Best Devastator squad compositions?

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**Zodfrey**

Hi,

Do you have any favorite compositions for a squad of Devastators? I recently built quite a few of them, and would like to field 2 - 3 squads in a single Dark Angels 1500-point list for fun, not for a tournament. I'm having hard time picking which weapon options to go for. I don't have any drop pods, unfortunately. Should probably get a couple.

I was thinking maybe:

- 2 Grav Cannons, 2 Multi-Meltas, 1 combi-grav
- 2 Plasma Cannons, 2 Heavy Bolters, 1 combi-plasma
- 2 Lascannons, 2 Missile Launchers

Or would I be better off going with 4 of the same weapon in each squad? Although 4 grav's cost too much I think.

**Nadir**

I don't know much about SM, but I would recommend sticking with the same 4 guns, as different guns have different range.

**Zodfrey**

Thanks for the suggestion. However I did combine the 2+2 guns in the OP that both have the same range, e.g. Grav and Multi-Melta both have 24", Plasma Cannon and Heavy Bolter both have 36", and Lascannon and Missile Launcher both have 48".

Perhaps the combi-weapon is a waste of points, it does have shorter range.

**mathaius90**

I'd say go for Lascannons and MLs. If you have the weapon model (and 10 more points) i'd go full lascannon, keep in mind that a 5 man squad in quite fragile though. So, after losing the Sarge, you lose 34 points every casualty.

**Nadir**

Multi-Melta works best at close range so I wouldn't advise it on devastators. Also every gun works in different way, each is suited for a specific task and has drawbacks (HB is suited for light infantry, PC for heavy infantry/light vehicle, LC for long range tank hunting, GC for low armor save models and skimmers). If you want flexibility just go with 4 Missile Launchers. If you have the points for it, go for 4 of the same. If you don't have or you want 2+2 guns, just split the unit in two so you could have two units of the same weapons.

**Zodfrey**

That's an interesting point about splitting the units. I could go for 2+2 weapons, add some padding and split a 10-man unit into two 5 man squads with 2 heavy weapons each.

Hmm, I could make six of those squads with weapons as per the original post for 630 pts (with no combi-weapons for sarges). Sensible? Surely not. Fun? Quite likely!

**evildrcheese**

I still think 4 of the same is the way to go. I'd probably opt for either ML or Las, ML still gives some flexibility but Las is good as a dedicated tank hunter.

D

**Neophyte2012**

Outside of Skyhammer formation, 4 lascannon and a few bolter meatshield, then put them in some high rise ruins (towers, etc.) is the best way to use Devastator. Bouns if you also take a TFC and boost defence.

**Silverthorne**

Yeah outside of skyhammer they aren't very viable. But in skyhammer I'd go 8 melta guns. Cheap, and gives you a nice method of eliminating super heavies or critical vehicles on the drop. Even against a tooled eldar list that leans on a Wraith Knight you can peel open the d sythe serpent then dump assault marines in then without overwatch.

**Zodfrey**

Thanks for all the suggestions guys. The Skyhammer is not an option since I play Dark Angels. I guess I could play them as vanilla marines on occasion if I wanted to, but for now I'm looking at DA tactics. I often face Eldar with a Wraithknight, a Wraithlord, + some Wraithguard, and Chaos Daemons with a Bloodthirster and a Daemon Prince.

Any suggestions as to which weapon loadouts would be most useful against the aforementioned?

**greatbigtree**

5 Duders, 2x Lascannons, Armorium Cherub [if you can take them] and a Rhino. Put them in cover, and you have a tough outer shell that gets a cover save, and you can still fire the two weapons from the top.

Fewer weapons means that the benefit of the Signum goes farther, and with the Marine's high BS, you'll probably only need to use the ArCh once in the first three turns, by which point they should have done some damage.

Otherwise, I'd probably suggest a pair of Plasma Cannon or MultiMelta, with ArCh, depending on how aggressive your opponent approaches them. If you can boost a Ruin, then leaving them on foot is another option, but a Rhino with an MEQ cover save is nothing to sneeze at.

For the Eldar, having low AP high strength weapons is handy to deal with the Ghosts, but also to deal with their Vehicles, and Jetbikes. For Daemons, the high strength is most important since their Invul is going to neuter the AP value.

**jackl1324**

I do the same thing, plasma cannon heavy bolter, lascannon missile launcher and it has always worked out fine for me (also DA player) and gives you a bit of tactical flexibility to boot. But then again I play for fun, if this is for a competitive list then I may not be the best with advice

**nareik**

a unit of 10 split into 2 combat squads.

Sit them in a tac marine squadss rhinos for Obj sec?

**Zodfrey**

Thanks again for many suggestions, some good ideas there. I might try the 2 Lascannon in a Rhino option and a second squad with the 2+2 combo like I planned.

**Kisada II**

AT - 4 grav cannons
AA - 4 Grav cannons
AI - 4 Grav Cannons
Orks and daemons? - 4 grav cannons still out performs all the other options.

**Frozocrone**

Las Cannons as a maybe for IF guys

Grav for generics (but can get expensive)

MM for Skyhammer Devs (because Drop Pod into melta)

**Kisada II**

Even drop pod into melta range, the Grav Cannon out preforms however they are much more expensive.

**kronk**

Nadir wrote:
I don't know much about SM, but I would recommend sticking with the same 4 guns, as different guns have different range.

Never mix guns in devastator squads, booze (If you start with beer, never finish with tequila), or your ex's name with your current fling.

4x missile launchers is my go-to.

**Exalbaru**

I prefer missile launchers for most squads, never a mix of guns though, and no upgrade on sgt. Sgt is just there to eat a wound so my heavy weapons can survive longer.

**Martel732**

Missile launchers are so bad, though.

**ColdSadHungry**

4x missile launchers. Give them flakk.

It's a massive headache for an opponent if they have flyers. Especially if you have a cheap prescience libby with them. Even if your opponent doesn't have flyers, missile launchers are so flexible being able to take out light to medium armour and hordes with their blasts.

I think missile launchers are hugely underrated. If your opponent does have flyers, watch him waste a turn of shooting trying to focus them down in turn 1. Keeping them in cover or behind an aegis defence line is crucial.

**Martel732**

Except that small blasts don't take out hordes. And krak missiles can't engage 2+ armor. So much for your flexibility.

**Lammikkovalas**

Devastators have 2 uses really IMO: 1) in a display cabinet looking pretty 2) Skyhammer. If you use option two here have one squad with gravcannons and one with multi-meltas.

**Slayer-Fan123**

Martel732 wrote:
Except that small blasts don't take out hordes. And krak missiles can't engage 2+ armor. So much for your flexibility.

To be fair, 2+ doesn't come up THAT often. I agree with the first statement though to an extent.

**Martel732**

2+ doesn't come up often? Really? Smashbane, centurions, Riptides, DKs, assault terminators, broadsides?

**Slayer-Fan123**

Who cares about Assault Terminators and Broadsides?

**WarbossDakka**

Its not like no one uses them though. To be fair, if assault termies are used 99% of the time its a 3++ because more or less everyone uses THSS.

Back on topic, I always use 4 of the same. That means you always are optimized for the job the squad is required to do.

I rarely use devs in favour of centurions. Even if you don't want to use grav cannons on them, they always seem better in mostly every way.

**chaosmarauder**

Dark angels don't have cents so stuck with devs.

I like the classic combo even if I know its not the best (I find its fun to roll all the scatters)

4 x plasma cannons (and a divination libby to givem twin linked)

**Aelyn**

Lammikkovalas wrote:
Devastators have 2 uses really IMO: 1) in a display cabinet looking pretty 2) Skyhammer. If you use option two here have one squad with gravcannons and one with multi-meltas.

You forgot option 3) Pretending to be tacticals to unlock battle demi-companies. I've written up more than a couple of lists with two devastator squads, each with no heavies at all and a transport of some description.

**Ian Sturrock**

There's definitely something to be said for cheap 5-man devastator squads with free Razorbacks or Rhinos.

I'd be inclined to add 3-4 missile launchers or lascannons to the former squad, or 2 multimeltas or grav cannons to the latter.

I don't think I've ever considered missile launchers to be bad. They're not as versatile as grav but they will find something to shoot at, right? More often than bolters will? So bring 'em, if you can't afford something better.