Primaris Crusader Squads

[Marshal Mittens]

The biggest advantage of a crusader squad seems to be power fists. Wish the sword bro could take more weapon options. A "neat" squad with 2x pyreblasters and 1x pyre pistol would be fun in some games.

 

But yeah, mostly having lots of power fists for punching things.

 

Honestly I don't know if, for me, they are better than Assault intercessors by much, but they are cool and lore cool so I will use them sometimes.

[Banjulhu]

20 marines packing carbines and auto-bolt rifles with a couple of power fists thrown in feels like it could get a lot of work done in the centre of the table especially if a there is a chappie or apothecary in support.

 

It's a lot of bodies but not too costly and generally speaking your opponent will be focusing their effort on the more poignent threats like redemptors, vanguard vets and Helbrcht etc to want to waste shots on a blob squad.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

With 5++ they will be hard to shift.

[templargdt]

The 10 man squad doesn't shoot as well as the Intercessor squad, without or without strats, I think.  Yeah you can do the 2 damage shotguns, but it's 8 shots.  You can double tap 60 shots out of an intercessor unit.  So can the Cruader squad outfight assault ints?  Eh... you can grab the fists, plus the power sword on the SB, so I guess, but then you can't fight twice.  So  it seems like if you are planning on dropping your CPs in other areas, Crusader squad is slightly more effective than assault ints.

 

Now, the 20 man squad?  I dunno, that seems okay for plopping on the center of the board, especially with a 5++ and apothecary nearby.  

Edited October 25, 2021 by templargdt

[Charlo]

20 Man shooting squad is such a big footprint with solid damage potential too.

 

Because of the Assault Doctrine, 2A base and Shock Assault they're still plenty nasty in combat too, mostly by virtue of numbers. There's also a great amount of buffs that can be applied from litanies to buff both shooting and combat.

 

They're also FAST as they get to advance and shoot with impunity for 1CP.

[templargdt]

20 Man shooting squad is such a big footprint with solid damage potential too.

 

Because of the Assault Doctrine, 2A base and Shock Assault they're still plenty nasty in combat too, mostly by virtue of numbers. There's also a great amount of buffs that can be applied from litanies to buff both shooting and combat.

 

They're also FAST as they get to advance and shoot with impunity for 1CP.

yeah, if you're willing to spend  the points, the 20 man squad certainly seems decent with some buffs tossed on.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

I’m going to run two large squads, one shooty and one choppy.

[General Strike]

I’m going to run two large squads, one shooty and one choppy.

I'm starting to come around to this idea as well, it just makes them peak performance. Tough, killy, and scary to the opponent. The fear of a big blob of 20 Primaris moving up to shoot and push into your territory while another 20 charge like madmen at you with chainswords while your getting hit by Bladeguard and Redemptors is real.

[Marshal Reinhard]

I'm gonna end up having at least three 20 man squads... will be procuring neophytes from different sources I imagine, using my existing Intercessors (assault and regular) to make up the bulk of initiates, sprinkling in as many templary bits from crusader sprues, upgrade sprues and spares from sword brethren sprues as I can fit.

Edited October 25, 2021 by Reinhard

[T14]

The Black Tide is the best tide!

[templargdt]

I'm gonna end up having at least three 20 man squads... will be procuring neophytes from different sources I imagine, using my existing Intercessors (assault and regular) to make up the bulk of initiates, sprinkling in as many templary bits from crusader sprues, upgrade sprues and spares from sword brethren sprues as I can fit.

That's a heck of a lot of points into troops, how would you kit them?

[T14]

Also. I need to base my sword brethren on 32mm bases so they can act as intercessor sergeants as needed. I then need to 3d sculpt and print 32mm to 40mm base adapter rings so I can field the models in any unit role.

[Marshal Reinhard]

 

I'm gonna end up having at least three 20 man squads... will be procuring neophytes from different sources I imagine, using my existing Intercessors (assault and regular) to make up the bulk of initiates, sprinkling in as many templary bits from crusader sprues, upgrade sprues and spares from sword brethren sprues as I can fit.

That's a heck of a lot of points into troops, how would you kit them?

 

 I mean, I already have 20 intercessors and 20 assault intercessors. I just need the neophytes to fill squads out. I'll get 8 neophytes of each armament most likely.. .thats 24.. eep.  hope for some pose variety to come, by emperor. 

[T14]

 

 

I'm gonna end up having at least three 20 man squads... will be procuring neophytes from different sources I imagine, using my existing Intercessors (assault and regular) to make up the bulk of initiates, sprinkling in as many templary bits from crusader sprues, upgrade sprues and spares from sword brethren sprues as I can fit.

That's a heck of a lot of points into troops, how would you kit them?

 

 I mean, I already have 20 intercessors and 20 assault intercessors. I just need the neophytes to fill squads out. I'll get 8 neophytes of each armament most likely.. .thats 24.. eep.  hope for some pose variety to come, by emperor. 

 

I wil likely end up with excess neophytes. Watch this space!

[Mandragola]

I've just started putting together the guys out of the army box, and find myself struck with indecision over this question.

 

I think it makes sense for neophytes to have pistols and swords if they don't have shotguns. Their guns aren't all that good and their chainswords are the same as their big brothers' ones.

 

But for the Initiates I'm just not sure. ABRs are pretty good guns and seven of them would give a pretty respectable amount of shooting.

 

My best option might be give BT guns and a few other details to standard intercessors. Then I'll be able to swap them in if that turns out to be the best option. 

 

Eventually I might make a shooty and a melee squad. On the whole I think that taking two big squads is probably a good idea. It might turn out that you want all of them to have ABRs though, so you can keep pouring bullets in stuff as you run around.

[9x19 Parabellum]

I have a squad of 10 ABR intercessors, so for me the Crusade squad will be modeled with chsw and hbp. I like it aesthetically and I can swap in and out ABR intercessors as I want.  I agree that for Neo's the preferred option is chsw and pistol, and their melee potential is exactly the same as an Initiate.

 

Also..rule of cool for chainswords!!!

[SirJyo]

I have a ton of ABR intercessors with MKIII helms.

Just gonna throw them into a crusader squad and maybe use the new templar helmets to designate special weapon designation like Powerfists or pyreblasters.

[Maritn]

So, to those who have played their first games: How did you outfit your crusader squads and how did it work out?

 

I'm still torn on how to equip my 8 Neophytes, as you can't mix their equipment...

[Tiger9gamer]

So, to those who have played their first games: How did you outfit your crusader squads and how did it work out?

 

I'm still torn on how to equip my 8 Neophytes, as you can't mix their equipment...

 in my first game I played I had a 10 man squad out with bolt carbine neophytes, CCW and power fists initiates in the open, not blocked by any cover, and was going second so they didn't have the divine protection on them... they got slaughtered via storm bolters and cyclone missile launchers from deathwatch termies.

 

2nd game I had a 10 man squad start with a crusader helm apothecary near them, which made them survive my first turn. I buffed them up with divine protection and the crusader helm assault doctrine (seriously, my favorite relic on a non-smash character) and charged them into Guiliman and assault intercessors. They survived Bobby G for two full turns and slaughtered an assault intersessors (one power fist knocked out three of them, go figure) and managed to capture an objective away from Bobby G, thus giving me an insurmountable advantage. Sword brother also put one wound on guiliman, which was neat!

 

They can do work, but need support. I figure putting an apothecary nearby them for 70 points or so is a good investiment when you don't have Grimaldus or divine protection up.

[SirJyo]

I had a squad of 20, 4 power fists, ABR and Carbines on the neophytes.

With the help of an apothecary, survived getting shot then charged by a questoris knight with battle cannon + chainsword. Rinse and repeat for 3 rounds, until they finally destroyed the knight with 5 crusaders remaining.

[Brother Kraskor]

I had a squad of 20, 4 power fists, ABR and Carbines on the neophytes.

With the help of an apothecary, survived getting shot then charged by a questoris knight with battle cannon + chainsword. Rinse and repeat for 3 rounds, until they finally destroyed the knight with 5 crusaders remaining.

 

I like this loadout. Very shooty so the full damage potential can be used right from the start more or less but with a nasty sting in the tail for assault.

[Matis]

I played a 1000pts game which for me was basically one 20man squad of crusaders, helbrecht, bike chaplain, apothecary and some company vets to bodyguard.

 

I had 8 chainsword neophytes, 4 powerfists, 5 autobolters, 2 chainsword initiates and feastchamp swordbro with sword of judgement.

 

My thinking was: neophytes are as good as initiates with chainswords. Taking 5 bolters on Initiates would give me some ranged options while advancing towards the enemy and these would be the first 5 to die (except high-ap hits, I'd sacrifice a neophyte for those). By the time I'd get to close combat, they'd probably be dead and I'm left with powerfists and chainswords, but that's more than enough. I think even 7 bolters would be fine.

[Tiger9gamer]

I played a 1000pts game which for me was basically one 20man squad of crusaders, helbrecht, bike chaplain, apothecary and some company vets to bodyguard.

 

I had 8 chainsword neophytes, 4 powerfists, 5 autobolters, 2 chainsword initiates and feastchamp swordbro with sword of judgement.

 

My thinking was: neophytes are as good as initiates with chainswords. Taking 5 bolters on Initiates would give me some ranged options while advancing towards the enemy and these would be the first 5 to die (except high-ap hits, I'd sacrifice a neophyte for those). By the time I'd get to close combat, they'd probably be dead and I'm left with powerfists and chainswords, but that's more than enough. I think even 7 bolters would be fine.

Honestly I am thinking the opposite, with bolt carbines on the neophytes. Then again I plan on using all the bolt rifles to make an intercessior squad to hang in the back and take pot shots at targets

[Brother Kraskor]

Yeah while the Chainswords are more efficient on the Neos as they're effectively as good as Initiates, you're probably going to pull your Neos as casualties before the Initiates so will enough of the Neos actually see combat in order to benefit from their assault efficiency? Or are they better taken all ranged except for Power Fists to become multi-threat.

[Maritn]

The thing is, against AP 0 or -1 attacks, wouldn't you rather use the save of initiates? I think I'd go for the better save in this case, so initiates would probably die sooner than neos.