Help Me Kit My Next Tactical Squad

[ElectricPaladin]

As a Blood Angels player, I'm understandably not really into tactical squads. I usually employ assault marines and sniper scouts for my objective grabbing and fire support needs. However, I do own one tactical squad, and after buying some phobos-pattern boltguns from Forgeworld (those are the ones with the miniature chain-bayonets!) I've decided to make a second squad.

The question is, how to kit them out to best compliment the one I've already got.

Oh, sure, of course, I plan to eventually have enough spare marines of various kit that I can field either of my two squads in any configuration. The question, though, is what's the most efficient way to build the kit I just got?

My existing squad has a sergeant with a power fist and a boltgun, a dude with a flamer, and a dude with a heavy bolter. They're meant to be a forward squad, with a power fist for smashing things and a flamer and heavy bolter because both generate more hits in Overwatch, and the latter is a good choice if I need to snap shoot (more shots = more hits).

For my second squad, I was thinking of more of a mid to long range fire support role. Maybe a plasma gun and a lascannon? Or plasma cannon? Or even just a missile launcher. And a storm bolter on the sergeant (to maximize shots at range)?

What do you think?

[unityvybe]

Missile launcher, plasma gun, sgt with bolter/bolt pistol. Bolters already can reach out and touch at 24" albeit one shot but is the extra shot your gonna get from the storm bolter worth the points? I guess it's up to you.

[Houghten]

You can never have too many plasma cannon.

[unityvybe]

You can never have too many plasma cannon.

I don't like the risk of the, "get's hot"

[twrex]

What about a Lascannon instead of the Plasma Cannon?

[Haighus]

I would take advantage of the combat squads rule, and split them into 2 5-man units, one babysitting a heavy weapon (probably a lascannon) and the other with a plasma gun and combi-plasma/stormbolter if you have the points. Get one long ranged objective holder with some punch, and a mobile mid-range unit to mop up after your assault squads.

[Crydon Games]

I would take advantage of the combat squads rule, and split them into 2 5-man units, one babysitting a heavy weapon (probably a lascannon) and the other with a plasma gun and combi-plasma/stormbolter if you have the points. Get one long ranged objective holder with some punch, and a mobile mid-range unit to mop up after your assault squads.

I agree. Take advantage of combat squads...personally, I like a missile launcher in one and a flamer and combi-flamer in the other. I don't like the gets hot! rule either...tend to kill my own troops that way.

[Haighus]

Yeah, not a huge fan of plasma either, but the OP wanted a unit to compliment the short ranged nature of most of his army and in particular his other tactical squad. Could still do it just fine with melta or flamer instead of plasma, although I wouldn't bother with a stormbolter with a meltagun, but the stormbolter works better with a flamer than a plasmagun though :)

[ChacoStylez]

If plasma isn't your thing, melta should fit the role just as well, and don't Blood Angel Sgts have access to melts pistol?

[ElectricPaladin]

I have made one decision: I am going to build the missile launcher guy from the kit. That backpack is way too awesome not to. Now, I have some spare lascannon and plasma cannon guys kicking around, and some of them don't have kneepads (I use kneepad color to determine squad type, because there's little enough red on the model otherwise that using helmet color would clash too much) so I can easily alternate them between devastator squad and part of the tactical squad.

I'm inclined towards plasma gun and combi-plasma on the sergeant because I feel that melta fits better on my assault squads. As an Assault weapon and a short-ranged weapon, I'd rather get my melta needs met by tactical squads who are generally faster and want to be able to assault the target (or whatever was riding inside it) in the next phase. Anyway, with a combi-plas on the sergeant and a missile launcher on the other guy, I can combat squad them into a forward five capable of delivering a decent punch or a back squad acting as spotters and ablative wounds for a BS 4 missile launcher. Not bad.

[John Bower]

I have made one decision: I am going to build the missile launcher guy from the kit. That backpack is way too awesome not to. Now, I have some spare lascannon and plasma cannon guys kicking around, and some of them don't have kneepads (I use kneepad color to determine squad type, because there's little enough red on the model otherwise that using helmet color would clash too much) so I can easily alternate them between devastator squad and part of the tactical squad.

I'm inclined towards plasma gun and combi-plasma on the sergeant because I feel that melta fits better on my assault squads. As an Assault weapon and a short-ranged weapon, I'd rather get my melta needs met by tactical squads who are generally faster and want to be able to assault the target (or whatever was riding inside it) in the next phase. Anyway, with a combi-plas on the sergeant and a missile launcher on the other guy, I can combat squad them into a forward five capable of delivering a decent punch or a back squad acting as spotters and ablative wounds for a BS 4 missile launcher. Not bad.

If you have spare dudes, lose that power fist on the sergeant. Was fine in 5th ed, but now with challenges he'll be dead before he gets to use it. I've got to do the same, get me a box of tac marines and sort out all my PF sarges to be replaced with more 'normal' weaponry.

[Blood Shadow]

Whilst a PF on every Sgt can be costly they're still useful, but Melta bombs are a good cheap alternative for walkers and vehicles.

I prefer Las Cannon over a Plas Cannon, mostly due to Snap shots at Flyers, say when you need to move the unit. I'm also keen on the multi Melta, especially if you're putting them in a rhino.

If I have MM then I go Melta gun and Combi Melta sgt, if Las Cannon then plasma gun combi Plas.

I'd also like to point out that Assault squads are still very viable with two plasma guns and a Plas pistol, I normally combat squad this unit into 5 bare guys and 5 guys shooting 5x Str 7 AP2 @ 12" who will hunt Terminators etc, Jump packs are great with plasma guns.

[ElectricPaladin]

Whilst a PF on every Sgt can be costly they're still useful, but Melta bombs are a good cheap alternative for walkers and vehicles.

I prefer Las Cannon over a Plas Cannon, mostly due to Snap shots at Flyers, say when you need to move the unit. I'm also keen on the multi Melta, especially if you're putting them in a rhino.

If I have MM then I go Melta gun and Combi Melta sgt, if Las Cannon then plasma gun combi Plas.

I'd also like to point out that Assault squads are still very viable with two plasma guns and a Plas pistol, I normally combat squad this unit into 5 bare guys and 5 guys shooting 5x Str 7 AP2 @ 12" who will hunt Terminators etc, Jump packs are great with plasma guns.

I tend to favor melta guns over plasma with my jump pack marines, because melta doesn't stop them from charging into combat if they feel like it. I do have a plasma pistol version of my jump sergeant, though. I run him with plasma pistol, power maul, and combat shield. Him, along with the two melta guns, and

That said, I do have a pair of spare jump assault marines with plasma guns, so one of these days I'll play them and see for myself how it goes.

I don't combat squad a lot, to be honest. With the Blood Angels codex, we have sanguinary priests, who give Furious Charge and 5+ Feel No Pain to any squad within 6''. It's usually easier just to keep the whole squad together rather than deal with keeping them so close. In my experience, the value of a 5+ FNP save is increased exponentially by a larger number of bodies.

[interrogator_chaplain]

Power Fist and Plasma Pistol on the sergeant and Flamer and Multi-Melta with the squad. Trolololol.

Seriously though, depending on the way you want to have the squad function, it would work different ways. In a Rhino, I would suggest 10 Marines, sergeant with Plasma Pistol and squad has Plasma Gun.
If they're hanging back for objectives, everyone including the sergeant takes a Bolter and take a Lascannon or Missile Launcher, and maybe a Plasma Gun if you're likely to be threatened by things like bikes.
If they're in a Drop-Pod, the Multi-Melta, Melta, and Combi-Melta combo has been a proven success. (But pushes you into "That Guy" status.)
In a Razorback, take a Flamer or Plasma Gun depending on your needs.