Building a Better Death Company

[The4thHorseman]

I have had notoriously bad luck with my Death Company. They always seem to either land terribly, never come in when needed or just never get there in time, either by moving too slow or being pie plated/ mulched. However when they do get there they are so very good. So I have just been trying to find a way to either make them more resilient or get them faster and better.

 

I tried DP, that worked at first then my opponent started just nuking the squad as they sat ther not being able to charge from DS. Then Rhinos, alas gone were the days of assaulting from a Rhino so that was a waste. I've tried a Stormrave with mild success, but no guarentee T2 makes its risky especially with my poor reserve rolls. Also a Land Raider, maybe I'm missing something but as a heavy vehicle it can only move 6" a turn? If thats the case it will never get across the board to unload the DC Blob into assault.

 

So this leads me to this new formation with the New Tau Campaign

 

Shadowstrike Kill Team:

 

2-4 Scout Squads

1-3 Vanguard Veteran Squads

 

Restrictions:

All Vanguard Veteran Squads in this formation have to have Jumppacks equipped.

 

At the right time…:

Instead of rolling for Reserves for any of the Vanguard Veteran Squads in this formation, you may decide if the roll succeeds or fails automatically.

 

…In the right place:

Vanguard Veteran Squads from this formation may assault in the turn they arrive via Deepstrike. Additionally, Vanguard Veteran Squads don’t scatter while deepstriking if the first model of the unit is placed within 9″ of at least two Scout Squads from this formation.

 

It doesn't Specifically say Raven Guard.

 

So two questions, Could I use this formation as BA with Furious Charge ala Chapter Tactics?

and could I join a Sang Priest to VV Squad.

 

I know IC can join Squads which make them part of said squad. That way I can confer FnP and make them a proto DC.

 

Thoughts? I'm not a Rule lawyer so if you post arguemnts for or aginst being able to do this please cite where it says it so I can bring it up to my Store/ Group.

[Paikis]

It's Codex: Space Marines only. You can chose any of the codex marines, but Blood Angels are not one of those.

 

Check out the Strike Force Mortalis for another option for DC.

[CaptainHelion]

Also, a Land Raider isn't a Heavy Vehicle, so it can move 12" in the movement phase (unless it's the phase you want them hopping out).

Have you tried running the DC with jumppacks, and starting them on the board? You should be able to hide them behind terrain for at least some of the time, and if your opponent is shooting at the DC, then they're not shooting at something else, and if they're shooting at your something else, then they're not shooting at your DC.

[The4thHorseman]

If I have to run them as NOT BA as a detachment to my BA CAD, can I still Join a Sang Priest from the CAD to them for FnP?

 

Also which Chapter Tactic would work the best for a trying to be Death CO?

[Xenith]

I have had notoriously bad luck with my Death Company. They always seem to either land terribly, never come in when needed or just never get there in time, either by moving too slow or being pie plated/ mulched. 

 

It doesn't seem like you have tried starting them on the board, with jump packs.

 

Stop deepstriking them. This covers all the problems you list:

 

They always seem to either land terribly: they start on the board, so this cannot happen

 

never come in when needed they start on the board, so this cannot happen

 

just never get there in time, either by moving too slow or being pie plated/ mulched.   Give them jump packs and they can move fast, use proper spacing and pie plates will only really kill 2-3 at most per turn.

 

 

If I have to run them as NOT BA as a detachment to my BA CAD, can I still Join a Sang Priest from the CAD to them for FnP?

 

Also which Chapter Tactic would work the best for a trying to be Death CO?

 

The priest grants FNP to the unit, however I believe the WS bonus doesn't apply.

 

None of the chapter tactics really make them like death company. Go with white scars so they can hit and run.

[The4thHorseman]

Ok so I tested out the formation today, it was only at 800 points so it was kind of sparse. A few things  learned, the Assault from DS is rediculous especially when paired with JP move in Move and Assault which RG Tactics give as well as re roll Hammer of Wrath.

 

I wiped two squads, one was hammer of wrath alone. The RG scouts just showed me how bad our scouts are, they got shrouded along with the Camo Cloaks I gave them, they just tarpited in ruins on his side of the board but they actually hit things much more frequently being 4 instead of 3.

 

The downside was that I was only able to bring minimal units at 800pts, but I could see this being really good at 1500.

 

I brought CAD [blood Angels]

Sang Priest with the Angels Wing and Veritas +Digi weap + Hand Flamer + Power Sword

5x Tac Hvy Flamer and Combi-Flame [Rhino]

5x Tac Multi-Melta and Combi Melta [DP]

 

Shadow Strike Formation

5x Sniper Scouts w/ Cloaks

4x Bolter Scouts and 1x Missile Launcher Scout w/ Cloaks

9x Vet Vanguard w/ JP,4xPower Sword 3xCS 9x BP+MB

[Slothysaur]

One fun way I've run my DC is behind a line of tanks. Nothing is more fun than a line of Razorbacks/Vindicators/InsertFastTankHere rolling up the board blocking the line of sight on your DC blob. Even if a tank gets wrecked (just not explodes) it still sits there and blocks LoS. Just tighten up the formation next turn/you're already there because the (Black and) Red ones go faster. My normal playing partner does not like when I do this at all (but he plays DA so he gets full BS overwatch anyways).