What are you doing with your VAS?

[RocketRollRebel]

So with the new BA codex we have no more VAS, which was one of my favorites to roll with Dante in the PDF. Thankfully the troop assault marines formerly known as RAS got a lot cheaper and got good weapon options now (looking at you double melta/flamer!). Anyway my question is what are you doing with your old VAS minis? Are they turning into Honor Guard or joining their scoring brethren? Also what are you doing about that 1st Co skull on the shoulder?

Mine are getting promoted to troop assault marines with the power fists (Hank and Dean) becoming Sgts and the meltas are just joining the squads but I'm not sure what to do about the shoulder pads. Do I replace them all together or can you like file off the transfer?

[lobster-overlord]

I'm rebuilding my chapter tonight actually. I've been taking all my units and breaking them up into what would work as Vanguard and what would be Sternguard, and then ranking the rest as Troop Tac or Troop Assault. Since they list BA as a strong codex biased chapter, I'm going to start aligning my units in to the battle companies, as I did back in 3rd ed.

Most of my Assault Squads can fit in as Vanguard, so I will likely just try to split them so that I have it averaged out among the 2 battle companies I can build and the 1st company. (I have enough minis to build into 3.5 companies, Vet Company --1st, and two battle companies, probably 2nd and 5th by the way I will work it.)

Once I figure out how many I have and what units they will be designated, I will start swapping out heads and other parts randomly with left overs from the DC and SG sprues.

John M>

[DarkLink]

I think technically VAS would now be Vanguard.

[Jive Tyrant]

I don't think it really makes a deferens.

[Sanguinary Dan]

I't doesn't really matter what you call it. It's still the same VAS but now with Heroic Intervention and Descent of Angels.:D That is to say a big ol' bucket of win in a Fast Attack slot. The only thing that needs changing is going from full size flamers and melters to the pistols versions.

As an example of of how scary they can be picture two 10 man VAS and Dante with Honor Guard. Choose two enemy units close to each other drop one VAS against each, rerolling scatter if required, and then place Dante and his Honor Guard with the Sanguinary Novitiate and Chapter Banner within 6" of both units. Dante never scatters so it's actually rather easy. Say good bye to at least those two enemy squads.

SO with that build you've created a nasty core to your army and have yet to fill any of the coveted Elites slots.:cool:

[Forhekset]

Well seeing as I went to all the trouble of giving my so far 5man VAS storm shields converted from a terminators box, I guess they'll have to be Vanguards from now on.

Which is okay as I originally only gave them the shields cause they look sweet, but now they might actually be useful.

I havn't gotten around to assigning individual marines to squads and companies yet, but I hope one day to. So I don't have to worry about that. Though when I do that I'm worried that once they're assigned squads they won't be able to change their layout or equipment without making a double for them, per man. ie heavy weapon guy from 4th company, 3rd squad will use a plasma cannon instead of a missle launcher this time.

Ah, the price of fluff and presentation.

[Angelus Mortifer]

8-man Vanguard Squad:

x3 Storm Shields
x3 Power weapons (one free with the Sgt)
x1 Fist or Hammer

Expensive but durable and able to take on most things and survive. Maybe throw in a Melta Bomb or two, or a pistol variant for larger point games and to mix up the wound allocation a bot more. They would replace my DC in certain games most likely... due to combined cost.

[fuzzbuket]

originaly vanguard but because of the bloddy FOC they became hounor guard so in PDF. land it was

jump packs
3 meltabombs
1 plasma pistol
2 power swords
apothecary

pop a tank

eat contents

move

repeat:o

[DarkLink]

SO with that build you've created a nasty core to your army and have yet to fill any of the coveted Elites slots.:cool:

Which gives you room to fit in some sanguary priests so those assaulting vanguard get FC and FNP, too:D.

[RocketRollRebel]

Cool, thanks for the responses. I wasn't really planing on Vanguard Vets since they didn't impress me much in the SM codex but a lot of you seem to be fans so maybe I'll give them another look.

[sonsoftaurus]

I don't think it really makes a deferens.

:p