Assault Squads and You

[PhilB]

Hey Everyone,

 

So I've taken the plunge and bought myself an assault squad and jump pack chaplain with the plan to start playing some games using the new Lion's Blade Strike Force.

 

Being a relatively new player to the game (been back on the scene for ~6 months & haven't played since second and about 3 months worth of third edition) I've yet to field an assault squad, ever. I'd be most appreciative if anyone had any tips of advice for using them.

 

I typically play 1,850 point games and most of the LBSF lists I've written up include a 5 man jump pack squad with a single flamer & melta bombs, usually lead by a chaplain (may or may not be the warlord) with a jump pack and nothing else.

Outside of hanging with/hiding behind my tactical squads transports (I usually play mechanised lists) and counter attacking any enemy vanguard or circling around to tie up enemy deployment zone heavy weapons campers I'm struggling to think of another way to play them.

 

A very brief list below of the type of thing I'm considering so you know where I'm coming from;

 

1,850 LBSF

 

Demi Company

Chap w/ Jump Pack (hangs with the AS)

CS (5 vets) w/ Apothicary, Sacred Standard, 4x Combi-Gravs & Razorback w/ TWLC

TS (10 marines) w/ Plasma Gun, Grav Cannon & Rhino

TS (10 marines) w/ Plasma Gun, Grav Cannon & Rhino

TS (5 marines) w/ Plasma Gun & Razorback w/ TWLC

AS (5 marines) w/ Jump Packs, Flamer & Melta Bombs

DS (10 marines) w/ 4 Lascannons

 

Inner Circle

Librarian w/ Auspex & Mastery Level 2 (hangs with the CS)

 

Ravenwing Attack Squadron

RWBS (5 bikes) w/ 2 Grav Guns

RWLS (1 speeder) w/ Multi Melta & Assault Cannon

 

Ravenwing Attack Squadron

RWBS (5 bikes w/ 2 Grav Guns

RWLS (1 speeder) w/ Multi Melta & Assault Cannon

 

The Demi Company comes in ~ 1,285 and sometimes I'll drop the CS for some Dreadnoughts or to re-jig things but I'm basically using this as my base Demi Company with ~ 565 for auxiliaries.

 

Thanks boys.

[DeamonQC]

I run mine without jump packs, with 2 flamers and a combi-flamers in a drop pod.  My chap goes with them only if he's not the warlord.

This unit serve two purpose :

 

1- It gives me the option to not drop my Command Squad (which also ride a drop pod) on turn 1.

2- It can help me score an easy first blood on cheap obsec units like min size scout, chaos cultist...etc

 

Also, it's more situationnal but :

 

- You can torch unit hiding in fortifications (I'm light on melta and grav is useless against fortifications).  Our Eldar player like to hide his Dark Reapers inside a strongpoint and he hates that unit.

 

- If I have no target for them, I can still drop them on an objective (it's even better if it's far from my opponent).  That's 2 obsec unit he must deal with and he even needs to dedicate some heavy weapons on it to deal with the drop pod which means he's not firing them at the rest of my army.  I find it especially potent in Maelstorm missions.

[DarkAngeal]

I run mine without jump packs, with 2 flamers and a combi-flamers in a drop pod. My chap goes with them only if he's not the warlord.

This unit serve two purpose :

 

1- It gives me the option to not drop my Command Squad (which also ride a drop pod) on turn 1.

2- It can help me score an easy first blood on cheap obsec units like min size scout, chaos cultist...etc

 

Also, it's more situationnal but :

 

- You can torch unit hiding in fortifications (I'm light on melta and grav is useless against fortifications). Our Eldar player like to hide his Dark Reapers inside a strongpoint and he hates that unit.

 

- If I have no target for them, I can still drop them on an objective (it's even better if it's far from my opponent). That's 2 obsec unit he must deal with and he even needs to dedicate some heavy weapons on it to deal with the drop pod which means he's not firing them at the rest of my army. I find it especially potent in Maelstorm missions.

I use the same unit for most of the same reasons, and I scored first blood and slay the warlord right out of the gate with it just the other day against a brood lord hiding inside a unit of genestealers

[march10k]

On your loadout, I would drop the meltabombs and pick up the second flamer.  I would also put your HQ on a bike, 5 jumpers isn't enough bodyguards!

 

I use mine for one purpose...to escort my beatstick warlord into melee.  I run ten jumpers with no upgrades, joined by a company master with jump pack, artificer armor, the mace, and maybe digital weapons if I have spare points.  Naked jumpers are a bargain at 3ppm more than a generic marine, with four attacks (hammer, charge, base 1, pistol&sword bonus) plus a pistol shot on the charge...they absolutely shred anything that isn't a dedicated melee unit, and dedicated melee units generally can't catch them. 

 

I wouldn't hesitate to throw a full squad of jumpers at the scary 50 man blob of guardsmen with 5 buried power axes and a priest.  I'll hopefully have attritted the guardsmen from other shooting before charging, and with a total of 50 dice being thrown at them, they're going to lose a lot of models (roughly 18).  It's doubtful that all of the power axes will survive long enough to swing, and then they'll need 4s to hit and 4s to wound, killing .5 marines per surviving axe, plus maybe a dozen regular joes that each kill 1/18 of a marine each.  After that initial bloodletting, it'll be really hard for the priest to hide in back (the marines should now be outnumbered 2-1, down from 5-1), I expect to kill him and break the squad in the second round of melee, on my opponent's turn.

 

Jumpers are really, really good at speed and at murdering non-melee troops.

[Master Avoghai]

I've also played them as a Bodyguard for my CM.

 

The fact that he's fearless actually make them additional W for him. It worked really well against dark reapers as he ignored some of their AP3 and some of the marines took some W => No Morale check despite the losses and they could actually charge the reapers the turn after.

 

They are bargain like march said and in a LB they constitute an annoying OS unit in the enemy lines.

[Disciple of Caliban Sgt]

Love my 10 man with JP's and fully kitted. I figure if they are an escort better to go big. As stated you assault the non-assault units with them and you are doing really well. Same old strategies apply. Shoot the assault stuff, assault the shoot stuff. Chaplain always does well for me but if I go full company then I will also throw the CM in with them. I would take the eviscerator now as well as either a Power Fist or Sword. Personally when I do this I go with three plasma pistols plus one on my character. Really helps with the softening up. Worth their points? Probably not but it does allow me to use them for just about anything. Need a tank dead? Melta bombs and eviscerator can get it done. Major assault unit? Runaway and fight another guy. Everyone else you can usually catch and do horrible things to them. Speed works well for me as does everyone underestimating them. Used one squad to roll up an entire flank and backfield.

[PhilB]

Great. Thanks for that.

I'm keen to try to tri-flamer drop pod, sounds pretty nasty. I only own 1 Lucius Drop Pod at present though and was holding off buying any till I start on the second Demi-Company.

I'll have to stick with a unit of 10 jumpers escorting either the Chaplain or Company Master for now.

 

Cheers.