[Unit of the Week] Sternguard Veteran Squad

[Jolemai]

 

Welcome to part three of the Blood Angels Unit of the Week series!

 
Following the release of the 10^th edition Codex Supplement, there is no better time to discuss all the units we have access to. Each week a different unit will appear, with the idea being that we discuss how best to use that model on the battlefield. Where part one will discuss the units from the units found within Codex Supplement: Blood Angels, parts two to four will discuss Codex: Space Marines, part five will be Imperial Armour, and part six will be Legends.
 
Note, this isn't to lament any nerfs, etc, from previous editions; the rules are as they are so try to unlock its potential for those who wish to use them all the same. Similarly, this thread is only for using the option being discussed; it matters not if you feel something is a better choice as such comments aren't constructive to the topic and shall be removed.
 
Without further ado, here's this week's entry:

 

 Sternguard Veteran Squad

What are you thoughts here folks? How best would you use Sternguard Veteran Squad?

• To compliment a list, or to build a list around? 
• Are you taking multiple units? MSU or full sized squads?
• What wargear options are you taking?
• Which Detachment are you using?
• What delivery options are you using? 
• What deployment options are you using?
• Any Leader choice?
• Stratagem synergy of note?

 

Over to you.

[Jolemai]

Should you want your model on display here (or on another thread), then submit a photo here please.

 

(Once I work out how best to float it!)

 

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As an aside, the thread setup may change over the coming weeks until I'm happy with them. This includes the photos.

[Karhedron]

Sternguard are a middling unit in most cases and struggle against Intercessors because they are more expensive, have lower OC, can't sticky Objectives and Intercessors actually get better firepower into a lot of targets now that they get 4 shots. For a few more points you can get Hellblasters who get much more impressive firepower.

 

Having laid out the negatives, I actually think that Blood Angels can make better use of these guys than most. The key is the synergy between full rerolls vs OOM targets and some of our aggressive Smash Captain builds. The 2 main versions are listed below:

 

LAG: Captain with Rage Fuelled Warrior and Power Fist or MCPS

RCO: Captain with Angel's Fang and and Power Fist or MCPS

 

In either build, the strategy is simple. Put OOM on a high value target and charge with the Sternguard and Captain. Trigger "Finest Hour" (and Rage Fuelled Warrior if applicable) to generate a potentially huge number of Devastating wounds with full rerolls. The Sternguard contribute by chipping in further Dev wounds with their shooting.

 

If you want to make the Sternguard more than just paperweights then you can expand the squad and add a Sanguinary Priest as well. This gives a 5+++ and an extra AP-1 in melee. You can also make the squad more than a one-shot missile by adding a Fights First enhancement as both LAG and RCO as both detachments have one available.

 

Lastly, pick your choice of Transport. For a 5-man squad + Captain, an Impulsor provides cheap protection and staging (both Detachments having a stratagem for Advance + Charge) and the Sternguard can even shoot out of it until you reach your target. If going for the 10-man squad with Priest as well then you might want to consider stumping up for a Land Raider to ensure that you can reach your target in style.

[Paladin777]

I Seems like a bunch of these guys with a SPriest could be interesting. The priest makes them tougher and makes them as effective in close combat as Assalut Ints. 
 

a Lt for fall-back-and-shoot/charge could be nice, even if he's a little anti-synergistic with DW. 

[Father Mapple]

They're great for horde clear with so many shots and melee attacks. I like to run a librarian for them to get a 4++ if they're going to be mostly shooting outside of charge range, or the sanguinary priest if in melee range.