would this work?

[Lysimachus]

Was just looking at the combat squad rules in the dex, and noticed that it doesn’t seem to indicate that a Tactical squad has to be split up in a particular way, i.e. Sgt + special weapon in one, heavy weapon in the other?.

 

Does that mean you could still have the old las/plas combo squad for home objective guarding/cheap long range fire?

 

Of course, the obvious problem is then there’s the other half of the Tactical squad that seems wasted. However, could you then equip the Sgt with p.fist and maybe a combi-weapon to make up for loss of special, give his half a razorback and send them forwards?

 

Now I know that the 2nd combat squad won’t last too long on its own but if it’s not a priority target it might be ok. What if you hid it behind and ran it up in support of something else – something big and nasty (I’m thinking LRC with TH/SS termi’s B) ) but that isn’t scoring? The heavy hitters take whatever objective you’re after, then the Razorback combat squad holds on to it.

 

 

You could even do this with both your basic troops choices so with the 2 firebase halves you’d basically end up with a very cheap and scoring 10 man Dev squad with 2 Lascannons and 2 plasma guns… plus the 2 mobile support elements (perhaps varying the Sgt’s equipment/razorback loadout in the 2nd squad to provide a bit of adaptability?), there to move forwards and hold onto the objectives your harder units have taken.

 

 

 

Anyway, just something that crossed my mind. Can combat squadding work this way? Could this tactic work? Anybody got any thoughts as to if this is a good/bad idea?

 

Cheers

 

Lysimachus

[ShinyRhino]

Yes, it does work that way. Most folks tend to split into combat squads for exactly that tactic. Leave your heavy weapon stationary while you move your special weapon and sergeant around. The only requirement is that each squad has to have 5 men in it when you split.

 

However, it does not work like this:

 

You could even do this with both your basic troops choices so with the 2 firebase halves you’d basically end up with a very cheap and scoring 10 man Dev squad with 2 Lascannons and 2 plasma guns… plus the 2 mobile support elements (perhaps varying the Sgt’s equipment/razorback loadout in the 2nd squad to provide a bit of adaptability?), there to move forwards and hold onto the objectives your harder units have taken.

 

You can't recombine the combat squads back into a 10-man unit. So no double-heavy 10-man squad as a result of recombining the two combat squads. You can certainly put those two squads NEAR one another, but they won't be one unit.

 

Also, remember that for Annihilation missions, each combat squad awards one kill point, effectively doubling the number of available kill points your opponent can get.

[Lysimachus]

You can't recombine the combat squads back into a 10-man unit. So no double-heavy 10-man squad as a result of recombining the two combat squads

 

yeah, sorry should've been clearer

 

You can certainly put those two squads NEAR one another, but they won't be one unit.

 

this was what i meant, just that the combat squads would work together to offset their lack of numbers.

 

you do make a very good point about the increased kill points though, i hadn't thought of it. Cheers!

 

Lysimachus

[Aeric]

Another tactic is to have the serg, special weapon, heavy weapon in one squad and just bolters in the other.

This gives you a sacrificial unit, to act as a "road bump" before a counter attack.

[Grey Mage]

I dunno, it would probly work in normal games... but it really just feels like your trying to find a way to bring back the ol' 4rth ed las/plas squads... and then the other half of the unit isnt as effective for your game. That seems silly to me.

[rusty1109]

Can someone explain this fabled las plas combo to me? I've not heard of it and certainly never played against it (or may have not realised that i was).

[Ryjak]

A 5-man squad with a flamer and P-Fist Vet in a Razorback is effectively the same as a 5-man squad with a P-Fist/combi-flamer vet, as you'll probably only use that flamer once anyway. There's absolutely nothing wrong with this unit-build method, but it does cost 265+ points.

 

The only real downside is that Lascannons aren't really anti-tank weapons anymore; they're anti-transport weapons... which makes any Las/plasma combo a bit less effective than back in 4th Ed.

[Grey Mage]

Can someone explain this fabled las plas combo to me? I've not heard of it and certainly never played against it (or may have not realised that i was).

Alot of people used the 4rth ed C:SM to take small squads and grab a lascannon and a plasma gun, many also took a "trait" similar to a chapter tactic in its way that would allow their army to infiltrate. It was obnoxiously common.

[minigun762]

I feel like you could do something similar with Plasmaguns/Missile Launcher or Multi-Melta combo and save points.

Give the Plasmagun/Missile Launcher a nice little hiding spot in cover and blast away.

The other 5 guys hop into a cheap Razorback and go onto an objective.

[Sternguard sergeant McColl]

Yes, but it doesn't necessarily need to be those two weapons, coincedentally those two seem to be the most effected by 5th Ed changes. Both weapons used to be viewed as peak AT and Anti-MEQ weapons, but now that the vehicle damage chart is arder' and cover and invuls more plentiful they seem to have both taken a hit from a practicality stand point. I would rather have a flamer/meltagun and ML/HB/MM. never been a fan of either weapon to be frank.