Special Weapons Squad vs Special Weapons in Infantry Squads

[FelipeFlops]

Which is the best way to take special weapons, is it situational?

 

Special Weapon Squads do seem to be too vulnerable without giving them a transport, which is an extra cost, compared to being relatively safe in footslogging Infantry Squads.

 

Then of course there are Veterans, you get the same 3 special weapons per squad with BS3+ but then have to pay extra and for more bodies in each squad.

 

I do like the idea of two Special Weapon Teams in a Valkyrie with 6 x Melta/Plasma jumping out and toasting something important though. But of course they're then exposed and you will likely lose all those special weapons in your opponents next turn.

 

[Wassa]

It's odd.

 

We have SWS and HWS, yet noone wants to use them because they die extremely quick, if not to gunfire or melee, then to morale.

 

So the generally accepted thing is to pay for transports, and accept they will die when they disembark.

However, the other annoying thing is the limit of 12 on transports. This means we can't take 2 squads and a commander.

It's like they don't want us to use our units and so we resort to squads, hqs, and vehicles.

 

 

Personally I tend to put a special weapon in every Infantry Squad. The generally accepted way of thinking for the guard is redundancy and making it hard for your opponent to choose which threat to deal with first. Having 3 bare Infantry Squads and a SWS squad with 3 plasmas is a easier to nullify the threat than 3 Infantry Squads with a plasma each.

 

Some people like to take 3 Command Squads and disembark them from a Valk or a Chimera or make them Tempestus, saving points on transport and spending them on upgraded BS/Saves.

[Vykes]

I'll only chime in with my relative bit of knowledge (I face Guard, and was a Guard player for the longest time), but Veterans typically are a go-to choice for special weapons saturation.  There are always going to be different ways to use it, and even different regiments which will leverage units better, but typically special weapon squads come out short.  They have great orders efficiency as orders and auras will affect multiple special and heavy weapons compared to the one in an infantry squad, but they're relatively frail while veterans shoot better and have some padding for a minimal cost overhead while maintaining efficiency. 

 

But Guardsmen squads are cheap, they protect specialist weapons very well, they go towards generating CP by filling out required detachment slots, they're great.  2 special weapon squads inside a transport is still pretty fun but aside from something a little niche like flamers which auto-hit, it loses a lot if you can't guarantee a commander nearby.  That said, they're still cheap enough and fun enough that 2 squads from valks just feels awesome so... like, you do you and maybe you'll get a fun niche others might outright never expect.  I know that hurling a pair of flamer/melta havoc squads in a Rhino and tossing them at a nid horde was worth the novelty.  SWS aren't much different in that regard. 

[1126PLL]

Command Squads fill this role in my mechanized company. Each platoon commander has a command squad with 4x Plasma Guns in their track, and the Company Command track has 1x Flamer, 1x Heavy Flamer, 1x Medic, and 1x Regimental Standard alongside the company commander.

 

If I had any points left I could put Special Weapon Squads in the platoon command tracks as well, for 11 men in the Chimera.

[Gothical]

I seem to recall some maths that showed SWS are the most points-efficient Plasma platform (lower base cost than Vets/Tempestus, pays less for PG) so I certainly wouldn't discount them altogether. 

 

They are vulnerable, but at the same time you only have to hide 6 men from the enemy's guns rather than a full-sized unit. With Command Squads also carrying Special Weapons and Infantry Squads having weapon upgrades and Objective Secured you can also rely on a target-rich environment to protect them somewhat. Putting orders on *other* units also increases the difficulty of target selection for the opponent.

 

Sniper Rifles are not very good (since you only get 3) and Flamers have issues in this edition (I still like them here though!) but the Plasma/Melta are good choices.

[Wassa]

I seem to recall some maths that showed SWS are the most points-efficient Plasma platform (lower base cost than Vets/Tempestus, pays less for PG) so I certainly wouldn't discount them altogether.

They reduced the points of BS3+ Plasma Guns less than a month ago so that may need recalculating.

[Shamansky]

I just use Elysian 3xSWS+Company Commander.

Pros: no need for transport, morale re-roll near officer, can be ordered to ignore morale, by RAW every SWS has 6 Lasguns+3 special weapons. 

Cons: cost a little more because of deep strike, Imperial Armour units which aren't welcomed by some people.

[HallofStovokor]

I actually don't use SWSs. I find that if you want 3 special weapons, take a vet squad. With the reduction in points they're excellent now. A vet squad with plasma is hit on 3+ give take aim and you can supercharge with relative safety. SWSs have no SGT and they only bring 6 men. That's easier to kill and cause morale failure.

[Thoridon]

I enjoy my Catachan special weapons squad with 3x flamers. 3D6 autohits make a nice response after units near them get charged and fall back.

 

I run my plasma and melta in Veteran or Command squads.

[Feral_80]

Perhaps they are not optimal, but sws are great fun.

I always field at least 2, mounted on a Chimera as part of a mobile force. A second Chimera normally holds 10x (infantry or vets) with an Officer. They do their job, especially as the Vigilus formation. Infantry is always Catachan, Chimera can work both as Catachan (all flamers) and Tallarn (all bolter) - btw, to be honest, Chimeras should be able adjusted to only embark <regiment> units, as the current mix/match is way too weird.

[MrZakalwe]

I've had a little success with a couple of vostroyan plasma SWSs deployed in the back field. the 30" range keeps them safe from quite a lot when deployed in cover at the back.

 

Also good for deepstrike denial as they won't move up with most of your screen.

[GuardDaddy]

SWS with plasma is 45 pts. I like them as they are easy to kill and a threat too. 

 

Use their vulnerability.

 

Dangle them out as available targets and let them get shot. It means your screen is not getting shot! If not shot they have the oomph to punch hard if not killed.

 

Lots of being successful with guard is working like this. Presenting your opponents with lots and lots of difficult choices. 

 

In terms of other special weapon uses I like melta in talharn infantry squads. The ability to run and still shoot without penalty essentially allows you to add the advance move to the melta range.

 

I take plasma as the special weapon in static gunline squads (as Cadian regiment) along with heavy weapon.

[TheShredder]

The Rule of 3 killed my interest in SWSs.

 

As it is, I now can't even fill out 2 Chimeras with them.