Sentinels

[Chefzilla]

I've had a Sentinel model sitting on the back burner for a while and decided today I would go beyond just adding magnets. I do have one question though. What really is the best use of them. I've never used one or see one used so I'm kind of lost.

[varchilde]

I run a single sentinel in most of my 1k lists. I quite like two different builds: 

 

Scout sentinel with either multi laser or heavy flamer. Outflank for grabbing cheeky rear armour or toasting squishy infantry shots. Then hide and and grab line breaker. 

 

Armoured Sentinel with plasma cannon: it's another AV12 hull in a list full of chimeras and russes. Camp an objective and shoot stuff :)

[scatmandoo]

I have 2 fully magnetised, though I normally go and use the plasma cannon exclusively when I field them. My normal opponents are marines and they work just as well against other armies too. Brings a whole new threat element to help divert away from other tanks too.

 

The problem I also have is not using up my slots with Valks/Vendettas/hellhounds first!

[Mogsam]

I have one with an autocannon and one with a plasma cannon. I haven't played much but mostly they are things that could hurt that I'd rather the enemy shot instead of the stuff I actually want.

[irwit]

Any reason people don't take these in 3s? They are such good models they were the first thing I bought for my dkok army. I've gone magnetised but I am.painting up with autocannons to start with. Long range on an av12 hull sounds good to me.

[steellegionnaire85]

There are times I run several in a list. I use the autocannon and or lascannons. These are decoys to draw fire so I get more life out of my chimeras and weapons teams

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

I've seen them done in 3's. It's pretty threatening, especially when he throws 3 plasma cannons at your pretty dread...

[FashaTheDog]

There are several uses for them.  The Scout Sentinel can outflank, making the stock multi-laser a good cheap choice to stroll on and light up the rear armor of some enemy vehicle or harass backfield units.  The heavy flamer option too can work this role as well.  Armored Sentinels are tougher from the front and are a source of plasma cannons, although a variety of roles can be fulfilled depending upon your needs.  For either, magnetizing will probably be your best bet for quick armament swaps.  I prefer the missile launcher best as my conversion makes it look like a Battletech Catapult, but that is another story. 

 

The other variant to look at is the Drop Sentinel from Imperial Armour 1 or either Elysian list (in IA3 and D-99 in IA4), although in the latter two lists, you are running a vastly different army than your standard Guard "usually" is^*, and even more so with D-99.  The Drop Sentinel only has three weapon options, of which two are unique to the chassis.  While the stock heavy bolter is fun, it is the multi-melta that makes the deep striking Sentinel great.  It is like a Scout Sentinel with the scout rule replaced by deep strike for 5 points cheaper than an Armored Sentinel with a plasma cannon and so unlikely to survive as long since it is not as tough and will likely be right in your foe's face, but the 50/50 chance of hitting just about anything you want with a multi-melta with a decent chance of being within 12" when you do makes it a threat not easily ignored and somewhat difficult to counter.  Having two units of a single Sentinel each means that you only have one Fast Attack left if Battle-Forged, but your cheap units means a second FOC can negate this problem with ease.  The real issue is the BS3, which really hurts, but as a Guard player you already are used to.  The D-99 list does see BS4 universal across the list, which is a big improvement, but the list also pays a 20 point tax above all Guard prices (although there is more than just the +1 BS).

 

* - I say usually, but someone taking mainly loads of flyers with Veterans galore may not notice too much of a difference.

[march10k]

I have several, enough to field squadrons with multilasers, autocannons, or lascannons. They do several things:

 

Draw fire. 40 points is cheap for a heavy weapon that laughs at basic training infantry weapons and potentially draws antitank fire away from pieplate chuckers or superscoring units...at AV12,which requires credible antitank weapons. Antitank weapons shooting at sentinels are not shooting at chimeras or tanks.

 

Kill stuff. An infantry squad with autocannon costs 60 points, an armored sentinel with an autocannon costs barely 75% as much while being basically as lethal.

 

Tarpit...nothing's better than locking up a unit that can throw off 10000000000000 S3 attacks with a 35 point AV10 unit!

[WarriorFish]

Keep them cheap generally works best, but there is merit for more fancy weaponry. Always outflank the Scouts and keep them cheaper and they will do surprisingly well. Armoured Sentinels are good support units to infantry and mech, Sentinels aren't going to be the star of the show but they can win the supporting act role :P

[CoffeeGrunt]

I love Sentinels in low points games, they fulfill the role of nimble heavy weapons for me. My current squadron I use are Armoured Sentinels with 2x Multi-Lasers and 1x Plasma Cannon. Keeps the cost down while maintaining decent killiness. Multilasers are decent for mopping up an extra guy or two, and exist mostly to take the hits meant for the Plasma Cannon.

 

I also plan to use several of them as tarpits against Nid swarms. At AV12 they demand that 'Nids divert a Monstrous Creature into combat to stop them!

[spafe]

I haven't palye din an edition or 2 so might be out of date, but I always ran 3 scouts with multi lasers outflanking (9 str6 shots in rear and side armour is pretty darn good for just over a 100 points!), and a pair of armoured ones with autocannons (4 str 7 shots is nice on an av12 platform), who would scoot down a flank with a vet unit or 2 in chrimeras... Honestly worked almost every time, tau were a prime enemy, as were space wolves and grey knights. They would always be solid choices, and occasionally win me games when their pot shots came off too. This was in 1500 lists and above that all 5 got in, and usually one of the squadrons would be in everything below that point mark

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

Honestly, I want some sentinels. They do everything that Dreadnoughts do for me, only cheaper. Alas I blew my budget getting my Tempestus to where they are, so sentinels will have to wait...

 

Very under appreciated unit though.

[FashaTheDog]

I love Sentinels in low points games, they fulfill the role of nimble heavy weapons for me. My current squadron I use are Armoured Sentinels with 2x Multi-Lasers and 1x Plasma Cannon. Keeps the cost down while maintaining decent killiness. Multilasers are decent for mopping up an extra guy or two, and exist mostly to take the hits meant for the Plasma Cannon.

 

I also plan to use several of them as tarpits against Nid swarms. At AV12 they demand that 'Nids divert a Monstrous Creature into combat to stop them!

Or Genestealers. 

 

Also those fancy new Mucolid Spores.  At 15 points for a Troops choice that explodes into a krak missile with a large blast (with each additional spore in the unit increasing the strength by 1), they are a real cheap means of countering just about anything, including flyers.  Yeah...the Nids finally have nice things.

[Chefzilla]

Thanks for the tips all.