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Sternguard in a BA force - worthwhile?


Evicerator

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I have been rebuilding my BA army for the last year now (sold my old one that I originally started the hobby with 17 years back in my efforts to save for an engagement ring >.<) I'm one of those "I buy everything available to my army, just in case I need it." kinda people and I've pretty much got every unit (outside of allies) available in the BA codex except for Sternguard. I think it's mostly because of the ability to customize the unit so much (and I'm a freak about magnetizing every option...)

 

So my question is for those that have run any kind of Sternguard-iness - how's your success with them in general (I know that every unit plays different depending on meta. Just looking for generality mostly.) How do you kit them out?

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Our Sternguard squads are amazing because of BAs access to librarians with Divination.

Rerolling to hit is beyond awesome.

 

I generally field 8 guys with 4 combi meltas (because they are dirt cheap) and a heavy flamer (mainly for the looks). No further upgrades.

They are accompanied by a librarian for the rerolls and a sanguinary priest for durabilty.

 

I deliver them by either a rhino or a drop pod.

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I've run Sternguard to great effect. Normally 6 or 7 (depending on what I can get in the list) with 3 combi-meltas, a regular melta (in case I get caught short, as it were) and a powerfist, in a drop pod. Its essentially a "No" button as it comes in on T1 and nukes something unpleasant. Great for getting first blood as it can break a tank, and normally used to take down or weaken the scariest thing in the opposing army between the meltas and the special-issue ammo. Turn up, break something, then wander around causing a distraction/generally being a nuisance.
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You cant cast divination on a Podded Sternguard squad the turn they deploy.

So they would have to pod, take a turn of fire, then get rerolls on the combi melta shots.

Personally, I think they are too expensive, but they did kick me in the nads once.

 

Speaking of, are space marine pods capacity 12?

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You cant cast divination on a Podded Sternguard squad the turn they deploy.

So they would have to pod, take a turn of fire, then get rerolls on the combi melta shots.

Personally, I think they are too expensive, but they did kick me in the nads once.

 

Speaking of, are space marine pods capacity 12?

Well... They can dish out a lot of damage without the librarians power in turn 1. And they usualls live some more turns.

No. 10 is the maximum capacity for BA, that's why I use only 8 guys.

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Someone dropped ten sternguard and lysander (for bolter drills) behind me,

Which is 12 capacity.

 

Now I'm thinking the melta part of the combi might not qualify for the benefit, anyway.

Was he playing BA or Codex space marines (e.g. as allies)?

 

I have to disagree. For 20 points in form of 4 combimeltas you gain exactly what the Sternguard squads are missing.

It rounds them up quite well, and for me these 20 points always translate into a dead tank.

4 melta shots rerolling to hit are quite devastating.

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I own 35 sternguard models, 2 with melta guns 2 with plasma guns, 4 with heavy flamers 11 with combi plasma 11 with combi melta and 8 with combi flamer, for the 5 extra pts each and the fact I always use them in drop pods I think it is very worth while, currently using them a lot for tourny pratice. Think I am mainly going for combi plasmas with some meltas as well, trying out 3 combi flamer and two heavy flamer tonight with 5 combi melta and 8 combi plasma and 2 plasma guns all in drop pods. I do love me sternguard, very good at popping tanks first turn (usually run 10 combi melta in pod and combat squad them) and the 20 guys with combi weapons should be a nice alpha strike unit.
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I have always taken Sternguard in my blood angels for the fact I think Bolters are by far the coolest weapons in the game.

 

On a tactical note they're very flexible (whether you suicide them to take out something the opponent needs or you're using them as a supporting unit.) They can take charges from a lot dedicated combat troops choices without worries while dishing out a whole lot of punishment onto all opponents. Just having them on the board makes your opponent think twice about sending anything but his best up against them (and that in itself is a tactical advantage).

 

I'm actually running mine as a support unit and they're not entirely competitive, but I stick a heavy flamer in for those times when you get deep into rapid fire range and you need a few str 5 ap 4 hits to back you up and to combine with hellfire rounds for a fairly effective overwatch against anything less than a 3+ armour save (and also because my army in general lacks templates). I've been trying to decide whether to run combi plasmas in the list but opted out apart from the sergeant since my list contains plenty of ap 1/2 items.

 

(some of my choices have been made for modelling purposes, for instance some of the models I used were far unsuitable for putting combi-weapons on as it would spoil them entirely, so I didn't use them. :))

 

However my old unit I ran 2 Combi Melta and 1 Combi Plasma in an assault cannon razorback (Yes expensive), This usually converted into the ability to take down a decent number of terminators (using the plasma and hellfire rounds (if necessary the assault cannon) and more often than not several vehicle kills as well as deal with anything else that came knocking at my door.

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I am loving my Strenies, I tend to run 6-7 with up to 3 combi-meltas and a heavyflamer in a pod. Their main task is to stop threats to my 'Raven on turn 1 in which they excel at, then just be a pita afterwards. Heavyflamer also puts people offcharging them..... :D

 

I tend not to run a Libby with them, but I can see the obvious benefits for later turns, possibly even a Priest.

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im kinda wondering how you guys run sternies without sacrifcing them after they slag tanks/rapid fire things to death? after the turn they drop? Few times ive drop podded something it generally doesent live for very long as my opponents devote tons of firepower to it...

 

I think sternguards are abit to expensive for that ;)

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I've run 8 sternguard (2 melta or plasma and 4 combi melta)with a libby and corb in a pod a couple of times...yes it is worth about 500 pts but it did so much damage and took so much firepower without actually damaging them it was just amazing...

 

Against a grey knight list this squad killed 2 dread kinght and 2 10 man grey knight squad and absorbed so much strom bolter shot with corbulo my opponent couldn't belive it ...

 

I run them in 2k list supported by 2 squad of grey hungers in drop pod. When I dont have many points I take a normal priest intead of corb.

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This thread has inspire me to write a list based around a stern squad in a pod. It's up in the lists section now (1850pt List) and I would love to get some feedback on if I`m running them effectively within the list or how I could do it better. Is there a sweet spot for combi and special weapons do you guys find? half and half? half combi and a few specials?
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This thread has inspire me to write a list based around a stern squad in a pod. It's up in the lists section now (1850pt List) and I would love to get some feedback on if I`m running them effectively within the list or how I could do it better. Is there a sweet spot for combi and special weapons do you guys find? half and half? half combi and a few specials?

 

I've found the sweet spot (for me) to be 3 combis and one special. Stops it from going overboard, and retains that extra special for repeated use (who you can stick at the front once he's no longer useful). Special issue ammo needs to be retained otherwise you're better off running an honour guard, so you definitely want combis more than actual specials.

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[

I've found the sweet spot (for me) to be 3 combis and one special. Stops it from going overboard, and retains that extra special for repeated use (who you can stick at the front once he's no longer useful). Special issue ammo needs to be retained otherwise you're better off running an honour guard, so you definitely want combis more than actual specials.

 

 

Same.

 

Heavy Flamer, cmbi plas, 2cmbi melta.

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What do you guys use to model the heavy flamer?

 

G :D

I used the heavy flamer bit of the Space Hulk terminator, but you could use the regular terminator heavy flamer as well I guess.

Looks pretty badass. ^^

 

http://images.dakkadakka.com/gallery/2012/11/3/427714_md-.JPG

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What do you guys use to model the heavy flamer?

 

G :D

 

I also use the termy heavy flamer (and will continue to do so because the new finecast one looks... underpowered...

 

(I've posted these all over this site, no harm in doing it again I 'spose)

 

http://evicerator.com/evicerator/pictures/warhammer/terminatorheavyflamerconversion01.jpg

 

http://evicerator.com/evicerator/pictures/warhammer/terminatorheavyflamerconversion02.jpg

 

http://evicerator.com/evicerator/pictures/warhammer/terminatorheavyflamerconversion03.jpg

 

http://evicerator.com/evicerator/pictures/warhammer/terminatorheavyflamerconversion04.jpg

 

http://evicerator.com/evicerator/pictures/warhammer/terminatorheavyflamerconversion05.jpg

 

↑ shoulder pad, needs to be trimmed on the lower edge to make room for the fuel/power cord

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