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Dan-e
08-08-2009, 07:41 PM
I wanted to ask the BolS community here what people think the best tactics are for Legion of the Damned Elite Unit from the 5th Ed Space Marines Codex.

I don't really mind if you think they are over priced or worse then other options. I use them because i own a bunch of the original models and they were always my favorite growing up and was very happy to see them as a playable unit again.

Currently i am tossing around Two ways of using them,

First: up close fire unit, fielding them with a Flamer and Heavy flamer. Making both twin-linked by fielding Vulcan (i know cheese to use character out side of chapter) and then Deep Striking close enough to burn large hordes of Imp Guard, Orks or Eldar (my three most common foes) all easy to kill with flames. In later rounds assaulting between burns to prevent them from coming under fire. But often if what happens is i DS and kill a unit pretty good and then get overwhelmed by fire. The 3+ inv save is nice but doesn't help against heavy fire. Against heavy armor armies i switch it over to Melta and Multi-Melta and DS behind Tanks and melt tail pipes often with the same effect, kill one tank and then overwhelmed by fire.

Second: ranged support fire, fielding Lascannon or Plasma Cannon to dish out damage from afar making use of the Slow & Purposeful feature of relentless to move around and fire to keep targets in range or to keep Close combat units from getting in assault sooner. I dislike this because i often am only able to keep people in range for the large ranged weapons regardless if i can shoot the rapid fire at max while moving. i feel like i am spending a lot for a single cannon that i could get from something else.


If any of you have thoughts, please share and thank you

Dan-e

Zombie Savant
08-08-2009, 09:36 PM
I am not a space marine player, so my advice is quite possibly missing aspects of this unit when considered in context with the rest of the force. However, I will add what I can.

I just looked this unit up in the codex, read the rules, and am still digesting them. From what you said, your uses seem pretty reasonable, and I can't really think of what else you can get from these guys. They're very expensive for what they do, regardless of the ++ save and the re-roll to scatter. The slow and purposeful is a mighty-good rule, however, and does allow for a lot of maneuvering in conjunction with high firepower.

The only thing I might be able to consider beyond what you already have is this:

Have you tried using this unit in the most basic way possible? All of the weapon options are very expensive, so perhaps you could see some use in just using all bolters? They could deepstrike reliably and most likely completely destroy a GEQ unit of significance. The bonus here is that if the unit is being lost in the first place, you're not loosing nearly as many points. Hopefully you should survive the enemy turn very well, and from that point you could advance reliably while maintaining a lot of firepower and being able to assault (take a Power Weapon on the Sarge, or even a Fist, as he'll probably survive to use it).

It seems to me that the best possible use of this unit would be to show up and regularly tie up an opponent's objective (whether that be just weathering assaults to contest or shooting the enemy off and foot slogging towards it).

Terribly expensive, though. I could get more than 50 guardsmen for less!

PS: Much respect for using a unit despite less-than-desirable rules. Arco-Flagellants are still one of my favorites, even though they are lacking. I hope you find success with this squad.

Dan-e
08-08-2009, 11:23 PM
Terribly expensive, though. I could get more than 50 guardsmen for less!

PS: Much respect for using a unit despite less-than-desirable rules. Arco-Flagellants are still one of my favorites, even though they are lacking. I hope you find success with this squad.

Thanks, They were the very first models i bought and sold all the rest of my Space Marines when GW jerked them around and made them a 0-1 Elite choice in a white dwarf (at the time they were a whole list, HQ, Troops and so forth) but i kept them because i just loved the models...when my friend showed me the new SM codex and a week after i saw them in there i had bought my new army

I'll have to consider your suggestion... but i never have trusted basic bolter fire to take down much. Part of my problem is coming from playing Necrons for so long, the concept of wargear and options is a bit overwhelming at times : ]

I do like the relentless feature of S&P, my friend said it was cheap that they got around their own downside (assaulting as if going through cover) by having offensive grenades. Having my moment controlled by the highest of two dice kind of sucks some times when i get a mishaps and my opponent puts then in the far side of nowhere.

jeffersonian000
08-10-2009, 08:41 PM
I too am a LotD player from past editions and have an entire army of them. However, I've just been using them as codex Marines these days. If I were to use them as written in the current codex, I'd plan on dropping them into my opponent's deployment zone with the intentions of delivering a firebase they would have no choice but to deal with which frees up the rest of my guys to get their jobs done. I hate how expensive the LotD are in the new 'Dex, but for 200pts you can drop a 5-man LotD squad with PF, HB, and Melta behind an enemy tank or infantry unit and just blaze away.

SJ

Racharg
09-01-2009, 03:09 PM
I would personally love to field the legion of the damned, but there sternguard tend to do it either better or cheaper