Scouts?

[Mike the Zealous]

Hey fellow BA players!

 

Recently, I used 2 squads of scouts in a 2000 point Dawn of War/Objective game against Tau, and they both helped me win the game. I had one set up with a PW Sang Priest and a PW sergeant, and the other set up with HB, Camo Cloaks and Sniper rifles. They both outflanked, with the CCW scouts outflanking right next to an Crisis HQ squad on turn 2, and the Snipers coming in on turn 4 onto a side objective that was uncontested. The CCW scouts killed the battlesuits after a few turns of combat, and then proceeded to kill his last Fire Warrior squad, while the snipers ended up holding the side objective like planned.

 

 

Has anyone tried using scouts, either for outflanking or objective holding?

 

Also, anyone try using CCW scouts with a sang priest?

 

Respectfully,

 

Mike Zealous

[SnorriSnorrison]

I had one set up with a PW Sang Priest and a PW sergeant, and the other set up with HB, Camo Cloaks and Sniper rifles. They both outflanked

 

I am not sure mate. Did you attach the Priest to the Scout squad? If so, I am quite certain that they lose their Outflanking USR, as well as the other stuff.

 

 

But to your originial question:

 

I used Scouts in a game recently, but they weren´t able to kill anything safe a Tactical Marine by shooting, and they never made into combat, even with DoW deployment. Bad terrain rolls and terrible luck were the key.

On the other hand, Scouts can be really great for killing small squads with heavy weapons, or just keeping them in close combat. Against MEQ, I found them rather useless, as they get beaten up by the Powerarmour stuff - they still excel in tank-hunting with first turn chargem though.

 

Adding a Sang Priest is a nice idea - but also very expensive. Adding one additional priest are 50 pts, and the powerweapon is not included, only for a squad that will be most likely shot into pieces by the enemies gunline or special weapons...might be too much of a risk. Use the Priest to buff the rest of your army instead, to maximise the capacity of his bubble. You can also use Astorath and hope for a nice Red Thirst roll(if you don´t forget, that is. Happens to me every second game! :angry: :P ) so you have FC and FnP.

 

 

 

Snorri

[lunchb0x]

My usual scout compliment...sgt with melta bombs, power weapon, beacon. camo cloaks FOR EVERYONE!!!!! YAY!!!! and then...infiltrate, scout move/whatever...but turn 2...LAND RAIDERS EVERYWHERE!!!!

[Mike the Zealous]

@Snorri: I checked the BRB just now, and .... yeap, you were right on the Priest joining the scouts, cuz i guess that since he doesnt have scouts or infiltrate, the squad was unable to do that. That sucks, but i guess ill just shoehorn Astorath in to give em FC and fearless. Yea, I tend to be pretty lucky most of the time, so i think that scout snipers and outflanking CCW scouts are just gonna have to rely on Astorath and/or lucky dice rolls :/ Oh well, still pretty good on the charge against tau or non marine armies <_< thanks for pointing out that part on the IC, both my opponent and I were thinking it was legal at the time lol

 

@ Lunchbox: Yea, i tend to run em cheap, my thinkin be that they are basically stronger guardsmen with better leadership and sneaky skills, so they should be kept bare bones, since their impact on the battlefield is mostly situational. Land Raiders are great, i used to run 3 of em in 2000 and above, just to get my sternguard into the shooty shooty :angry:

[Taranis]

I am fond of my scouts. Often using 3 minimized squads squads with heavy bolter. They often provide long range support, hold objectives and or outflank to claim objectives or assault/shoot upon arriving.

Cheap bodies for an otherwise expensive chapter.

 

T.

[Corby]

I used them for a time for objective holding. Camo cloaks are a must for them , a 2+ cover save in a building makes them so dam annoying! :P

 

However a single well placed heavy flamer makes a mess of them.

[x01848m]

I have had great success with a 5-man scout squad w/ sniper rifles, missile launcher, and camo cloaks. For only 100 points they are an awesome objective holder, and can provide somewhat decent fire support (not great, sure, but okay for their points, and at least annoying to your opponent). I use them with my mostly jump pack list, so the enemy is too busy fighting my RAS w/ priests in close combat to ever get stuck in with my lowly sniper scouts sitting back, and trying to shoot a unit that can get a 2+ cover save when they go to ground is ridiculous.

[Venerable Jazzman]

My usual scout compliment...sgt with melta bombs, power weapon, beacon. camo cloaks FOR EVERYONE!!!!! YAY!!!! and then...infiltrate, scout move/whatever...but turn 2...LAND RAIDERS EVERYWHERE!!!!

Mr Lunchbox, you are an evil man :lol:

 

I may need to repaint my old Space Crusade scouts ;)

[Firedrake28]

I don't think Scouts have much place in a good (and by that I mean competitive) Blood Angel list. They're decent objective holders but unless they're borrowing someone else's transport they'll quite likely be killed. Their low BS makes them pretty 'meh' at fire support and their low WS often causes them to get creamed by any competent assault unit. As for Outflanking, good players know how to counter it so it'll be rare that they get a chance to assault something worthwhile. Blood Angels should stick with Tactical and Assault Marines for Troops.

[Zeller]

I've used a squad of sniper scouts in my last two games and granted I was fighting slaanesh demons their in game effect was minimal besides tying up a 12 woman squad of demonettes for a few turns which was quite surprising to say the least. To be fair though their role was to pick off any MC and heralds. They did have a commanding view of the battlefield but the scenario was nightfighting for every game turn which also severely hampered their effectiveness.

 

In the sniper role I'd imagine they have their niche but playing them aggressively with shotguns storming objectives and then deepstriking landspeeders and landraider could be better. They could serve as a sort of force multiplier as in if you let them live the number of Blood Angel forces multiplying by the scouts will increase with each subsequent turn.

 

Now, I have been left with 75 points time and time again and can't help but wish I had a squad of scout bikers. Though one squad with their mines is no great threat in a city it can make objective taking more difficult if place on buildings with objectives. In addition they look awesome, they're only 12 USD, and they can make a fast last minute objective contesting squad.

 

So, regular scouts...not so great in my experience but the bikes could be fun and more effective. Melta bombs and infiltrating please.

[Knyx]

I don't think Scouts have much place in a good (and by that I mean competitive) Blood Angel list. They're decent objective holders but unless they're borrowing someone else's transport they'll quite likely be killed. Their low BS makes them pretty 'meh' at fire support and their low WS often causes them to get creamed by any competent assault unit. As for Outflanking, good players know how to counter it so it'll be rare that they get a chance to assault something worthwhile. Blood Angels should stick with Tactical and Assault Marines for Troops.

 

Scouts really are sup-par in games you are looking to outright win. If you're holding an objective with a scout squad, its because you don't think anything is going to be able to get to them. They certainly won't win against anything that will get to them. A combat squad of anything else can do the same thing, but might actually stand a chance against whatever might slip through to get to it. If nothing else, its not a liability in KP games like a scout squad is. Just don't combat squad in those games.

 

People never combat squad things. I guess it they forget you can.

 

 

Its also often argued they the Missile Launcher they bring is really worth it. Not only is it meh BS, but also is it left out that missile launcher and scout squad in the back would easily pay for a few more sets of meltaguns up in the front.

[lunchb0x]

I don't think Scouts have much place in a good (and by that I mean competitive) Blood Angel list. They're decent objective holders but unless they're borrowing someone else's transport they'll quite likely be killed. Their low BS makes them pretty 'meh' at fire support and their low WS often causes them to get creamed by any competent assault unit. As for Outflanking, good players know how to counter it so it'll be rare that they get a chance to assault something worthwhile. Blood Angels should stick with Tactical and Assault Marines for Troops.

 

 

Think outside of the "generic" picture...The way I use them, every opponent ive played against has ignored them. " what no long range? no heavy or special weapons? HA!" then everything from drop pods to land raiders and assault troops land right on his front door thanks to the scouts...very useful and has won me several games. You bring up many valid points, but using a unit to so something that most dont think it should, and have it do it well is really something fun to do.