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.

Looking for ways to trim points for my BA allies or more specifically make RAS squads that are not all melta x2.

For 125 points you can make
5 Man RAS
Sgt with 2 hand flamers
1 flamer on a bum.

That and modeling a unit to have 2 hand flamers kinda sounds cool.

But how much are you really getting out of it?

Hand flamers are S3 AP-, which lacks some serious bite unless it is twin linked or AoFed by Sisters using them.

Does your current core force need anti infantry templates? Replacing a melta squad with this is not doing the same job.

If you read the call to arms that gw put out last year the guy that built a ba army did 2 hand flamers on (I think) all of his sgt's. Modeling wise it looks really cool.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
It still works pretty good to take out guardsmen.

Not entirely, devastators with divination usually cover that for me.

However they do provide a (somewhat niche) role of smoking out those blasted cover save units (marker-light teams etc)... I know a flamer Baal is better at this, but my BA are purely infantry save the occasional storm raven.

Not a bad idea in and of itself. Against your average unit and assuming fairly decent template placement (not hard with jump packs) you'd be getting anywhere between 4-8 template wounds out of it (yep, pulled those numbers out my backside), it's whether those wounds are then likely to be saved.

In my mind the issue then becomes whether to charge, or whether to wait and be charged in order to make use of Wall of Death. The trouble is both approaches would work if there are only a couple of models left, but both are a great risk of being murdered if you've not actually done that much damage in the first place or the unit is particularly killy.

Personally I would only really consider this as a cheap way of fulfilling an allied troop requirement. Playing BA as a primary detachment, every model is precious so I wouldn't want to suicide-run them - whereas outside of your opponent turtling everything up, meltas can usually go after targets that don't have a response unit near enough to counter.

I agree SR,

When I play my main army (BA) as the main detachment the words of the day are mobility and survivability. You win games by outlasting and out positioning.

But as allies you really dont have enough slots to maximize the survivable aspect of the priests in a cost effective way. So yea... this is my attempt to figure out how to use BA allies effectively with other MEQ armies.

I really don't like the idea of "BA" and "suicide" being put together. I like to put 5 man ASM flamer units in TL HF razors. It's cheap and soaks up S6 and S7 shots.

I use 2 5 man assault squads with this load out but I do not use hem to suicide.

Things they kill well:
Tau
Eldar / dark eldar
Guardsman
Cultists
Weaker nids

They are useful in this role, have a low threat threshold and can be used to gain line breaker.
I don't always brig them but if I am playing against Xenos I will bring 1-2z

Change "suicide" to "pick off weak & isolated units" and you have a solid plan. Flame as much as possible and do it from deep strike. It's the easiest way for BA to force wounds on the enemy.w


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also those hand flamers are AP6 IIRC

As BA's it's not a bad option. I would suggest if it's a home grown chapter and you're using them as allies to use the DA book.

A Flamer and Combi-Flamer tac squad in a pod costs 120pts.

An Assault squad with 2 Flamers and a Combi-Flamer in a drop pod costs 105pts.

And the libby is 35pts cheaper.

Something to consider.

If you are dead set on using flamers then consider using them as DA until Blood angels get an update.

DA assault squads can take 2 flamers in a 5 man squad, with a sergeant and a combi-flamer for 105 points. You could also swap out the jetpacks for a drop pod for free.

Does taking BA assault squads compare to this?

I'm hearing an echo

 Big Blind Bill wrote:
If you are dead set on using flamers then consider using them as DA until Blood angels get an update.

DA assault squads can take 2 flamers in a 5 man squad, with a sergeant and a combi-flamer for 105 points. You could also swap out the jetpacks for a drop pod for free.

Does taking BA assault squads compare to this?

But do DA assault squads score? (honest question, as I do not have the DA book)

But do DA assault squads score? (honest question, as I do not have the DA book)

No as they are fast attack and not troops.
Whether this is a problem depends on what you intend for them. The title of this thread has the word 'suicide' in it, so the unit, scoring or not, isn't designed for sticking around and holding objectives.

It is an advantage of blood angels assault squads admittedly though.