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I bought a squad of assault marines a while ago planning on running a Blood Angels list however I've been swayed by the new Dark Angels codex.
What would be the best loadout for them and tactics? I'm yet to buy the new DA codex.

equip them with regular backpack and bolters for a more dynamic looking troops wpuld be my first thought.

But if you decide to go for it there are not many options.
Plasma pistol is way to expensive for that single shoot (you would be better served with Plasma gun in tactical squad).
So the only option is flamer. And sergeant is the only one that can have any semi-decent CC punch, but can easily be challenged. So i wouldn't bother.

You could use them as cheap unit of 5 in rhino with 2 flamers for some weak anti-horde (95 points), providing cover to other units and maybe objective denial.
But for 95points you get better choices in DA codex, and in the same Fast attack slot.

I still think you should just use them tacticals.

But you have to be more specific. Would you wan't to use them as competitive unit or just for fun?
Second option is really simple, the first one you would have to go with my first suggestion.

Can they use meltaguns as BA assault marines do?

I maintain a full battle company of Dark Angels which includes two 10 man assault squads. I RARELY ever use them however. When I do its usually as a small group with 2 flamers to counter charge or a single 10 man split into combat squads for the same role. They are no better/worse than their standard marine counterparts save for the whole grim resolve/combat tactics thing. I have a sgt kitted with a lightning claw/combi-flamer for one of the squads (obviously used for overwatch).

trephines wrote:
Can they use meltaguns as BA assault marines do?

Nope. They also can't take a Razorback... though Rhino and Drop Pod are open. This pretty much makes them a poor choice across the board.

You could leave them cheap as a flanking and harrassment unit. Send them in to tie up enemy shooty units, such as devastators. The combat is unlikely to be swift and you might not even win in the end, but it will tie the enemy unit up and force your opponent to deal with the assault marines.

Cheap tarpit and flanking sounds good to me then!

Three real uses for them.

2 flamers as a deterrent to GEQ attacks - 80 pts for 5 150 pts for 10

3 plasma pistols as a lighter anti-tank, anti MEQ/TEQ - 135 for 5 205 for 10

Adding a chaplain or interrogator chaplain to get the rerolls to hit on a charge.

The problem is there are better things that can do it for less...
60 points for 2 heavy bolter landspeeder.
105 for a dakka pred with stormbolter
65 for a whirlwind
90 for a Ravenwing squadron 2 flamers.
to kill GEQ

126 for Black Knights
85 for 5-man tactical with a Plasma Cannon...

So the only reason to take an assault squad is for fluffy reasons or if you have filled all your heavy or tactical slots and you have a free fast attack slot AND have points left over... a truly odd combination with Dark Angels...

What about a powerfist for transport hunting?

The problem with a powerfist is the challenges nowadays.
You over double the cost of your marine and you gain one attack.
In 6th, spend the points to get him a melta bomb and hold at that.

In my opinion, although it is over twice the points, a CC Termie squad is a good way to go...

Assuming 5 men, there's still an option that can do it better for similar points - a Tactical combat squad with powerfist AND meltagun... and they can get their own transport for just a handful points more. For a slightly higher cost there are units to hunt vehicles MUCH better than a single fist. Deathwing, Devastators, Predator Annihilators...

The unit might be relatively cheap, but it's too much of a risk as it's not exactly courting the odds for taking down an average tank in a single Assault. 3 Attacks charging, 2 of which might hit, 1 of which might penetrate depending on the AV. If you fail, the unit is boned. If you succeed, you still may not fare very well against the unit inside...

"Sanity!? What use could I have for such a thing?" ~Kenpachi

Yes assault marines probably arn't the best choice but a libby or chappy lead squad can be quite a good unit. With 2 meltaguns they are decent tank hunters (plus never discount krak grenades on rear armor in CC) and in 6th they score for at least one mission which isn't to be overlooked for tournament play.

They also provide good body support for fast units like your RW and can help lead an assault with your deepstriking DW.

Termies are better, but slower, and bikers are probably better overall, but are far more expensive $$, don't have the weight of attacks (sans black knights) and let's face it don't look as cool as a screaming marine coming down with his chaninsword with a freakin jetpack.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaand tactical marines don't have deepstrike unless they drop pod which would be about as expensive and involves giving away a killpoint...

The main point of this thread is that I have the models already not with wargear and want to use them, while they might not be top-tier I want to know how to use them in the most efficient way possible.

Well I have found hiding them behind a rhino wall works... Then they can uncover, flame and charge their target. The other is to hide and make themselves small and then pop out to side armor shot or rear armor shoot a tank with plasma and if that fails, charge with melta bomb and krak grenades...

The other use is to hide them behind an advancing rhino wall, and then charge the opponent the turn when your rhinos disembark.

They will be great against GEQ armies but start not to shine against MEQ armies... To give it the extra punch, attach a chaplain and give the sergent a power weapon (axe or sword) to deliver that extra oomph to the charge.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I don't like to deep strike them since you are going to scatter 2/3s of the time and with short ranged weapons can quickly get out of range or out of position plus they are going to be tight packed so they are asking for a ML frag missile or Plasma Cannon blast. Not to mention drifting into a mishap table roll.

 buddha wrote:
With 2 meltaguns they are decent tank hunters (plus never discount krak grenades on rear armor in CC) and in 6th they score for at least one mission which isn't to be overlooked for tournament play.

Except that they can't take meltaguns - only BA Assault Marines can. The scoring aspect is also too slim a chance to make it worth taking them, especially with Ravenwing available in the same Codex.

It's rare for me to say this - I defended the use of Chaos Spawn back in 5th - but unfortunately, I can't think of a single situation that's likely enough to make them worth taking over a different choice.

I could see the point of 5 of them in a drop pod with 2 flamers and a combi-weapon, especially in a Deathwing army (possibly with Azrael dropping in the same pod, if you use them).

Please do not throw Azrael into this. How does dropping ~400 pts on a unit that can barely manage to kill off 30 ork boyz before the end of the game help?

If you use them keep them cheap so they do not eat your list alive. 5 man squad with some flamers dropping into the back field are at least a semi decent distraction unit.

What else are you fielding?

Do you want them to be jump pack or drop pod?

If you want to field them and need tactics then we need to know what they are and what there is to synergize with.

Example:
If you are going deathwing then DWA on turn 2 and drop the drop pod/assault marines on turn 1 so you can(hopefully) use the beacon. If you also field some ravenwing then the enemy may not be able to deal with all the precision deep striking unit turn 1, this will give you some advantage from the unit.

If you are playing greenwing though this is pointless.

If your looking for taking out vehicles, pop them on the board in a drop pod with the drop pod having a Deathwind ML in it.

ansacs, hence "possibly" -- he's not especially likely to stay with them all game (why would he), but free drop pod isn't an inherently bad way to get him to (say) join up with a DW knights unit the next turn, if you're going to be bringing him anyway and want to get him upfield.

As a light bully and harassment unit, DA Assault Marines are fairly good. They're cheaper then their Codex counterparts, for one, though Grim Resolve can suck when they're attacked by a Dreadnought. I use mine to go hit ranged squads, hopping from cover to cover, and to hit targets after I shoot 'em up with my Tacticals.