement the squad or to split fire onto a secondary target.

[Reclusiarch Darius]

Two ways to go really; drop pod them into enemy lines with a squad heavy flamer (just one, it will allow you to torch big hordes easily), or sit them back with plasma cannons. In either case, a Sarge powerfist and 4-5 combi-meltaguns are mandatory, to prevent them getting ganked by Termies, MC's or vehicles. Backed up by Kantor, they become really hard to shift.

 

I find the 8-man squad with powerfist, 4 x combi-meltas and 2 x plasma cannons to be a good unit. Between the Hellfire and plasma cannon they clean up infantry pretty easily, and so long as Kantor is nearby (I usually attach him to a squad of PAGK's, where his uber storm bolter is good fun), they don't fold easily in close-combat. They will die as quickly as Tacticals to ranged fire however, so be sure to put them in cover (on an objective as well).

[rat of vengence]

I have been drop podding my unit of 10. They have a sergeant with lightning claw/meltabombs, 3 combimeltas and a combi flamer. Usually, I will put them where theycan take down a tank and a supporting unit of infantry (combat squadding on arrival), but out near a flank or forward enough I can get support out their way fairly quickly.

I always make sure I have another drop pod so they are not arriving first turn, but later, hopefully after the opponent has committed his forces.

 

They don't always survive, and they often don't kill their points value, but they ALWAYS distract the opponent a great deal, force him to react, and allow the rest of my army to get on with it.

 

RoV

[Marlow]

5. Sternguard sergeants need a powerfist.

I agree with Ming, except on Point 5. With Plasma Cannons and Combi-Melta Weapons I belive a Lightning Claw is good enough for the Sgt.

[Koremu]

Pretty much all of my Veteran Sergeants have Power Fists. Except the one with a Thunder Hammer.

[Vel'Cona]

Power Fists are for Soul Punching MC's.

 

FALCON PUUUUUUUNCH!!! ;)

[Sternguard sergeant McColl]

1. Sternguard should really be on the offensive unless a very certain set of criteria are met (Pedro making them holders with HW's )

 

2. Wasting their bolters is a sin IMO, I'm not too fancy of the Elite dev set up.

 

3. They're no more durable than tacticals so an offensive role befits them, they need a transport if not holding with pedro.

 

4. They Need a PF, they have a huge, "Kill me" sticker on them and Will be the target of scary tough CC units.

[srpelicano]

I usually run my Sternguard with my captain in a rhino. I send them forward to take an objective or to just plant their feet and open fire on anything that needs to die. I normally play against Tyrannids, Daemons, and Eldar and this tactic has been pretty successful. I set them up in front of a a big nasty that needs to die and just proceed to pump hellfire rounds into them. The sergeant has a powerfist for when the inevitable charge comes and the captain gives them the extra combat attacks to hopefully sway any combat to my side. Normally when they get out of the Rhino and do their killing, they are hit with everything in the enemy arsenal.

[backside]

I find stern devs with plasma or las cannons very handy for the 145/155 they cost

[Ryjak]

Another option is to attach a Librarian with Gate of Infinity and use that to get them where their anti-infantry firepower is needed most. And if you're going to do that, consider getting the Librarian Terminator Armor, a Storm Shield, and Vortex of Doom as well. When you don't use the Gate, you can move the entire squad 6", unleash bolter hell AND that small Str 10 blast marker.

[Master Melta]

GoI is extremly unreliable though. That is a ton of points that you can either lose or get placed by your apponent well away from him.

 

Expect that option to lose you as many games as it wins if you use it offensively.

[Koremu]

GoI is extremly unreliable though. That is a ton of points that you can either lose or get placed by your apponent well away from him.

 

Expect that option to lose you as many games as it wins if you use it offensively.

 

Scout Bikers with a Locator Beacon. GoI happens before they move, so you teleport to the beacon and then the Scout Bikers go off after the next target... at top speed.

[Master Melta]

Alright, but at an additional cost of 95 points.

 

Add in the cost of the Libby and that brings you to 195. Might as well scrounge up 55 points and own with a Landraider as it chariots your sternguard across the battlefield...

 

but you do have to have an HQ so that 'extra' 100 points above could be moot.

[Ryjak]

Even with lots of terrain, the only real threat for a Deepstrike Mishap is landing on enemy models... and since you should be landing about 12" away in the first place, odds are pretty good you'll be ok. Most likely, you'll loose one or two guys from a GoI Mishap, or Deep Striking into area terrain during the game.

 

And even though you have GoI, doesn't mean you have to ever USE GoI.

[Algavinn]

My prefered use for my sternguard is to load up on several combi-meltas, two meltas, maybe a combi flamer if I have a few extra points, attach a gate of infinity librarian and have them go after particularly threatening units (often times a landraider crusader filled with LR termies, a chaplain, and beliel) just have to be very careful and conservative with them as it will be an expensive squad. Much more reactive and reusable than drop pod sternguard, and easier to use with other fast units in your army to act in concert instead of as a one shot expensive unit.

[travh20]

I have 2 more to paint and I will have 5. I have just given them bolters only, not sure how that will work. I have a razorback I can use for them, we shall see how that works.

[Cyberdog]

I'm not really happy about using GoI... I tried that once - my librarian and 6 sternies fried 2 daemon princes (well, they were as one squad and one prince was already damaged)... Yep - that was nice - on the next turn they were ripped to pieces by khorne berzerkers... Morale: I need some more stable transportation for them.

 

I really like the idea of Sternguards but I still do not know how to use them properly...

[DarkGuard]

At the moment my preferred use of Sternguard is a 5 man squad with 2 heavy flamers in a heavy bolter Razorback. They are normally accompanied by Vulkan as well. I find that this squad can put out a frightening amount of firepower if they get to the right place, as 3 twin-linked heavy flamers will inflict a lot of wounds even on MEQ, and hellfire helps to cause a bit more mayhem.