Post units that you've used and will always continue to use!

[Subsided]

I've seen tons of theory crafting posts or have x unit do x. That's neat and all but I want to know what you have personally played on the table that has always gone above and beyond their points or even flopped hard. It can be as basic or super as you'd like. .

 

I'll start with a format (can likely be fixed up. I'm not a template maker by any means):

 

 

UNIT TYPE:

UNIT NAME:

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS:

GREAT or FLOP:

RECOMMEND:

NOTES:

 

 

UNIT TYPE: Troop

UNIT NAME: Tactical Marines

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: Boltgun/Boltpistols

GREAT or FLOP: I'd drop these on the table nearly even game.

RECOMMEND: I recommend Tac Marines. Of any flavor. I prefer to leave the Heavy weps to Devs for Signum and Cherub to make the points back.

NOTES: I've fielded these in nearly every game. Basic as can be. I know the x5 with a Heavy is preferred but it makes them a bigger target. They get ignored with basic weapons and still put out 10 Str4 shots pretty easy to clear other troops (which I wouldn't move them up as much with a Heavy). For 65 points they do what I want: Wrap my more pointy units, get their points back, makes bodies to shoot at. I can't even make lists without at least bodies.

 

UNIT TYPE: HQ

UNIT NAME: Captain

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: Any power/MasterCrafted Boltgun. Jump Pack optional.

GREAT or FLOP: GREAT!

RECOMMEND: Highly. Every army should have a Captain.

NOTES: Mind you I run 2-3 Captains. Some for babysitter, some for Jump Pack objective grabs. For the points a Captain does so much. Either a babysitter in the backlines, a JumpPack to grab an objective. Even a distraction to jump down backlines and soak up shots (I've seen mine take 30 Str4 shots multiple games) and for 130- points. I'm on with this.

 

UNIT TYPE: HQ

UNIT NAME: Gabriel Seth

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: Standard

GREAT or FLOP: Amazing. 135 of pure awesome.

RECOMMEND: Highly. Either with a BA by himself or a Flesh Tearers Successor. (Been running mine with Salamanders main for relic/WL since Codex came out and ruined successors)

NOTES: Seth is a beast. And this was Index Seth with -1. I ran him with Company Vets x20 and he was crazy. Walked between the rhinos for rerolls and when they popped out they all had Stormbolters with full rerolls. Every time I rolled a 6 to fight again my face lit up with glee. My opponents.. They frowned. Seth by himself destroyed Heavies and.. since we have two players.. Custodes (Now that I wound them on 2's.. even better.. >: ))!

 

UNIT TYPE: HQ

UNIT NAME: Commander Dante

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: Standard

GREAT or FLOP: Floppity flop over many games.

RECOMMEND: Not really. 215 points is too much for a T4 named.

NOTES: I've tried Dante in many games. Doing different things. From moving up the field slower for rerolls to jumping in with other Pack users to a character hunter. He just doesn't preform well for his points. I'm paying so much more for a death mask that has literally done NOTHING and a d3 weapon? Not the mention the Inferno pistol that I think has only been fired maybe 5 times and failed to wound 3/5 of those. They saved the other 2. Just use a Captain!

 

 

Would be fun to see what people can't make a list without having. We all have preferences and play styles.

 

 

[Brother Aether]

Great Idea for a thread, Subsided. I think this can help pare down some of the loadout options if people are looking to balance out their lists. I look forward to seeing what people have used as I fine tune my Codex lists (hoping to get a new game in before the New Year, but we'll see based on work...)

[Subsided]

Great Idea for a thread, Subsided. I think this can help pare down some of the loadout options if people are looking to balance out their lists. I look forward to seeing what people have used as I fine tune my Codex lists (hoping to get a new game in before the New Year, but we'll see based on work...)

Thanks! 

 

I love seeing what people use and are impressed by and going.. wow.. I can see why that works well. :P

[TechnoWitch]

Unit Type: Elite

Unit Name: Company Veterans

War gear: Jump Packs, 4 Plasma Guns, 1 Combi Plasma, 5 Storm Shields.

Great or Flop: Great

Recommend: I highly recommend them. They have been my best performing unit through all of 8th. People are sometimes skeptical about them. They cost 187pts and they always make their points back. They are mobile,  great for capturing and holding objectives, they are a threat to almost any type, and they usually survive for at east most of the game. Also people aren't use to them so they tend to under estimate them. The only downside is that they can only take jump packs from the index so I don't know how long they will be legal for.

 

Unit Type : HQ

Unit Name: Captain

War gear: Jump Pack, Combi Plasma, Power sword.

Great or Flop: Great

Recommend: He's necessary if you're running the company vets above to reroll the plasma shots. He doesn't need to have the combi-plasma since he can end up blowing himself up but that's just how I run him.

[MeltaRange]

UNIT TYPE: Fast

UNIT NAME: Assault Squad

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: 2x Melta Guns, Jump Packs

GREAT or FLOP: Still Great for 118 points.  

RECOMMEND: The ability to drop in and fire some melta goodness is great.  Now that you can choose who dies, so the melta guns have the comfort of having the other 3 guys die first.  Strategems like On Wings of Fire have made it even better, as have re-rolls from Jump Captains/Lts and just the command re-roll

NOTES: I think the Plasma version isn't as good as what Inceptors or 2x plasma pistol VVs can do, so I wouldn't personally take those anymore.

[Emissary]

UNIT TYPE: Heavy Support

UNIT NAME: Contemptor Mortis Dreadnought

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: 2 Dual Lascannons

GREAT or FLOP: Great

RECOMMEND: Absolutely

NOTES: Your group has to be fine with forgeworld, but if they do this thing is better than a lascannon predator.  About the same points with -2 hps, but it hits on 2+ and has a 5+ invulnerable save.  Can't recommend it enough.

 

UNIT TYPE: Fast Attack

UNIT NAME: Primaris Inceptors

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: Plasma Exterminators

GREAT or FLOP: Great

RECOMMEND: Absolutely

NOTES:  I'm always appalled when people badmouth these guys.  Drop them down with your jump pack captain, overcharge them and spread the love.  They are great for reinforcing areas and doing surgical strikes.  I've found that the -1 AP on assault bolters really don't do a good job at clearing out guys in cover.  However, these guys don't have that problem, average 12 shots and can threaten tanks easily (they dropped down and took out a sicaran turn 1 in my last game).  

 

UNIT TYPE:  Heavy Support

UNIT NAME: Hellblasters

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: Plasma Incinerators

GREAT or FLOP: Double Super Awesome

RECOMMEND: 100% than absolutely

NOTES: There isn't a lot that can be said about this unit other than it's a solid nightmare for your opponent.  Always have a captain nearby and, if you have the ability, an ancient.  My friends hate this unit more than any other unit in my army.  I've had them melt a charging defiler and done 20 wounds to a shadowsword in a single turn before.  20 Shots hitting on 3s, rerolling 1s, usually wounding on 2s or 3s and allowing no save doing 2 wounds is no joke.  Thrown in the red thirst if they get charged there isn't much they can't do.

 

UNIT TYPE:  HQ

UNIT NAME: Captain with Jump Pack

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: Thunder Hammer, Storm Shield

GREAT or FLOP: Great

RECOMMEND: Yes

NOTES: Ultimate cheap beatstick.  With our stratagems, relics and warlord traits he can one shot a superheavy.

Edited December 14, 2017 by Emissary

[Subsided]

 

UNIT TYPE: Fast

UNIT NAME: Assault Squad

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: 2x Melta Guns, Jump Packs

GREAT or FLOP: Still Great for 118 points.  

RECOMMEND: The ability to drop in and fire some melta goodness is great.  Now that you can choose who dies, so the melta guns have the comfort of having the other 3 guys die first.  Strategems like On Wings of Fire have made it even better, as have re-rolls from Jump Captains/Lts and just the command re-roll

NOTES: I think the Plasma version isn't as good as what Inceptors or 2x plasma pistol VVs can do, so I wouldn't personally take those anymore.

 

I've tried 2 units of these and they didn't do me justice sadly. I dropped both units next to a lone dreadnought, they dread lived from 4 meltas (either from missing or not wounding) turned around, and blasted them. Was one game, so it could have just been bad dice. I'll give them a go again! Probably with a Captain this time.

[brother_b]

 

 

UNIT TYPE: Fast

UNIT NAME: Assault Squad

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: 2x Melta Guns, Jump Packs

GREAT or FLOP: Still Great for 118 points.  

RECOMMEND: The ability to drop in and fire some melta goodness is great.  Now that you can choose who dies, so the melta guns have the comfort of having the other 3 guys die first.  Strategems like On Wings of Fire have made it even better, as have re-rolls from Jump Captains/Lts and just the command re-roll

NOTES: I think the Plasma version isn't as good as what Inceptors or 2x plasma pistol VVs can do, so I wouldn't personally take those anymore.

 

I've tried 2 units of these and they didn't do me justice sadly. I dropped both units next to a lone dreadnought, they dread lived from 4 meltas (either from missing or not wounding) turned around, and blasted them. Was one game, so it could have just been bad dice. I'll give them a go again! Probably with a Captain this time.

 

I've used them to great effect. I think if you get stuck in the "winning your points back" (not saying you are) frame of mind you might say well they've never earned their points back.

 

They're not supposed to. Sometimes they'll kill their target. I had that luck killing a rhino holding Khorne Zerkers. My first two shots did 11 damage and popped the transport. They were out of the game from that point on, having to foot slog.

 

They also can take models with a degrading stat line out of the game from the start. I dropped them next to a punisher tank and carved off enough wounds to drop the stat line down. Sure they died, but they made his tank far less powerful and effective.

 

Finally, the allow your long range units to finish the job. A heavilly damaged vehicle after the drop can be discharged from afar with devs, preds etc. Depending on the damage done by the assault marines you might even be able to split fire with your pred/devs if you feel confident enough.

 

I love them.

 

+1 to the humble assault marine unit.

 

As a side note, they have suffered horrendous casualties under my command. =/

[MeltaRange]

 

 

UNIT TYPE: Fast

UNIT NAME: Assault Squad

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: 2x Melta Guns, Jump Packs

GREAT or FLOP: Still Great for 118 points.  

RECOMMEND: The ability to drop in and fire some melta goodness is great.  Now that you can choose who dies, so the melta guns have the comfort of having the other 3 guys die first.  Strategems like On Wings of Fire have made it even better, as have re-rolls from Jump Captains/Lts and just the command re-roll

NOTES: I think the Plasma version isn't as good as what Inceptors or 2x plasma pistol VVs can do, so I wouldn't personally take those anymore.

 

I've tried 2 units of these and they didn't do me justice sadly. I dropped both units next to a lone dreadnought, they dread lived from 4 meltas (either from missing or not wounding) turned around, and blasted them. Was one game, so it could have just been bad dice. I'll give them a go again! Probably with a Captain this time.

 

 

I don't want to derail the thread, because I like the concept, but basically what brother_b said.  I've essentially moved on from units that are all eggs in one basket and more towards redundancy and forcing opponent's to make choices.  Something that looks great when theoryhammering (I'll drop this pod with 4 multi-meltas in and destroy their biggest tank!) actually ends up sucking a lot of the time against a savvy opponent, IMO.

[Brother Crimson]

I'll go for an easy one

 

UNIT TYPE: HQ

UNIT NAME: Lemartes

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: Included

GREAT or FLOP: GREAT GREAT GREAT

RECOMMEND: YES, if you play death company

NOTES: 

To start with, he is only 129 points, got 6 attacks on the charge for D3 damage each at S6. This was already good pre-codex, now he will wound any T5 or less on 2+ and he hits on 2+.

Add to that, he gives reroll to hit and charge to death company, including him.

He got Jump pack assault to pop anywhere and just got better with stratagems. I have been playing him constantly scince 8th and I never got disappointed.

 

His only downside is the 4W, and that you need to play death company.

[Palwatch]

The one stand out for me so far

 

Captain in termy armour

Relic hammer and storm shield

Make him dc

5 attacks on the charge, hitting on 2s rwrolling 1s. wounding almost everything on twos. Have used him in conjunction with the sang priest with a relic jump pack. The priest cant be overwatched adds +1 stregth to the cappy.

 

The cappy is borderline unkillable i u give him the 5 up reroll ones fnp. Soaked up 5 turns of relentless fire from 2000 points of guard tanks the other night and ended up killing tanks for fun. Destroted a hivetyrant with him too. Yet to be killed in 3 run outs

 

Its sc

[Panzer]

Dunno, most things I'd want to charge with such a Captain could easily outrun him. I think I prefer the version with Jump Pack...tho I still have to test that one myself so I can't say for sure. ^^

[Pendent]

The one stand out for me so far

 

Captain in termy armour

Relic hammer and storm shield

Make him dc

5 attacks on the charge, hitting on 2s rwrolling 1s. wounding almost everything on twos. Have used him in conjunction with the sang priest with a relic jump pack. The priest cant be overwatched adds +1 stregth to the cappy.

 

The cappy is borderline unkillable i u give him the 5 up reroll ones fnp. Soaked up 5 turns of relentless fire from 2000 points of guard tanks the other night and ended up killing tanks for fun. Destroted a hivetyrant with him too. Yet to be killed in 3 run outs

 

Its sc

 

Why not just take a Cataphractii Captain so you can skip the shield?

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

For me:

 

Sanguinor

Chaplains

Sanguinary Guard

Death Company

[Jolemai]

Not played a great deal, so only a couple mainstays so far:

 

UNIT TYPE: Infantry

UNIT NAME: Scouts Squad

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: Close combat weapon and bolt pistols (4), shotgun (1)

GREAT or FLOP: Mixed bag

RECOMMEND: Yes

NOTES: Pretty much always take Scouts and now they are better as they have the same BS/WS as a Tactical Marine. I still believe in 1 "special weapon" per five guys and feel the shotgun marries up well with choppy Scouts. Deployed forwards and early they can dictate the opposition Deployment and at times, get to 9" away to enable a first turn charge. Can harass, got better with the Codex. Why a mixed bag? I threw the last lot away on a bad decision (two squads assaulted a character and a unit, attacked character first (didn't kill it) which resulting in an interrupt and, well, you can guess the rest.

 

UNIT TYPE: Infantry

UNIT NAME: Scout Squad

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: Sniper rifles (4), heavy bolter (1)

GREAT or FLOP: Mixed bag

RECOMMEND: Yes

NOTES: Good firing lanes (deploy them high and far back), can always target characters, bonus mortal wounds, what's not to love? Better with Codex and with (what as called) Objective Secured. Trouble is, five will underwhelm and can't be relied on to do anything other than potshots - already weakened targets are ideal.

[Arkaniss]

I've played quite a few 8th games now and these are the units I find myself repeatedly fielding:

 

UNIT TYPE: Infantry

UNIT NAME: Scouts Squad

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: Close combat weapon and bolt pistols, Chainsword for Sgt

GREAT or FLOP: Great (for filling out Troop slots)

RECOMMEND: Yes

NOTES: Not just cheap and cheerful but they do serve a purpose in filling out a Troop slot and being pickets for my army. Took me a couple of games but I soon realised that I needed the buffer to protect myself from alpha strikes. They mostly die doing this job but occasionally some survive to charge things and make a nuisance of themselves.

 

UNIT TYPE: HQ

UNIT NAME: Brother Corbulo

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: Special Character

GREAT or FLOP: Great

RECOMMEND: Yes

NOTES: A relatively cheap and effective HQ choice. He is a great support character - I use him as a Sanguinary Priest with a re-roll essentially. He's not completely defenseless in melee either.

 

UNIT TYPE: HQ

UNIT NAME: The Sanguinor

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: Special Character

GREAT or FLOP: Great

RECOMMEND: Yes

NOTES: See the below entry for why I nearly always take the Sanguinor but he's no slouch on his own either. With good rolling he can assassinate an enemy character in one turn and with his Avenging Angel rule he can leave combats he's not effective in and just fly off to charge something else. Unless I do something stupid with him he always pulls his weight.

 

UNIT TYPE: Elite

UNIT NAME: Sanguinary Guard

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: Mostly stock but I sprinkle in a Power Fist and Axe

GREAT or FLOP: Mostly great

RECOMMEND: Yes - with The Sanguinor

NOTES: Make The Sanguinor your Warlord and enjoy the fun. I run two 5 man squads and both together with The Sanguinor they can turn the tide of a battle. They hit hard with re-rolling misses and their multiple damage weapons can really put the hurt on most things. If needed I can split one squad off to do something else and leave The Sanguinor with the other squad to take on something with more teeth. I've found them less effective on their own and I think part of this comes from the knowledge my opponents have of their synergy with The Sanguinor and so they also have a psychological effect and even if they take heavy losses they cause plenty of damage and tie up more than their fair shares worth of the enemy.

[Xenith]

I'm breaking your format somewhat, but the base of pretty much all my armies since 3rd has been:

 

2*Tac squad - 1 with flamer+missile launcher, the other triple plasma

1*assault squad

1*Dev squad 4*missile launchers

 

This is a solid base of scoring, mobile combat ability and some long range firepower that is all too often lacking in BA armies.

 

In 5th ed I also added 2*2 attack bike units, which were generally my star performers, but seem to be lacking attention in 8th. Time will tell.

 

After this I add other 'hammer' units to taste depending what I feel like, either sanguard, deathco or both.

[Arkaniss]

Has anyone had much success with MM Attack Bikes in 8th? They tick all sorts of boxes but I've just had horrendous luck with them previously.

[Charlo]

I used to love bikes, but I feel in the age of having a penalty to moving and firing heavy weapons and a total lack of internal synergy in our lists they just don't feel so great anymore.

[Panzer]

Also bikes not being able to get easy cover, getting into the upper levels of ruins and their direct competition having the FLY keyword......literally the only things bikes have going for them is being able to advance 6" and T5 these days.

[Are Verlo]

Well, truth be told, I´ve been trying to use my "benchwarmers" lately. I have many units that won´t find their way into focused, min-maxed lists. Im 7th ed this included: Land raiders (any type), land speeders, "vanilla" dreadnoughts, tech-marines and captains (!!!). In 8th ed this changed and it is great fun to let them all shine and share the spotlight :-DD

[Arkaniss]

Ouch this isn't great reading. I struggled with them in earlier editions nevermind in 8th. Forgot about the -1 to hit when moving, that does kind of remove their main purpose doesn't it? Perhaps they still have a use as back field deterrents? Though there are probably better units for such a task.

[Glaucs]

UNIT TYPE: HQ

UNIT NAME: Libriarian in Terminator Armor

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: Force Axe + Combi-Melta; Wings of Sanguinius & Quickening; Warlord (Artisan of War(Axe))

GREAT or FLOP: Very Good

RECOMMEND: Yes

NOTES: This was always my warlord through out 7th Ed so I wanted him to be good in 8th but the index powers were not really worth it at 175 pts. With the 25 pt drop he seems pretty solid; he did a ton of damage in the games I played him in (though a limited sample size so far) against everything from poxwalkers to land raiders. The Wings + Quickening combo is really good and you can throw in the Red Rampage for extra damage to give him a lot of attacks on the charge. TBH you don't even need wings to go off every turn; Quickening + Red Rampage is pretty scary in general and the +3" charge range is often enough to keep him fighting.

 

UNIT TYPE: Elite

UNIT NAME: Death Company Dreadnaught

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: Blood talons, SB, Meltagun

GREAT or FLOP: Solid but not quite great

RECOMMEND: Yes but needs support

NOTES: I like the changes to the blood talons even though I liked them before with d6 damage as well. The changes make him much more consistent where as the old version was more like a home run hitter; when he did well he could win you games and when he did poorly he did nothing. I think if you are going to take a Stormraven then the DC or Libby Dread are auto-include but I haven't tested him walking or with a Pod yet so I cant speak to those. Decreased cost of pods makes them more appealing but not sure if they got dropped enough.

 

UNIT TYPE: HQ

UNIT NAME: Chaplain w. Jump Pack (Death Company Inducted)

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: Cruzius & Inferno Pistol

GREAT or FLOP: Borderline

RECOMMEND: Dependent on List

NOTES: This is one of my favorite models in the Blood Angels line so I often take him just for that. He was pretty mediocre in the index but with the Death Company induction I think he is improved. That being said he needs a melee unit that deep strikes to support or there isn't any reason to take him. His damage output is decent and the inferno pistol can be very clutch but a Captain is a superior fighter with a similar support buff at a slightly increased point cost. He combos well with Death Company or Assault Marines; might work with terminators but I don't have any BA Termies so I cant speak to that.

 

UNIT TYPE: Heavy Support

UNIT NAME: Baal Predator

WARGEAR/PSYPOWERS: Twin Assault Cannon, Heavy Bolter Sponsons & Storm Bolter

GREAT or FLOP: Mediocre

RECOMMEND: No

NOTES: This was one of my favorite units from 7th Ed but it didn't transition well to 8th ed. On paper it seems like it should be solid but it has been consistently disappointing for me in 8th. The one thing it does do consistently is attract the enemy's fire so if you want to include extra target priorities into your list it can work in that regard but the range on the twin-assault cannon means that you are usually moving it so the shooting is inconsistent.

Edited December 17, 2017 by Glaucs

[tychobi]

Stormraven.

 

Loadout: twin Las, typhoon, hurricanes,

 

Rating: A+ down to A with recent points hike.

 

Recommend? Hell ya. Flexible heavy firepower rocks. Deepens the bag o tricks considerably.

 

Notes.

 

I like using range to keep my flyer safe until the correct moment to strike. Top of the transport vehicle heap by a long shot outside of price. Wish I had two