Assault squads in 8th

[JJD]

So I have painted most of my assault squad but I still need to build my Sargent. The question is how do I kit him out.

 

The squad so far is two marines with flamers and two with bolt pistol and chain sword. All with jump packs.

 

I'm usually not that bothered about efficiency in arming my marines and tend to go with the rule of cool but I am hoping to play a bit more in the future so I wanted to give it some thought.

[FarFromSam]

Th and pp

[Chaplain Lucifer]

I am planning to give mine a plasma pistol and power axe. I recon it should be enough to deal with infantry. Still have to test it more extensively.

[aura_enchanted]

i use a power fist and plasma pistol but thats because i built him long before 8th edition from leftover peices from like 6 different models. i also have one with a power sword and pistol

[JJD]

Are combat shields worth it now that they are a 5 up.

[JeffJedi]

I got a Vanguard squad so I could make 5 different Sergeants.

[Interrogator Stobz]

I keep em cheap and dirty, PS and PP look cool, function pretty well and are now very cheap.

The Axe is better for it's cost but I play DA not SW and love swords ;)

[aura_enchanted]

Are combat shields worth it now that they are a 5 up.

honestly a 5+ invul isnt that bad anymore and i think its a decent deal if you need to use 5 points

Are combat shields worth it now that they are a 5 up.

honestly a 5+ invul isnt that bad anymore and i think its a decent deal if you need to use 5 points

[Knight Master Eladric]

Are flamers worth it on them anymore? Can't deepstrike into range with them.

[Komodo]

Knight Master Eladric, I think it's a bummer now for all units with flamers. Deep Strike is not the only option to deploy assault troops and it's still quite risky to deploy them within 9 inches, not easy to make that charge roll.

 

I've personally built a squad with flamer, but I think I will make that marine swappable hands.

[Knight Master Eladric]

I haven't tried them in 8th but I always found assault marines awful in 6th and 7th. Too much shooting at ap3 or less for them to make it up the board. The only use I did have for em (when making the free transport formation) was to deepstrike a few flamers on something in cover. Then they usually died. Can't do that anymore.

[Chaplain Lucifer]

I haven't tried them in 8th but I always found assault marines awful in 6th and 7th. Too much shooting at ap3 or less for them to make it up the board. The only use I did have for em (when making the free transport formation) was to deepstrike a few flamers on something in cover. Then they usually died. Can't do that anymore.

Now you can jump from cover to cover in order to use the flamers.

Also, in previous editions, everybody had a bazillion attacks. Now that everyone got toned down, the extra attacks from the chainsword and pistol shots in melee make them better in CC than the normal Joes, unlike before.

[dtse]

I have found assault squads lacklustre, mostly because as mentioned, the double flamer thing sucks unless you survive your 1st turn.  Which is hard to do in the face of all the -1AP shooting that a lot of armies have these days.  They still die like normal marines and chance of making 9" charge i think is about 27%, goes up to 48% or something if you use a CP, so half the time you will drop down, bolter something, then die likely.  I love vanguard vets, with 1 or 2 plasma pistol each, thats nice, but thats a points investment, and they still die fast.

 

I find assault marines useful as any deep-striking mobile unit....for grabbing objectives or harassing, diverting your opponents attention turn 2-3.  A lot of people forget that there are still units to come in turn 3 (as long as YOU don't forget!)....a turn 3 deepstrike into the backfield of your opponent can be extremely disruptive, and can catch characters off guard, can grab you a backfield objective they thought was safe, and can secure you linebreaker, which is sometimes the margin of victory. I like to use an eversor for that as well.

[aekold]

I think that equipped with plasma guns they can be usefull. Deepstrike and rapid fire zome plasma shots.

[Knight Master Eladric]

I think that equipped with plasma guns they can be usefull. Deepstrike and rapid fire zome plasma shots.

That's only BA though, right?

[Chaplain Killmer]

So you guys use them deepstriking only?

[aekold]

according to the errata every can give them melta or plasma guns.

[Cpt. Bannockburn]

Uuuuh. That is very good to know.

I'll still wait for the codex before I get the plasma guns out of the bits box.

[Knight Master Eladric]

The errata that talks about Assault Squads is for Page 89. Which is the header page for the BA section. Otherwise I'd love to do that

[Cpt. Bannockburn]

 

http://www.cbtownandcountry.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/HomerSimpson.png

[Knight Master Eladric]

Yea I saw that and my heart leapt. Then I realized the page number was definitely not the assault Marine page.

[Othniel's Blade]

Can't do that to me aekold; I've only had 1 cup of coffee today!

[aekold]

Damn, sorry guys for getting your hopes up.

[Morticon]

Theyre good harassment units, but sadly not good killy units.  

Plasma pistols are still well priced, so 3 of those (sarge, too) and then a hammer is a good, good bet.  The eviscerator, with one attack hitting on 4s is a little bit of a waste, Id feel. 

5 jumpers with this load out is only 117, which isn't terrible.  If you're looking for a little more resiliency, an 8 man or 10 man squad is not too much more - but, there's little that these guys do.

That being said, if you're rocking Azzy and can keep him with them somehow, they become much better than most others. More survivable, and a little more killy with the rerolls. 

Pity we dont have access to jumpy SM lieutenants yet ><; 

 

[Charlo]

Plasma pistols are still well priced

 

Now that's something i'll never get used to reading...!