Advice on using/gearing assault marines

[Helias_Tancred]

I just bought two boxes of assault marines. I'm trying to decide how to use them? I know I want to use them with jump packs, but other than that I'm not sure how I want to gear them? I have Antor Delassio from the Deathwatch game and I plan to use him as the assault marine sergeant. I swapped out his hand flamer for a plasma pistol fyi.

 

Do I run two five man assault marine squads? I could use them to harass, meltacide a tank, or to seize distant objectives?

 

Do I run one 10 man squad? I could use them to kill off blobs and infantry. Mobile anti-infantry force?

 

Do I equip them with melta guns, flamers, or the pistol versions so I have more CCW attacks?

 

 

Looking for advice on what assault marine configurations have worked for you.

 

 

Thanks.

[dakkamasta]

Assault marines in our codex are in an odd spot. They are decent in assault when equipped properly, but the problem is that we also have Death Company which are superior in almost every way in close combat. The one thing assault marines do better than other units is the ability to have 2 special weapons in a 5 man unit. The go to loadout for competitive play is 5 marines, 2 meltas, a combi-melta or 2 inferno pistols (depending on whether you want to pay the points) on the sarge, in a drop pod. This unit comes at just over 100 points and is a very effective way of taking out armour. Some people prefer a rhino over a drop pod due to the added mobility over the course of the game and objective grabbing potential so both are good. As you said however you want them to have jump packs. In this case I would have to recommend using dante for the D6 less scatter for deep strike. I've used assault marines this way many times effectively and despite not being able to arrive turn one, the trade off is that you have much better mobility for the later turns in the game to continue shooting or to grab objectives.

 

Ironically, the best way to look at assault marines in close combat is as a secondary use. This is why meltas favour their playstyle. You come down one turn and pop a tank, then jump around shooting either more tanks, or enemy infantry followed by charging (perhaps with another unit) to add some extra attacks in.

[Paikis]

When it comes to using your assault marines for actual assault, there's a Death Company for that. Sadly.

 

For a minimal additional cost, about the same as a meltabomb per model, you get an extra attack on all your DC, Rage, Relentless (so you can double-tap bolters and then charge), Feel Nn Pain and your powerfist can't be challenged and killed.

 

The only thing Assault Marines are good for is making use of their 2 special weapons per 5 dudes. Give em Meltaguns and the sergeant inferno pistols and go drop-pod nuke a tank on turn one. Or put em in a Rhino and give them 2 plasmaguns to drive around shooting out of the hatch with. Generally though, I think their use as drop-pod anti-tank is the best use for them, for everything else, there's Death Company.

[Charlo]

2 Melta guns. Two inferno pistols. Free drop pod.

 

No one can bring this much Melta for such few points. Embrace it.

[Midnightmare]

If you want to use jump packs, splits them into two squads and load up on the melta. If you use Dante as Warlord you get the DoA warlord trait :)

 

I have just bought a load but I am painting them Black with Red saltires.....

[Remtek]

Really depends on what you want to use them for. While they are not optimal with jump packs there are some nice synergies with assault marines and sanguinary priests. I dont have the book in front of me, but i think 10 assault marines is roughly 170 points. Priest is 75 with JP. That's only 15 points than 10 nude death company. They have less attacks, but are WS5 (with priest) DC have 1 more base attack and rage, but only ws4. Throw in few meltas and you have a unit that is quite well rounded for friendly/fun games.  Now Death Company are gonna be better in most cases, but having those 2 meltaguns in a 10 man squad can be nice. 

 

The other option is to run 5 man squads with melta and use them as shooty suicide deepstriking units. Flamers are really lackluster, the plasma can be ok, but you can't charge after shooting them. 

 

 

Running them with Drop Pods and Rhions is stronger, but if you prefer jump packs and want to play them as intended, i think a priest or even a libby supporting them is the way to go. Just don't expect them to roll over other close combat units and you will do fine.