Stormtroopers

[mysterex]

The guard codex has been out a while and I'm curious what players think of the new stormtrooper rules so, time for a poll.

Stormtroopers are great, don't leave home without them
They have their uses so I use them from time to time
I like carapace armour but grenadier veterans are a better option
You'd have to be crazy to take they cost too many points and aren't particularly effective


I've got a stormtrooper based inquisition army and,as bad as it is, I suspect that it will get worse if the inqisition stormtroopers end up the same.

[RocketRollRebel]

I am not a fan of the Kasakrin models so I dont really have any but aside from that. I was really rooting for these guys to become sweet in the new codex but I was kinda pretty let down by their rules. The idea of them and their fluff is awesome but the rules just dont cut it. They cost as much as a codex space marine, take fewer special weapons than their cheaper and scoring veteran brothers, hell guns are nice at ap3 I guess but S3 ensures that you wont take out enough of that marine squad to ensure that you wont be boltered/assaulted off the table next turn. I'd consider them for a modeling project perhaps but I feel that they have no place in a competitive list for me.

[Lord Azaghul]

Couldn't have said it better - its a really shame to, GW gave then one fix they needed (pistols), but totalys miffed them other-wise.

[Majorcrash]

well I kinda disagree, if you want space marines add some greyknights. I see their purpose as special missions troops. They go in and kill a high priority target ie vehicles or a squad of devestators, those they dont kill will then be busy being assaulted while the rest of my army is gaining ground. They best use so far has been to drop them next to a lone character and gun him down, yes it took the whole squad, but no more LD 10 roles. I especially like to use them agianst eldar and tau, for similar reasons.

[Melissia]

They're pretty junk to me, all three versions of them. Especially the inquisitorial stormtroopers, they're just total crap.

[the one]

If one of their missions made them scoring units they might be worth it. No forget it they be mint.

[TSINI]

Any game under 1000 points and its a waste spending them on stormtroopers, its around 100points for just 5 men, which is just too much in a small game, but as soon as i'm over that barrier, its stormtroopers all the way.

They're a good solid unit, able to kick the hell out of space marines with their hot-shot lasguns, plus assault weapons. and also take the boltgun fire which will be returned.

I personally chuck them in a valkyrie, for that S.A.S style entry to the table, but then, i play moe for fluff than trying to win, so its probably not the best thought out strategy, it just looks cool.

[Xas]

I like them but they are hard to use. rewarding if you pull it off but definatelly no nobrainer!

[Aldramelech]

I haven't got any, and I have no plans to buy any. Don't like the models, too expensive (points and models) and vet squads seem a far better buy.

[Chumbalaya]

RocketRollRebel summed up my feelings on them. I love the idea and I love the models, but their rules are just disappointing.

There are some uses to Stormies, however:
-5 men with 2 meltas Deep Striking with re-rollable scatter, not bad as a suicide tank buster but still pricey
-10 men in a Chimera with scouts, scouting or outflanking with plasma/melta can be fun, especially if you've got other scout units
-Inquisitorial Storm Troopers. Scoring, cheap as chips, targeters for funsies, and still having special weapons and BS4. Stick 5 and 2 meltas in a Vendetta/Valk for a cheap scoring skimmer. Also great for padding out marine lists with cheap meltas and bodies (my Deathwing thank you)

[Aegis]

Love the stormtoopers, but to echo what has been said, they do pale in comparison to Vet. squads. Having said that, though, I love the Inquisitorial Stormtroopers. for 70 pts plus a transport, you have a lovely little tank hunting/scoring unit, and are small enough (at least in my games) that they are often ignored until they peel some armour back.

[sketchesofpayne]

Heresy! I love the Kasrkin models. I made a small guard army with three veteran squads as my troops using 3 boxes of Kasrkins as the models.

[Magos Bellum]

Imperial Guard stormtroopers are great for what you set them up to do (take out small but valuable units, pop one major tank, screw up an enemy's flank) but they are so expensive that you can never really take enough of them to do anything else, so keep them as inexpensive as possible and get them into position, and with decent dice they will do their job, but as for anything else, don't count on it.

That being said, with some luck, good position and covering fire from armour in the rear, they can hold whole sectors of the battlefield single handedly against small, elite units.

Inquisitorial Stormtroopers on the other hand, are highly underrated by many, and are not likely to be seen as a threat (as long as their are other targets of course) and so can hang around providing a cost effective scoring unit that can do quite a bit of damage by shooting. The last time I used mine was in an apocalypse game where the opposing team was so concerned by the large number of assault marines on the same flank as my stormtroopers that they were almost entirely ignored... and in the end did more damage than about 1500pts of space marines while only losing four men to flying templates.

[RocketRollRebel]

Hmm a squad of outflanking chimera mounted stormies with the infiltrate/pinning mission could be cool. Still carries a fairly high price tag of around 240pts (10 man w/meltas and chimera), where you could do the same thing with harker kinda for about 30pts cheaper and scoring. But sounds kinda neat. I may have to give it a try sometime.

[SandWyrm]

Hmm a squad of outflanking chimera mounted stormies with the infiltrate/pinning mission could be cool. Still carries a fairly high price tag of around 240pts (10 man w/meltas and chimera), where you could do the same thing with harker kinda for about 30pts cheaper and scoring. But sounds kinda neat. I may have to give it a try sometime.

Yeah, why would you do this again? Aside from Harker-led Vets being cheaper outflankers, you could also get two 5-man Stormie squads with meltas that DEEP STRIKE (with re-rolls) for only 210 pts.

Really, there's only 2 useful builds of Stormies.

1) 5 Man Deep Strikers with Meltas
2) 10 Man Squads with no upgrades.

The first option is what I use with my armored company to kill troublesome vehicles that I can't take out from afar. They work reliably, and always do exactly what I need them to. No more and no less.

The second build is of some use to gun lines in that the Stormies can drop in, contest objectives, and stand up to Bolter fire and light assaults while killing Meqs in return. But this build isn't useful to me, and I think that Vanilla platoon squads in Valks would be a better buy for this sort of thing.

[DarkLink]

For 210 points, you can also get two, three man Chaos Terminator squads with all combi-meltas.

The problem with stormtroopers is that they pay a bunch of points for the AP3, when the majority of their uses have nothing to do with shooting marines.

[SandWyrm]

For 210 points, you can also get two, three man Chaos Terminator squads with all combi-meltas.

The problem with stormtroopers is that they pay a bunch of points for the AP3, when the majority of their uses have nothing to do with shooting marines.

But in the context of an IG force, there's nothing else that gets 4 meltas into the backfield for cheaper.

You're right, in that AP3 Lasguns do absolutely nothing for me in 90% of my games. But the re-roll for deep strike is fantastic for melta delivery.

[Katie Drake]

I've found Stormtroopers to be excellent when they take the mission that allows them to pin enemy units the first time they shoot. Hotshot lasguns can usually take out a respectable number of models when rapid-fired which can force a good number of pinning checks. Sadly though, most of the juiciest targets (like Cult Marines) are immune to pinning, so all you can do is hope that you roll well enough to finish off the squad in one fell swoop.

One player in my group takes a unit of 10 Stormtroopers in a Vendetta with two grenade launchers and goes hunting for whatever tickles his fancy. Small, elite units like Battlesuits and such are one of their favorite targets, and they tend to do decently against cheap infantry as well with their grenade launchers.

[j-orge-287]

The're good in big games when they drop out the sky from a valkyrie and then they give your opponent somethingelse to think about whilst you capture objectives/pummel them. The behind enemy lines is good in this role as well.

[Lord Azaghul]

If you want pinning take ratlings! Long range, cheaper and more durable vs shooting!
I don't like the realy upon SS for pinning sees as they still need a 5 to wound! If they were around 13 points I'd take 'em more often, but for the points...and I've only had them pay off once - killed a tau hq, but only after they broke from shooting, ralleyed, then spent other turn moving back up into position - it has almost nothing to do with any of their "special" abilites they we pay 16pts a piece for.

[Faultie]

I've recently made good use of 5-man Stormtrooper squads with flamers dropping in and destroying Lootas in cover. The re-roll for deepstrike is fantastic.

In my opinion, and the way I view their use, 5-man squads are the best, as you're really paying for re-rollable deepstriking special weapons. AP3 is a nice bonus. Trying to kit out a 10-man squad, however, just gets too pricey. Further, the 5-man squads can deepstrike ever so much closer because of the smaller unit size.

[Melissia]

Even then, I don't fear five man squads of stormies at all as Sisters, even though technically they should be the most vulnerable due to having a 3+ save but only T3. Actually I see them as easy kills...

[RocketRollRebel]

They just seem too expensive to me to be a one hit wonder suicide squad. I thought that they were a bit too expensive in the last codex and while their new abilities are cool AP3 las guns do not justify that kinda points hike. I woulda been okay with them not being ap3 really. We have enough AP3 in the form of EarthShakers, Battle Cannons and of course bane wolves ;).

[Lord Azaghul]

I woulda been okay with them not being ap3 really. We have enough AP3 in the form of EarthShakers, Battle Cannons and of course bane wolves ;).

Spot on! Given that a squad of ten cost more then a russ...I know what I'd rather field.

[Dan-e]

the 5th option on your poll is missing... I wanted to vote "Blood for the Blood God"... so i guess i'll just write my vote in...

Blood for the Blood God!!!