SM Assault Termies

[evcameron]

Hey guys, quick question. How do people structure their assault termie squads. Pure TH/SS? Or do people like to mix in 2 or 3 lightning claws while trying to take any AP hits on the SS?

Thanks for your thoughts!

[gwensdad]

Hey guys, quick question. How do people structure their assault termie squads. Pure TH/SS? Or do people like to mix in 2 or 3 lightning claws while trying to take any AP hits on the SS?

Thanks for your thoughts!

Depends on who I'm fighting. If I expect an enemy that's always higher initative I'll go all TH/SS, someone of equal or lesser mix in the lighting claws

[Demonus]

I like to take 1-2 LC and 3-4 TH/SS, especially if I have a character that strikes at init 5+ in with them.

[Wolfshade]

I would also say that it depends how I am going to use them.

I always use pure TH/SS or LC never a mixture, as when I pick them I have a specific role for them.

Pure TH/SS

Footslogging - as they are a fire magnet
Tank Hunting - Lightning claws don't have a high enough S
High T enemies (big bugs)


Pure LC

Strike at initiative
Lower T enemies (T<= 4)


I do like give the squads a little buff with either a Chaplain or Priest (or both!) to give the unit that bit of extra punch.

[AngelsofDeath]

Depends what army you are running as well. With a Blood Angels army I like to go with 4 LC 1 TH/SS and a Chaplain in Termi. There will always be a Sang priest close by so they have Fur Chrg, Int5 Str5. Chaplain gives em re-rolls to hit and claws gives em re-rolls to wound. The TH/SS is there to usually hit a vehicule or Dread that may get caught up in combat as well.

[A Barb]

I run a 10 terminator list and I have them broke out like this 3LC-2TH&SS and 2LC-3TH&SS. I have the squad with three lighting claws in a stormraven and the other squad in a LRR. It has work really good for me:D

[plawolf]

I would take at least one TH/SS guy per squad for tanks/high T enemies and also to take any low AP shots or power weapon attacks on his shield. Gives the squad a massive boost in durability as well as versatility.

[Wildeybeast]

I always play pure LC in my Raven Guard, mainly because they look cool and fit with the style of the army, but also so they can dish out plenty of attacks. If you want to run a unit that soaks up firepower like a sponge, go for a company command squad. I run a unit that fields power weapons and storm shields and a melta gun with drop pod. With the apothecary you have 3++ and feel no pain, along with power weapons. They clock in at a 100 points more than my asssult termies, but they are worth every penny and I've converted them using some Empire shields so they look amazing.

[schulzed]

I always run mine with all THSS. I sometimes take Vulkan, and when I do that helps them. But, for the most part, I love the look and idea of them. The models look cool with five hulking figures carrying their hammers and shields. Also, gotta love 3++.

[Vior'la Mont'yon]

Something to also keep in mind is how much differently the play in a deathwing list. Simply spamming TH with a cyclone is ridiculous.

[Grenadier]

Black Templar assault termies with lightning claws are pretty mean dudes. I prefer to dispense with thunder hammers entirely though. I want all my hits going at once with these guys. None of that powerfist-thunder hammer swinging last stuff. This way my squad can tear through enemies quickly and brutally. Since termies in their codex still can buy veteran skills I give them furious charge. Being Templars they get to be fearless in an assault. And being in terminator armor makes righteous zeal more fun. I've always interpreted the 25 percent casualties as meaning any wound counts. I assume this means you don't have to fail a saving throw for it to count. Any wound saved or not counts. So being in that nice armor means they can be shot and likely survive. And then pissed off and go all righteous zeal towards the nearest enemy. Even if a lose a couple the lightning claws, tough armor, and sheer meanness of my Templars ensures they'll mangle whoever they assault. And if my vow is Accept Any Challenge, No Matter the Odds it makes them even nastier.

As for popping tanks I have plenty of other ways to that. I have another squad of shooty termies. Between the assault cannon, cyclone missile launcher, powefists and chain fists they can kill a tank. Or one of my other units will do it. Leaving my assault fellows free to mince troops.

[Burn_Tide]

it really depends on what army, style, and opponents you will play. Thunder Hammer Terminators are perfect for general destruction, with a high resistance to low AP fire, their good to soak up the shots or deal with an enemy unit that is advancing that has abnormally high T, power weapons, initiative, etc.

LC's are perfect for a scalpel , eliminating the opponent's troop choices, but lacking survivability in comparison to the TH/SS termies. Its good not to 'advertise' their locations on the battle field and avoid footslogging them in the open. The aim is often to surgically remove valuable, weaker scoring units from the game while allowing the majority of your army to focus on the enemy's stronger forces.

[Father]

Hammernators all day, every day. Blood Angels can mix up some LC in there too, but for Vanilla marines, nothing beats TH/SS.

[Altin]

Don`t forget about the grenades: LC termies assaulting into difficult terrain without a Land Raider or Stormraven have their I reduced to 1.
If you want to walk everywhere with your terminators you should take as much TH/SS as possible.
Still i`ll consider at least 1 LC as a wound sink :)

[Soss]

In my old SM army I used to run 1 LC and 4 Th and it was very good. I would sometimes add a Librarian in TA and a SS which added a lot to the unit. I would walk them a lot and use gate of infinity to get them around the board.

[Brother Dvorn]

I dislike gating them round as it means they cannot assualt that round, although it has the added benefit of drawing 90% of your opponents fire where ever you teleport them lol. I Prefer my termiantor pure TH & SS, or 1-2 lightning claws if vulkan doesn't make the party, although this is mainly because I have Brother Claudio from spacehulk, and like to use him

[nimrod451]

I've found most of the time your going to be playing folks with a higher initiative - either getting assaulted by a melee specific HQ or like blood angels with furious charge. I like having the3+ Defense and the insta-gib on toughness 4 or lower.

.. i also run Vulkan enough though to make it double worth it.. that mastercraft is bad news..for the bad guys..

.. oh.. I'm spoiled too though.. I feel like a 5+ isn't the best... I believe I've heard the term..hot garbage before...

[Coyote81]

With my BA army I tend to use either 4x TH/SS and 1xLC termies in a LR or SR. Or in my jump list it double to 8/2.

[Senger285]

depends on the flavor of marine. templars = all claws, Blood Angels = mix, Vanilla marines = all th/ss, Dark angels = whatever floats your boat as long as you take cyclones, Space wolves = don't, to expensive.

[Akela99]

I have to agree with Gwensdad. It really depends on who you are fighting. Lower initiative opponents should get some LCs against them. For a tourney list, ask yourself what their purpose might be.

[slopike]

With so much grey knight halberd action and fast dark eldar I tend to go most if not all thunderhammer shields even with blood angels just to help them survive until they go. For a full ten man squad at least 6 hammers if not more are good to soak up those power weapons and low ap shots. Not to mention helping to smack down vehicles and or tough critters.

[herigonz]

I tend to agree with the posters that say TH/SS is the way to go for most army lists. Most of the time when you put them out there they are an instant fire magnet and the SS is the only semi-sure way you're going to let them live long enough to reach close combat and potentially survive the attack.

As always, target priority/choice is also huge. In the end, as long as my opponent focuses a lot of their attention on them letting the rest of my army advance relatively easily to make the killing blow, they've served their Emperor well.

[Ulterior]

Just take majority TH/SS so you can use majority armor.

[pathwinder14]

I used to run all LC termies with a chaplain in a transport (LRC or Stormraven). However they often would wipe out an enemy in my own assault phase and be left swinging in the breeze during my opponent's turn. They were also vulnerable to assaults by MC. So I now run 2 TH/SS and 3 LC termies with my chaplain. It is still a solid unit but MC's don't scare them anymore. :)

[herigonz]

Just take majority TH/SS so you can use majority armor.

I thought the "majority" value was only used for Toughness and the like. If I have 3 models with a 2+ and 1 model with a 4+ save, the 1 model takes his 4+ save if he has a wound allocated to him. Is this not the case?

If I take 20 Slugga Boys and give the Nob 'eavy Armor, then the Nob gets a 4+ but all the boys only have their t-shirt saves (6+). If I have 4 LC Terminators and give the Sergeant a TH/SS, then the Sergeant gets his 3++ but the other Termies are 5++ only.

Is that not right?

[SeraphimAngels]

I thought the "majority" value was only used for Toughness and the like. If I have 3 models with a 2+ and 1 model with a 4+ save, the 1 model takes his 4+ save if he has a wound allocated to him. Is this not the case?

If I take 20 Slugga Boys and give the Nob 'eavy Armor, then the Nob gets a 4+ but all the boys only have their t-shirt saves (6+). If I have 4 LC Terminators and give the Sergeant a TH/SS, then the Sergeant gets his 3++ but the other Termies are 5++ only.

Is that not right?

Yeah you're right, majority is based on toughness. Saves you will have to allocate properly when rolling them out either separate or with colored dice.
Myself I like to run pure Hammer squads or LC, very rare i wll run a LC squad with the Sarge having hammer/shield. Playing dark angels I get some awesome upgrades, with upgrades I can have my termies with claws have+1 attack with a standard bearer. So it depends on whom I'm fighing short story long, if I have to kill anything not monstrous I go LC with a chaplain for the Litanies. If monstrous or tank heavy I do the same thing with chaplain but hammer/shield. All depends on who you're facing