Combat Squads.

[Chapter Master Hades]

I was wondering what some of the advantages to combat squading my tactical squads. I know it is helpful to have the heavy weapon left behind while the combat squad with an assault weapon heads forward, but it also seems really risky. Five marines, in the scheme of things, can go down pretty fast. What are some of the advantages to using combat squads? Tactics? Also, is it possible to have 2 razorbacks per tactical squad that has been broken into combat squads? Ie, 2 squads of 5, 1 in each RB. Thanks everyone!

[greatcrusade08]

You can only have one transport per squad, if you want two razorbacks you have to take two different 5 man squads.

 

As for combat squading, i agree ten men is better than 5, however there are situations when its best to combat squad. If against a horde army for example, combat squading gives you 'speed bumps', basically a large horde/mob charges and kills 5 men, and you rapid fire them at point blank range next turn.

 

Also it lets your fist armed sergeant roll into assault whilst leaving your heavy weapon to kep firing, which to me is the main reason i dislike heavys in tac squads, they can often change how you use them.

Personally id like to se the option for a second special instead and roll up in rhinos like our chaos brethren do, that would really up tac squads usage.

 

I digress, i guess the problem is you have a special weapon such as meltagun/flamer that needs to get in close, and a heavy that needs the distance, so you split the unit into two and get the best of both worlds.

 

Also combat squading gives you double units for objective games.

 

Gc08

[Frosty the Pyro]

There are lots of advantages to combat squads.

 

1. Twice the scoring units, whooo

2. Enemies must target units, if an you get shot at by 1000 lasguns of death and it has enouph firepower to kill 20 marines, only 5 die and the rest of the firepower is wasted.

3. Speedbumps as stated earlier, as long as they keep their distance only one squad can get charged.

4. If both squads charge the same target its identical to a 10 man squad, except the enmie now has to split his attacks, which can cause wasted overflow wounds. Also if you have to (or chose to with combat tactics) fall back the other squad will still be engaged, thus preventing sweaping advance. (this can be followed up with a charge)

5. as already discused, usefull in spliting heavy and assult weapons.

6. Lets you split your firepower amoung more than one target so you waste less shots.

 

Thats all I can think of right now but I am sure there is more

 

 

As a side note, this should actualy be in the tactica, not official rules

[Isiah]

Indeed this isn't a rules question per se. Moving to the +TACTICA ASTARTES+ section.

 

Cheers

I

[Chapter Master Hades]

Whoops, thanks for the move. And thank you guys for the responses. I'm curious how others view combat squads. Has there been times when you wish you had or hadn't?

[JamesI]

Whoops, thanks for the move. And thank you guys for the responses. I'm curious how others view combat squads. Has there been times when you wish you had or hadn't?

 

Sure. I've had games where I combat squaded, and later wished I hadn't and had games where I didn't and realized I should have.

 

I've decided to not plan for using combat squads. When I build army lists where I feel like they have to combat squad to work, I get stuck in situations I don't want to do it (kill points games). So, I design my units where they can combat squad, but if they don't there isn't a lascannon stuck in a close combat squad.

[Koremu]

Personally I only Combat Squad in low points games (1k and below). Above 1k, there is just too much firepower about to make it worthwhile - full 10 man squads simply survive longer.

[Grand Admiral Thrawn]

Every game I have combat squadded I have regretted it. Every game I didn't, I was happy to keep them one squad. Five man squads are just too fragile for me.

[ShinyRhino]

Personally I only Combat Squad in low points games (1k and below). Above 1k, there is just too much firepower about to make it worthwhile - full 10 man squads simply survive longer.

 

I agree with this. The decision to combat squad is relatively easy or something like a tactical squad. Need the extra units to capture in a high-objective-count game? Combat squad. You've already heard the arguments about leaving a heavy weapon to fire at will, while the assault half moves in.

There's also a benefit to combat squadding a scoring unit in a Capture and Control mission. Splitting say, a pair of tac squads, and leaving BOTH heavy elements near your home objective gives you some redundancy on the objective. There's always the chance that a full 10-man squad there takes 3 wounds, you bork the Leadership roll, and they fall back off the table or objective. But it's less likely that both 5-man units will take two wounds each, then BOTH fail the Morale checks. If one falls back, the other still has a very good chance of staying put.

 

Now, with non-tactical squads, the combat squadding can become even MORE useful. I always take an 8-man bike squad with two meltaguns and an attached multimelta attack bike. Combat squadding gives me one anti-tank unit, and one anti-inftantry/tarpit unit. All the melta goes in one combat squad, and the rest goes for rapid fire bolters or assaults against something I want to keep from firing for a good long while.

 

The same can be done with Terminators with upgrades. Send the chainfists off with the Cyclone launcher, and the Heavy Flamer off with the sergeant and stormbolters.

 

etc etc etc

[Chapter Master Hades]

You know, I never really thought of splitting the non scoring units...I really like that idea. Perhaps I'll have to try the bike squad idea next game I play! Keep the suggestions or tactics coming you guys, I like what I've been hearing. Thanks.

[Chapter Master Hades]

*edit, double post*

[Frosty the Pyro]

Well If you can manage to keep an assult squad in reserves (perhaps you have Tigarous, or luck) and deep strike them in the last/near last turn, combat squad them onto objectives. sudenly losing 1 to 2 obj becomes wining 1 to 0 (Contesting for the win).

 

Also toward the combat squads being more fragile, in assult yes (unless you do the charging cus then its still 10 guys) but in shooting 2x5 is more resiliant, its just easier to shoot out the special/heavy weapons.