Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I'm thinking of adding a unit of sniper scouts ( 5 strong ) to finish of my SM list, and was wondering how useful they actually are.

Give them Telion and a Heavy Bolter and they're great. The box only comes with the Missile Launcher though, but that is still useful. Maybe increase the unit to 10 as well if you can.

Their main job is hunting MC, though so don't forget that. They aren't so great against a lot of infantry though.

I can only fit 5 in (without Helion). It was them or a Pred with HB sponsors.

What are you planning to fight?

Anything lol

Alright, then the Predator with Heavy Bolter sponsons is more suited for that. Snipers seem to only be good for taking out MCs, where as the Predator should be able to take on a larger variety of targets fairly well.

thats what I though too, just threw it up their for contention, thanks.

No problem.

In my experience, scouts are underwhelming. I have had good luck with 9 snipers in cloaks with a heavy bolter and telion. That BS5 hellfire template can be sweet.

The thing about the scouts is that they are not menacing, and therefore draw little attention, but they are a scoring unit with a great cover save.

Scouts are fecking awesome. If you don't have a squad, you need a squad.

What else do you have in your list that will pop MC's? scouts are cheap and dirty against the likes of Daemon princes etc
They sit back, shoot long range, and score. This sounds like they are great for sitting on a objective.
They have infiltrate- you can set up your little team in so many places. Whenever i've played SM i've always used at least a single scout squad, and i've always found 3-4 good spots- theres always 1 thats "best", but options are always best imo.
They Pin infantry. Always a plus, especially vs armies with poor leadership (guard, orkses etc).
They can get a HB with a 2+ to wound template, or a ML. I go with the ML- kraks at MC's/HQ's/ transports (snipers can pen/glance a fair few transports with rending hits), frags at groups of infantry. I'm not saying don't take the HB (its great!) but i personally have gotten good mileage out of the ML.

They are cheap awesomeness that work in every victory condition and on 99% of maps. cheap awesomeness is hard to come by in and even harder to give up!

Inigo Montoya wrote:The thing about the scouts is that they are not menacing, and therefore draw little attention, but they are a scoring unit with a great cover save.

Even without the cloaks they are a scoring unit with long range weaps and infiltrate

IMO, skip telion, he is just not reliable enough to warrant his cost.

I use a 5 man sniper scout squad to sit on objectives and hide. If they kill anything it is just a bonus.