Passengers for a LR Helios?

[Montuhotep]

Run into a little conundrum which I'd appreciate some advice on.

The Helios is the FW 'Raider with the Whirlwind battery on the roof and a transport cap of 6. Obviously this rules out terminators in any way, shape or form, but it does raise the question do I even use it for transport and if so what goes inside?

 

 My thinking is that it can hold a small squad that can be used for protection duties and disembark to allow the 'Raider to get away from anything wanting to munch it in close combat. At the moment I have 3 possibilities, all costed at about 190 points each.

 

1. 6 Sternguard with a Powerfist and 3 combi-weapons.

 

2. 6 "foot" Vanguard with 3 Storm Shields.

 

3. 5-strong Command Squad with a champion and a few plasma guns.

 

 All are counted as veterans in game terms, so their stat-lines are identical. I'm leaning towards the Sternguard because of their utility thanks to their ammo even when the combi's have been used, but also tempted by the other two for various reasons.

 

 Or would I be better served by sticking a regular Tactical combat squad in there?

 

 Rest of my army is a 2000 point balanced mix of attack and defense, heavy on the Tactical squads with support of 2 Storm Talons, a gun Termie squad and a Vindicator.

[Hyaenidae]

I'd say hold off until the new codex comes out. Hopefully we'll get Flakk missles, then you could load a devestator squad up in it as a AA-battery. With the wave upon wave of flyers we keep seeing, being able to knock two of em out a turn could be handy early in the game.

 

All theoretical though. For now, I'd say the Sternguard. The varied ammo will help thin out anything that gets too close.

[infornography]

Eh, I probably wouldn't run a helios, but if I decided I wanted to I'd either keep it empty or load it with a combat squad of tacs.  The thinking being that the combat squad can pop out near an objective late game.

[roryokane]

Devastator squad? :D

[Iron Father Ferrum]

Techmarine with some servitors.  He can repair it while embarked, repairing lost HPs and fixing weapons if someone gets hits without killing it.

[Montuhotep]

Based on that idea from DXF, what about 5 Sternguard and an attached Master of the Forge? He can repair the 'Raider if needed and although he doesn't have any fancy bolter ammo, the addition of a twin-link plasma pistol, flamer and 2 more powerfist equivalents could make for a nasty combination.....

[W0lfie]

If you're going to take one, I would only recommend doing it with a command squad or an honour guard squad inside, as the extra space in a normal raider is wasted and you end up just paying 10 points for a whirlwind launcher rather than a heavy bolter.