Assault squad load out

[Rafen IX]

Hey Brothers,

I've bought 4 death company kit boxes, planning on two ten man assault sqauds. What's the typical load out? I'm thinking 2x flamers and a power sword on the serg?

[knife&fork]

For jump infantry?

 

2*melta and a melta bomb on the sarge. Fist or axe if you feel like spending.

 

2*flamer and hand flamer on the sarge is ok too. Maaaybe a powerweapon.

 

Melta pistols are neat but kinda pricy considering how short the double pen is.  

[Rafen IX]

Yes jump infantry, thanks for the speedy reply. They are typically backed up by a jump priest. Option to be supported by a tact squad for hybrid flexibility. Melta bombs are initiative 1 aren't they? Is that viable?

[Memento Of Prospero]

You will often find that fragdreads clean house when it comes to templates, and meltas are great when combat squadding. I like gunslinger sargeants with plasmas pistils.

[Rafen IX]

Meltas seem to have the majority, there is so much detail on these models it's insane. Taking me ages to paint to a good standard lol

I liked the idea I heard of the synergy between a power axe priest backed by a power weapon serg. Allowing for challenge initiative shenanigans ;)

[ASSASSINAWOKEN]

You can easily have the best of both weapons by using some magnets. I have two assault squads with both sergeants with their arms magnetized. This allows swapping PA, PS, PF and swapping the BP, PP. I have thought about a second PP arm, but I didn't have the am bit.

[knife&fork]

Yes jump infantry, thanks for the speedy reply. They are typically backed up by a jump priest. Option to be supported by a tact squad for hybrid flexibility. Melta bombs are initiative 1 aren't they? Is that viable?

 

The melta bomb is there to make you better att killing AV, lots of stuff out there with good cover saves.

[Rafen IX]

You will often find that fragdreads clean house when it comes to templates, and meltas are great when combat squadding. I like gunslinger sargeants with plasmas pistils.

Isn't that tempting fate with gets hot? Lol

[Calnus]

Dual pistols makes the Sergeant more than 50pts for a couple of S7 shots and 3 standard attacks base.  Its really only beneficial if you have the points (say you build out your list and you have 30-40pts spare) and you intend to deep strike a good bit. 

 

My favorite loadout is dual meltagun, Power Sword +MB on the sergeant.  Dual flamers with the PS+MB sergeant also nets you some good anti-infantry, while still allowing you to knock down vehicles reliably.  Either way you go, as long as you stick 2 Assault weapons on the regular dudes, you're not going to go far wrong.

 

I've been toying with the idea of running a Storm Shield sergeant with my priest group.  Its expensive as hell, but gives you a way to tank challenges and shots toward the unit while keeping the priest alive.

[Sanguine Eternal]

I'd have to agree with dual melta guns for special weapons since I often drop 2 fragioso's turn 1 lately, those are all the templatey goodness you need I find, both equipped with a heavy flamer as well.

As for the sarge, I always keep them bare, if I have a few points left over melta bombs for sure.  I mean it wouldn't hurt to give them a power sword or even a fist for that matter, but you need to be careful who you're assaulting so the fist isn't singled out in a challenge.

I never liked the hand flamers because of str.3.  They're not good against MEQ, but any xenos I guess they'd be alright with a majority T3.

A flamer squad would be great for overwatch though, throw in a hand flamer, you get 3D3 auto hits.  But again, fragioso's do it better.    

[Rafen IX]

I tend to be facing tyranids alot so I think two flamers plus sword and or bombs. Is the way to go now. I may magnetise for the melta.

It's a shame the pack doesn't contain meltas or flamers just the pistol form. I may have to 'counts as.'

 

Really appreciate you lot throwing out your experience, I've only been playing for a couple of months.

Thanks brothers

[TheSauce]

I've been running Storm Shields on my assault squad sergeants. It's expensive, but it really helps keep my assault squad alive against plasma, missiles, or other low AP stuff, and with close combat shenanigans with wound allocation, I can usually throw at least a few attacks that ignore armor on my sergeant. If he makes a a single SS save, he's pretty much payed for himself.

 

I try to run my squads with dual meltas with priest support - hitting at transports and going after lighter infantry where their weight of attacks can put the hurt on.

[knife&fork]

 But again, fragioso's do it better.    

 

But there's only 3 Elite slots.... :(

 

One does not have to rule out the other. Assault marines are a lot faster once touched down, can't be one shotted by a melta, have scoring and don't get bogged down in CC as easily. 

[Rafen IX]

Tell me about it. This morning my fragioso podded in (the pod gave him first blood) killed two hive guard and put the last on one wound. Then duelled with a carnifex for three turns (he refused to use smash attacks because he hits at strength nine lol). But then got tar pitted by 5 termagaunts for the remaining turns... Don't get me wrong he made back points, but maybe snippy claws might have done it better?

[knife&fork]

Fraggy Furiosos, Dicing Deathcomany.

 

That's my dread policy :D

[Rafen IX]

Can't argue with such logic lol

[Sanguine Eternal]

@ Knife&Fork
So are you saying I should take 3 fragioso's? :P  Those elite spots do fill up quick.  They serve as a distraction for me as my jump assault units close the gap, while the baal preds support lay down the cover fire from the rear.

@ Rafen IX
I have a hard time wanting to use blood talons.  I've had way to much fun with fragioso's.  I've got first blood, and slay the warlord on numerous occasions.

As said before, a lot of people magnetize their weapons.  I personally don't because I like having more models :).  So I think flamers would benefit you if you know you're planning on taking on a horde army that day etc.  But besides that, I take melta's.

[Rafen IX]

Fragioso can do a max of three wounds (four with magna grapple) three of those get an armour save unless they rend. How are you getting slay the warlord?

The only time I have is when he foolishly charged the fragioso and ate 7 shots to the face lol

[knife&fork]

Fragioso can do a max of three wounds (four with magna grapple) three of those get an armour save unless they rend. How are you getting slay the warlord?

The only time I have is when he foolishly charged the fragioso and ate 7 shots to the face lol

Melta, grapple and fragcannon can double out T4 and T3 models respectively. Plus if the warlord is part of a unit he can potentially force a lot of wounds with the fragcannon.

@ Knife&Fork

So are you saying I should take 3 fragioso's? Those elite spots do fill up quick. They serve as a distraction for me as my jump assault units close the gap, while the baal preds support lay down the cover fire from the rear.

@ Rafen IX

I have a hard time wanting to use blood talons. I've had way to much fun with fragioso's. I've got first blood, and slay the warlord on numerous occasions.

I don't use priest so for me it's either 3 fragioso or 2 fragioso and some sternguard.

While AV13 and WS 6 is really nice the furioso don't have the number of attacks to really get value from the blood talons. DC dreads are sooooo much better at chewing troops.

[Rafen IX]

I get where your coming from, the only warlord he's been fielded against so far is a hive tyrant so t6 shenanigans :)

[Sanguine Eternal]

Frag Cannons are template, assault 2.  So say I drop pod right in front of a Warlord, and his unit of 10 bodyguards.  Say the frag cannon's template hits 7 models, since it's assault 2, you're hitting 14 models. 14 auto str6 hits, 6's rending, 2's wounding most T4 or less.  Then you have the hvy flamer.  Different angle, but maybe you can hit 6 with that.  Then magna grapple to finish it off.  So thats 20 auto hits, and a magna grapple.  These are actually quite easy to achieve numbers if your pods are landing where you want and you get the 6" disembark for best positioning.

Since I am attacking, I get to choose in which order the wounds are distributed.  Normal saves first, then rending, then magna grapple.  You can only LoS so much until everyone in that squad is murdered.

And incase you didn't kill the whole unit, you probably inflicted more than enough to force a panic test, in which case, I have on more than one occasion, made them flee of the table first turn.

I wouldn't be podding it next to a tyrant or anything of high toughness anyways.  Next to some stealers something for sure.  Utilize that assault 2 template to where it will do the most damage.  Not on single models.

[Rafen IX]

Nice, appreciate the tip. The new template rules are still new to me :)

[Xenith]

Other than wall of fire, template rules haven't changed sine 3rd ed, it's the wound allocation rules that have changed, give them a thorough read so you can allocate wounds effectively.

[Rafen IX]

That's what I meant on the wind allocation :)

[Zynk Kaladin]

Interestingly, I don't run flamers on my jump pack assault marines because between fragiosos, baals, and hurricane bolter/twin-linked assault cannon ravens I have more than enough anti infantry support in my lists to keep the pressure on.  If only whirlwinds were less expensive... but that's beside the point.

 

Anyhoo, recently I'm leaning toward just taking 1 assault squad and a death co unit for my troop requirements.  I LOVE assault marines to death, but times are rough for the competitive BAngel.  I'm thinking of supplementing my scoring troop needs with podded plasmagun grey hunters...

 

Again anyhoo, this configuration for my one assault squad: 10 ASM(2M).  I combat squad them thus:

 

+5 ASM(Serg,2M):  This unit DoAs on turn two following my fragioso(M,MG) alpha strike.  With 2 meltaguns and a krak grenade, they can support the fragiosos (if they survived) in taking down priority targets or position themselves for late game line-breaking objective grabbing.  The sergent in the squad helps with leadership rolls.

 

+5 ASM:  I'm leaning towards deploying these dudes in a Raven for late game home/midfield objective grabbing.  They can also supplement the far field if needed.  There's no objective these guys cant touch!

 

 

 

Tbh, I've had a very rough time ditching my 2x10 ASM, sang priest core in a competitive-minded environment because I love those units to death.  Crystal tears, brothers... adapt, overcome.