Vanguard/ Rangers - MSU or No MSU?

[Charlo]

I've heard plenty on both ways of running our troops but it seems the biggest issue we face is morale, no one wants to lose 6 Vanguard only to lose the rest of the squad to a dice roll.

 

MSU seems the best mitigation for this but also, does it take away from the units viability? Or are they simply there to screen and provide CP for bigger guns?

 

What's your take my binary brothers?

[Frostglaive]

It depends on what I want to do. My Vanguard, I always take in squads of 7. 2 Plasma Calivers, maybe a Taser Goad on the Alpha if I have extra points, and that's it. Gives me enough of a buffer for my plasma boys to survive a bit longer when they start getting shot to pieces, and morale doesn't hurt too badly if/when I end up taking it. Squads of 10, it's nice to get that 3rd caliver, but they fail morale way too often. Squads of 5, my plasma dies too fast and the squad never gets anything done. 7 for me has been my lucky number for them.

 

Rangers... If I'm bring Arquebus squads, then 6 or 7 for the same reasons as listed above. If I'm going cheap for my infantry, then a squad of 5 w/ 2 arc rifles just for a bit of extra kick to them.

[brother_b]

It depends on what I want to do. My Vanguard, I always take in squads of 7. 2 Plasma Calivers, maybe a Taser Goad on the Alpha if I have extra points, and that's it. Gives me enough of a buffer for my plasma boys to survive a bit longer when they start getting shot to pieces, and morale doesn't hurt too badly if/when I end up taking it. Squads of 10, it's nice to get that 3rd caliver, but they fail morale way too often. Squads of 5, my plasma dies too fast and the squad never gets anything done. 7 for me has been my lucky number for them.

 

Rangers... If I'm bring Arquebus squads, then 6 or 7 for the same reasons as listed above. If I'm going cheap for my infantry, then a squad of 5 w/ 2 arc rifles just for a bit of extra kick to them.

I do the same. I’ll take smaller units of maybe 6 or 7. I tend to take one or two special weapons on the vanguard. Depending on the foe I may add pistol/melee.

 

For rangers I will have a mobile backfield unit or TUA unit. For the mobile unit I’ll give an arc rifle and 6 or so total models. For the TUA they’ll have basic 5 man squad.

 

A basic squad of 5 vanguard or rangers with no frills is also an option I use depending on type of mission or game we’re playing.

 

Finally I’ll rarely take the omnispex or data tether. An extra ranger is usually better to me. Maybe an omnispex on the TUA squad if there’s lots of terrain.

[Frostglaive]

 

Finally I’ll rarely take the omnispex or data tether. An extra ranger is usually better to me. Maybe an omnispex on the TUA squad if there’s lots of terrain.

 

 

I find that, with the squad sizes we're going with, a data tether is just a waste of points. The squad will either live or die, Morale hardly affecting them.

 

The omnispex though... If I'm bring arquebus rifles, omnispex is an auto-include for me. My local meta tends to be terrain heavy more often than not. And most of the juicy characters I can target (or at least that are worth targeting) are those support characters hiding in that cover.

[Stray]

I'd concur. I can't remember where, but I recall reading a well reasoned mathhammer exercise that also concluded that unit sizes around 7 are, all things being equal, pretty much optimal in terms of dealing with morale effects while still providing worthwhile ablative wounds to your special/heavy weapons.

 

That's not to say that there are no occasions when fewer, or more, bodies are advantageous, but as a general rule of thumb, I'd aim for 7.

[brother_b]

 

 

Finally I’ll rarely take the omnispex or data tether. An extra ranger is usually better to me. Maybe an omnispex on the TUA squad if there’s lots of terrain.

 

 

I find that, with the squad sizes we're going with, a data tether is just a waste of points. The squad will either live or die, Morale hardly affecting them.

 

The omnispex though... If I'm bring arquebus rifles, omnispex is an auto-include for me. My local meta tends to be terrain heavy more often than not. And most of the juicy characters I can target (or at least that are worth targeting) are those support characters hiding in that cover.

 

 

How have your TUA been doing? Honestly, they've been quite horrible for me. I just love the idea and the models. I usually run 2, but have considered removing my backfield rangers and adding another group of 2.

[Link2edition]

I had been runinng 8 man vanguard with 2 plasma and a data tether, so one of my battalions looked like this.

5x Vanguard
8x Vanguard with Data Tether 2x plasma
8x Vanguard with Data Tether 2x plasma

But after reading this thread I am thinking.

8x Ranger 2x Arc Rifle
7x Vanguard 2xPlasma
7x Vanguard 2xPlasma

Would play better. I play Metalica so I want lots of bodies to run and gun with.

Thanks guys
 

[DanPesci]

I reckon 7-8 is probably the ideal number (keeps morale losses to a minimum), but i run 5 man squads to fill out a double battalion.

 

I also play stygies not mars though, so the -1 to hit (most of the time), helps mitigate some losses

 

That said, i dont use my vanguard as a screen, I have 12 breachers for that.

 

 

 

 

 

Finally I’ll rarely take the omnispex or data tether. An extra ranger is usually better to me. Maybe an omnispex on the TUA squad if there’s lots of terrain.

 

 

I find that, with the squad sizes we're going with, a data tether is just a waste of points. The squad will either live or die, Morale hardly affecting them.

 

The omnispex though... If I'm bring arquebus rifles, omnispex is an auto-include for me. My local meta tends to be terrain heavy more often than not. And most of the juicy characters I can target (or at least that are worth targeting) are those support characters hiding in that cover.

 

 

How have your TUA been doing? Honestly, they've been quite horrible for me. I just love the idea and the models. I usually run 2, but have considered removing my backfield rangers and adding another group of 2.

 

 

I used to run 2 but never had any luck with them. , I run 6 now for redundancy :D 

 

they rarely make their points back in kills but there's a definite psychological effect due to their potential.

 

Also them being T7 AP-2 means they are actually useful for plinking wounds off vehicles should there be no characters to shoot at.

[Link2edition]

I am trying out just taking 2 TUA for wound plinking and warlord killing, the unit is kind of expensive for what they do so I dont want to take multiple