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.

I have recently picked up a space marine army and been having some trouble adaptong.

I play Dark Angels at the moment (waiting for the new SM codex) and I feel the ability to combat squad is a very effective tool. But I can't for the life of me understand what to do with it.

What are some tactics I can do with the combat squads, and how and why should I run them?

always Combatsquad, except when it is killpoints.

For example, split with missile launcher in one and flamer in other so you can put two different roles on both squads.

With troops it good for contesting objectives, do to the more scoring units you have. Personally, I run grey knight purifier squads with 4 psycannons and 5 halberds. I split up the two squads for one to rush forward and claim an objective, and one to sit back and defend one. Alot of people will argue that you should keep the ten together though.

Split the squad into 'sit-back' and 'rush-up' halves.

Usually, you'll have a short-ranged Special weapon, and a long-ranged Heavy weapon in the squad, plus a sergeant.
You can have one squad in a Rhino or Razorback, and zoom at the enemy, while the other pops away with their long ranged weapon.
I'm pretty sure you can put the full 10-man squad in a Rhino, and split them when you disembark. Codex:SM lets you put an IC in there, too, and split 3 ways, or stay as a full squad. Your choice.

As said above, keep the squad as a 10-man if you're fighting for kill points.

For example, when I field tactical squads with BA, I will send the sergeant w/combi plasma and plasma gun special weapon guy in a razorback with las/plas. The heavy weapon lascannon guy gets squadded out with four other marines to man the quad gun behind the aegis line.