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So, in my list I've armed my Devastator Squad's sergeant with a powerfist. I'm having a debate with myself about if there's any point to doing that. The reasoning is, if they ever get assaulted, I'd like them to have some additional close combat power; there's only 8 of them in the squad. But my Tac squad sergeants don't even have power weapons. Plus, I'd proably charge them into assault very rarely, since keeping them out of CC to shoot is a far better way to use them.

Thoughts?

I think Powerfists on any unit that isn't dedicated assault is a waste. I don't even take them on my Plague Marines. So a Powerfist on a Dev Sarge is a waste of points, it'll never be worth it, etc...

I like it but more than 9 out of 10 will say it's stupid and doesn't jive with combat tactics {refer to the post above as an example}. Let's suppose you decided to play CSM instead. A friend of mine suggested running Khorne Havocs. Equip them with four meltaguns. Everybody has three attacks base (ccw & bolt pistol). You'll get the best return for your points you pay for the powerfist in this type of unit. Put them in a rhino and go nuts!

G

I think that Devastator Squads are actually one of the better Marine units to equip with a power fist. Since Devastators usually deploy in the backfield, using Combat Tactics with them can be unsafe, leading to a large chance of falling back off the table. Equipping them with a power fist can really help, especially against enemy outflank assaulters. At the same time, if you find that you aren't getting assaulted very often (and that opponents aren't intentionally avoiding the fist), you may want to drop the fist to save points. Good luck out there!

I think Dev squads worked best when SM players were saturating the battlefield with large units coming down in drop pods. Basically after you fielded six troop choices in drop pods you could take up to three more sans special weapons. It was a gimmick for sure but it was also effective. 10 Marines per squad with a power fist in multiple numbers is nothing to sneeze at.

G

Interesting. Wouldn't Assault Squads be better in that role, though?

Green Blow Fly wrote:I think Dev squads worked best when SM players were saturating the battlefield with large units coming down in drop pods. Basically after you fielded six troop choices in drop pods you could take up to three more sans special weapons. It was a gimmick for sure but it was also effective. 10 Marines per squad with a power fist in multiple numbers is nothing to sneeze at.

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The Cohdex Astarhties names this man-oovur: STEEHL REIHN!

Dev squads are less than optimal and making them cost 25pts more is making a subpar choice even worse.

imweasel wrote:Dev squads are less than optimal and making them cost 25pts more is making a subpar choice even worse.

I don't know, I kinda like BS6 Plasma Cannons. And with Combat Squads and a little deployment magic you get to split fire from one choice. It'll probably be the thing you take for long ranged weapons, but it isn't a bad choice.

Well, Devastators shouldn't be led by a Sergeant with power fist.
However, Devastators are usually deployed in the back field and
so can eventually be threatened by outflankers, like
Kommandoz, Striking Scorpions, RW Bikers, and whatnot.
The power fist alone will not save the unit.

wuestenfux wrote:Well, Devastators shouldn't be led by a Sergeant with power fist.
However, Devastators are usually deployed in the back field and
so can eventually be threatened by outflankers, like
Kommandoz, Striking Scorpions, RW Bikers, and whatnot.
The power fist alone will not save the unit.

Exactly. Spending 25pts more on a squad to make it meh for cc, to making it slightly less meh is not worth it.

They are a big enough points sink already.

Spending even more points on a dev squad is...pointless.

Though I like the idea of a PF in a Dev Squad- the practicalness of the unit makes it unjustified.
Most of the units that will engage you will not care about that 1-2 instant death fist wounds. You might get a wound on a MC before he runs you off. However, a dread/vehicle are the only things that you stand a chance. Perhaps melta bombs would be a better choice?

Of course my choice is the dump devs all together and get me heavy weapons from other places in the codex.

Most outflankers I've run into are actually not all that powerful in combat. Adding a power fist could easily change the results of the assault.

Fetterkey wrote:Most outflankers I've run into are actually not all that powerful in combat. Adding a power fist could easily change the results of the assault.

The must be an area thing, because the Outflankers I go up against are things like Snikrot, Gene-Stealers or Scorpions.

I actually find my Devs are assaulted more often than my Tac combat squad with sergeant.

With the imminent onslaught of DSing Nid MCs the PF may come in handy. Imagine following hypo:

a) Trygon/mawloc appears!;
b) you shoot like crazy;
c) Nid MC assaults;
d) if not wiped already then you get off the PF attacks...

ehhh it could help but likley not a whole lot.

A Devastator Squad with a power fist could probably kill some of the new Tyranid monsters in assault.

Hmm. So I think I'll keep it. I don;t deploy them in the rear. Perhaps foolishly, I drop pod them in. I play a Steel Rain list...

Fetterkey wrote:A Devastator Squad with a power fist could probably kill some of the new Tyranid monsters in assault.

the same applies to a tactical squad. Double tap it with plasma, shoot it with a lascannon then finish it off with the counter assault.

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Green Blow Fly wrote:I think Dev squads worked best when SM players were saturating the battlefield with large units coming down in drop pods. Basically after you fielded six troop choices in drop pods you could take up to three more sans special weapons. It was a gimmick for sure but it was also effective. 10 Marines per squad with a power fist in multiple numbers is nothing to sneeze at.

G

Fetterkey wrote:Interesting. Wouldn't Assault Squads be better in that role, though?

Assault squads have pistols/cc weapons, where as the Dev's have bolters, and thus get a turn of rapid firing after deploying from the pod.

Exactly. The power fist are the only attacks that matter... It's make a very mediocre unit a little bit better.

G

It seems to me like the flamers from the Assault squad would outweigh the extra bolt rounds, and the extra CC punch might come in handy, especially versus horde armies.