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What is the best way to protect the sanguinary guard? Is it simply get them locked in combat so they cannot be shot w/ plasma or keep them at a distance? The only problem with keeping them at a distance is they still have to be within stirking distance for the next assault phase and that is generally not far enough away to get shot up with plasma.

I ask this because my Tau friend had a few plasma guns and wiped out my Sanguinary Guard since they do not have invuls. I thought about attaching a priest to the squad, but that does no good either since FnP does not work against AP 1 or 2.

Any ideas? It seems like I must be missing something because 200 pts to get wiped out w/ plasma in one turn. Vanguard Vets would almost seem to be a better choice for the points given heroic intervention will protect them from being exposed to shooting (unless they wipe out the squad they attack of course).

Thanks in advance for any tips.

Take a Sanguinary Priest with them if you can spare the points, as for Ap1/2 weaponry, I'm afraid you'll have to weather the storm of fire. The only viable tactic I can recommend is DSing behind cover, then use your 18" threat range to close on the target in your next turn.

Cover -- either via terrain, your other models or librarian 5+ cover save power.

Also consider timing and pacing. Don't just try and cram a single unit down your opponents throat. Setup multiple threats or wait and give your army time to shoot them up or for more threats to arrive. Basically use your movement and the rest of your army more effectively and think a few more turns ahead.

winterman wrote:Also consider timing and pacing. Don't just try and cram a single unit down your opponents throat. Setup multiple threats or wait and give your army time to shoot them up or for more threats to arrive. Basically use your movement and the rest of your army more effectively and think a few more turns ahead.

This.

Hurl as many other units at your opponent at the same time as possible. Killing sanguard at range is easy. Killing sanguard, two 10-marine assault squads, and a DSing Land Raider full of DC isn't. Also, as Valkyrie mentioned, take advantage of your 18" threat range to keep outside rapid-fire range. At the very least, you'll force your opponent to leave cover or not fire heavy weaponry in order to get double shots at you.

worst case scenario, try and put a unit of something else in between them so that you can grant them a cover save. Against Tau, a single surviving sanguinary guard will munch through almost any plasma toting unit.
Now ideally, as other have mentioned- position your guard so they are out of line of sight or rapid fire range of the enemy's danger unit and use being able to jump over the terrain to your advantage. Use your other units to help bum rush the plasma squad and make him make lose/lose choices.

Seconding the librarian power, and full 2" between models whenever possible - if my opponent was dumb enough to clump 5 sanguinary guard, a fire prism blast would be immediately forthcoming . . .

If they have a Priest nearby they are all but impervious to small arms fire. A couple of rapid firing plasmaguns and they are up in smoke. You want to create mismatches to get the most out of them.

Screen them with assault marines for a 4+ cover save. Keep a librarian nearby to give both units a 5+ cover save. Plasma bisnt much of a problem then unless he burns mass markerlights to remove cover, but the only way he can generate that many markerlights is paathfinders (ss don't reliably generate 3ml per turn). Pathfinders cNt move and shoot, so just run them down

Also don't worry about your sg too much, you don't need elite pw to beat tau in cc. Regular assault marines do so well against tau just focus on keeping ypur priests alive, meq in fnp range, and maneuvering for multidcharges


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Ps I can't type for gak on a cellphone while intoxicated, but its the same advice I would give sober.