Is this worth it?

[Claws of Corax]

I have had a good long think about what would be a good unit to be a back field defence unit.

 

On looking at the BA codex last night I noticed that you can take two heavy weapons in a Sternguard squad. Not only that.. the Lascannons are cheaper than for a Devastator Squad.

 

A 10 man squad of Sternguard with 2 Lascannons cost roughly the same points as a 10 man squad of Devastators with 4 Lascannons.

 

Can anybody think of a reason not to take the Sternguard unit? I am very tempted.

 

Your Brother.

 

Claws

[JamesI]

I never tried my sternguard that way (I played them as a more in your face support unit to my assaulters).

 

I face an enemy that uses Sternguard a lot to sit back and shoot, but he uses plasma cannons and the 30 inch range special ammo.

 

I'm not sure lascannons match well with the rest of the sternguard ammo. Perhaps if you run sternguard as 10, 2 lascannons, combat squad them so the lascannons form a back squad while the other 5 take a razorback and move up to use combis.

[Erasmus of Baal]

Reasons not to take Sternguard? How about Sanguinary Priests, Furioso Dreadnoughts, Chaplains, or Terminators? It's a pretty compatetive slot, but I actually really like this idea--I hadn't previously noted that the weapons are cheaper than for Devastator Squads. They can certainly do what I want them to more effectively than a Devastator Squad, so I think I'll probably start using this some. You have my thanks, brother!

[ImperialReaper]

I dont think I would use a sternguard this way.

 

Yes they may get 2 lascannons for 30 pts. But thats just because the model itself ist 9 pts more than a devastor model.

For those 9 pts you but get the special ammunition and veterans with 2 attacks. So basicly you get a lot of flexibility.

 

If you want them to stay behind and support your troops you pretty much limit this very flexible unit because they can only shoot 1 shot of the 30" ammunition and their lascannons. Also you got veterans with 2 attacks sitting back and probably never even getting into cc while not even being able to hold an objective. The next downside is that they consume one of the for BA players pretty valuable elite slots.

 

For those reasons I only use them them at the frontlines where they can unleash 2 shots of all types of special ammunition on close proximity and then also stand their ground in close combat.

 

Some Vanilla Marines but use sternguard with Captain Perdo (if i recall it right) because he allows them be hold objectives. But due to the afore mentioned reasons they mostly place them in cover or with a razorback next to the objective which is most endangered to be assaulted by the enemy.

 

So if you keep them back like a devastorsqaud you would only use like 50% of their "power". And since they are so darn expensive this would realy be a waste IMO.

[shatter]

I would call that unit mid-field denial that can still reach out and touch anything and do it from turn 1. I'd want to give the sergeant a powerfist though, to keep it viable as a countercharge unit for stuff that slips through.

[WarpWalker]

I never thought about using them that way. They have always been close support unit for me. Their bread and butter is there special ammo and I fear it may not have much use sitting in the back-40. Like James said the plasma cannons could work better.

[Claws of Corax]

That was my thought on how I would use them. I want a unit that can provide mid to long range support.

 

Any thought on a better unit that can provide a similar amount of ranged support?

 

Brother Claws

[SeraphimDeSanguinius]

That was my thought on how I would use them. I want a unit that can provide mid to long range support.

 

Any thought on a better unit that can provide a similar amount of ranged support?

 

Brother Claws

Land speeders do this particularly well, and I think Baal preds as well as Predator Destructors are awesome fire support.

Also: Vanguard vets. With heroic intervention they are a hammer that can come down anywhere on the board to wreck face.

[Ranwulf]

With so many Thunderwolf Cavalry, Tervigons and others tough basterds, I use Sternguard as a support for my assault troops. They usually work, since they are pretty good at cutting a part the enemy, then allowing my Assault Marines to kill.

 

Ran

[WarpWalker]

The only other mid-long range infantry I can think besides Devs is a squad of terminators with a cml.