Deathwatch Veteran loadout suggestions?

[Brother Lame]

Hi Fraters,

 

Alright so I've tried to write up this post *dozens* of times now and never quite managed to finish it up, so sorry if it's missing any important details. Essentially I've been sat on an two squads of Deathwatch Veterans from a Start Collecting box for literally years now and have built all my other DW units except for these guys simply because I'm too indecisive about how to actually build them. There's so many possible loadout combos which is a big factor in why I love the unit, but also the bane of my existence because I get easily crippled by choice.

 

So I want to spec them to mulch infantry at range, preferably with some degree of versatility (i.e. be it Gaunts, Skitarii or Marines) but can't really settle on the loadout for that. I'd build the 10 models as 2 x 5 man Squads and put them either in a Rhino or a Drop Pod if that helps, looking to get them up close or into a good position. I like the idea of the following, to go through some of my current thoughts:

 

• Sgt with Plasma gun and Xenophase Blade, Veterans with Plasma Guns and Chainswords - Cheap and cheerful, really nice damage output at a reasonably good price and can hold their own in melee (probably)
• The same as the above, but with Combi-Plasma instead of regular Plasma guns. Gives me that sweet SIA bolter action plus the ability to absolutely spray multiple shots with both profiles albeit at -1. Obviously a full 50pts more expensive than option 1.
• Deathwatch Shotguns. Everyone gets a shotgun, except maybe the Sergeant who could have a XPB and another weapon (Melta gun maybe) for close range punch. These shotguns seem like a really nice and versatile close range gun for a cheap overall model price
• Sgt with bolter and XPB, 2 x Veterans with DW Bolter + Storm shield, 2 x Veterans with DW Frag Cannons. Frag cannons look solid if unexceptional on paper, I dunno if these heavy weapons are really worthwhile up close? Shield guys are obviously for tanking shots, SIA bolters seem great but maybe not unless deployed in bulk?
• Stalker Bolter and XPB on Sergeant, 2 x Veterans with Stalker Bolter and SS, 2 x Infernus Heavy Bolters, no transport for these. Decent long range damage output again?

 

Those are generally the ideas I've had, kinda ranked in order from favourite to least favourite on paper, I'm just kinda really stumped on what to go with and would love to hear some ideas for reasonable squad loadouts that could go in a Rhino/Drop pod. I'll also list what I've got built and painted/available below in case that presents context that would be useful.

 

• Watchmaster
• Terminator Captain with TH + SS (would be using Dominus Aegis)
• Primaris Techmarine
• Primaris Apothecary
• Fortis Kill Team - 5 x Auto Bolter Intercessors + PF Sgt, 5 Hellblasters with Assault Plasma Incinerators
• DW Veterans - Sgt with combi-plasma + XPB, Vet with combi-plasma + Power sword, Vet with Frag Cannon, 2 x Vet with Infernus Heavy Bolter
• 5 Deathwatch Bikers, Sgt with TH
• Ven Dread with Twin-Lascannon + SB
• Redemptor Dreadnought (will be paired with the TM)
• Corvus Blackstar with twin-lascannon + Hurricane bolter
• Rhino
• Drop Pod

 

Thanks for reading!

[Feral_80]

Stalker and frag cannons sadly suck so those are a no-no for me.

 

As for the rest, I'd say no kt should leave home without storm shields: 1-2 every 5 models should do. So all-shotguns is another no.

 

I'd also suggest to go cheap on the Sgt., it is worth giving him stuff only in a 10-man team geared for melee. Combi-weapon are really a matter of taste, I am not a super fan but they can work. I would say perhaps:

 

Combat kt A:

Sgt: combi, power axe

2 vets: bolter+shield

2 vets: combi+chainsword

 

Combat kt B:

As above, but replace Sgt with an infernus? Decent in overwatch as well.

 

This way you have two little relatively cheap teams each able to inflict some pain.

They will, however, die very quickly the next turn unless you support them with other units. Like eg the bikers, possibly led by a cpt/chaplain on bike with a classic Beacon Angelis to teleport from your back lines a full kt with some terminators and lots of nasties.

[Tokugawa]

Recently tournament results suggest:shields and more shields! DejaVu of classical storm-storm, just some other guns replaced the storm bolter.

[MadEdric]

Veteran teams can be so varied, you should figure what role they will be playing.

Assault oriented? Sgt with a Xenophase blade, Blackshield with dual lightning claws, storm shield vets (with bolters or powersword), vanguard vets seasoned to taste (I usually go with twin claws or a chainsword/shield), Terminators if you want, a bike couldn't hurt to allow the use of the fall back and charge strat.

Close to mid-range fire support? Bolters or Stormbolters on most, shields on who you can get them on, a bolter/fist Terminator (or assault cannon), vanguard vet to allow fall back and shoot strat.

Long-range fire support or back field objective holding? You can take 4 heavy weapons in a team, I would prefer Infernus HBs or Missile Launchers, add in some heavy weapon Terminators (you can take 3 of them in a team, but that is expensive). Add in Shields where you can.

One team I really want to try is: 4 vets with ML and 3 Terminators with Cyclone ML, add in 2 shield vets. Sgt could be either combat support or give him a shield as well. This unit could throw out 10 krak missiles or 10d6 frag, that could be very scary, expensive as all get out though.

Of course there is building teams specifically to combat squad as well. 5 vets to fill and role you might want and then 5 others to fill another role. One I've liked is 2 VV and 3 bikes, VV have shields and weapons to taste, bikers have at least chainswords. This is a fast Obsec squad. Another is the heavy weapons go in one combat squad and a more close/mid-range combat squad in the other. 

Combat squading helps generate more units that we as an elite force have in low supply usually. 

[thesilverback]

It's hard to beat Veterans with DW bolters or Combi Weapons for range, Power Swords for melee, and shields for extra defense.   

[leth]

Depends entirely on what role you want them to perform in the unit. 

 

Typically for regular veterans its hard to pass up bolter/storm shield as bullet catchers, always gonna want a few of these. 

 

CC upgrades should be limited to the SGT and the black shield IMO if any. 

 

So on and so forth.

 

So for your ranged infantry mulcher it is going to depend on your strategy, and what doctrine you expect to be in when you mulch.  If you plan to be in assault doctrine and drop them in from a pod? Shotguns are gonna be hard to beat for pure board clear potential. 

Edited October 21, 2021 by leth