Holding objectives with a jump infantry army.

[Trace]

Hi there I recently started blood angels and had a dilemma when coming up with my all jump pack assault army. With no troops other than assault marines and death company how does my army hold objectives? It seems a waste to combat squad my 10 man assault squad and have 5 just sitting on a point not to mention it makes them less effective in assault. Do I rush out and try to clear stuff and take objectives in the last few turns? Or do I drop some death company and make room for a small tac or scout squad to just sit on points? What do you guys do?

[gorbhan]

I personally never play to hold anything, every game is as if im playing annihilation, and im trying to force his units off of objectives at the same time. Always works for me.

Some one once said as well, that if a space marine army is fighting defensively, something has gone horribly, horribly wrong.

[Droofus]

Hi there I recently started blood angels and had a dilemma when coming up with my all jump pack assault army. With no troops other than assault marines and death company how does my army hold objectives? It seems a waste to combat squad my 10 man assault squad and have 5 just sitting on a point not to mention it makes them less effective in assault. Do I rush out and try to clear stuff and take objectives in the last few turns? Or do I drop some death company and make room for a small tac or scout squad to just sit on points? What do you guys do?

 

 

I'm running into the same issue actually. So far I've been combat squading and leaving five of my precious assault marines on an objective. It's getting a bit irritating and whats more, I think it may hamstring me against other assault armies. So much so that I'm thinking about 5 vanilla scouts with sniper rifles and camo cloaks to hold objectives. It's not that many points and they may actually kill something with those weapons.

[Firedrake28]

For 120 points you can get a 5 man Assault Squad in a Razorback with a twin-linked heavy bolter. This unit is actually quite good at hanging back on home objectives and can provide very cheap fire support. The Razorback keeps the Assault Marines safe from annoying stuff like battle cannons who might target them otherwise, forcing your opponent to allocate transport busting weaponry fire to the unit if he wants to get at the soft Assault Marines inside. Also, if the Razor ever ends up Wrecked, just deploy your Assault Marines behind the wreck to stay out of line of sight.

[Isryion]

Well, it is a five turn game, minimum, so I've found that jump infantry can go kill stuff and then jump back to objectives. However, I tend to play more of a counter charge type army with a solid fire base, but I still am able to surprise my opponent with some quick moves from the jump packs.

[spiros14]

well, the enemy can't get objectives if there's no-one alive on his side *Evil grin* failing that, assault squads are quite good at getting to places quickly, and they can just deep strike objectives in the lat turn

[JamesI]

Jump infantry have the mobility to claim objectives late. I run 2 10 man assault marine units and a 5 man assault marine unit in a razorback. The razorback guys will try to clear tanks with their twin lascannon and meltagun in the squad, then run to objectives if not needed to help in a fight.

 

The big jump units will fight, then whoever survives goes to objectives.

 

My last game my razorback died quickly, leaving the 5 infantry RAS too far away to do much. They sat on an objective all game.

 

The 20 jumpy guys fought against units, the last remaining guy taking another objective at the end. Since I was able to use my Vanguard to push my opponent off an objective, I won 2-0.

 

I have considered dropping the 5 man RAS for a 10 man tac combat squadded in the razorback, but I'm not sure as I'd have to lose either a Baal or autocannon/lascannon pred to make the points for it (or a Vindicator, but they aren't going anywhere)

[alloyslayer]

i agree with firedrake - 5 man squad with heavy bolter razorback = 120 points. bargain.

[Priest33]

I take a 10 man tac squad to sit at home minding the kids. Only time I ever use tac squads and see no point in more then one (which I tryed to explain to a new player but got shot donw by people so yuh!)

[Aramis_the_Red]

I find sniper scouts w/ cammo cloaks with a priest nearby make for the best objective campers in game. Just make sure you keep heavy flamers away from them.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

I am in the camp for playing aggressively. Kill everything then fallback late to take objectives. You can always objectives forward so you can move towards them which works very well with an aggressive army. Another strategy is to place the objectives close together. Finally if you are willing to pay the points then take assault squads mounted in landraiders. They are dead hard to move off objectives.

 

G

[Redo]

I have found that there are many, many armies with the capability to deep strike, infiltrate or rapidly move into your deployment zone or claim objectives that are in/near your deployment zone. As such I have believe that a JP Assault squad lacks the survivability to claim an objective. It is usually by the end of the game under full strength and has not transport as protection. That being said...no one should play Marines and leave a squad doing nothing. They are too little in numbers and rahter pricey.

 

Someone said that a HB Razor was a good option and I have found it to be rather cheap and useful. The Assualt Squad hides inside. The squad usually has a flamer and power weapon to counter DS or Infiltrators and the heavy bolters can make the unit offensive and whittle down opponents. That being said I think this unit is best used to ride with a S Priest. The HB's means that it does not attract as much as attention the LC variety.

 

Speaking of the LC variety it is very useful but not if you leave a priest in it. Too expensive. Ideally you would want 2 of these units; 1 with the LC Razor and 1 with the HB Razor and Priest.

 

My favourite is the Tactical squad. It can be divided. It is more durable and can be tailored for combat duties. When the squad parks in the Rhino it draws less attention, yet a ML or LC can fire from the top hatch...along with a PG. Usually the sergeant has a PF which helps deal with monstorous creatures, deep strikers or whatever pops up.

 

Anyway just my opinion...but I often find that 5 men is not enough to hold and we often use our Razors to transport S Priests.

[Gunhead]

When I can get hold of a few odds and ends I'll be using Camo Cloaked Scouts with Shotguns and ML Plus an SP nearby - adds a bit of Fire Support and general people regret getting within Charge range of them - Move, Shotgun, Assault...

 

Thankfully no-one in my store really uses Heavy Flamers on anything speedy.

[Brother-Captain Devlonir]

My favourite is the Tactical squad. It can be divided. It is more durable and can be tailored for combat duties. When the squad parks in the Rhino it draws less attention, yet a ML or LC can fire from the top hatch...along with a PG. Usually the sergeant has a PF which helps deal with monstorous creatures, deep strikers or whatever pops up.

 

Same here actually.. And I usually don't even transport them.

 

A nice tactic is a Tact Squad with Sang Priest. With Plasma Gun and Missile Launcher.

Combat Squad the Teams. Put the Sang Priest in with the Launcher and Plasma Gun and have them stand in cover on an objective if possible.

Put the other 5 man team (with Sergeant with PF) nearby on a flank, 10 to 12 inches away.

The enemy will usually try and send an assault team towards the FNP Heavy and Special Weapons team because they are very hard to shoot because of FNP and Cover.

Once the enemy assaults it, the team will probably still survive, make sure your Sang Priest stays alive at all costs (put him in second line of the team if you have to)

Then, move the Sergeant and friends in closer, to be exact: 6 inches from the Sang Priest max and within Assault Range.

Counter Charge with your Furios Charging Combat Squad with Power fist.

 

If they decide to take the Sergeant first in assault, your heavy/special weapon can do the same counter charging tactic.

 

I've taken out a few heavy assault squads that way already. Maybe not big Hammer units, but an enemy will usually pit those against your own Hammer units. And if a Hammer goes that way, that is what your 10 man JP RAS is for. But a scalpel or troop assault unit will surely feel that counter charge coming from the flank.

 

And the cool part is: This team can also take a Razorback (HB or LC version) for extra fire support (put the sergeant and SP in the transport then and the heavy/special weapon still in cover).

 

 

So.. TL:DR. A 10 man Tact Squad with Sang Priest, Combat Squaded in your own deployment zone is a great tool to camp a near objective, with or without vehicle.

[Loki73]

I run an all jp army. I use sanguinary guard. I kill high priority targets. Play agressivly and then jump/run too objectives late game.

[Papa]

I havent played the new dex, but in third edition I made a mistake and accidently left all my vehicles at home.. I instead did use a half tactical and half assault squad army.

The tacs (5 man squads with lascanons and plasma guns) sat back on my side of the table and killed vehicles and charracters of oppurtunity with first turn making my opponent nervous about leaving cover providing my jump troops with great access to his lines. Second turn advanced the JP to ideal Assault positions from cover whilst the tacs finished of the big ones. The third turn saw a glorius round of slaughter which left my opponent so broken hearted he couldnt stand to even finish the game. If theyve no one left to hold objectives we win. Since that game I'm more a squad guy than into vehicles, vehicles too easy to kill. I suppose our guys more reliable now too so wouldnt hurt to field more devstators instead of tac squads? I dunno the las canons were pretty cheap before, still is cheap for them but now you need all ten models to get the big gun... Ah well. Id also mention keep your Assault squads together for mutual support and attack one flank so as not to expose yourself to too much fire as you cross the table while spreading your fire support tactical/devastators accross your side to have more zones of fire control. Then keep one or two landspeeders to take out any pesky battle canon armour your opponent might bring.

I think a little balance is the answer.

[Requiem of the Wolf]

As others have said,and as the very wise Grey Mage once said "Annihilation is ALLWAYS a victory condition" Also aren't there jump pack troops that are counted as troops?

[Burningblood]

I personally never play to hold anything, every game is as if im playing annihilation, and im trying to force his units off of objectives at the same time. Always works for me.

Some one once said as well, that if a space marine army is fighting defensively, something has gone horribly, horribly wrong.

This. Definately.

First, Last, and Always.

[Fortunate Son]

For the longest time, I've been a fan of one 10man tac squad for objective-based missions.

You combat squad those boys up and you're holding one objective and moving towards one.

 

That being said, my recent armies have been DC, DC dread, and assault marines.

No point taking objectives when you have the ability to kill everything.

But it's a gamble. You don't always kill EVERYTHING. And then you risk defeat.