IG sentinel

[sneakyben]

are there any circumstances that a single sentinel could be anything other than a pointless points-sink?

If so, what spec would it be, and how would you use it?

[Lord Azaghul]

What are you trolling? :confused:

Sentinel is one of the most useful 35pts in the entire army.

Where else do you get that amount of mobility and ROF for 35pts?

Outflanking - S6 is great vs rear/side armour.

Tying up a unit in CC

Dying in CC to high S units - you WANT it so explode

Screening Infantry.

Picking off T4 infantry.

[sneakyben]

nope not trolling... I love the models... but have always found they work best in groups...

I was wondering if a single one could be useful... bascially, I have 65ish points spare on a list I am developing and I would like to fill the gap with a single sentinel model... and I want to know how most effectively to kit it out :D

[CrimsonTurkey]

I've effectively lost entire units of hormagaunts to lone sentinels before. It doesn't matter if I have 60 S3 attacks, they're still S3 attacks.

[gendoikari87]

are there any circumstances that a single sentinel could be anything other than a pointless points-sink?

If so, what spec would it be, and how would you use it?

with a flamer? it's a fairly good tarpit against units that don't have melta bombs or power fists.

[sneakyben]

do you reckon 1 armoured sentinel with a flamer (60pts) or find a saving of 20pts (probably lose a few special weapons from inf squads) and go for 2 normal sentinals with flamers (80pts)?

[gendoikari87]

do you reckon 1 armoured sentinel with a flamer (60pts) or find a saving of 20pts (probably lose a few special weapons from inf squads) and go for 2 normal sentinals with flamers (80pts)?

armored definately. harder to kill, more things that literally just can't touch it (have to be str 6 to scratch it in CC) so for a tarpit armored.... and you aren't going to be killing anything in CC with a sentinel or three anyway.

[Brymm]

What does the armored sentinel with a plasma cannon come in at? I don't have my book handy, but I imagine its close?

[gendoikari87]

What does the armored sentinel with a plasma cannon come in at? I don't have my book handy, but I imagine its close?

75 One of my favorite units.

[fuzzbuket]

well if its 1 sqaud of 3 or 3 sqauds of 1 which is better?
squads can be used for WOUND shenanigins from many units
one can be used as a shield from 1 anti tank unit

also I assume that one would be useful as a support unit and good for taking lascannon potshots (or flamer attacks on infantry?)

[Lord Azaghul]

My preferred set up is in pairs, 1 HF 1 multi-laser.

Outflank or set in reservers - its a threat to just about anything.

The individual set up is fine too, but only if you aren't taking any other fast attacks.

Plasma cannon on the Armours Sential is also a fantastic buy, especially for a solo unit.

[Kevlarshark]

The problem with Sentinals is that singly they lack the firepower to do any real damage. Groups is obviously the way to go, but then cost goes up and in the imperial guard codex there is almost always something else that does the same or similar job more effectively, often for less points.

Outflanking tank botherers?...Vendetta, even an Al'Rahem platoon.
Close combat?...Conscripts/rough riders/penal legion.
Plasma platform? Veterans/SW squads
Shooting? A chrimera has 2x heavy weapons, transport capacity, AV12 and only costs 55 points!

Sent's are the jack of all trades...you are paying a little extra for some CC ability, and the walker mobility.

What matters is the synergy with the rest of your list...
In a tank heavy list the little sentinals will often be ignored and given free reign till the big boys like russes are dealt with, so the can create some havoc.

In a pure footslogger list they could walk with your blob squads and provide some mobile HW fire...but they could be the only armour for your opponents anti-tank to shoot at...

In a mech/AV12 spam list they are useful just by putting more armour on the table and as distractions.

My advice, proxy a few different configs for a while and decide how you prefer to use them, see what works for you against your opponents.

[Root]

I run 2 lone armored sentinels with plasma cannons at 2k and they are awesome. I don't like the Scout version and I've found the lascannon option misses way more than mathematically plausible. Stick with plasma, multilaser, or flamer in squads of one. They are the Swiss army knife of the IG book. There are better tools for individual jobs, but darn if they don't have a million and one uses.

[Grenadier]

I use 6 sentinels in my army. 3 with plasma cannons, the others with lascannons. And while I disagree they make a nice fast attack these units always are worth it. A mobile heavy weapon platform on the cheap is always a good thing. If you kill one enemy tank they've made up for their points I think. And since they're cheap I consider all of mine to be expendable. Provided I've killed something to justify their presence.

So even one is worth taking (unless you can field something better in its place on the force organization chart.)

For example: if I took but one of mine armed with a plasma cannon and in a single blast it fried a few Space Marines or Terminators it's done a good thing. After all, those guys otherwise might well mince my troops up in hand to hand.

Or if I took a single one armed with a plasma cannon and somehow got a good hit in on a Landraider. Best case scenario I destroy it and forced the contents inside to disembark while they're still far away from assaulting me, thereby exposing them to shooting from my other units. Can't go wrong with that.

And remember, it's always better to have an enemy shooting at something even as seemingly worthless as a single Sentinel than at something much better right? That shot that blew apart your Sentinel might have otherwise popped a Leman Russ.

A single Sentinel is so cheap on points that if you can fit in it your list go for it. Often times in games I've learned there's always a small point gap between players. So fill it up with something if you can.

[Kevlarshark]

Or if I took a single one armed with a plasma cannon and somehow got a good hit in on a Landraider. Best case scenario I destroy it and forced the contents inside to disembark while they're still far away from assaulting me, thereby exposing them to shooting from my other units. Can't go wrong with that.

And remember, it's always better to have an enemy shooting at something even as seemingly worthless as a single Sentinel than at something much better right? That shot that blew apart your Sentinel might have otherwise popped a Leman Russ.

It would have to be a very lucky shot for a Plasma cannon to pop a Raider :) I believe you would have to roll a 7 to glance!? But the theory is sound, blast the transports before they get close.

Unless the sentinels are making a real pain of themselves then there are not too many people who will choose to shoot at one over a Russ. But your theory is again sound, you could wall your russ behind some sentinels to give it some cover or protect its flanks.

Its what works for you...

Personally...
75 pts like the plasma sentinel = a Hydra
70 pts like the lascannon sent = Infantry squad with melta and autocannon

The 50 point scout sent with lascannon is the cheapest way to get a lascannon into your army (perhaps any army).

I suggest playing a few games with some proxy sentinels against several opponents and see if they work for you. Try out both the scout and the armoured and a few wep configs, even ones you think will be rubbish.

Then make your call.

[SotonShades]

Personnally I love running a single Armoured Sentinel. Depending on points eith either with an autocannon or a missile launcher and hunter killer. Nowt fancy, don't expect it to do much but armour 12 means it will survive in assault for a good few turns against most infantry (unless they have more than 8 powerfist attacks per turn), which makes it great for holding dedicated assault units away from the rest of my lines.

I do tend to run an armoured company though, or at least a ton of russes in a normal codex list, so a lone sentinel, even with the potential to fire two missiles, really tends to fall quite low on most of my opponants' target priority lists.

[Grenadier]

I never waste a plasma cannon shot on very heavily armored vehicles. Only lightly armored transports if I must. Otherwise I zap infantry with them. To this end even a single Sentinel armed with a plasma cannon is worth its points if it kills some Marines. My army tends to be heavy on that lovely AP2 stuff since all I ever get to go against are Space Marines.


It would have to be a very lucky shot for a Plasma cannon to pop a Raider :) I believe you would have to roll a 7 to glance!? But the theory is sound, blast the transports before they get close.

Unless the sentinels are making a real pain of themselves then there are not too many people who will choose to shoot at one over a Russ. But your theory is again sound, you could wall your russ behind some sentinels to give it some cover or protect its flanks.

Its what works for you...

Personally...
75 pts like the plasma sentinel = a Hydra
70 pts like the lascannon sent = Infantry squad with melta and autocannon

The 50 point scout sent with lascannon is the cheapest way to get a lascannon into your army (perhaps any army).

I suggest playing a few games with some proxy sentinels against several opponents and see if they work for you. Try out both the scout and the armoured and a few wep configs, even ones you think will be rubbish.

Then make your call.

[entendre_entendre]

are there any circumstances that a single sentinel could be anything other than a pointless points-sink?

If so, what spec would it be, and how would you use it?
I enjoy using Scout sentinels with autocannons. Sort of a jack of all trades unit for 40 points a piece. 2 S7 shots at 48" at anything you don't like. Statistics say 1/2 hit so you should do something with those shots, but we all know those dice...

I almost always outflank them as to get any remaining armour on the table with side/rear armour shots or charge and enemy shooting unit to tarpit them. Charging a unit holding an objective like this is useful for winning Seize ground or Capture and Control missions. Keeping them in reserve is also useful for KP denial.

In 1500pts, I've had success with 2 individual ones outflanking and generally being annoying. Most people ignore them in favour of shooting the Manticore/Vendetta/Big Blob squad instead, which is just what I want. You could start them on the board, but that's only if you really need the extra shots, which my 1500 lists usually doesn't, but YMMV.

An Armoured Sentinel can help you against those heavy infantry, but including it depends on how much AP1/2 you have in your force. If all else fails, send it after a unit without a powerfist and tarpit fer dayz bra'.

[Mr. Pickles]

I think an armored Autocannon Sentinel would fit your spot perfectly. You cannot under estimate the value of two strength seven shots at 48 inches that can move up a flank every turn. Side armor shots starting turn two is a great thing.

My personal preference is running two plasma and one autocannon sentinel in a squad. That way they have (mostly) the same target priority and you allocate hits to the autocannon.

[Grenadier]

The autocanon is a great weapon I think. My Guard is full of them. And the Marines ought to make more use of them I believe.

[TheSustainableCenter]

Outflank and get into combat with a devastator squad and tie them up.

[Joshh]

Sentinels tend to do some things pretty well in my experience. Due to my poor reserves rolling they generally don't come in until turn 4 for me, but by that time everything's moved forward enough that I can snipe rear armour. Generally my sentinels will come in and make back their points on the first shooting, then usually get shot the next turn for easy killpoints.

I used to take scout sentinels with lascannons, but I realized that I could get a Vendetta to to the job for a better price, with twin-linked lascannons instead. I still may take multilaser sentinels, just to annoy marines and maybe get a couple casualties in.

[islyfe]

Solo sentinels armed with an Autocannon are a legit addition to an IG army.

[Malkavschilde]

I personally like to run a squad of three with 2 autocannon and a missile launcher.

I've been thinking about adding hunter killer missiles to the autocannons.

as far as a single walker, I'd run with a bare bones multilaser or a flamer.

[Turner]

It's weird,
As an IG player I tend to want to field everything I own. The more stuff the more awesome. I've sort of sudo adopted this now that I write slightly better lists with more experience under my belt. My three favorite units in the IG Codex are The Deathstrike Missile Launcher, Penal Legion Squads and this very unit, the Scout Sentinel.

For 35pts you get a walker, a straight up walker.

Sure it's open topped, and it has a range 36" weapon with heavy 3 str6 AP 6, but that's the beauty of it. It's not a venerable dread, shrugging off lascannon shots to the face, going toe to toe with a landraider or some beast the 'Nids cooked up in there gross slime pits. This AV10 open topped chicken walker is a side liner! He appears in the back and starts blasting stuff or just jumping into CC with long fangs to hold them up for a turn or two, or three. If you're worried about reserve rolls, (I went through the same phase *sniff* I remember it like it was yesterday... how we grow up so fast) just put that baby (and I do mean baby) on the front line and scout him forward! Run directly at cover, some sort of cover because you'll need that cover save. Other than that it's on the field and running amok! Scoring side shots and having that threat of, "I'm right here, come close and you'll have to waste that amazing super CC unit of yours on me instead of that juicy 50man blob or that manticore that hasn't moved since turn 1!" You'd be surprised how long those silly things live on the table when played right, and in CC.... so weird the last really long in CC...

[superhappyrobot]

I have to agree wholeheartedly with everyone here who has had positive things to say about Scout Sentinels. I take them all the time (usually in a squad of two, but not always) armed with autocannons and hunter-killer missiles. I always outflank them and try to blast some side armour. They do very well for themselves largely because they are so relatively low on the threat list.

And they, surprisingly, last forever in CC. Nothing is more satisfying than holding some key unit up in assault for half the game. Don't expect them to slaughter Thunderwolves or anything, but Devastator squads? Absolutely.

Just treat them like everything else in the IG arsenal; they are completely disposable.

[plainoldandrew]

in smaller games i used to run a scout sentinel with a unit of Stormtroopers. push them through any cover you can and get them in close. give them cam nets to take full advantage of the cover and they can be a real pain in the backside whatever you give them (personally i used a heavy flamer to cover the stormies up close)

[sverigesson]

I have seriously considered including a squad of sentinels, but for two factors:
1) They compete with the Valkyrie/Vendetta, and we all know about that.
2) I don't have them, and probably wouldn't think about buying them, given other options I need to purchase.

Now, I'm only running two Vendettas right now, so I have a fast attack slot open (which is sometimes filled by a Hellhound, to little success). I probably won't buy another Vendetta until 6th hits, because the leaked rules worry me (has anyone played Vendettas with the leaked rules? One weapon destroyed result and they're useless!). Of course, the walker rules got super nerfed too, assuming the omissions weren't a mistake.

I think I'll just sit and wait for now.

[Dangermouse425]

I regularly used 3 x outflanking scout sentinels with autocannons. Always performed admirably.

[Alex4AJM3]

When I'm not putting my stormtroopers in my vendetta, I outflank them, hopefully with an autocannon scout sentinel, so that the sentinel provides some close-combat protection and tank sniping, and the stormtroopers act as a suicide squad/distraction to kill a terminator squad or a synapse creature.

[Turner]

I have seriously considered including a squad of sentinels, but for two factors:
1) They compete with the Valkyrie/Vendetta, and we all know about that.
2) I don't have them, and probably wouldn't think about buying them, given other options I need to purchase.

Now, I'm only running two Vendettas right now, so I have a fast attack slot open (which is sometimes filled by a Hellhound, to little success). I probably won't buy another Vendetta until 6th hits, because the leaked rules worry me (has anyone played Vendettas with the leaked rules? One weapon destroyed result and they're useless!). Of course, the walker rules got super nerfed too, assuming the omissions weren't a mistake.

I think I'll just sit and wait for now.

Sure they complete with Valkyires/Vendettas that's is a totally legit reason not to take them and very understandable. I mean, three twinlinked lascannons? Hello, sign me up! What's that? A Transport that will always move 12" (or possibly FASTER like say 18" or more for that amazing 4+ cover save?) and still fire all it's weapons? (I'm talking of the "defensive" multi rock pods... that's 2! Count em, 2 large blast pie plates!)
I don't have them, well... Get some! At least one that is I guess. I mean, it's all where your army is at, if you still really need to fill out that army, with like say bodies or chimeras or some heavy choices then by all means that makes perfect sense. But if you're sitting there thinking to yourself, "Well I could always but another" No! Get a sentinel! When you're hammering out that list at 4 in the morning right before the big local game shop tournament, (like we all do) you'll come to the point where you have 5pts left over or say 10pts and you have no idea where to put them... Sure a hunter killer missile on something would sink those 10 up... but really, is that going to hit anything, or even pen that armour, or even do damage? I suppose you could upgrade that power weapon to a power fist but didn't you but that power sword to strike at the super fast I3 in the first place? When it comes right down to the wire, and you have one, single, minor, itty, bitty, witty, I really can't come up with any more phrases, Fast Attack Slot... *make it a Scout Sentinel. Seriously though, they are incredibly cheap, oddly durable (just takes a different play style, like no front-lining or meltaguns to the face) and an all around game changer when you say, "I'm outflanking with this scout sentinel(s). Your enemy will look you in the eye and make a choice, maybe the wrong choice maybe the right choice... Drop back some guys to deal with that outflanker of yours, but what side will he come on? Better put a unit on both sides. (That's 2 whole units you don't have to deal with on the front line!) Maybe those lootas/manticores/Long fangs won't be sitting in the dead back corner of the table hidden away in some patch of forest, maybe they'll be put a little farther forward so they aren't auto assaulted when your scout sentinel(s) walk on. (If so they are that much closer for you to shoot at/assault at/ basically deal with!) The world is your for the taking! Or something to that effect.






*Please scout responsibly.

[mal'caor]

I've only rarely come across lone sentinels, but when used well they are a right pain to deal with. The most annoying instance was where a single outflanking sentinel managed to tie up my prize vespid squad for the entire game (after arriving on turn 2) without killing a single one! There was nothing I could do about it (having next to nothing that can punch through a sentinel in combat), and courtesy of it not killing anything, I couldn't even hope to write the Vespids off and just shoot it.

[sverigesson]

I don't have them, well... Get some!

You make a good case for getting some. Still, I don't think I will be making any more purchases until 6th hits. Still, if I could find some on the cheap, I might grab one or two.

[Corvidae]

I have used just one Armoured Sentinel very effectively with the Plasma Cannon. It is the priceiest option, but it always fit well witih my army build and is relatively cheap mobile fire support. It worked well for me because I also ran an Executioner with Plasma Sponsons, and so augmented the amound of big plasma weapons I had walking around.
I think one is great, as it is just a little extra umpf! And if you use it well, you can make it so there are always more important things to shoot first. One is easy to make sort of disappear amongst the mass of men and tanks!

An armoured sentinel is good for tying up stuff in close combat too, that isn't strong enough to deal with it. Did that to a sqaud of Tyranid Warriros once with bone swords and Lash whips, needles to say my 75 point unit made them (200+ point) useless for the last half of the game! I think one is best as tying up 3 sentinels is a little too much then.

[roncarlin2002]

I rarely run sentinels, but whenever I do they always punch way above their weight class. They are rarely treated seriously by my opponent until things start getting zapped. Well worth their point cost, especially running solo if you have the FA slot open. Way more long-lived than some other possible choices also. Marbo is great, but usually only lasts long enough to throw his demo charge, while sentinels frequently last much longer.

Hm. I think I just convinced myself to start using them more frequently! :p

[DirePilgrim]

a lot of talk about armored versions - any advantage to the scout variant? Cant they be used to outflank?

[Garradh]

Great thread! I was just about to put my Sentinels on Ebay, now I might try a few things with them.

[robrodgers46]

I love my scout sentinels. I run 3 with autocannons, and always outflank them. They can take out any AV12 or lower, especially from the rear. They can contest objectives. They can tie up an infantry unit, probably their best use. They can really ruin the day of a lot armies, and like many of the lesser used Guard units, are often a surprise to the opponent.

They are best when more than unit is outflanking and you have any astropath.

BB

[Surisan]

I use 2 sentinels, one of each variety. My scout sentinel is a stone cold vehicle killer. Scout move always equals outflanking, and I give this one Las + HK missile. It never fails to at least cripple an enemy vehicle. The other is an armoured autocannon. It snipes at transports and acts as a tarpit against any troops headed for my squads or objectives. Even with grenades armor 12 holds up solid. At 61 points each I don't know why you wouldn't

[SolidGopher]

all about the tie up for me. I have a couple Tau players at my LGS that enjoy the outflanking full squads of kroot into my gun line trick so i usually put one on each side of the board so they can just sit and ping away at the walker while i kill the rest of his army. if it weren't for them, i would loose a lot more games.