Sternguard config.

[Prefect Apollyon]

It's been a few months since the release of the new C:SM, and I wanted to hear how people were using there Sternguard.

 

Currently I'm considering all Combi-Grav (5 man unit) with a Rhino, the idea being to give them a weapon to deal with stuff like Wraithknights and Riptides, while still allowing them to use there Special Ammo.

[minigun762]

I think in smaller games, combi melta is my primary choice so you have an all purpose squad.

In larger games, I'd go with combi plasma or grav instead to focus on killing MCs.

[thepowerofwar]

I like using a drop pod for mine instead of a rhino because it gets them to their target turn one.  As for weapons I have one that's combi grav for anti MC and heavy infantry.  The second squad is combi melta for anti tank.

[DarkGuard]

I will always include at least 2 combi-meltas in my units, to make sure they can handle everything. Rest is player preference.

[Prefect Apollyon]

I like using a drop pod for mine instead of a rhino because it gets them to their target turn one.  As for weapons I have one that's combi grav for anti MC and heavy infantry.  The second squad is combi melta for anti tank.

I see the appeal, but I like to use a Rhino to shield them from fire. They can still fire while in the Rhino, all while not being shot back at.

[Stickeh]

In my 2k lists I often include a 10 man squad in a drop pod with 6 combi meltas, 325 points, so a huge investment but a massively versatile unit. Capable of slagging any vehicle short of a super heavy with impunity, and is a threat to MC's and infantry alike. Can force opponents to deploy their armour far apart in order to avoid losing both to the alpha strike, which allows me to counter deploy my long range anti tank against whichever tank I don't go for. They're my favourite unit as well and are a great centrepiece to theme a list around (I pretend my tactical squads are vying to be the first to reinforce the first company and earn glory).

[Ishagu]

I run a suicide 5 man drop pod with 4 combi Meltas.

 

First blood is a huge deal in 6th edition...

[Black Templar 307th Comp.]

I personally go with 10 in a pod, combat squad and give them all combi meltas.

[DarkGuard]

I personally go with 10 in a pod, combat squad and give them all combi meltas.

 

My main issue with this is the expense. Sternguard are cheaper now, Sternguard with combi-meltas are not, I believe that squad will be 30pts more expensive than it once was (my maths is probably off though). A small squad as a suicide melta squad, or a Dreadnought are good, but that points investment into a suicide melta squad isn't good IMO.

[Montuhotep]

Is it worth it, when using drop pod Sternguard, to give the sarge any ccw at all? Mine is a 5 strong, 4 combi-melta unit.

 

 To answer the OP's question, mine are always combi-melta - it gives you a versatility that a combi-grav can sometimes lack - tanks are afraid of melta no matter the situation, not so much afraid of grav. It can till hurt them, yes indeed, but not as reliably as a melta can.

[VoteForPedro]

I kit out my 5 man squad with 3 Combi Meltas and 2 Heavy Flamers in a drop pod, gets the job done and is nicely versatile. I'll admit that focussing the squad to either anti tank or anti infantry would make more sense but I'm a sucker for the new Heavy Flamer model!

 

My 1500 list has 3 drop pods (other two being 10 man Tac Squads) so I have some flexibility in when the Sternguard are coming down.

 

Servo Skulls are worth mentioning here, if you're going first reducing the scatter distance can be very useful, especially for flamer/ melta builds that need the short range to really kick in the damage.

 

Is it worth it, when using drop pod Sternguard, to give the sarge any ccw at all? Mine is a 5 strong, 4 combi-melta unit.

 

Personally I lean towards no for melee upgrades on Sternguard. I could see an arguement if you were using Pedro and keeping the Sternguard in his bubble.

[knife&fork]

Nothing wrong with a meltabomb

[VoteForPedro]

Nothing wrong with a meltabomb

Ah, that I can get behind! All my Tactical Squad, Scouts and Sternguard sergeants get Melta Bombs. In a Drop Pod list (LSS transport for the Scouts) I'm often up in people's faces and the cheap point investment is totally worth it.

[Black Templar 307th Comp.]

 

I personally go with 10 in a pod, combat squad and give them all combi meltas.

 

My main issue with this is the expense. Sternguard are cheaper now, Sternguard with combi-meltas are not, I believe that squad will be 30pts more expensive than it once was (my maths is probably off though). A small squad as a suicide melta squad, or a Dreadnought are good, but that points investment into a suicide melta squad isn't good IMO.

 

I've never had them not make back their points.

[hallodx]

Well, DA vets do better melta drop for their point, and if you like, you can give them SS to make them more durable. C:SM use SV for melta drop because it don't have other choices.

 

Anyway, I give a five men squad 3 combi melta. Reason:

3 shots -> 2 hits -> average 7 for 2D6 -> 2 pen -> 4+ explode -> 1 dead vehicle.

It's proven reliable.

[yasarkasaba]

First i was using my sterns 10 men, 2 HF, 3-4 CM, 3-4 CP in a drop pod for my podding army. Then combi weapon points gone wild and I just stopped using them :(

[Bannus]

I tend to not give them any upgrades. You are already paying a premium for the special ammunition - so why not use it. Leave the grav weapons to a bike squad. ;)

[minigun762]

Bannus,

How are you handling the standard "hard" targets like Land Raiders or big nasty MCs if not with Sternguard?

 

I love the idea of naked Sternguard fully utilizing their special ammo but I worry about having counters to those scary targets.

[Iron Father Ferrum]

I use lascannons and plasma guns.  Lots of them.

[infyrana]

Lots of varying information here based on individual experiences.

 

I am currently mid-way through organising and building / purchasing Sternguard models.  From past information I have already created and fixed some models with gear, but hope to make any further models fully magnetised (spare parts, shoulderpads etc being the limiting factor).  I am looking to purchase only one box of the new Sternguard models as it comes with a nice array of weapon choices - but limited to only one heavy flamer and not enough grav etc.

 

Some questions that I would therefore like to ask to help me finalise my kitted Sternguard then please:

 

- If playing with Kantor, how many Sternguard units are worth playing before they dilute your list into suicide by drop podding?

 

- Heavy Flamers, is 1 sufficient amongst a unit of combi plasma / melta, or if you are going to have one, run 2x of them?  (ie, do I need to go convert a second)

 

- Is there any reason to equip two with Special Weapons over having the combi's with special ammo?

 

- Did I read correctly - you do not exchange/replace your boltgun and bolt pistol for either Special Weapons or Heavy Weapons, thereby negating the above question as you could always switch to using your boltgun over the plasma gun anyway? (points cost not being an issue)

 

- Heavy Bolters worth considering in Stern units if using Kantor and Crimson Fist tactics?

 

- If you ran two Stern units, would you run a dedicated melta and a dedicated plasma combi unit, or to mix them up and add both types of weapons into both units?  I understand a unit should be given a task to perform, but what if your combi plasma unit runs into something that has an Armour value your melta unit failed to remove?

 

- Grav guns, to combi grav, grav gun, or to skip gravs altogether on Stern  ?

 

Hope that covers most of my queries, and I apologise if I'm late to the party and these have already been answered :)

[bjoluemblem]

As per what I use, 8 men in a pod with 3 combi-meltas. They get me first blood, and absorb fire that allows my midfield units to get up the field. I'll often throw a stormshield terminator ML2 libby in there to give some tankiness and some telepathy help.

 

And I'll take a crack at the above questions.

1) I think one or two units of sternguard are important. You can treat them as super expensive tacticals if you want, but your goal should be 3-4 scoring units using Pedro, so two tactical/scout squads and two sternguard squads. Say one in a rhino, one in a drop pod or some such.

 

2) Heavy flamers. I use one, but I'm still not sure if I want to use it. Short range, not using the special ammo, etc. Also, I'll have to double check the wording, but you switch the BOLT PISTOL for specials on sergeants and stuff, so you may be able to keep the boltgun. I tend to say one is efficient, two is overkill if you're flaming something like Tau. They are most useful against hordes, and dragonfire rounds do decently at that job as well. Against Tau, HFs are great, but you really don't want to be that close unless you can wipe out the enemy squad.

 

3) Two specials: No. It can be nice to have an "always on" meltagun, but you don't want to lose the special ammo, plus your sternies probably won't live past the turn they drop in, so it can be a waste of a few points.

 

4) Same as above, you switch the bolt pistol for specials, check the wording on whether you swap the bolt pistol or the boltgun for the sternguard specials.

 

5) Heavy bolters, maybe, for a 5 man squad sitting on a back objective, could be interesting. Not sure if it's worth the 140 points as that's the cost of a regular tactical squad. You might be better off with a devastator squad at that point.

 

6) This one's tricky. It's nice to have a little of both, but they should be able to go after separate targets. Say two ten man squads, 3 Cm and 3 Cp each. Combat squad to separate the specials, so you can pop a tank with one 5 man unit, and kill the guys inside with the other. Mix and match, I don't know if there's a right way to do this. Playtest it and see. If it's worth the ten points to throw in an extra combi to you, you can do it. Issue is this: if a plasma unit shows up and blows away a marine squad, and the melta doesn't fire, and the squad then dies, did you waste the points for the combimelta? I personally would run two 8 man squads, one with melta, one with plasma. 8 men was the golden marine standard iirc back in 3rd or 4th edition according to my neckbeardy friends, and I've had good luck with it.

 

7) Skip grav. Plasma and melta are better for sternguard, and grav can be picked up on centurions or bike squads, which are better placement for the salvo rule.

 

Hope this helps, and good luck!

[VoteForPedro]

- Did I read correctly - you do not exchange/replace your boltgun and bolt pistol for either Special Weapons or Heavy Weapons, thereby negating the above question as you could always switch to using your boltgun over the plasma gun anyway? (points cost not being an issue)

 

Checked this in my codex before I left for work today, the standard Sternguard exchange their boltgun for a heavy weapon.

 

The unit entry says they may purchase weapons from the heavy/ special weapons list in the armoury. When you then turn to the heavy weapon section of the armoury it says "a model may swap his boltgun for..."

 

I'm fairly sure this is also the case for special weapons but can't confirm as I don't have my book on me.

[infyrana]

Thank you for your reply bjoluemblem, it has certainly given me something to think about :)

 

With regards to the entry - yes you are both correct, they've done a catch all under the wargear list section for what you are replacing.  Need to read in all places I guess lol.

[Ming]

Hey, I just posted something about my experiences this week on the blog:

 

http://defendersofcalth.blogspot.com/2013/12/tactical-conundrums-from-standoff.html

 

Last night the same killed off a Whirlwind and a Vindicator, then disrupted a dev squad and tactical squad, and even tried too assault the enemy commander's razorback.  Fun happy times.  One guy survived the game after assaulting the remnants of two tac squads and held them in place until reinforcements arrived.  Even the pod survived. 

 

Sternguard are fun.

 

Don't leave home without them.