sternguard loadouts

[Dusktiger]

after being so impressed with this codex, and wanting to rebuild my blood angels that i sold years ago, i purchased 2 of the new tactical boxes.  for now i want to focus on smaller games as i paint them up in order to get a better feel for how all the units work with one another as i build up to a full army again; this time as Flesh Tearers.

 

so this is my plan; 3 tactical squads of 5 each, and using the remaining 5 with the long tabard legs and one of the scroll legs to make a sternguard squad.

 

the problem is i don't know what i should put on the sternguard; i've never actually used the unit before.  all i know is i'd rather not follow the internet dummy button of "throe themz all in a pod wif combimeltaz and suicidepod them against something; it always works!"  it seems overdone, people expect it of you, and already know how to counter it in case someone actually tries this.

 

my other point is that i'd like to focus only on the weapons that come in the tac boxes.  so this is what i've already used on the tac squads;

1st squad has a heavy flamer, and hand flamer (dual wielding, just gonna explain it before each game so they know there's 2)

2nd squad is the same

3rd squad im thinking of either a plasma gun or grav gun, and the sgt will probably dual wield grav pistols.

 

so that leaves me with the following choices:

2 melta guns

2 flamers

1/2 plasma guns depending on squad 3

1/2 grav guns depending on squad 3

2 storm bolters

2 heavy bolters

2 combi weapons

2 inferno pistols

2 plasma pistols.

 

what would you recommend as a good selection for these 5?

[Karhedron]

I would focus on bolters and/or combi weapons for Sternguard. You pay a fair premium for them over tactical Marines for their special ammo and those points are wasted if they are not firing a bolter (or bolter portion of a combi-weapon). 1 or 2 special/heavy weapons is fine but don't go overboard with them. You are right to avoid going suicide melta pod with them. Our regular assault squads can do it much cheaper and Sternguard are too expensive to regard as disposable in this way. I would recommend a transport for them (Rhino, Razorback or Pod as suits your playstyle and the rest of your list. This is to make sure they are in a prime position to start shooting in turn 1.

 

Their special ammo is very flexible and means they can threaten a wide range of targets. Hellfire shells are probably the ones you will use most often as wounding on a 2+ is brilliant, especially against MCs. The other ammo is more situational but with a bit of mathhammer, it is quite easy to work out the optimum ammo against a particular target.

 

It can be worth giving them a few combi weapons to deal with specific threats as this does not compromise their bolters. I would leave vehicles alone. Blood Angels have many ways to get fast melta so you don't need Sternguard for this role. The one target they will struggle against are 2+ save infantry like Terminators or MegaNobz. I would go for plasma for dealing with these foes as the range compliments the bolters well. Grav can work too but loses a lot of its power and range on the move. I prefer grav guns on my bikes. For heavy weapons, the only one I would really consider is a heavy flamer as it can be fired on the move, will help prevent hordes from swamping the sternguard and provides a good deterrent against assault.

 

I hope this rambling helps.

[bushman101]

Well, when I take Sternguard, I give about half the unit combi-meltas. I just like the flexibility. I have yet to use Grav though...

But instead of suicide pod, I give them a Rhino or hide them in terrian/fortication. Using the long range shells (Kraken?) means you can keep them in the back field a bit and keep them relavent.

When I do pod the unit, it's usually on the far flank as a harassment unit or bait

[Dusktiger]

hmm, i see, i see.

 

well, i worked out a 750pt list of stuff i have so far, and i was able to afford 25pts for the sternguard options.  i was thinking of going with a pair of combi plasma and a flamer.  that way i should have an ok mix between the weapons and the special ammo for most situations in 750pt games.

[Raktra]

Drop Pod and combi-grav Sternguard are the absolute business for bumping off stuff like Wraithnouns and Riptides before they have a chance to blink. S'how mine are set up for my Minotaurs.

[appiah4]

I would just take the two combi weapons and magnetize them.  Then hope to grab a couple heavy flamers down the line (I managed to grab four of them last week for 1 quid a piece lol).  Your best bet is 2 Heavy Flamers, 2 Combi-Weapons.  If buying new weapons is not an option at all, go for 2 Gravguns/Meltaguns/Plasmaguns (magnetized, so that you can switch to and from the tacticals) and 2 Combi-Weapons.  Pass on the Pistols, Heavies.