how do you kit out your command squad?

[CheeseWhiz]

I've taken to running command squads a lot lately and have been wondering how other people feel about them and how everyone loads out their own squads. My favorite loadout is -

180-Captain w/ Bike, Artificer armor, Storm shield, Lightning Claw

255-Command Squad on Bikes, Company champ, x2 plasma pistols, melta bomb

435

In addition I've been toying with a more shooty squad when I don't run my bikes

140-Captain w/ Artificer Armor, lightning claw, combi-plasma

155-Command Squad: x2 combi-plasma, x2 combi-melta,

35-Rhino

330

 

Please post your command squads loadout as well as preferences or Pros and Cons for different wargear and strategies.

[Iron Father Ferrum]

Quad plasma guns.  Never did me wrong.

[CheeseWhiz]

I had thought about 4 plasmas, you put them in a rhino or on bikes?

[Iron Father Ferrum]

Las/plas Razorback, actually, with a Librarian.  The Libby can provide Null Zone coverage if shooting at Terminators, or an Avenger template if shooting at anything else.  At rapid fire range, combined with the Razorback, that's eleven AP2 shots and one AP3 flame template.  I've deleted daemon princes and entire squads of Marines in a single shooting phase with this set up.

[Febelcrofas]

For me it's also 4x plasma, they are my pride and joy model wise as well. In run them in a rhino for mobility and getting the two shots out of the hatch. Like to get a libby in there as Ferum said for the null-zone shinnanigans and sometimes if you can get a BA SW or DA libby in there I've got one word for you: PRESCIENCE. RE-rolling at will, effectively rules out overheating and then when you do it's a 3+ THEN FNP! I often have them all survive a battle if I play smart and they cut through power units. With prescience they can even be pretty effective anti-flyer. Hands down one of my favourite units.

[Giga]

Command squads are overpriced and really not worth it. But if you absolutely have to use one:

Quad plasma guns.  Never did me wrong.

[DarkGuard]

If you want a combat unit, go elsewhere. Otherwise, quad plasma as others have said. C:DA get it better though, able to unlock them with a Libby with Prescience and make them a 5 plasma gun Command squad.

[Brother Milner]

Hi guys,

 

I thought that the command squad was for combat.

I do not play very often and wanted mine to be with the Champion, Apoth, Stnd Bearer, double lighting claw, and one with two storm bolters.

 

Why do you take 4x plasma, because of the FNP that you recieve???

 

Thanks 

Brother Milner

[Stickeh]

FNP is one reason, another being that its one of the few effective ways to spam special weapons in a C:SM army

[Febelcrofas]

See my previous post :)

[DarkGuard]

Hi guys,

 

I thought that the command squad was for combat.

I do not play very often and wanted mine to be with the Champion, Apoth, Stnd Bearer, double lighting claw, and one with two storm bolters.

 

Why do you take 4x plasma, because of the FNP that you recieve???

 

Thanks 

Brother Milner

 

Other units do combat better. Particularly as the one advantage a Command squad had other Terminators (Rhinos) has been taken away. Now they must deploy in Land Raiders to disembark and charge, so why not take a cheaper Libby and a Terminator squad which does combat better?

 

Quad plasma is basically the only way a Command squad can truly be competitively viable, and considering you play a Captain tax for it some would argue that Sternguard with combis is a better option. FnP is less of the good points for Gets Hot as it once was, which furthers leans the balance away from Command squads.

[knife&fork]

Can C:SM double up on special weapons like BA can? 'cause Melta+flamer on every model at the same price as plasma is a pretty sweet combo.

[Montuhotep]

Can C:SM double up on special weapons like BA can? 'cause Melta+flamer on every model at the same price as plasma is a pretty sweet combo.

Not in any regular Tactical squad, nope. Assault Squad can, at 10 strong, get double flamer but that's the only one that can dual-wield special weapons apart from the Command Squad.

[knife&fork]

 

Can C:SM double up on special weapons like BA can? 'cause Melta+flamer on every model at the same price as plasma is a pretty sweet combo.

Not in any regular Tactical squad, nope. Assault Squad can, at 10 strong, get double flamer but that's the only one that can dual-wield special weapons apart from the Command Squad.

 

I meant in command squads an honor guards. On model basis, not unit. 

In other words, buying 2 special weapons for every member except the apothecary. 4 meltas and 4 flamers cost the same as 4 plasmas while having a wider variety of good targets. 

[DarkGuard]

You can. But that unit costs the earth and is very points inefficient. Which is why no one does that.

[bystrom]

You can. But that unit costs the earth and is very points inefficient. Which is why no one does that.

Compared to, quad plasma? which costs the same? I would say it isn't as points efficient as the quad plasma. While it has more finesse, able to shoot 4 S8AP1 shots or 4 flamer templates, its more often marines or terminators that are harder to kill for marines. Hence quad plasma. If you want to wreck vehicles or kill hordes, there are fast multi-melta, predators and bolters available.

[Zombie P]

plus sterns and all the other ways of bringing the AP3 to the table. Quad Plasma is wonderful. I normally run mine in a cheap and cheerful razor (Due to model shortages). The FnP has saved a marine no end of time, but it has failed me at crucial moments too. It's just nice to know that what ever you point them at is going to suffer some serious hurt! Drop Pods work well with them too. 

 

My experience. ZP

[knife&fork]

The melta/flamer combo is probably more at home in a more aggressive list compared to what codex marines usually play.

 

Personally I think the quad plasma is a tad overrated. Their list of ideal targets is rather short and their job can often be done better by sternguard. On the other hand, not taking up an elite slot can be worth a lot.

[DarkGuard]

 

You can. But that unit costs the earth and is very points inefficient. Which is why no one does that.

Compared to, quad plasma? which costs the same? I would say it isn't as points efficient as the quad plasma. While it has more finesse, able to shoot 4 S8AP1 shots or 4 flamer templates, its more often marines or terminators that are harder to kill for marines. Hence quad plasma. If you want to wreck vehicles or kill hordes, there are fast multi-melta, predators and bolters available.

 

Very true. I got my points cost mixed up there, my bad.

[DerekLee688]

Can C:SM double up on special weapons like BA can? 'cause Melta+flamer on every model at the same price as plasma is a pretty sweet combo.

 

Thanks for the sweet conversion idea.

[Bannus]

 

Can C:SM double up on special weapons like BA can? 'cause Melta+flamer on every model at the same price as plasma is a pretty sweet combo.

 

Thanks for the sweet conversion idea.

Hmmmm.....a combi flamer/melta-gun.....hmmmmmm.....

[Ultra Magnus]

I like the melta & flamer combo that knife&fork suggested, especially if used in combination with a drop pod. You have the firepower to burn down either a vehicle or infantry unit when you drop and then have the 4 flamers available for over watch on your opponent's next turn. If you manage to survive to get a second turn, you can use either weapon again and still have the option to charge as well unlike the quad plasmas.

 

If you go with this configuration you surrender both your chainsword and bolt pistol. I am assuming you still get your base 2A for veteran profile in hand to hand combat regardless? That command squad must be tough if it can literally punch it's foes to death...

[Deus de Mortalis]

Yes, you always get those base attacks in CC no matter what weapons you have.

[WarriorFish]

So there's really no hope for the standard bearer? I do like my fluttery pieces of cloth, I was thinking about running a cheap Command Squad (almost bare bones) with one but I'm not so sure now. I wasn't expecting it to be amazing but there's "not great" and then there's "bad"...

[Deus de Mortalis]

I really hope that with the new codex we can see a return to the 3rd edition command squad structure. A squad of 5-10 marines, with upgrades to a standard bearer, champion, apothecary, and maybe even junior techmarine, with maybe a limit to 2 special or heavy weapons, would to me seem pretty good.

 

The current 5 too expensive marines with additional costly upgrades just doesn't seem to cut it.