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In general, is putting a small Tactical Squad in a drop pod with a special and matching combi really a good use of points?

120+ points for 2-4 shots followed by a likely death, doesn't feel like a good trade.

If they kill a tank or infantry worth more than 120 points, then yes it was a good trade. The unit also doesn't just kill itself, your opponent has to dedicate resources to killing the unit. Depending where you drop, an AV12 objective secured vehicle and 5 marines is pretty durable vs most basic guns.

I normally run 10 marines in a drop pod, melta, multi-melta, and combi-melta combat squaddes into one unit and 5 bolter guys in the other with Vulkan as my HQ. 3 scoring units with good odds of killing a decent amount on the drop and surviving return fire.

Honestly I'm not a huge fan of suicide squads, but Sternguard with Combos seems to be the best way to do it, particularly if you also combat squad them with half having melts and the other half having flamers. Hit dirt, pop transport, roast fleshy things that were inside, anything that lives through the counter fire next turn (and possibly an assault too) shoots things in the face with their special ammo.

Agtthot wrote:
If they kill a tank or infantry worth more than 120 points, then yes it was a good trade.

Difficulty is two BS4 melta shots have less than 50:50 odds of exploding AV10 and less than 33% against AV14.

Not terrific odds.

No, to be effective, run multiple pods. Only fieldable solo pod units are Ironclads and they are only OK

 Feasible wrote:
No, to be effective, run multiple pods. Only fieldable solo pod units are Ironclads and they are only OK

Even with multiple pods, I'm not sure small suicide squads are a good investment.

Five pods with five marines,melta gun and combi melta is 625 points. Seems awful steep for ten melta shots.

I don't have access to the newest SM codex as I just came back into the fray, but do SM assault squads have access to meltas and plasma guns like their traitor brothers? Raptor squads can deep strike in packing antiarmor weaponry for a a bit cheaper than that, and if they survive their "suicide" mission, they can quickly be across the board or into assault the next turn.

 Feasible wrote:
No, to be effective, run multiple pods. Only fieldable solo pod units are Ironclads and they are only OK

Or a BA Furioso. Although I would also advocate a podding 5 melta command squad.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Munga wrote:
I don't have access to the newest SM codex as I just came back into the fray, but do SM assault squads have access to meltas and plasma guns like their traitor brothers? Raptor squads can deep strike in packing antiarmor weaponry for a a bit cheaper than that, and if they survive their "suicide" mission, they can quickly be across the board or into assault the next turn.

BA assault squads can. A 5 mqn squad can take 1 melta and 2 infernus pistols for 140pts with drop pod. Plus the advantage they have over normal assault squads of course is that they are OS.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
To the OP:

It all depends on your build. If going a full pod army they can be a good investment as they are a cheap way to make sure your pods with more valuable cargo come down turn 1. You would have to invest 70+35pts at least to do this so you may as well invest the extra 15-25pts to make those squads better able to achieve something when they arrive.
If you have a static gunline they can be a good idea to grab distant objectives (although plasma would go better with these).
If you have a fast, in your face, close range force with an overload on target priorities then the podding squads may ni longer be 'suicide'. For example, (for BA), if 3 fast vindis are in range, a large death co have been catapulted forward on to the opponents deployment line turn 1 due to an escape hatch, and a couple of fragiosos have hit the back lines from pods. The opponent may then decide that shooting the melta armed assault squad, or the plasma armed command squad are not their primary concern.

Not really, 2 Melta guns don't have the guaranteed damage output.

If something really has to die then sternguard are the way to go, but it's more complex than my 150pt unit killed your 200pt unit so that's a win.

Munga wrote:
I don't have access to the newest SM codex as I just came back into the fray, but do SM assault squads have access to meltas and plasma guns like their traitor brothers?

No, BA assault squads get melta guns though.

I often use five man tac squads in pods with melta/combi-melta though I wouldn't really call them "suicide" squads. Drop enough of them and they are going to kill something. Drop enough of them and some will likely survive. All depends on what you want to spend on them, but generally one drop pod of anything by itself is going to die.

I'm a big fan of five man assault squads in pods with two flamers for 95 points. Though I field Korvydae with my Raven Guard, and taking them as troops is an absolute blast...

They're 2 melta shots + krak nade + a couple bolters to glance. Never forget that krak nade

Quite good if you ask me. You still need troops, so why not?! You both get an obsec 12-12-12 vehicle and a 5-man 3+ guyz to draw fire. Even if you don't kill anything, they can ruin someone's plans.

Drop 2 5-man squads, you get to guarantee a kill, and they have to pull far more to kill you.
If you use Sternguard, 2-4 combi-meltas and a HF is the way I'd go. If you place it well enough the HF would join in, and toast the unit behind the vehicle the meltas are attacking. It'll take out any bubble-wrap units, too.
If it's a Tactical combi-serg, MM and flamer in a combat-squadded 5-man, the same tactic, but less effective.

I run an allied detachment with a Drop Pod because I wanted Centurions but also wanted something to help my GK out as well. A single Pod with 10 Tacticals and Melta have worked awesomely for me but I also have GK teleporting in with them so it all works out really. If I were to make a full Imperial Fist, I would have a lot more drop pods.

Why restrict yourself to meltaguns? They provide AT, but two of them alone cannot guarantee success and can kill one of them most.
No, oyur anti-tank power should lie somewhere else. Remember that Marines are mainly for anti-infantry so you should also consider Plasma/combi-plasma or Grav-goodiness.

You can drop that FMC before it has a chance to fly or cripple enemy heavy infantry.

 soomemafia wrote:
Why restrict yourself to meltaguns? They provide AT, but two of them alone cannot guarantee success and can kill one of them most.
No, oyur anti-tank power should lie somewhere else. Remember that Marines are mainly for anti-infantry so you should also consider Plasma/combi-plasma or Grav-goodiness.

You can drop that FMC before it has a chance to fly or cripple enemy heavy infantry.

I used meltas on my Tactical squad because I was lacking some anti-armor and my GK take care of infantry just as well. When I finally get around to making it, I will probably get a Sternguard with Grav and Combi-Grav for Heavy infantry. Not to mention, the Grav on Bikes.