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.

Doing some revamping to my Blood Angels and am trying to decide what is best. Assault squads of 10. Have been running the Sgt's with a Power Fist and melta bombs to crack tanks. The higher STR is nice, but is it really needed? Would a regular Power Weapon (and melta bombs) be better, putting those points somewhere else? I also run 2 infurnes pistols in the squads, but thinking of swaping one for a regular melta gun so each would have 1 infernus and 1 melta gun.

I'll preface by saying I don't play BA. However, I believe that the following applies anyways.

If the costing is the same as in C:SM(as in, the PW+MB is 5pts of savings, whoop-de-doo), there's virtually no reason to ever take a PW+MB on a sarge other than to look cool, the things meltabombs are good at destroying should be easily handled by the meltaguns carried by the squad(though there are exceptions, ofc.). The powerfist is good vs sub AV14 vehicle targets, and can glance AV14, while being generally more efficient at killing tougher targets(MCs, T4 multiwound troops, non EW T4 HQs) as well than a power weapon. Meltabombs on the other hand, are really nice vs av13/14 non-walker vehicles, otherwise are useless. They are however cheap, which counts for a lot.

IMHO, your assault sergeants will get more mileage from a powerfist than a powerweapon and meltabombs. It makes the squad less susceptible to being tarpitted by walkers, MCs, or tough HQs. It makes assaulting them with a multiwound non eternal warrior T4 or less character virtual suicide, plus it allows the squad to handle everything short of AV14 in CC handily(ofc the krak grenades go a long way as well...).

As to meltaguns, wholeheartedly YES. As to mixing infernus and meltaguns in one unit, I ask why you'd do this, don't infernus pistols have a shorter effective range? I could understand it for wound allocation games, but from my understanding the real advantage of the infernus pistol is the extra attack, which is offset by reduced range. Myself, I'd hesitate to mix such a unit up. If I had the models I'd personally just sacrifice the attacks and field 4 meltaguns, which are proven cheap and effective and with a really decent threat range on the jumppack platform, which also increases their threat range on a DOA(infernus pistols are what 6"?, meltaguns are twice that and have the fantastic melta rule in effect up to 6", to infernus 3"). I see infernus pistols as a really neat option, but not particularly useful on models that can take a meltagun instead, for the cost of only one attack. If you really have to use your infernus pistols, use them both in one unit to maximize potential attacks to take best advantage of that tasty furious charge.

The "template" BA jumper assault squad is 10 Marines, a Sergeant with a power fist and 2 meltaguns for a reason. The fist is far more reliable for getting you out of walker tarpits, gives you much more reliable wounding than the PW, and because it swings at I1, separate from the rest of the squad, an opponent can't stack multiple PF wounds on a model.

As for the meltaguns over infernus pistols, it's all about the range. Losing 2 attacks brings the squad from 27 attacks down to 25. If a successful assault hangs on that narrow of a margin, your plan has already gone awry and you're chucking a Hail Mary.

Edit: Verb tense.

I would just like to point out that the PF is pretty ineffective at busting out of walker tarpits... 2-3 attacks with a fist has a very small chance of doing anything vs av 12 (1.5 hits, .5 pens, .165 for destroying it on the charge). Attrition over many rounds just means your own squad is likely to get bogged down so your enemy will both inflict losses on you, and take away the advantage of fast assault units. With AV 13 walkers starting to crop up it looks even worse. Best advice is keep your infantry away from enemy walkers, it just isn't worth trying to fight something like that.

Fists do have a purpose in assault units though. They are great for popping multi wound models, characters and immobile tanks. Also know as things that should probably be done with shooting... But hey, your playing BA, so might as well assault first and leave tactics to those blue guys. Why assaulting these guys is generally a bad idea should be obvious, but here is the reasons anyways: Multi wound models tend to be either tarpits or beatsticks. Usually better beatsticks than the assault marine (even with fist). Characters with good abilities are often beatsticks, that will hurt your squad badly even if they die to ID (full jump squads shouldn't be used as assassin runs), most good assault characters are getting boosted T, EW, good invul, or a combination of these. Meaning your fist is just a really good PW or sometimes not even that.

My template for a BA sarge is not CC options. He is a SM sarge, he isn't all that in CC, and the squad is too expensive to want to spend even more on it. I don't have a BA book in front of me, but if he has the options for a combi melta or such that is what I would go with. Of course I would also run them in razorbacks (thus needing small squads) or rhinos to take advantage of the fact that BA vehicles are just better than other marines (and BA get them cheaper). Jump infantry are too exposed and actually slower than transported infantry (due to fast vehicles).

I personally like the thunder hammer over the power fist. It is an extras 5 points for causing multi wound models to strike at I1 and causing stunned effects on vehicles if you don't destroy them. With ba I find this write useful since you either destroy with 2 meltas or assault vehicles. Stunlocking is a great tactic for DOA lists since it will force the opponent out of his transport to shot you opening up a possible multi assault.

melta bombs are good only when you know youll hit. against walkers multiple attacks are better than a single attack hitting on 6.

Powerfist and 2 Meltaguns for the same reasons Daddywarcrimes posted. Maybe thunderhammers if you can spare the extra 5 points.
'

If you are not taking a PF, take a Lightning Claw over PW, losing 1 attack is worth getting re-roll to wound on all your attacks.
Majority of your assault squads should be PF, Melta x2, though having 1 squad or 2 with LC, Flamer x2 for killing infantry is pretty good.