Basic Question: How do your 10 man Assault Squads Perform?

[Kasil]

I have been playing BA for about 6 months now and have never actually used a 10 man assault squad (general load out of 2 melta, power fist). I run a dual SR army, with termies in one and Mephiston in the other. I do use 5 man assault squads in razorbacks and they generally hold objectives while all the stuff in the stormravens cleans up, which means they don’t see much action.

 

Anyway, I have been considering sticking two 10 man assault squads in the stormravens as something different. I have some reservation because I am being aggressive with my troop choices and I am not really sure how well they will perform. Note that the two squads will have one sang priest (hopefully staying in a SR) for buff support.

 

So, what are some of your experiences with 10 man assault squads? Do they get shot to pieces when not in combat? Do they get bogged down easily? Are they useless against other more dedicated assault units? Or do they hold their own well and work out in most situations?

[JamesI]

Assault Squads on their own will not win against nasty assault units. Just won't happen.

 

But properly buffed with priests, chaplains or Librarians for unleash rage or supported so they hit units in pairs or with something more potent like Vanguard or Sanguinary Guard they do very well.

 

For inside a Storm Raven though, I'd tend to look at Vanguard without jump packs, Death company or Assault terminators over Assault marines.

[furnace]

I have a 10 man squad with 2 meltas, a powerfist, and a Priest with power weapon/jump pack in my 1850 list. It took me a while to figure out how to use them with my other units (2 Ravens with 5man squads, Libby, Priest, 2 furiosos, and a 7 man vet squad). If there is a piece of armor camping in the back wreaking havoc I'll drop into some impossibly tight area (I take waaay too many risks with DOA) and pop it with the meltas and hope the FNP from the priest can see them through to the next turn. If not, I'll use them either as a counter charge unit, dropping in behind cover near a fight and jumping in the next round, or as near the action objective takers trying to push off enemy units that have been softened by one of the other units in my army. Except for those few games where I use them to drop and pop armor, they are a backup unit. Eleven fresh bodies to tear into already softened enemy units. I would never expect them to do well against some of the more specialized and geared out assault units out there. Also, more than any other assault based unit I've fought against or seen, BA assault squads are much better at giving than receiving.

[SirDuck13]

I run a very much spam RAS army for my BA. 3 10 man RAS with 2 Meltas and a Hammer, each with a Priest attached and 1 with a Libby, too. That's supported by a Drop Podding Furioso Libby and 3 Stormravens. I've found that what the RAS can't out class in the assault phase, my Ravens generally do in with shooting.

 

I would like to point out that I'm going to be changing up the way my list is written though to drop the Furioso Libby and one of the Ravens to pick up a couple of Baal Preds. I think the extra shooting that has a scout move will give me a little bit more push ahead of my assault troops and keep fire off of my other squads more effectively than just the Furioso.

 

*Cough*BackonTopic*Cough* That said, I've found that the only units that really give my RAS and their priests a hard time are things that are hard to soften up sufficiently in the first round of combat. Such as Plague marines, Paladins, and those kinds of things. As long as you get the charge, you'll do just fine with them against even some pretty hard targets. Just don't let them get bogged down against things like Ironclad Dreads or other big nasty walkers/ MCs.

 

SD13

[Evicerator]

I have a 10 man squad with 2 meltas, a powerfist, and a Priest with power weapon/jump pack in my 1850 list. It took me a while to figure out how to use them with my other units (2 Ravens with 5man squads, Libby, Priest, 2 furiosos, and a 7 man vet squad). If there is a piece of armor camping in the back wreaking havoc I'll drop into some impossibly tight area (I take waaay too many risks with DOA) and pop it with the meltas and hope the FNP from the priest can see them through to the next turn. If not, I'll use them either as a counter charge unit, dropping in behind cover near a fight and jumping in the next round, or as near the action objective takers trying to push off enemy units that have been softened by one of the other units in my army. Except for those few games where I use them to drop and pop armor, they are a backup unit. Eleven fresh bodies to tear into already softened enemy units. I would never expect them to do well against some of the more specialized and geared out assault units out there. Also, more than any other assault based unit I've fought against or seen, BA assault squads are much better at giving than receiving.

 

 

periods and paragraphs are amazing tools in the war against walls of text. :D

[furnace]

Yeah, I get a bit overzealous sometimes. lol

[Tamwulf]

I run two squads with Jump Packs. One has a P-fist, the other T-hammer, and I spice up whatever else in the squad as I see fit. It's fun sometimes to run two flamers. :confused:

 

Lately though, I'm leaning towards a third, five man Assault Squad with a flamer/hand flamer dedicated to hunting down Scarabs.

[fivepointedstar]

my assualt squad do fine as long as I haven't succumbed to the black rage i.e. drunk off of Guinness. I do fairly well against more enemies, exept my buddies TWC. Oh I loath those thumder puppies.