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 strongly considering adding to my army a squad of 9 sternguard veterans in a rhino with a librarian, but I'm not sure how I should equip them. I was planning on giving the sergeant a powerfist and putting in 4 combi-meltas. Is this good choice of weapons? The powerfist really sticks out as the questionable part of the squad. Any other tips on playing sternguard would be much appreciated.

I think you are better off just with a five man squad in a rhino with a Powerweapon and 5 combi-meltas, this setup uses less points and when you when you get assaulted you can atleast do some damage before you go down.

Combis everywhere is the safest option

All combi-weapons is probably your best bet. The power fist will get you some flack, but I'd always take one, trust me, you won't regret it.

If you're going to take a PW, take the lightning claw, you won't get the extra attack and they cost the same.

what I do with sternguards is give them meltaguns and combi-meltas in a drop pod, and use them as my T1 meltacide unit.

They have yet to fail me.

that said, what purpose does your stern serve by being a rhino?

Well if all you are after is a unit which can put out massive damage, take 10 in a Pod, 8 combi-meltas, 2 HF and a Librarian in support. Not much can survive being hit with that much firepower in a single turn, you can take out 2 vehicles (3 if push your luck with the Librarian) or put both the HF in the same combat squad and take out a single vehicle and the contents. 2 such units in Pods with suitable support (notably enough Pods to make sure you can avoid the first turn drop if you don't want it) is probably the scariest Pod based list I have seen.

Taking them in a Rhino or Razorback is fine, but you shouldn't really load up on the upgrades too much as it just makes them an obvious target, unlike the Pod you can't guarantee that you are going to get at least one turn of shooting out of them. If you are using them with Pedro then they work better in Rhinos as well, you generally want to keep everything in close to take advantage of Pedro's abilities and in any case dropping your scoring units in the enemies face (where they can get stuck in combat due to Stubborn) isn't usually a great plan.

Sternguard can be used for anything. They are godlike.

The powerfist is situational. Power weapon will save you from being dragged down by necrons, powerfist will scare those silly defilers away. It all matters.

I use Sternguard Squad, one Sergeant with Combi Flamer and Powerfist, and a another marine with Combi Flamer. 3 Other Marines with Combi Melta's. Remember they are One shot so if you come across another Tank/ Vehicle it is good to have a PF, plus I keep the 2 Flamers for Anti Horde. They are an Awesome all round unit.

All good advice for things to do ... but don't forget the do nots.

Do Not take a special weapon, heavy weapon or a storm bolter. Combi-weapons may only get one special shot but its rare to need another (what ever you were trying to stop has kill you ^_^). Oh and you can't use you're special ammo in stormbolters which is why you don't take them (even if you could it would still turn it back into a rapid fire weapon so no point)

The Librarian is a must. I have used the Sternguard/GoI combo a few times, at first not believing it would be effective. I have been astounded at its awesomeness. I never bother taking any kind of power weapon or powerfist for the sergeant, but that's just me. I prefer using those points elsewhere, and so far my vets have done just fine without them.

i love sterngaurd. Thats why i have twenty of them. never to much of a good thing. I live to field them with as many combis as possible. a fist is a better option than a power weapon. If you end up in melee with something nasty it at least gives you options. Be carefull with GOI. i have lost to many troops with this one.
I use these troops with Pedro. That way they count as scoring. Then i take a razorba, combat squad them leaving 5 on top of an objective with a pair of lascannon. They are nastier in melee than a dev. squad and they count as scoring. the troops in the razorback i usually field with a libi. and at least a pair of combi plasma and a pair of combi melta. great for assaulting an enemy held objective .

Drop pod w/ 5 combi meltas = gold

Drop pod w/ 5 combi meltas = immature opponent crying "cheese!" while you shrug and say "oh. sorry. was that your land raider? hehehe."

I think combi's is the way to go, because they will just need them once once they have established their position and whacked the big threat target #1, then you can turn them into a static gun line and take advantage of all the cool ammo you are paying for. It can't hurt to change some of them into a full on meltagun just in case you want to do more tank hunting. If you do plan on using them dedicated as a tank hunting unit then a razorback will help ferry your guys closer to target #2 and target #3 and so on, whereas a drop pod leaves them kind of just stuck with being near the location of their origional drop-and-pop.

I have seen some players use Sternguard as Cheap Devastators with a squad of about 6 models. Some good options, plus Sternguard are quite good in assault. They really are the Creme de la Creme of the Space Marine infantry.

I was thinking of taking 2 meltas either in a combat squad or a full squad,depending on point limit.I just feel better with 2 meltas in case my opponent runs a squad in a DT or another tank at them.You are still chucking out 16 shots of your ammo of choice.

I do take a sternguard with a Meltagun oassionally if I am fighting Traitor Guard Armour, or an enemy with alot of Armour. It means I can then go for Combi-Plasma's for all the other guns and they can lay down a carpet of Anti-Light-Heavy Infantry and you've still got one guy who can toast Armour with impunity. If you Combat Squad a 10 man Sternguard unit, you could have 2 MG in one squad, a Real Tank Killing unit and a 5 Man Kill team in the other.
I love Pedro Kantor, but never use him because , well, he just doesn't fit in any other Army than the Crimson fists. It would be like Leman Russ leading the Blood Angels.

I've always brought a unit of 10 with a drop pod. The Sgt had a PF and Bolter, 7 Regulars with Bolters, 1 with Melta Gun, and 1 with Plasma Gun.

There was very little that this squad could not handle. The turn they dropped in, they were assured to wipe out an MEQ unit, had a fair chance of popping any vehichle that wasn't a monolith, and I've even had them dropped Carni's, and Wraithlords in a single round of fire.

You don't need to go overboard with combi-weapons on sternguard.

A max of 4 combi-weapons is plenty since most of the time you'll be using that special ammo you're paying for.

a combi-flamer for crowd control when things get a little too close. some combi-meltas for when assaulted by walkers. you don't need combi-plasma cause you have vengeance rounds.

As far as putting a librarian in with a sternguard squad goes. I think don't.

Put a librarian in with a tac squad and have him mobile so then much more of the board fallls under Null Zone effect. And then have your sternguard shoot the hell out of those units affected.

Corennus wrote:You don't need to go overboard with combi-weapons on sternguard.

A max of 4 combi-weapons is plenty since most of the time you'll be using that special ammo you're paying for.

a combi-flamer for crowd control when things get a little too close. some combi-meltas for when assaulted by walkers. you don't need combi-plasma cause you have vengeance rounds.

As far as putting a librarian in with a sternguard squad goes. I think don't.

Put a librarian in with a tac squad and have him mobile so then much more of the board fallls under Null Zone effect. And then have your sternguard shoot the hell out of those units affected.

What good areVengance rounds vs Termies and FnP units?

tedurur wrote:

Corennus wrote:You don't need to go overboard with combi-weapons on sternguard.

A max of 4 combi-weapons is plenty since most of the time you'll be using that special ammo you're paying for.

a combi-flamer for crowd control when things get a little too close. some combi-meltas for when assaulted by walkers. you don't need combi-plasma cause you have vengeance rounds.

As far as putting a librarian in with a sternguard squad goes. I think don't.

Put a librarian in with a tac squad and have him mobile so then much more of the board fallls under Null Zone effect. And then have your sternguard shoot the hell out of those units affected.

What good areVengance rounds vs Termies and FnP units?

Then don't drop them near a Termy unit. You want Termy and FNP killers, then go with Vanguard, not Sternguard.

Who said anything about droping them?
Why would I go with the crapfest that are Vanguards?

5pts for a combi-plasma is by no means a bad investment. Being able to deal with FnP units and Assault termies is well worth the few pts it costs. With some combi meltas and combi plasmas a ternguard squad can deal with pretty much all the though targets out there.

I use them as cheap devestator too. you can fit 2 las cannon into a squad for cheaper than a five marine dev squad, they are better in melee and more versitile. PLUS if you take Pedro, then they count as scoring. Annoying when you have them posted up on objectives while picking away at your foes armor.

Drop in with five combi-meltas and five bolters. Combat squad into melta/bolter squads. Open up a vehicle with the meltas, chwn the meaty insides with the wounds on 2+ or AP3.

I use just regular guys with a few Combi-Meltas. Anything more and you are putting too many points into a small unit. Still, I have found that putting them in a DP with a Libby allows them to take down many a big critter. I have found that a Sternguard Squad alone in the right spot can take down Tyrants and more. DP them in and let them kill stuff. They usually make back their points rather quickly. They are able to easily take out units that other units have a problem with.

But I don’t give them anything but Bolters and Combi-Bolters. It is pointless. They are there to use special ammo and occasionally assault. But their main thing is to shoot. If you want a squad that assaults, go Vanguard without the jetpacks. Keep your Sternguard for shooting.

Well, from the looks of it there are viable options aplenty...

Since I tend to be fighting a lot of marines/CSM with FnP units, obliterators, and terminators I think I'm going to go with 1 power fist, 4 combi-melta, and 4 combi-plasma for the time being. Of course, this will be subject to change after a few test games, at which point I might switch those plasmas to flamers, more meltas or.. upgrade other things in my army.

This is a points sink, if i were up against you I would concentrate alot of fire against you because if i didn't you will annihilate me. That is an awful lot of points in one unit, one battlecannon shot, or anything with AP3 or above and they will fall like dominoes. They are good, but not invinvicble. Otherwise I wish you luck, the Chaos Termies will not like the Combi-plasmas!

10 man sternguard squad should'nt come out at more than 315 point with a rhino.

That's with 4 Combi-Weapons.




Automatically Appended Next Post:
and Hunter Killer on Rhino

Corennus wrote:10 man sternguard squad should'nt come out at more than 315 point with a rhino.

That's with 4 Combi-Weapons.

all you need

Automatically Appended Next Post:
and Hunter Killer on Rhino

wait what? extra Armour maybe but a HK? that is such a rubbish waste of points.

HK missiles are not a waste of points if you have them in multiples.