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I have seen many people bash them. In high level games (2000+) I take a full 10 man squad with jetpacks and 1 lightning claw on each and they do a lot of damage. Under 2000 however there not effective. Is there a good build for vanguard under 2000 or should I ignore them in under 2000.


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Oops this was supposed to be in tactics

i don't have much in the way of builds. i usually play 1500 point games and always take 5. it might just be my playstyle or luck, but they ALWAYS outplay my sternguard, which seem to not do much for me. i run 5 with a powerfist and usually stick my chaplain in there with them. hopefully we'll see a bit of a boost in the new codex with either a points reduction or another new ability which will help them stand out from the standard assault marines beyond the extra attack... maybe letting them use heroic intervention if an IC is included in the unit. it would make sense, fluff-wise at least. i mean, if the vanguard the sense to assault the turn they deep strike in, i'd assume that someone on an IC lever would also be just as skilled.

I use sternguard as my "suicide squad" and they are very effective. I give them 10 combi melta or combi flamers and combat squad and drop in there front and ill blow up easily there point cost. Vanguard in big games will outperform them very easy but once I dip I can't. maybe I am running to many of them but I am hoping that they do get a boost. Usually I infiltrate an assault squad with shrike and link up with the vanguard once they drop on the sternguard drop pod locator beacon.

Sternguard are too pricey to suicide. I drop in stuff to support them and apply pressure with ASMs to try to keep them alive. Oh, yeah, and give them Corbulo.

I love BA Vanguard Veterans.

10 man squad, no packs, load the Seargent however you like - each other model gets two hand flamers. Stick them in a Drop Pod.

Yay for 18 flamer templates t1.


If you like you can drop a Veteran and add a libby with Biomancy into the DP - hoping to roll up Enfeeble. Makes those Str3 hits hurt a whole lot more.

The libby won't have warp charge the turn he drops I don't think, so that doesn't work.

So if they drop pod does the heroic intervention thing still apply.

No. They must use jump packs for heroic intervention. Vanguards are garbage, even BA ones. Every time my opponent brings them, they are a liability.

Martel732 wrote:
The libby won't have warp charge the turn he drops I don't think, so that doesn't work.

Not exactly. He has his warp points to spend however he likes; however, you can't use maledictions or blessing unless the unit was on the table at the beginning of the turn (i.e., didn't just come in from reserves).

So the warp charge can be generated while he hasn't come in from reserve yet?

Martel732 wrote:
So the warp charge can be generated while he hasn't come in from reserve yet?

???

I think we're talking past each other or I'm unclear what you're asking.

1. You get your warp charges every player turn.
2. No, you don't use psychic powers while in reserve.
3. You can't cast blessings or maledictions unless you are on the table at the beginning of the turn.

Yeah, he can't use Enfeeble when he drops - but he can use the Psychic Shooting attack he generates with his other power.

I'm just asking for the timing on how the psyker gets warp charge in reserves. I'm not saying you are wrong, I just didn't think this was the case.

You generate Warp Charge points at the start of your Movement phase.

You arrive from Deepstrike at the start of your Movement phase.

They are not mutually exclusive.

Aha. Okay. I've been playing that wrong. (Although it has rarely mattered for me)