Best Tactical squad builds

[Karhedron]

I feel that Scouts and Intercessors are probably our best Troop choices in the new Codex and I have 10 of each. However CPs look like being a critical resource which means that double-Battalion looks like an attractive option at 2000 points.

 

I only have 2 squads each of Scouts and Intercessors and I don't plan on buying any more at the moment as I have zero cash and a big UFO pile. So it looks like I will probably need to run a couple of Tactical squads at least some of the time.

 

What are people's thoughts on the optimum build? 5-man with Lascannon and combi-plas on the Serg? Cheap HB and walk them up the field? I don't have any Grav or heavy flamers in my arsenal (mostly they are old-school models) but most of the classic options are open.

[Aothaine]

I think it depends entirely on the composition of your army.

 

Anti-tank support

Tactical Squad (5-man) - Lascannon

 

Anti-infantry support

Tactical Squad (5-man) - Heavy Bolter

 

Mid-board Anti-infantry support

Tactical Squad (5-man) - Heavy Flamer/Heavy Bolter & Combi-Plasma/Flamer(Sgt)

 

Mid-board Anti-tank support

Tactical Squad (5-man) - Melta Gun & Combi-Melta

 

Close Range Assault support

Tactical Squad (5-man) - No upgrades (If you need more of this option just take Intecessors as they are better.)

Edited December 14, 2017 by Aothaine

[Crimson Ghost IX]

I think just 5 with bolters is still pretty good for the points really. 2+ save in cover.

 

Plasma doesn't suck if you have the points as your list develops and forsee a role in that squad.

Power sword or Axe on the sgt if you see them charging something as part of your plan.

 

I could see 2x5 with 2 specials and 2 Sgts in a Rhino doing alright.

 

Just some ideas.

I would prolly run them straight bolters really.

Outside of just a lascannon team

Edited December 14, 2017 by Crimson Ghost IX

[Panzer]

Imo Tacticals with Lascannons are one of our best Troop choices as well IF you still need more anti-tank in your army. It's hard for your opponent to deal with 4+ Lascannons hidden in units of 5 Space Marines across the board so you'll be sure to have some left after his alpha strike and can keep killing his tanks/monsters.

 

If you already have enough of that I'd go with CC Scouts, Bolter Scouts and/or Rapid Fire Intercessors for sure.

[9x19 Parabellum]

I agree with Aothaine, it depends on the rest of your army.

 

Assuming you are going to run 4 squads x 5 (and 2 groups of scouts) to make up your double battalion, I'd probably go with:

 

1. Backfield.

2x5 groups with a heavy flamer to camp backfield objectives, deter deepstrikers and linebreakers.

 

2. Midfield Shooting.

2x5 groups with combi plas and plasma to basically secure the midfield.  8 plasma shots...not bad.

 

3. Wave 1 Assault, distractions.

2x5 groups of scouts with sgt. power sword to issue early threats and generally make a mess/hole so that the big guys (DC, Sang Guard) can get in on turn 2.

 

 

Edit: I'm assuming given that your going 2x battalions, that means you will NOT be using any Fast Attack/Assault Marines, hence why I gave the Tacs plasma and such.  I'm trying to unlock a Brigade I like, which means Assault Marines, which means I'm putting Plasma on them, while Tacs go naked to hold objectives and block deep strikers.

Edited December 14, 2017 by 9x19 Parabellum

[TechnoWitch]

I have had good results with 5 man tactical squads with a plasma gun and combi-plasma. I've tried squads with the Heavy Flamer and didn't really like.

[brother_b]

I've been toying with making a tactical squad for quite some time. Bare bones, with 1 heavy sounds good for points-based matches. Being able to hide, as one poster noted above, your heavy weapons in a squad with a potential for 2+ saving throws is golden. Especially if your devs get hammered or you don't take a dedicated dev squad. 

 

Besides that, I don't know. Sure I could double plasma and make them mid-field, I just don't know if they're right for that. Midfield would likely see melee combat and I'd prefer the sgt. having a melee weapon.

 

In the fluff (even in the new BA codex) tactical marines are supposed to be awesome, the pinnacle of the warrior. GW has pushed tactical marines since the dawn of time as being a really important part of a marine army. I just don't know.

 

Intercessors look amazing as a basic, no frills unit.

 

Maybe it's time to consider a tri-plas (can we take 2X special in the squad, or must we take a heavy? I'll have to check le dex).

 

Ten man unit moving upfield. Maybe plas pistol and/or power weapon on the sgt. instead. Control mid field, stick to cover if possible, and push to contact the enemy to take advantage of the red thirst.

 

Dont' know. Either way I'm currently working on the first of 5 tactical marines for my all "beaky" throwback tactical squad.

[Captain_Krash]

2x 10x tactical with plasma gun and lascannon. MSU = trap/sometimes...

 

Soild fire base, hard to move, can surprise opponent if they get into CC

 

Krash

Edited December 14, 2017 by Captain_Krash

[Panzer]

Please don't say things like "MSU = trap". MSU has undeniable advantages but it's of course not perfect and big units have their very own advantages. ;)

[Damon Nightman]

I don't get the MSU is a trap thing for tacs? Aren't most people just taking them to get more command points? How does adding 5 extra bodies make the squad better? Just that many more guys to get through before losing the one heavy weapon? The 5 extra bolters surely can't be the reason?

[Captain_Krash]

No this is all just my opinion I don't claim this is the Emperors words. To take advantage of the BA chapter tactic. IMO yes using a 5 man tactical squad is a trap.  with BA even the simple tactical squad is "decent" in CC, might as well play to the strength or why else play BA? I could just play Red marines and shoot the same way every other SM chapter can. A horde of power armor is still decent moving across the field and holding objectives.

 

Krash

[MeltaRange]

Yeah.  For vanilla marines, I can see uses for larger squads.  Outside 10 man Devastator squads for ablative wounds, and maybe 10 man Hellblasters (for Auspex Scan destruction...combat squadded if limited deep strikers) I really don't see a reason for BA to take larger squads.

 

Vanilla marines though, I do like larger squads sometimes.

No this is all just my opinion I don't claim this is the Emperor's words. To take advantage of the BA chapter tactic. IMO yes using a 5 man tactical squad is a trap.  with BA even the simple tactical squad is "decent" in CC, might as well play to the strength or why else play BA? I could just play Red marines and shoot the same way every other SM chapter can. A horde of power armor is still decent moving across the field and holding objectives.

 

Krash

 

Why not go with 2x5 and get an additonal sergeant attack + melee weapon then?

[Damon Nightman]

No this is all just my opinion I don't claim this is the Emperor's words. To take advantage of the BA chapter tactic. IMO yes using a 5 man tactical squad is a trap. with BA even the simple tactical squad is "decent" in CC, might as well play to the strength or why else play BA? I could just play Red marines and shoot the same way every other SM chapter can. A horde of power armor is still decent moving across the field and holding objectives.

 

Krash

Sounds good! I'm by no means an experienced player, so was just genuinely curios as to why you thought that!

 

I now see what you mean. Thanks for the explanation!

[Panzer]

No this is all just my opinion I don't claim this is the Emperor's words. To take advantage of the BA chapter tactic. IMO yes using a 5 man tactical squad is a trap.  with BA even the simple tactical squad is "decent" in CC, might as well play to the strength or why else play BA? I could just play Red marines and shoot the same way every other SM chapter can. A horde of power armor is still decent moving across the field and holding objectives.

 

Krash

Yeah but 2x5 Tactical squads are just as "decent" in CC. Actually even better since while 5 of them get charged the other 5 can still shoot and then charge next turn to strike first. ^^

[Kallas]

Yeah but 2x5 Tactical squads are just as "decent" in CC. Actually even better since while 5 of them get charged the other 5 can still shoot and then charge next turn to strike first. ^^

On purely statistical grounds MSU has the advantage. Extra Sergeant (+1 A/Ld); better weapon flexibility (two heavies for example); focus fire is less effective/risks wasted damage more; large squads can suffer from morale losses; they provide cheaper access to CP-rich detachments; and as sfPanzer said, they are more difficult to lock down.

 

MSU has many advantages over a 10-man squad. It's not all sunshine and rainbow farts, but there's a reason a lot of people look to MSU at the moment.

Edited December 14, 2017 by Kallas

[Xenith]

MSU: worse for auras/buff powers, an kill points, better for everything else.

 

1*10 tacs = 3 good weapons

2*5 tacs = 4 good weapons

2*5 devastators have double the firepower of 1*10.

Edited December 14, 2017 by Xenith

[9x19 Parabellum]

 

MSU has many advantages over a 10-man squad. It's not all sunshine and rainbow farts, but there's a reason a lot of people look to MSU at the moment.

 

Don't be hasty with your words, Kallas.  It may not all be sunshine, but it most certainly IS all rainbow farts.

[Jolemai]

The only Tactical Squads I've ran so far (Index FWIW) are five man squads that babysit a plasma cannon. No one feeling the love for the plasma cannon at the moment, or would you rather field it in a Devastator Squad if you had too?

[9x19 Parabellum]

I'm *literally* putting the finishing touches on a unit of 4 plasma cannons as I read that.

 

That being said, plasma cannon, I think, are better set up in the rear where they are unlikely to move, so you can push overcharge with less risk of blowing yourself up.

 

Multimelta and Grav cannons, though, I think, have a place in forward moving Tac squads.

[Arkaniss]

My next game I'm trying multiple 5 man Tac squads. Gonna have 4 squads total each with a heavy weapon and with Sergeants equipped as my collection allows! I find 10 man squads get shot off the board quick in my local meta so I'm hoping that more smaller units will mitigate that issue by spreading the weapons around, as well as allowing me more of them. Not sure about the Plasma Cannon myself with it's increased chance of rolling 1's as I've historically had terrible luck with Gets Hot... :P

[Karhedron]

I like Plasma Cannons but you need some way to reroll 1s to get the best mileage out of them, they need to overcharge to be worth their points against a lot of targets.

 

With a Dev squad, it is easier to justify a Captain to babysit them. I feel a Tac squad does not justify that kind of character support.

[Jolemai]

I like Plasma Cannons but you need some way to reroll 1s to get the best mileage out of them, they need to overcharge to be worth their points against a lot of targets.

 

With a Dev squad, it is easier to justify a Captain to babysit them. I feel a Tac squad does not justify that kind of character support.

 

Perhaps, but then one Devastator Squad becomes a target.

 

Four Tactical Squads (i.e. for a tax) with one plasma cannon in each however...

[9x19 Parabellum]

 

I like Plasma Cannons but you need some way to reroll 1s to get the best mileage out of them, they need to overcharge to be worth their points against a lot of targets.

 

With a Dev squad, it is easier to justify a Captain to babysit them. I feel a Tac squad does not justify that kind of character support.

 

Perhaps, but then one Devastator Squad becomes a target.

 

Four Tactical Squads (i.e. for a tax) with one plasma cannon in each however...

 

 

Devastator squads tend to be deployed further back because of their naturally longer reach (missiles, lascannons, plasma cannons and heavy bolters).  This somewhat mitigates their incoming damage/risk.  Since they are unlikely to move, you can also put them in ruins or similar terrain to leverage the cover save.  And Devs are the one unit type where bigger squads have good payoff (ablative wounds).

Edited December 14, 2017 by 9x19 Parabellum

[MeltaRange]

I like to put 1 plasma cannon in my devastator squads, so that it can benefit from the Signum and the Cherub to potentially decimate heavy infantry if needed.

[olcottr]

I use 2x5 with combi-flamer and flamer and march them straight toward objectives that are held by lightly armored foes.

I've used 2x5 with combi-plas and plas with a cheap Captain behind them if facing an elite army, but mostly I face hordes.