Death company loadouts and faq’s

[toaae]

As much as I love hammers I have decided to leave them out of my DC in favour of 5 power swords in a 15 man squad, relying on weight of attacks and Lemartes to down high T/W models on the rare occasion I target them at such a unit. Mostly they go after everything else though, leaving the really big bads to my SG, characters, and lascannons.

 

I haven't taken a hammer in my DC yet, but if I was going to put a power fist in, I'd reconsider for a Hammer or a Power Sword. Even against T7, 3+ multiwound models, the sword is better point-for-point.

 

As it is, I've just gone for all chainswords and bolters. Just through sheer weight of dice will they get their job done.

 

 

[Indefragable]

Bolters let you shoot one unit and charge the other. You rarely want to shoot they not you are charging lest you give yourself a longer charge distance (even with the re-rolls).

 

Power weapon + chainsword for an extra Attack if you want to double-down on melee.

 

Power Fist + bolter is you want some D:D3 in your main unit.

 

If making a targeted kill squad go drop in and rock something then go 5x TH and jump packs.

[Paladin777]

Putting thunder hammers on all in a squad of five seems like a lot of points for not a lot of staying power... Not sure it’s worth it.

[Brother Crimson]

Whatever you try DC dies.

 

Staying Power is zero when you charge at the heart of the opponent force.

 

Still risky for overwatch.

[Aothaine]

I think that DC is best used with Bolter and Chainsword. Maybe toss in a Bolter and Power Fist model for every six Bolter and Chainsword models. So one PF+CS at 6-11 models, two at 12-15 models. 

 

They are just too good with Red Thirst and Chainswords and too fragile to warrant more punch than two power fists max. 

 

 

However, with the new mobility of the DC I've been re-thinking about the use of inferno pistols. At 9 points a pistol you could potentially get a small 5-10 unit of them in the middle of enemy lines to unleash melta-hell on the first turn then charge in with the threat of being able to use them on the second turn if not dealt with. Not something I'm seriously considering yet. But the mobility is there to pose threat.

Edited January 10, 2018 by Aothaine

[Paladin777]

my problem with the infernus pistol is it doesn’t have enough range to shoot after deep striking. If you deploy during deployment and get first turn then you could make good use of forlorn fury, but other than that I think it might be a waste of points.

 

Alternatively: if you ran them in a transport you could probably get them close enough that way.

[Aothaine]

my problem with the infernus pistol is it doesn’t have enough range to shoot after deep striking. If you deploy during deployment and get first turn then you could make good use of forlorn fury, but other than that I think it might be a waste of points.

 

Alternatively: if you ran them in a transport you could probably get them close enough that way.

 

Yeah it is very situational. But you can build a strategy around it if desired.

[Paladin777]

Agreed, but I not sure it’s worth designing a strategy for death company around a pistol...

 

IMHO, war gear should tie into the strategy, not normally the other way around. (Unless it’s as awesome as smashy-pants!)

Edited January 10, 2018 by Paladin777

[Aothaine]

Agreed, but I not sure it’s worth designing a strategy for death company around a pistol...

 

IMHO, war gear should tie into the strategy, not normally the other way around. (Unless it’s as awesome as smashy-pants!)

 

Possibly. I don't have my rules on me right now but if possible it might be better just to load said unit with meltaguns and chainswords.

[Paladin777]

Unfortunately, death company cannot take melta-guns. Company vets can, or you could take a melta-cide assault marine squad with 2 melta’s and a Combi-Melta.

[Aothaine]

Unfortunately, death company cannot take melta-guns. Company vets can, or you could take a melta-cide assault marine squad with 2 melta’s and a Combi-Melta.

 

Ahhhh okay. Are the infernus pistols limited with DC? If not that might be a good way to get 5-10 of those pistols in enemy lines. Would be expensive of course but you can build around it.

[Panzer]

I'd rather take Plasma Pistols than Inferno Pistols tbh. The lack of range is really hurting them. Plasma Pistols are also 2p cheaper than Inferno Pistols even.

[Aothaine]

I'd rather take Plasma Pistols than Inferno Pistols tbh. The lack of range is really hurting them. Plasma Pistols are also 2p cheaper than Inferno Pistols even.

 

Valid point. But they lack the melta rule and don't have the potential output of the infernus pistol.

[Panzer]

Imo the Melta rule is rather overrated in 8th. It's "just" a better re-roll but melta weapons are perfectly fine above half range.

The potential output is a tricky one. With Plasma pistols you can shoot one turn earlier than with Inferno pistols and have an easier time to find targets to shoot at so I'd say the potential damage gets outweight by the reliability of the Plasma pistol.

[Aothaine]

Imo the Melta rule is rather overrated in 8th. It's "just" a better re-roll but melta weapons are perfectly fine above half range.

The potential output is a tricky one. With Plasma pistols you can shoot one turn earlier than with Inferno pistols and have an easier time to find targets to shoot at so I'd say the potential damage gets outweight by the reliability of the Plasma pistol.

 

Normally I would agree with you in regards to shooting a turn before. But I've seen bat reps where DC are 1" away from their enemy on the first turn. If DC advance within that strat that lets them move before the first turn can they still fire their weapons if they don't advance in their movement phase?

 

I'm not denying that plasma pistols have their place. I just think if you were going to send in a suicide anti-tank squad a small unit of DC with infernus pistols might be a decent option.

[robofish7591]

Personally, I built my death company with inferno pistols because I think they are cool.

 

As for a serious load out (and probably the next squad I do) I think I would probably just stick to bolters and chainswords and throw in a power fist or two power weapons.  Death company are already more expensive and do best in melee so i would just focus on upgrading that role for them, their bolters are just a bonus.

 

If I am going to do a suicide melta squad i would probably just take an assault squad with double meltas, as they can deepstrike in and still be in range.  

 

 

Also, I hope the deathcompany sergeant can take a thunder hammer... because that is how I built him since I couldn't wait and my codex doesn't arrive until this weekend! 

[Panzer]

Yeah I'd take Plasma over Inferno for efficiency but overall I wouldn't take any special pistol at all to save points.

[Paladin777]

I also would not take any special pistols, or any at all, on death company. They don’t have anywhere near enough time on the table to make it worth it... ok maybe one or two plasma pistols in a 15 man blob, that I probably won’t ever run...

[Dont-Be-Haten]

I've been thinking about testing out 3 squads of 10 versus 2 squads of 15 versus 1 squad of 15 2 squads of 10.

[Aothaine]

I also would not take any special pistols, or any at all, on death company. They don’t have anywhere near enough time on the table to make it worth it... ok maybe one or two plasma pistols in a 15 man blob, that I probably won’t ever run...

 

I think Death Company do exactly what they should now. They are a bomb. You drop it down and it massacres what ever it assaults then is usually spent. I think they are still very valuable in specific lists but are not an auto-include. Something I am happy to say our rules and codex prevent is an auto-include option. Everything is valid depending on what you want to do. Even Baal Predators.

[Paladin777]

I really want to test the efficacy of 5 man squads in small games when I get there! Because of all you guys’ excellent points on all sides, I’m more unsure of my load out than when I started this post!!!! Thanks!

[Aothaine]

I really want to test the efficacy of 5 man squads in small games when I get there! Because of all you guys’ excellent points on all sides, I’m more unsure of my load out than when I started this post!!!! Thanks!

 

Lol! You really just need to decide what you want them to do. Bolter & Chainsword make them infantry blenders but they can also target vehicles that are T7 or less and still wound 50% of the time because of Red Thirst. 

 

If you're playing small point games and want to use a 5-man squad I would not invest any points on special weapons. Just aim them at something and watch them do their work. Sub 1000 points I don't think they are a good investment though. I would rather have another troop choice at that point level because obsec is very important and wiping people off the board at that level should be difficult.

Edited January 10, 2018 by Aothaine

[Blackcadian]

 

I also would not take any special pistols, or any at all, on death company. They don’t have anywhere near enough time on the table to make it worth it... ok maybe one or two plasma pistols in a 15 man blob, that I probably won’t ever run...

 

I think Death Company do exactly what they should now. They are a bomb. You drop it down and it massacres what ever it assaults then is usually spent. I think they are still very valuable in specific lists but are not an auto-include. Something I am happy to say our rules and codex prevent is an auto-include option. Everything is valid depending on what you want to do. Even Baal Predators.

To combat the rather fragile nature of the DC I’ve started bringing them in on a flank instead of smack down in the center of the enemy. That way a wipeout isn’t all but guaranteed and somewhat harder to achieve for my opponent. Also not dropping them in T1 or even T2 helps as there wont be as much enemy left to shoot them and also more space to drop in somewhere juicy. In my last game 3 of my 10 man squad even survived the game, including the 2 maniacs with the thunder hammers. In the last turn they made an 11 inch charge on Wave Serpent and, together with 2 surviving scouts they demolished the vehicle to save me from defeat. Would that have been possible with fists or pow swords? Not likely, although granted this is more of an anecdote.

 

Oh, and I absolutely agree how its great that we have lots of balanced choices to pick from! Its a lot of fun to build an army right now. But common, the Baal Pred? Or our Furiosos... :/

Edited January 11, 2018 by Blackcadian

[Shaezus]

One of the things I love about DC is that I never feel I should worry about keeping them alive. For me it's always a given that they will die, so they're quite unique in that respect. It's  a liberating feeling, just throwing them against their target and knowing they will do the job and that their survival afterwards doesn't matter to my chances of winning. Just having them on the board is a big psychological factor in the game; the opponent knows they have to be dealt with and that his army will suffer more the longer they are alive. So they will almost make their points back without even killing anything, just by forcing the opponent to react and by the amount of dakka and hakka they will draw. That combined with their ability to surgically remove any opponent's toughest unit, makes them my favourite single unit and the most powerful IMHO.

 

Has anyone tried them in a land raider? I know this is very much a Marmite question, in that your list is either suited to land raiders and vice versa, or not, but I can see some big bonuses from that 3" disembark - effectively a 4" move - followed by a 12" jump move over any blocking units and then into combat with something deep in your oppo's deployment zone. Bearing in mind that DoA can be used after disembarking too.

[Panzer]

I'm no fan of that mindset. DC don't have to be a throwaway unit. Not more than any other unit in the game. Use them carefully and they can survive for more than just one attack and do more damage over the course of a game that way.