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What elites are the the best . i run a shooty based sm army. I'm finding that my 3dreads just aren't doing a nuff for me and die way to easy. One dread got lc and missles one with ac and last one with assualt cannon and heavy flamer for close inftry support. i was think of useing my 30 tac termys all have ac and cyclone missiles think of useing them to deep strike. Not a big fan of sternguard so i don't have any our any drop pods

Well it's hard to say one elite is best or not, however dreads are pretty fragile (which is why they either stay very far away or normally drop pod in to smash things turn one).

Termies are what you want probably, though I'd argue that Sternguards in rhinos (used like super shooty tactical squads of doom) can be really cool and potent.

If you go tac termies, unless you're running 3 dreads for 1200+ points, 30 termies will run you at 1200 points bare. Add ACs and CMLs and that rises to 1380.

Tac Termies often need some help. They come out and are not nearly as resilient as their TH/SS brethren, and can (and will) be shot off if possible.

If you're gonna use them, try tailoring the list to include some telehomers, locator beacons, or something. I find this especially potent with a sniper scout squad (cloaks) and a tele homer. Knowing that the infiltrated unit, as well as some others, can have terminator support is very scary.

I'd still say give sternguards a chance. You don't have to use them suicidal-ly in a pod.

Do you have a list we could look at? Fluffy, competitive, just fun, what have you, it's easier to give you some options and advice when looking at a list.

As of now i been useing 4tac squads 2with all plasma guns in rinhos other 2with flamer and ml behind adl teamed up with dreads to hold it. And 2squads of attack bikes one all melta other all hb. i fight very defense of use rinhos tac squads and attack bikes to counter attack our add in defense


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My chapter based on defense and then counter attack when the enemy has been smashed by my gun fire

So this is the list :

Troops :

2x TAC squad w/ PC | PG | Rhino

2x TAC squad w/ Fl | ML | Rhino

Elites :

3x Dreadnoughts

Fast Attack :

AB squad w/ 3x MM

AB squad w/ 3x HB

Fortification :

Aegis Line w/ Quad Gun ?

What HQ choice do you use ? As you do not mention one in the list.

I agree with Hashbeth about Termies ( shooty and / or assaulty,give them a go,they will give an opponent something to think about ) and Sternguard and the use of scouts.You should look into using them with DS and pods ( for the termies and sternguard respectively).

I swear by Sternguard, though you may not like them, mine have never let me down, and I only run 5 with 5 combi-flamers, melta bombs and a LC, accompanied by Chaplain Cassius.
My Legion of the Damned are normally quite good too. They're very over priced, but they great for appearing behind enemy lines, drawing fire, doing some shooting, then tying up dedicated CC units. Their 3++ save is great at laughing off power weapons.

Adl with a quad gun and i always use a caption as a hq with a sword and pistol. I just dont like sternguard
Because ever sm player runs them in pods. I really like tac termy so much shooty goodness. i have sniper scouts just dont seem to do much.

If you are going to use Terminators with Cyclone Missile Launchers, and in a group of 10, have the two CMLs run in the back with 3 'meat shield' termies, and have the Sergeant + 4 others (put chainfists here if you want) walk up the field. Terminators will draw an inordinate amount of fire, and if you have someone beefy riding point (such as Lysander) they will be able to soak an intense amount of firepower. Just remember to LOS anything that's not a lascannon or plasma gun onto the Termies - don't want Lysander going down to bolter fire.

Especially if you have 15 Terminators walking up, with 6 Cyclones sitting in the back, behind an aegis line, shooting missiles. Maybe not the most competitive or points efficient method of spending points, but it would look pretty cool.

EDIT:

However, for competitive play, Sternguard are really the only option for Codex: Space Marines in the Elite section. 5 - 10 Sternguard in a pod, with Combi Melta/Flamer/Plasma is fairly strong. Techmarines are useless (and if you really want one, a Master of the Forge or Thunderfire is a much better buy), Dreadnoughts like to blow up if they have to walk across the field, and if they have Autocannons, the Grey Knight dreadnoughts make them feel inadequate. A multimelta Dread in a Drop Pod is not bad, but if you are going to shoot a Dreadnought from Orbit like that, make it a Ironclad with a Chainfist/Powerfist with a melta gun.

Venerables are not worth their points for what little they provide, unfortunately. If you make a Vulkan list, an Assault Terminator Squad to accompany Vulkan is always a good option, as well. However, Vulkan also buffs Sternguards with Combi-Flamers/Meltas, so...

Sternguard don't need to be used with a drop pod. I use sternguard quite a lot (when I'm not running all scouts that is) and have tried different things with them. They can manage quite nicely defensively too.

One problem you might be having with the dreads is a lack of armor saturation. Especially if you are doing a gun line shoot, then move up tactic. As was pointed out, dreads are not as tough as we'd like them to be, and if there are no other priority targets, they are going to eat lascannons and die in the opening turns before they get to do much.

You need more armor if you want them to live. Preds/vindis/razorbacks. Swap the bikes for speeders. Something.

Another option to be to charge forward with the rhinos. This forces you opponent to choose the rhino or the dread.

Sternguard don't have to be suicide troops. They work fine just as part of a gun line, or jumping out of a rhino and boltering stuff to death. If you are replacing dreads with them, you could go with 5 man squads with 2 heavy weapons.

I like tactical terminators, but would not recommend going that heavy with them. A 5 man squad with a chainfist and a heavy works nice as a troubleshooter squad. If you field too many of them, they cut into points needed for the rest of the army.

I just view sm as hard core defense troops. The only counter counter attack when the time is right to cripple they enemy for good. was thinking of add my 2 vins to my list and going up in points for my army.


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From my understand of 6ed that cc been so nerfd that you should take shooty over cc troops.

It's not quite as simple as that. Hammernators are some of the cheapest, most durable assault infantry. You get more than your points worth out of them, and they soak up fire like anything (read: it took my LR executioner and a platoon 2 turns to kill 7 of them).
If you get them into CC they can tear apart those scary monsters you see and they can breeze through a lot of tougher troops.

I'd take them over TAC terminators 9/10.

I love all the elites choices in the SM 'dex. That said, I prefer sternguard. I kit mine out with six combi-meltas, two meltaguns, and two combi-flamers. Plus a drop pod. As an alternative to the drop pod, I use a librarian with Gate and Force Dome.