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so, proxying for a legion of the damned with my space marines this weekend, I'll be playing 1 game as SM for a 2v2 then orks for a few games. the space marines is a small game basically my list is

captain
lysander

10 tac marines flamer and missle launcher
10 tac marines flamer and missle launcher
5 termies th/ss
1 dred (melta and ccw)

10 legion of the damned

forgot to mention lysander and termies in a land raider crusader


I know people think legion of the daned is overated , expensive, stupid etc. but that's not my question... my question is how to best use them. I am trying to justify getting the models, they look really cool and will match my army will visually... so I'm looking for tips on using them effectivly. obviously they have a good inv save, seems like they'd be good at attacking tough targets with thier inv save... but then again ss/th termies will do the same but the legion get melta goodness

any pointers on using them as effectivly as possible would be helpful. to translate it to ork tactics (my main army) are they more choppy or more shooty.

I have the 5 man squad, and I got them purely on their looks (I'm shallow). I have used them twice, and both times they were a royal pain in the backside for my opponent. Because of the deep strike they get, they are pretty much in the thick of it from the get-go - they might get a few shots off but you will likely get them into combat within a couple of turns. I think I have wiped out a couple of 10 man csm squads with them, before they bit the dust.
Not really the best advice for you, certainly not a 'what you should do is...' but I thought I would share my experience, hope it is worth something to you!

Legion of the Damned are a nice deep-field denial unit. Simply drop then near an objective that is both out of the way of each player and being held by a small enemy unit, and let them contest it. Or drop them behind an enemy formation, and let them soak up fire that is not directed at your other units that are attacking the same formation from your side of the table.

LotD are a shock unit, to be used to force your opponent to either deal with them by allocating resources better spent on killing your main army, or being a distraction for the rest of your army to capitolize on. I like to use them as an "anvil" unit, placed between the enamy table edge and an enemy unit you are attempting to break; once a moral check is lost, the LotD are in place to break the enemy unit as it is forced to move through them to the table edge. Another use I enjoy is to drop them behind enemy vehicle to kill with their "replentless" heavy weapon.

SJ

Well, I second what the other posters have said.
They are a perfect distraction unit and with their invulnerable saves are hard to take down by low AP weapons.

ok, so basically as an ork player i shoudl use him like snikrot and comandoes. slip in and do soem damage maybe hide if they come in late on an objective to contest it or clear them off it, and if i lose them at least they are what is lost not my main troops for scoring and they aren't shooting at my other guys . cool. I was more thinking of them as the ork equivilant of nobz or khorne bezerkers

Mine need to deep strike their way out of back-order.

ChocorateMirk wrote:Mine need to deep strike their way out of back-order.

they are changing things to finecast. if they are backordered and the old models were metal.. you might be getting em as finecast when you recieve em btu the might be working the molds first. took a bti to get my ork painboy for that reason

... Things to note they cost a small fortune (points and pounds) and they die just as quickly as normal space marines ... All you get is a 3++ save and S&P.

Kill them with small arms and they're not a problem.

Best way to use the awesome legion of the damned minis? Mod their guns a bit and run them as sternguard.

If you really want to use them on their own merits, I'd suggest dropping them right in front of an enemy heavy weapons squad of some sort. The 3++ should keep them alive decently enough and they'll provide cover/los blocking to your more fragile/important units.

Other than that, they have no real firepower, (Other than maybe a multimelta for anti vehicle work), no maneuverability, and no more survivability to small arms than regular marines.

I remember seeing an interesting list on yesthetruthhurts blog that had 3 units of 5 LotD with multimeltas and meltas, backed up by a solid marine list with the rest of the points. Can't find the list now.

Their huge advantage is that they get the multimelta shot on the turn that they drop, plus the more controllable scatter. So if you spam them, their disruption ability is magnified.

Flavius Infernus wrote:I remember seeing an interesting list on yesthetruthhurts blog that had 3 units of 5 LotD with multimeltas and meltas, backed up by a solid marine list with the rest of the points. Can't find the list now.

Their huge advantage is that they get the multimelta shot on the turn that they drop, plus the more controllable scatter. So if you spam them, their disruption ability is magnified.

Oh, I think you are onto something!

I have about 20 unassembled/unpainted LotD. I have the old 10 unit hybrid metal/plastic box set and Got some of the new ones off amazon before the Finecast move.

I really like your idea and am going to build a list for that.

I was also just going to proxy them in for sternguard as well. Don't feel like shelling out the $ for failcost sternguard right now.

Found the list, plus tactics:

http://yesthetruthhurts.com/2011/06/when-is-random-good/

The legion sergeants also have WS5 power fists, and a librarian in terminator armor drops with them for a vortex of doom shot. Support units are 3 full tac squads in rhinos, and 3 AC/LC predators. Looks like a solid list.