Sternguard Veterans - Armaments and Options

[Wormwoods]

Hi all, thought I would run this by the Astartes brains trust. I'm about to (finally) put together my Leviathan Sternguard, and have enough bits and base bodies to assemble them in ways other than the monopose/set weapon options of the kit. 

 

Two questions: First, as someone who's yet to get their hands on the new Codex, does giving the Sergeant a Power Weapon/Fist replace his boltrifle, or his close combat weapon? I've been caught out by that before.

 

Second, who's been fielding these guys in their games of 10th, and if you have, did you field them with all boltrifles, all combiweapons, or a mix? I'm almost certainly going to assemble the squad with all of one, just for ease of dice-rolling, but am interested to know if the extra shots and better hit chance of the rifles is outperforming the wound shenanigans of the combiweapons. What's been putting in good work?

[Karhedron]

Against most targets, the higher ROF of the bolt rifles makes them superior. Where combi-weapons pull ahead is against Elite infantry like Terminators, Custodes, MegaNobz etc where the ability to inflict Devastating Wounds on a 4+ is more valuable than the extra shots. Pretty sure that giving the Serge a melee weapon does not replace his shooting weapon but I will need to check on that one.

[Orange Knight]

Nope, the Sgt can take a Power Fist/Sword AND keep the bolt rifle as well.

 

I think this upgrade is basically mandatory and makes the unit a lot better. A lot of characters can join the Sternguard and some additional close combat punch at no extra cost will not be wasted.

 

I have actually used a squad of these guys in two games. I think they received a nerf in the new codex due to the change in their special rule, but they are still good. Think of them as more offensive Intercessors with a small bump in points and less objective control. I think the unit is one of the more viable for character support.

I stick with the rifles and don't use the Combi-weapons.

[Wormwoods]

6 minutes ago, Karhedron said:

Pretty sure that giving the Serge a melee weapon does not replace his shooting weapon but I will need to check on that one.

 

4 minutes ago, Orange Knight said:

Nope, the Sgt can take a Power Fist/Sword AND keep the bolt rifle as well.

 

Beautiful. Well, thankfully, much like OOM me not having gotten a game in of 10th yet means I haven't played with the better rules, so nothing lost. 

 

6 minutes ago, Orange Knight said:

I think the unit is one of the more viable for character support.

 

I can see a Librarian or Lt doing good work. Best save my Chaplain for something more close combat dedicated. 

[Karhedron]

4 minutes ago, Wormwoods said:

I can see a Librarian or Lt doing good work. Best save my Chaplain for something more close combat dedicated. 

 

You probably don't want a Lt in there as any Lethal Hits bypass the Wound roll and hence will not trigger Devastating Wounds. 

[CCE1981]

I have to say I am not a fan of Sternguard.  I have used them with Bolt Rifles with Azriel attached.  They never really delivered, and that is with re-roll wounds.  The Devastating Wounds isn’t enough to justify.  I wish I could get them to work. I have three 5- man squads of Veteran Intercessors that I would love to field, but they don’t pull their weight.  They just feel like expensive Intrrcessors.

[Karhedron]

Even without the Devastating Wounds, Sternguard have more firepower than Intercessors, particularly at close range. And they also get an extra attack in melee (not that it is hugely valuable but there it is).

[CCE1981]

I don’t use Intercessors at all, and I have taken Heavy Intecessors from my list as well, got tired of picking up the whole squad from one unit shooting them.  Maybe because I keep playing bugs and Knights.

[Brother Captain Vakarian]

3 hours ago, Orange Knight said:

Nope, the Sgt can take a Power Fist/Sword AND keep the bolt rifle as well.

Do note that the Sergeant cannot take a combi-weapon and a power fist/sword, however. If he takes a special melee weapon he cannot replace his bolt rifle. 

[Wormwoods]

18 minutes ago, Brother Captain Vakarian said:

Do note that the Sergeant cannot take a combi-weapon and a power fist/sword, however. If he takes a special melee weapon he cannot replace his bolt rifle. 

 

That's a little awkward. 

[Brother Captain Vakarian]

Yea, it caught me by surprise reading the datasheet so I figured it would it would be worth pointing out to people. 
 

I suspect the reason is because there are no combi weapons in the kit that are modeled in a one-handed grip… 

[Orange Knight]

Wow I had completely missed that!

 

Well, it's another reason not to take the combi-weapons....

[Deus_Ex_Machina]

I visited today my local GW store to buy the new WD. The manager gifted me with a free Sternguard mini armed with a default bolt rifle. Now I have six with the guys from Leviathan. They will probably ride in the future in a Razorback.  

[Wraithwing]

I plan on running three squads of 5. All running Sternguard Bolt Rifles, Heavy bolters in 2 units, and a Pyreblaster on the third. 

 

Looking to put 5 Infernus Marines and the flamer Sternguard in a Drop Pod. 

[Lemondish]

16 hours ago, Deus_Ex_Machina said:

I visited today my local GW store to buy the new WD. The manager gifted me with a free Sternguard mini armed with a default bolt rifle. Now I have six with the guys from Leviathan. They will probably ride in the future in a Razorback.  

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but I think they have the Tacticus keyword now, and so can't ride in Razorbacks.