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Question is in the title. Some people say sternguard squads suck, but I can't figure out why. Their special issue ammo is awesome! So are they good, and if so, how should I use them?

I think they are worth the points for what they can do... but regrettably they turn into a big target.

Yes they are worth it. every penny. They took out two carnifexs and a trygon. I think they are worth it I have 80 of them

They are expensive...but their ability to take so many special weapons is unparalleled in the SM codex. They are even better with Pedro Kantor making them scoring units. With that you could give them 2 combi-meltas and 3 combi-flamers, park them on an objective, and dare your opponent to attack. So like I said, expensive but very unique. Used correctly they can be devastating.

80 in the same army? Doesn't that violate the FOC?

GalacticDefender wrote:80 in the same army? Doesn't that violate the FOC?

Uhh. Dude I fill the force orginization chart 4 times over. And No Its for apocalypse and specialize games only

Show us a picture of your 80 sternguard!!

I like the 2 heavy flamer option they have. Put two heavy flamers and three combi-flamers in a drop pod and watch as bugs burn up and and enemy is distracted by them.

This is the best use I have for them. They are gonna get pasted immediately anyway...

GalacticDefender wrote:Question is in the title. Some people say sternguard squads suck, but I can't figure out why. Their special issue ammo is awesome! So are they good, and if so, how should I use them?

stern guard are good.... special ammo will be useful in almost every situation, they have an extra attack, but most importantly they can all carry a combi weapon. hitting a squad with 5 flame throwers is no joke. similarly 5 melta guns, within 6", will kill most tanks and will seriously damage most monstrous creatures. they're quality.

I love them. As of right now, I run them w/ 2 meltaguns and 3 combi-meltas in a drop pod. 185 points for a unit that will destroy a land raider 9 times out of 10.

Similarly, 10 sternguard w/ 2 combi-meltas is just threatening to whatever is near them, but the cost of this unit can be prohibiting at times.

Yes. They are the final word in ranged anti-infantry tactics. Throw on some combi-weapons for anti-tank power as well.

I run a 10 Man Squad in a Pod with 5 Comb-Meltas and 5 Combi-Flamers. Pop a transport, flame the contents (combat squad.)

Nasty.

/\ or if facing Land Raider transported termies you could pop the raider then plasmagun the contents

Pvt. Jet wrote:I run a 10 Man Squad in a Pod with 5 Comb-Meltas and 5 Combi-Flamers. Pop a transport, flame the contents (combat squad.)

Nasty.

That's a prime example of how I'd use them. Its 5 of one combi and 5 of another. Toss in Lysander and all your bolter shots now reroll to hit. It's awesome

Damn I don't want to show my 80 sternguard right now. I'll do that one monday.

Sternguard are totally worth it.

i don't know who is saying they are too expensive. take a look at Vanguard for a cost comparasin.


if you give an entire 10 man squad with combi-weapons(which you should if you take ten) that will run you 30 points a marine.

300 points for either 10 one shot Flamers, 20 plasma gun shots, or 10 Melta guns. in addition you get 2 base attacks.

when you consider a tooled up Tactical squad costs around 220 points the 80 point increase(with most of that being in combi-weapons) it really isn't bad.


and when you break down the individual point costs you find that sternguard get special ammo for free(they have the same stats and cost as sergeants in tac squads)

Sternguard can ignore PA, they can fire cover ignoring bolter rounds, they can wound high T models on 2+ and they can fire Ap4 bolters up to 30"

Grey Templar wrote:Sternguard are totally worth it.

i don't know who is saying they are too expensive. take a look at Vanguard for a cost comparasin.


if you give an entire 10 man squad with combi-weapons(which you should if you take ten) that will run you 30 points a marine.

300 points for either 10 one shot Flamers, 20 plasma gun shots, or 10 Melta guns. in addition you get 2 base attacks.

when you consider a tooled up Tactical squad costs around 220 points the 80 point increase(with most of that being in combi-weapons) it really isn't bad.


and when you break down the individual point costs you find that sternguard get special ammo for free(they have the same stats and cost as sergeants in tac squads)

Sternguard can ignore PA, they can fire cover ignoring bolter rounds, they can wound high T models on 2+ and they can fire Ap4 bolters up to 30"

I just said that x10 sternguard are a bit expensive for what I use them for: close range tank hunting. I can see x10 sterns in a drop pod and lysander working in a pod-wall list.

Grey Templar:

Those are features, not benefits. What benefits do those features confer?

The benefits of Sternguard is that they can be geared to do anything, and even fill multiple roles if one wants to pay a premium for them.

10 combi-meltas combat squadding makes 2 land raiders cry oily tears, combi-flamers can make green tide do the burny dance fast like, etc.

Or, they are great meltacide squads. Need that land raider dead? 5 sternguards with meltas will destroy it. This is my favorite config.

Asherian Command wrote:Damn I don't want to show my 80 sternguard right now. I'll do that one monday.

This would be a very sad thing to lie about. Very sad indeed.
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OT:

They are very much worth it! Sternguard with special weapons in a Drop Pod (with backup, of course) will oftentimes completely change your opponents' gameplan. That by itself is worth the points.

Monster Rain wrote:

Asherian Command wrote:Damn I don't want to show my 80 sternguard right now. I'll do that one monday.

This would be a very sad thing to lie about. Very sad indeed.
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OT:

They are very much worth it! Sternguard with special weapons in a Drop Pod (with backup, of course) will oftentimes completely change your opponents' gameplan. That by itself is worth the points.

No I do have 80 of them. And 40 Vanguard.

Asherian Command wrote:

Monster Rain wrote:

Asherian Command wrote:Damn I don't want to show my 80 sternguard right now. I'll do that one monday.

This would be a very sad thing to lie about. Very sad indeed.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________

OT:

They are very much worth it! Sternguard with special weapons in a Drop Pod (with backup, of course) will oftentimes completely change your opponents' gameplan. That by itself is worth the points.

No I do have 80 of them. And 40 Vanguard.

I didn't say you didn't.

The guy was asking for pictures to prove your claims and I gave you the benefit of the doubt because someone who would say things like "I have 80 Sternguard" to look cool on the internet if they weren't true would be a very, very sad and sorry individual.

Stern-guard are one of my favorite options in the Valina dex. They can, if geared right, kill anything they come across.
I run three squads in pods with 5 melta-five plasma each, Kantor and a Libby. That lets me drop onto a pair of objectives first turn and have a hard hitting firebase while I wait for the second pod/ my rhinos/vindis/Razorbacks/preds get into position.

Or drop pod next to the big bugs and dubble tap 20 BS4 wound on +2 bolter rounds into what ever isn't surrounded by gaunts.

Nurglitch wrote:Grey Templar:

Those are features, not benefits. What benefits do those features confer?

the benifit is the cheapest way to get massed Special weapons.

Sternguard can also take 2 Special or Heavy weapons. in essense they are a better Tactical squad. they have the potential to be scoring too.

Well i'm taking 2 10 man units of them.

The problem with taking special weapons is that then you're basically paying 25 points per marine for a glorified overly expensive Devastator squad.

Sternguard come into their own because of their area denial effect.

Ability to use Kraken rounds to shoot 30" before enemy is in "normal" bolter range means enemy has to close fast.
if they do that they fave Dragonfire rounds if in cover, or hellfire rounds (best ammo ever!).

And if something comes along that can't be dealt with by special ammo (walkers / tanks) combi-meltas come to fore.

GalacticDefender wrote:Question is in the title. Some people say sternguard squads suck, but I can't figure out why. Their special issue ammo is awesome! So are they good, and if so, how should I use them?

Sternguard do suck! They're just like Lootas or Farseers or Librarians or CCS or Monoliths. Leave them at home and never field them.

Wait...

wait...

I think I've got "suck" confused with "awesome".


Seriously though, I don't know who says Sternguard suck. They are expensive, so you can over-spend in some cases. But, they're a totally solid unit and you should always take them when possible.

I think whoever is telling you they suck is either: 1) A bit of a newb or 2) Trying to trick you into fielding a junk army

Next to TH/SS Terminators, they're the best Elites out of the SM Codex. Combi-Weapons and their special ammunition make them the most versatile killing unit in the entire Codex. I would avoid taking any Special weapons other than Combi-weapons, because you want to have as much access to the Special Ammo as possible. I could see some justification for taking certain Assault Weapons (ie - Meltaguns, Flamers), but Sternguard Vets aren't units that I would want in CC anyway. More often than not, I usually have Lysander and a Librarian attached with this group, to make them more durable when/if they have to get into CC. Avoid Heavy Weapons. Those are wasted points on a Sternguard unit.

But even as a stand alone unit, they're great to have.

They're a solid tank hunter, troop hunter, just don't expect them to bring down a monolith or squad of termies on their own ... although they could

There is one heavy weapon that is good on Sternguard. Heavy Flamer. if you are going to drop your Bolter for a Flamer you might as well upgrade to a heavy flamer

Grey Templar wrote:There is one heavy weapon that is good on Sternguard. Heavy Flamer. if you are going to drop your Bolter for a Flamer you might as well upgrade to a heavy flamer

Yes, this is true... I forgot that a Heavy Flamer is actually an Assault Weapon and not an actual "Heavy Weapon", despite it's name.

Love them they are an absolute must for me when I run my ultramarines at anything over 1500 points, below that I can live without them.