Combat Squads?

[Riggs]

I realized today that out of the many games I've played I can only really remember combat squading twice. So I thought to my self, am I shooting my self in the foot by not doing this EVERY game that involves objectives?

 

Well I came up with some pros and cons, but I'd like to hear some experiences with combat squading, mainly with our assault marines.

 

Pros:

 

• More scoring units
• Can only ever kill 5 at a time with non-template/blast weapons
• Split fire/assaults

 

 

Cons:

 

• Only has 5 wounds each
• Assault range could be problematic (half get in and the other half don't). This could also be a pro, seeing is how you get two shots at engaging that pesky troop hugging the objective on turn 5
• Priest bubble range now requires a little more finesse 

 

 

My core army generally has 4 troops, 2 SG and 2 RAS. The RAS DoA and melta important things and the SG travel in a pack with Dante and a Priest in one of them, and I almost always play at the 2000pt level. So what do you guys think, is it a trap or is combat squading an important part of your tactics? 

[Xenith]

I've started combat-squadding my tacticals for every game that isnt kill points.

 

I think it's a good idea to, apart from when you are something like an assault squad that has a special rule that applies only to the unit (e.g. prescience, liturgies of blood).

 

If there's 1-2 models in an enemy unit, you dont waste a full squads firepower. Likewise, enemy firepower can only kill maximum 5 guys at a time.

 

Problems are that independent characters have less protection.

 

More units just means greater tactical flexibility. Like you don't have to have 10 marines babysitting an objective.

[Brother Maikel]

Smaller squads are also less likely to mishap on the drop, and it allows you to push your specials forward while leaving your regular assault troops "at home" with the objectives.

 

It gives you more opportunity to keep half-squads in reserve, for late-game objective grabbing.

 

Slightly higher risk of coming in piecemeal when you don't want to (though 3+ with reroll from DoA makes that less of an issue)

 

 

I almost always combat squad, except occasionally during Purge the Alien and the Relic missions, depending on my opponent's list/deployment.

[Riggs]

Great! Thanks for the quick responses guys. Seems like I really do need to start giving combat squads a shot.

[Squirrelloid]

One of the things I liked about combat squadding was it let you take mixed gear and then split that up to function properly.  So if you could take a lascannon and a flamer in a tactical squad, combat squad it, and now you have a firebase unit and a close range support unit.

 

Of course, none of those shenanigans were necessary when you could use weapon options with less than 10 marines xP

[JamesI]

I seem to be the only one, but combat squadding never goes well for me.  I almost always wish I hadn't

[Alyssis]

I always combat squad, but i usually never have more then 2 full squads of ASM as troops.. Gonna build 10 more, but i will proberbly still combat squad most of them.. Having just 2 troops doesnt give me enough room to get all objectives..! Andi like having 5 ASM DoA from the heavens, in the most tight spots you could possibly imagine, and still make it..!

A question tho, and please dont laugh at me.. Me and my buddies have played all missions with victory points from all the units we destroy, but i might have understood the rules a bit wrong, and is it only the Purge of the Alien mission that has victory points for all the units.. not the others? o.O

 

[knife&fork]

Indeed it is. 

[Xenith]

I seem to be the only one, but combat squadding never goes well for me.  I almost always wish I hadn't

 

Any detail on what goes wrong when you use combat squads?

 

Having a 5man, 100pt suicide melta squad striking in sounds interesting.

[TheSauce]

I almost always combat-squad at least one of my 10 man ASM squads. Two meltas in a five man squad that I can deep strike behind enemy lines to take out some nasty armor (I usually aim for big blast/barrage weapons that can put the hurt on the rest of my units).

 

This "delta squad" has always served me well - it makes your opponent rethink their deployment to deal with it, and after it comes down they're sure to spend a good chunk of firepower trying to take them out, which can leave some room for the rest of your forces to be a little riskier with their turn 2 movement. And if they don't manage to wipe the squad out, you have a one or two-man scoring unit in their backfield, who can try to sit on an objective, or try to avenge his fallen brethren and take out a weak enemy squad (I've had two ASM sweep a 10-man guard squad on the charge).

[Ushtarador]

I started combat-squading my ASM as well. Initially this was so I wouldn't waste my melta shots - it's very annoying to explode a vehicle twice because your meltas have to shoot the same target. It also makes it more annoying for your opponent, as he will often overkill your small squads. Nobody wants to shoot a whole squad at a single marine, but he can still score and contest perfectly fine.

It's even an advantage in close combat, because your opponent has to assign his attacks to a single unit before striking, so it's more likely some guys will survive thanks to bad luck etc.

 

Downsides are that a divination libby becomes a lot less powerful, and it's easier to snipe sergeants and sanguinary priests if the squad size is small.

[Theredknight]

Combat squads have their purposes..

Like someone above, I strike 2 meltas in for tank blasting.

If I'm playing a lot of weaker armoured units where cover saves do it for them, il even consider taking 2 flamers and a hand flamer for ultimate grilling!

As above one Tac squad split is good, I even do the same with dismounted assault marines, whacking 2 plasmas in a razor and ramming it upfield for obj holding or taking out light armoured units.

[Riggs]

Oh wow! Thanks guys for this insight. Just to clear a point up, can I combat squad and hold 5 in reserves and field 5? ALSO if I hold all 10 in reserve and I want to combat squad it, do I deep strike and place them all THEN declare them combat squaded or do I roll separately and put them in different locations.

[Brother Maikel]

from the FAQ:
 

You must decide which units are splitting into combat squads, and which models go into each combat squad, immediately before deployment. A unit split into combat squads therefore is now two separate units for all game purposes including calculating the total number of units in the army, and the number of units you can place in reserve. Then proceed with deployment as normal. Note that two combat squads split from the same unit can embark in the same transport vehicle, providing its transport capacity allows.

 

 

So once they've been combat squadded you can put one in reserve and one into play (since they're different units), if both are placed into reserve they roll for reserves separately, and they get deployed in separate locations.  They also roll separately for Red Thirst, since that happens after deployment (when they're considered two different units).

[Theredknight]

I was just reading the FAQ,

 

You must decide which units are splitting into combat squads, and which models go into each combat squad, immediately before deployment. A unit split into combat squads therefore is now two separate units for all game purposes including calculating the total number of units in the army, and the number of units you can place in reserve.

 

This leads me to believe that if split, it is 2 separate units. So you can deploy one, and the other half in reserve, say in a pod..

 

Am I right here?

[TheSauce]

Yes. They are treated just like you bought two 5 man squads (though only one gets the sergeant).

[Riggs]

Awesome! Thanks guys.

[JamesI]

 

I seem to be the only one, but combat squadding never goes well for me.  I almost always wish I hadn't

 

Any detail on what goes wrong when you use combat squads?

 

Having a 5man, 100pt suicide melta squad striking in sounds interesting.

I think its mainly that I don't like wasting units as suicide squads.  I still beleive in the combat potential of 10 Assault MArines together.

[Zynk Kaladin]

I think it's fair to say 2 squads of melta jumpies and a priest is a reasonable core these days. I like the idea of combat squadding 1 unit into a unit of dual meltas and a krak grenade thrower for vehicle nuking. The power weapon Sergent stays with the other combat squad and tanks overwatch hits for your other full squad.

[Xenith]

 

 

I seem to be the only one, but combat squadding never goes well for me.  I almost always wish I hadn't

 

Any detail on what goes wrong when you use combat squads?

 

Having a 5man, 100pt suicide melta squad striking in sounds interesting.

I think its mainly that I don't like wasting units as suicide squads.  I still beleive in the combat potential of 10 Assault MArines together.

 

I'd also advocate against suicide squads also. But your two combat squads can still assault together.