Is anyone using Vet squads?

[crimsondave]

I was wondering if anyone uses Vets for competitive play.  I don't play competitive at all so I use them because I like them.  I was just thinking with the Lascannon point drop you could field a vet squad with 3 sniper rifles and a Lascannon for 71 points hiting on 3+.  Even cheaper, you could get a squad with just 3 grenade launchers for 59 points.  Sure, they're T3 but it's 10 wounds and would it really be much of a target priority?

[mertbl]

I bring a triple plasma gun plasma pistol squad almost every game. Use the relic dagger to show up on a flank. Kill something and hide, that's the plan at least.

[HallofStovokor]

I occasionally take them if I'm feeling spicy. Their biggest problem is that they're not troops.

[The Titanz0r]

The dagger relic plasma bomb seems to be the best use for a squad of Vets. I take them with a Platoon Leader with a plasma pistol ordering Take Aim!, so that's 8 plasma shots at 12", 7 of which re-roll 1s. I've taken to adding an Autocannon, just because I had the points. Show up mid-game where firepower is needed, take your shots, hope they don't die immediately. As was stated, they're not as good as they were because of their "promotion" to the Elite slot.

[NatBrannigan]

I've had some success with 3 Plasma guns and the Mordian Strategem to target characters, but you really need a transport to keep them alive and even if you get them close enough, it's just ok.

 

I like them (and mine wear Kilts so of course I want to use them!) but i'm not sure I'd ever take them to a tournament.

 

If you want to go slightly outside the box I do like the Hades Breaching Drill Veterans from Forgeworld. They're a bit odd because BS4+, but deep striking is always good and the Drill itself is surprisingly good in combat. Mulched a Chaos Lord last time I played in one round (bit lucky, but still!)

[duz_]

I do the Mordian plasma bomb to but with just a company command squad

 

I tried vets early on and wasn't impressed it's an expensive way to take a bs3 lascannon

[ThatOneMarshal]

When 8th first started I took to taking three squads of vets with Triple plasma guns and then I took harker with them so that they wouldn’t blow up.

 

I could see using them with some chimera so that they don’t get blasted turn 1.

 

Otherwise there’s the dagger relic.

 

Another fun one is to store them in a stormlord and have them jump out ready to kill.

[crimsondave]

Well, I had a very non-competitive, narrative game today with an Ordo Malleus puritan with storm troopers (MT) trying to capture Eisenhorn backed up by IG.  I had Vets in a Chimera with 3 Plasma, a PP, and a HF that jumped out to take on Bullgryns, a Priest, Lord Comm. and Inquisitor along with a unit of MT paratroopers that had melted my front line.  HF and 3+ lasguns crippled the storm trooper unit while Plasma killed off the Bullgryns Eisenhorn's psychic powers hadn't already killed.  Fun times.

[robofish7591]

It isn't optimal and I only play casually, but I usually take a unit of shotgun vets with melta guns and a heavy flamer in a chimera or taurox.  They are usually underestimated so they always end up doing something useful, either blasting a vehicle with their meltas or some unsuspecting infantry with their shotguns and flamer.  I also use Tallarn as my regiment so they get some extra mobility when not in their transport.

[GuardDaddy]

Some thoughts....

I was just thinking with the Lascannon point drop you could field a vet squad with 3 sniper rifles and a Lascannon for 71 points hiting on 3+.

I do this. 3 squads. Works great. As Cadian backline I fish for mortal wounds to get overlapping fields of fire down.

I tried vets early on and wasn't impressed it's an expensive way to take a bs3 lascannon

That's one way of looking at it. My view is that actually the Lascannon is proportionately better in vets as there is no additional cost for the BS3 (as opposed to plasma/melta).

I bring a triple plasma gun plasma pistol squad almost every game. Use the relic dagger to show up on a flank. Kill something and hide, that's the plan at least.

The points drop of scions makes this less attractive to me. As now you can replicate this with the bonus of deep striking anywhere - not just a flank.

I occasionally take them if I'm feeling spicy. Their biggest problem is that they're not troops.

Guard lists that struggle with not enough detachment slots?????? In triple battalion or 2 bat one brigade?

[The Titanz0r]

Some thoughts....

 

I occasionally take them if I'm feeling spicy. Their biggest problem is that they're not troops.

 

Guard lists that struggle with not enough detachment slots?????? In triple battalion or 2 bat one brigade?

 

I think the issue is not being unable to fill detachments, it's that Veteran Squads not being Troop choices harms them. They fill a somewhat unnecessary niche. At 5 points each they're slightly better Guardsmen that can't hold objectives, and take up a valuable Elite slot. As opposed to 4 point Guardsmen and now 7 point Scions, which are both Troops. I'd certainly take six Veteran squads over six Infantry squads to fill out my Brigade, and use my Elite slots for things like Ratlings and Astropaths. Especially since my army is entirely mechanized, a Vet squad is better suited to the Armored Fist life than regular Joes.

 

That being said, I run my army as Armageddon, allowing all my Infantry to Rapid Fire at 18" instead of 12". So, my vet plasma bomb can show up in a crucial spot mid-game and reach out further than a Scion drop squad ever could.

[GuardDaddy]

 

I think the issue is not being unable to fill detachments, it's that Veteran Squads not being Troop choices harms them.

 

 

ahh ok - fair enough - i hadn't thought of that

[duz_]

That's probably the crux of it for me too

 

If they were troops I'd definitely consider them more (or if they had doctrines.. But that's a different discussion)

[GuardDaddy]

Yeah it doesn't come up for me as they are static in the backfield. once I have enemy onto them or close enough to contest objective it means im getting smashed anyway by that point!

[crimsondave]

I guess if they're static Cadians and you have them re-rolling hit rolls with orders they don't miss too much. 

[GuardDaddy]

Yep reroll ones to wound is order... as for some reason 3+ to wound is something I seem unable to roll for lascannons! Against big stuff its the damn invul saves that I find the biggest problem. But drifting off topic. I find back field vets giving you a good core of shooting work well and CA2019 buffed the way I use them with 5pt drop on lascannon.

[Mikhail the Valhallan]

I use mine admittedly more for fluffy thematic reasons, but my Valhallans have an "assault" squad with shotguns, 2 flamers a heavy flamer, sniper and bolter on the sergeant that have had their fair share of last objective clearing shenanigans... Don't know about now but all that strength 4 at 6 inches jumping out of a taurox used to surprise the odd singled out Marine squad