15 Man DC Loadout?

[SonsOfSorrow]

I searched and saw a topic or two on Death Company, but I am building my DC soon and was wondering if anyone had what they considered an optimal build?  I was thinking something like -
3 with TH

3 w/ PS/Inferno Pistol
9 w/ CS/BP

I know that bolters and chainswords are also hyped, and I am sure they are amazing, but I am also worried that maybe next edition you will not be able to charge after rapid firing again and I wouldn't want to remodel them, which was why I was thinking pistols.  On the other hand, they'd definitely be awesome now.  I am generally going for an "all targets" build for them.  I will probably build another large squad of DC as well, so perhaps I should have one unit for killing elite troops and one for vehicles?

All advice would be very welcome.

[Thoridon]

The way marine arms/hands are it's quite simple to cut them off at the wrist and attach a different weapon if needed. I've done that to upgrade all my DC bolt pistols to bolters and if they stop this combo I have the pistols in reserve to put back on.

 

I tried my first full blob of 15 DC at the weekend in a game vs Orks and went mixed to get a feel for it. I opted for 5 hammers, 5 bolter+sword and 5 bolter+chainsword as that's what I had available, plus Lemartes. Kept them in reserve until turn 3, then they dropped in behind a big group of Meganobz. They got the charge in thanks to the reroll and proceeded to melt the entire Nobz unit in that charge, largely thanks to the hammers. The game was over not long after that as they wiped out a key threat.

 

In a points game I'd personally not upgrade any pistols and keep weapon upgrades to melee to make the most of the extra charge attack.

 

It's hard to tell from that one game as they never got hit back but I was happy with their impact at a key moment. I felt 5 hammers added a nice amount of big damage, 5 swords still helped against the 2+ armour and the chainswords were ready to be the first 5 casualties had overwatch done anything. I'll try them in the same setup in another game and see how it feels.

 

For a more flexible approach hopping around the table I might consider swapping the hammers to bolter+fist to get extra shots in (and 5 hammer guys would be traded for 6-7 bolter+fist then) but from deep strike the hammers sure had a big impact.

[Explorer1]

I run a 15 man squad. Have played about a dozen games with them. I have run them all Bolter and Chainsword, and with 3 Thunder Hammers. I'm going back to all Bolter and Chainsword. The problem I had with the Hammers was that I always wanted either more of them, or less of them i.e. the targets you point the DC at either need more Chainswords of more Hammers.  Think you need to specialise.  So for me, the 15 man squad is for removing chaff and T4 or else infantry. I will be running another squad of DC wit Hammers to kill Big Scary Things. 

[tychobi]

Optimal loadout without a stated target is not possible to effectively answer. If optimal means winning games bolter chainsword is your short answer. Mixed units suffer from never having an optimal target. Leadership is a big problem now death co.

 

Long answer? Magnets!

[SonsOfSorrow]

Alright, thank you for the answers.  So, perhaps fifteen man squad with bolters/chainswords and then a ten man squad with five hammers and maybe 3-5 bolter/chainswords for taking hits?

Also, what magnets do you use that are thin enough not to make their arms look off?  I've never used any before.

[Paladin777]

I’ve never used magnets either, but I think you have to drill an indent into the magnetized bits to make it fit.

[Calistarius]

I used 1/16” magnets for mine. Use a pin vice and 2 and make sure your arms and torso magnets are inserted properly the first time. It’s a nightmare trying to get them back out. I magnetized 13 out of the 15 I have. I can say with confidence that was a mistake. I have the arms organized by which model they belong to, but it still takes entirely too long to get them outfitted. I’m going to reglue most if not all my chainswords and bolters on. I’ve been less than impressed by power weapons or hammers on these fellas. I tend to throw them at the biggest threat on the board turn 1. By keeping them cheap...at 300 points lol...I’m okay with them wiping after they do their job. M If they’re not dead by my turn two that’s just a bonus for me.

 

All that to say, equip them how you want to play them. What is optimal for others may not be for you. Luckily for us, the shear volume of attacks plus Red Thirst make it okay to field wholesale chainswords.

[Ekfud]

Alright, thank you for the answers.  So, perhaps fifteen man squad with bolters/chainswords and then a ten man squad with five hammers and maybe 3-5 bolter/chainswords for taking hits?

 

Also, what magnets do you use that are thin enough not to make their arms look off?  I've never used any before.

 

For arms (mainly sergeants) I use 3mm diameter x 1mm thick in the arm and the torso.

 

These are generally plenty for most standard plastic arms - if you have a particularly heavy loadout (1-hand thunderhammer or a big shield) you can use a 3mm but thicker magnet (say 2-3mm) for some extra punch. The 1mm magnets will still keep them on, but the weight of the arm might pull the weapon towards the ground with the thinner magnet. I use the GW small drill bit for pilot hole then widen it with a 3mm bit (just used by hand with a little bit of masking tape around the back end). Keeping to 3mm makes it easy - same drill bits, etc. Then superglued in flush with the surface of the plastic (or very slightly out so they make contact). 

 

Tips for construction - make a little mark with tip of scalpel for the drill holes... helps get them centred, which means you can swap arms between any of your models. To that end - once you have done the first model/arm... keep the magnet direction consistent. 

 

You'll also find that magnets come with a rating on the N scale... the higher the number the stronger the pull; think mine are N45s - you can get lower for cheaper but the difference in price I don't think is worth the risk. Extra $3 on a packet of 200 magnets (ie, 50 marines worth) is a bit of insurance that they will stick better. 

 

And finally... always, ALWAYS double check the direction of the magnet. Cutting them back out of a model or removing superglue takes 100x longer than checking them first :-)

 

There are a few pics of WIPs on blog link in sig - including some jump pack examples. 

[DeadMilkman]

I've been using 1/16" x 1/32" diameter magnets for my characters to swap weapon hands.  I put the magnet in the wrist and the hand of the weapon.  Next time I buy magnets I want to get a thicker 1/16 magnet for the wrist, though. The 1/32 work ok for the pistols I've been putting on, but I'd be worried about something heavier like a storm bolter or bolter.  A 1/16" x 1/16" or even 1/16" x 3/16" magnet in the wrist should solve that.

 

Good gaming!

 

Wes

[Majkhel]

I do not think that the bolter option would be taken away: bolters are in the DC box. It's not common for GW to remove options that exist in the sprue they produce.

[Panzer]

Maybe not the Bolter option itself but the option to take Bolter and Chainsword on the same model since that's rather unusual. Better be safe than sorry.

[Kallas]

Maybe not the Bolter option itself but the option to take Bolter and Chainsword on the same model since that's rather unusual. Better be safe than sorry.

It's an option for Space Wolf Grey Hunters and for Chaos Space Marines, and has been available for both for ages.

[Panzer]

 

Maybe not the Bolter option itself but the option to take Bolter and Chainsword on the same model since that's rather unusual. Better be safe than sorry.

It's an option for Space Wolf Grey Hunters and for Chaos Space Marines, and has been available for both for ages.

 

 

Chaos Marines haven't been able to do that since the beginning of 8th edition. It's either Bolt Pistol + Boltgun or Bolt Pistol + Chainsword.

[Jolemai]

Personally I opt for N52s that I get from https://www.guysmagnets.com

 

Other sources can be found on the link below, along with some useful info for those starting out with magnets:

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/297605-tutorial-magnetisation/

 

...and welcome to the B&C :)

[Kallas]

 

 

 

Maybe not the Bolter option itself but the option to take Bolter and Chainsword on the same model since that's rather unusual. Better be safe than sorry.

It's an option for Space Wolf Grey Hunters and for Chaos Space Marines, and has been available for both for ages.

Chaos Marines haven't been able to do that since the beginning of 8th edition. It's either Bolt Pistol + Boltgun or Bolt Pistol + Chainsword.

Ah, my bad, thought they'd just lost having all three at once.

[SonsOfSorrow]

Thank you Jolemai, long time lurker.  And thanks to everyone else for the advice.  As for the bolters, I wasn't worried the option to equip them was going away, I was more worried the rules would change to return to a "no charging after rapid firing" like in previous editions making them much less useful on DC.

[Are Verlo]

Thank you Jolemai, long time lurker. And thanks to everyone else for the advice. As for the bolters, I wasn't worried the option to equip them was going away, I was more worried the rules would change to return to a "no charging after rapid firing" like in previous editions making them much less useful on DC.

DC did have relentless in 7th ;-)

[redshadow]

I'd take bolters and Chainsword's and 3 with thunder hammers

[Lhorke]

I’ve found a couple of power swords in the mix are useful as well especially with the -3 to saves.