Company Veteran Squad w/ DropPod... worth it?

[farfromdead]

So I after 4 games as a newby 40K player with my DA (0-2-2), I am still trying to find my balance. I have been running Multiwing with Belial mostly. Unfortunately my opponents were TAU, CSM and Flamer Demons. I have been getting shot to pieces, due to Belial not getting into range to cause ruccus in the backfield (Tau ...grrr).

 

I am exploring, th idea, of  taking Vet Squad in a drop pod to take care of the opponents Big Guns. But unfortunately they are a bit pricey for essentially being a suicide squad.

 

I am looking for some advice / experience for this matter... also Loadouts and how many.... I was thinking 10 man MM, MG, couple Combi Meltas/ Combi Plasmas, maybe a storm shield or two for protection.

 

So anybody?  

[facmanpob]

You probably need to start by giving a little more information about your list, as no advice is going to work well in isolation.

 

You mention not being able to get Belial in range......can you expand on this please, as Belial (with his non-scattering deep strike) is actually one of the easier characters to get into the opponents backfield.

[farfromdead]

ok... 2k vs TAU

 

HQ

Belial

 

Librarian

Auspex, PFG

 

Troops

 

10man Termies

AC/ CML

 

5man Termies

TH/SS CF

 

10 Tacticals

Vet / LC

 

5 Scouts

Vet / 3x Snipers , HB

 

Fast Attack

 

5 Landspeeders

dual HB

 

4 RW Knights

RGL

 

Dark Shroud

 

Heavy

 

5 Devastators

Vet, 2x ML, 2x LCs

 

-- this list is me trying the Landspeeders and Dark Shroud

 

 

 

Belial DSed 1st Round and lit up the Markerlight firing Units. My Speeders went up the side to take on some Firewarriors and Battlesuits. ( which thinking about it now I should have fired all my shots at the S10 AP1 guys)  

but in his turn his jumpsuits ran away from Belial and sacrificed his FireWarriors ... My abilities to roll 1 and 2s is/was amazing btw

 

Like said Im just exploring... I like the Dark Shroud and Landspeeders I might move to more RW than DW... but yeah just exploring my options.... (I know the Lib should be on a bike, but Im still waiting on the parts for the conversion

[facmanpob]

OK, I get what you mean about Belial now!

 

Just costed up your list, and it comes out at around 1961 points. Is your libby in terminator armour, because that would account for the missing points. Or have you upgraded to flakk missile launchers?

 

On to the list itself, and I'll start with a few small suggestions:

 

- separate the AC and CML into the 2 different Termie squads. They are both anti-armour weapons essentially, and so you want them shooting separately from the storm bolters in the squads using Split Fire, which you can't do if they are both together in the same squad.

- lose the Veteran upgrades from the power armour units. Your guys are stubborn, so the extra point of leadership isn't that great, and you don't want them going into CC (you haven't tooled them up for it) so you don't need the extra attack. That would save 30 points.

- Drop the heavy bolters and swap them out for better weapons.

 

Now some bigger list ideas:

 

- 5 speeders = awesome! 5 dual HB speeders = meh! ;) Seriously, take some Typhoons. I would argue even that spending the same number of points on 4 Typhoons instead of 5 dual HB speeders is a better option.

- What is the Tactical squad for? Are they a backfield objective sitter with a heavy weapon for fire support? If so, you can drop them down to 5 marines and keep the lascannon, saving 70 points in the process (almost enough for that 5th Typhoon speeder! ;) )

- I would consider going all sniper with camo cloaks for the scouts, or possibly 4 sniper plus a flakk missile launcher.

 

A retooled list comes out at 1973 points, and looks like this

 

Belial

Librarian w/ PFG (sits with the speeders and twin links their weapons using Prescience)

10 termies w/ AC

5 termies w/ CML, CF, TH/SS

5 tacs w/ Lascannon

5 scouts w/ camo, 4 sniper rifles, 1 flakk missile

5 Typhoon speeders (just imagine 10 missiles and 15 heavy bolter rounds a turn, all twin linked!)

4 Black Knights

Dark Shroud

5 Devastators w/ 2 x flakk, 2 x Lascannon

 

You could spend the remaining points on another Chainfist and a couple more TH/SS for the 10 man termie squad. Belial and the termies go into DWA. The Dark Shroud protects the speeders and the Black Knights should Outflank.

 

Hope this gives some food for thought. :)

[Brother Landrain]

Vets in a Drop Pod (10) with 4+ Combi-Melta, and 1-2 with Storm Shields.

Combat Squad!

Take out 2 Armour, Artillery etc..

 

Locator beacon in the Drop Pod...

 

Deathwing Assault on Turn 2.

 

By using DPA , the vets can get in on round 1, and cause Havoc. Armed right they must be dealt with or they will do a lot of damage.

This will hopefully keep the DP safe for DW to Drop in round 2, and be right on target and in the thick of the action.

You now have 4  units inside the red zone that are hard to kill, and need dealt with.

Keeps the enemy on defense, and reacting to you.

[Cypher 102]

You could always try some good old land raider rush.  Having a 4+ invulnerable save on your land raider as it rushes across the board is actually kind of sick.  You can even give it to a cheap techmarine who stays in the ride so as not to give your enemy's models a save and to repair any damage that comes it's way.  Then you have a decision between deep striking Belial or putting him in the land raider.  If he's in the land raider then set your Deathwing Assault for turn two, spend turn one driving flat out across the board, and enjoy the 4+ invulnerable.  On turn two the Deathwing Assault lands within teleport homer range of the land raider and shoots up the enemy.  Follow this up with an assault from Belial's squad.

 

If possible I'd suggest bringing the Black Knights up to six for a second grenade launcher.  The disruption this causes to the enemy is just too good.

 

I would drop either the scouts or the tacticals and bring up to ten whichever squad you choose.  If you pick scouts then get some camo cloaks.  You usually only really need one stationary backfield objective holder.