Best melee units?

[Malakithe]

Ive been looking over battlescribe going back and forth on all the melee units available. Whats everyones opinions on BGV vs DC vs DCI vs VV vs SG? They all seem very similar to me and kinda overlap.

[Charlo]

Ive been looking over battlescribe going back and forth on all the melee units available. Whats everyones opinions on BGV vs DC vs DCI vs VV vs SG? They all seem very similar to me and kinda overlap.

 

Ultimately, they all have a few quirks that make them better than eachother at different roles.

 

Can be summed up as following:

• SG: 2+ save, fast, 2D weapons, access to Melta
• DC: Lots of attacks, forlorn fury, mix of weapons
• DCI: access to transhuman (not much else, they're SLOW)
• VV: Invuln save, Lightning claws are horribly effective
• BGV: 3W, 2D weapons, Invuln, slow

It's basically a fine line between number of attacks, quality of those attacks, an invuln and other potential synergies.

 

The most successful BA lists tend to keep to SG, VV and DC because of the Jump Packs and defined roles they fill.

[Karhedron]

We are a bit spoiled for choice with melee units. Most of the above are good but have some strengths and weaknesses to bear in mind.

 

SG

Pros: Lots of high quality attacks, reasonable selection of weaponry including melta. Deathmasks for -1 to-Hit in melee. Heirs of Azkellon

Cons: No invulnerable save and high price makes them a tasty target for high AP weapons.

 

DC

Pros: Jump Packs, flexible weapons loadout. Forlorn Fury. Lots of attacks.

Cons: Pretty fragile

 

DCI

Pros: Lots of attacks (most attacks per point of any options) pairs well with Genewrought Might

Cons: No Jump packs and expensive transport. Fragile without Stratagem support. Inflexible weapon options

 

VVs

Pros: Jump Pack, flexible weapon options. Access to invulnerable saves

Cons: Lowest base attacks of any units listed

 

BGVs

Pros: Toughest unit listed.

Cons: No Jump packs and expensive transport. All weapons only 2D so units with -1 Damage rule really hurt these guys. No options for S8 weapons to bust vehicles/monsters

 

As you can see, the different units have a different balance of strengths and weaknesses so it depends on what you want to do.

 

VanVets stand out for me as a good all-round unit. 4 LC/SS will provide a lot of durability and infantry shredding while a Serg with TH and Inferno Pistol will make them dangerous to even the biggest targets.

 

DC are a great fast glass cannon unit. With Jump Packs and Forlorn Fury you can be in your opponent's face T1. You can either use them as cheap disposable squads to clear chaff or you can kit them out into a bigger blob and support with a Chaplain (either Jump Pack or Primaris Biker versions are good).

 

DCI: Just seem all-round worse than regular DC due to the inflexible loadout and lack of jump Packs. Maybe useful as a cheap counter-charge unit or something but I am not convinced.

 

SG: If you are looking for a bodyguard for your Warlord, these guys are in their element. Worth magnetising these guys as the best melee weapon has a habit of switching between editions. I think 9th favours a mix of axes and fists with a couple of inferno pistols mixed in but no options are bad. I like to run them with a Jump Pack Sanguinary Priest as Warlord. He heals and resurrects them and triggers Heirs of Azkellon.

 

BGVs: These guys are a brick and nearly rival Terminators in durability. They are not great on the mobility front so they work best closer to your DZ rather than plunging straight into the enemy. Their fixed loadout can be a hindrance against specific targets but it is a pretty good loadout though and they are very hard to shift.

[tychobi]

For Blood Angels you have great output for all units mentioned.  The stand out difference in my eye are the defensive capability of Sanguinary Guard, VV and BGV.  Punish your enemies mistakes with offensive output and speed, force those mistakes with defence.  With that in mind VVets with claw and shield and hammer sarge check all the boxes.

[Jolemai]

This comparison topic in our Resources section might be of use to you

 

Also, general tips and tricks for each unit can be found in our Unit of the Week database :)

Edited December 3, 2021 by Jolemai

[Malakithe]

This comparison topic in our Resources section might be of use to you

 

Also, general tips and tricks for each unit can be found in our Unit of the Week database

I didnt see these thank you

[Diagramdude]

It's important to consider your overall battle plan for your units beyond the raw math-hammer. For example, bringing one big DC squad can pressure your opponent to deploy very defensively because of the threat of a 1st turn forlorn fury charge. The Sanguinary Guard get much more powerful within Heirs of Azkallon range of your warlord, so you may want to favor SG if you will be deathballing with character support. But if you need a self sufficient melee threat, VVs with a lightning claw and stormshield will reroll wounds on their own and be very resilient especially if you can get them into cover. 

[Bloody Legionnaire]

Unintended consequences of utilizing spare units from other box sets and a BA assault terminator box for Kill team to combat patrol games is I now have a small Blood Angels collection going.

 

Is there any reason assault terminators aren’t included in the discussion of good melee units for blood angels?

[Paladin777]

Is there any reason assault terminators aren’t included in the discussion of good melee units for blood angels?

Seeing as I've got a squad of 5 2xLC and a squad of 5x TH/SS termies was also wondering that myself.

[Leonaides]

Mobility mainly. We have other unis that hit at least as hard, but also work off our army synergies better.

[Captain Idaho]

Let's not count out Assault Terminators. A functional 1+ armour save, good Invulnerable save, 3 wounds a piece, teleport and Thunder Hammers with the ability to nullify the to hit modifier.

 

Makes for a very powerful combination.

[Karhedron]

Assault Terminators compete most directly with Bladeguard Veterans for me. They have Teleport which compensates for their lack of mobility to some extent. If you are planning a largely mobile army, there is definitely some value in having an "anchor" unit that you can drop on a midfield Objective.

[Captain Idaho]

Assault Terminators are an interesting way of putting the Anchor in the opponent's side of the table. Bladeguard can do that too with an Impulsor (both in action turn 2) but the extra cost is a wash since ideally you want a Chaplain for the Terminators to make combat efficiently and consistently.

 

The major comparison here is the Bladeguard do have to be exposed outside the transport to make it into combat turn 2, whereas the Assault Terminators most definitely do not.

[Karhedron]

Another thing to bear in mind is that Teleporting Terminators need a landing zone. Careful screening by your opponent and the use of units like Infiltrators can seriously restrict your options. BGVs in an Impulsor have a bit more flexibility although the counter-risk is the BGVs getting their Impulsor shot out from under them before they even get to move.

[Captain Idaho]

I'd say there's less risk of that really for the Impulsor. Most boards should be able to hide an Impulsor at least for a turn surely! Fingers crossed eh, maybe I'm being too optimistic.

 

Terminators dropping in need a bit of planning. Turn one you need to establish a landing zone for them which can be difficult with obscuring terrain for sure. Only really Marines can force you back with their Infiltrators though, so you can still charge the screens. Which is the same problem Bladeguard would have I guess.

[Paladin777]

Depends on how are you are loading out the terminators. If they've got lighting claws, then they are going to be one of the more efficient chaff mulchers anyway. Five attacks each on the charge with lightning claws is pretty nasty vs 1w anything, and quite a few 2w models as well.

 

I agree with the hammers requiring quite a bit more strategy on the drop though.

Edited December 14, 2021 by Paladin777