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.

So a Demi-Company requires a Chaplain/Captain, three Tactical Squads, one Assault Squad, one Devastator Squad with an optional Command Squad and Dreadnought Talon. Which would be easily represented by the contents of a Betrayal at Calth box. So, before I go making a list I want to ask a few questions:

The Formation rules say that it can take either Dreadnoughts, Venerable Dreadnoughts or Ironclad Dreadnoughts - So will I just have to proxy the Contemptor as a regular one or house-rule it in or what?
What is a good ranged loadout for footslogging Tactical Squads (Right now I'm eyeing up the Plasma Guns and Combi-Plasmas)
I'll kitbash some Jump Packs on to the Assault Squad, is it worth taking Flamers?
What's a decent loadout for a footslogging Command Squad with Chaplain?

Any feedback or help will be greatly appreciated.

1) Proxy the Contemptor as a regular 'nought. If your opponent's cool with it, deffo house rule it that you can use the actual Contemptor rules.
2) Plasmaguns, yep. Avoid combis.
3) Yes, do take flamers. Cheap and can be quite deadly.
4) I don't think there really is one. If you put the chappy with the assault squad instead, going full plasma can be alright.

Deschenus Maximus wrote:
4) I don't think there really is one. If you put the chappy with the assault squad instead, going full plasma can be alright.

Hm, so do you think it would be better if I used the last five marines to bulk out the other squad(s)? If so, which one(s)?

This might be a little off topic but considering I'm building a foot slogging demi company too. I've given each squad a different assault weapon (plas/grav/melta) and left out heavy's altogether. Planning on them all moving around alot on the board. Devastators and the dread rock the heavy's as a rear firebase. Assault marines are used to slow down fast advancing enemies/run interference.

As for a commander in the mix I kinda love the primarch's wrath relic, and it makes the HQ fit in with shooting squads. I hate the idea of sergeants/IC's sitting there bored while the squad fires or the entire squad that was suited for shooting charging just so the sarge can use his pointless chainsword... Squads in my opinion should have a purpose.

Where do you plan on going from just the box? What chapter tactics do you have in mind? You don’t want to build things now that you are going to shelf later. Do you have more bits you can add? or just the box?

One thing to consider doing with the 5 spare marines is make them up as sternguard. This still leaves you 1 unit shy for the 1st company TF, but closer. If not either command or more warm bodies for the tacs.

What kind of transports do you have in mind? Willing to proxy for a bit? If you go drop pod, you don’t need to bother with kitbashing jump packs for the assault marines, and it makes a lot of your choices more effective

If you do the command squad, you probably want to put all three melta guns there. The box is a little light on AV fire, and concentrated melta is more effective the single shots in tac squads. Might go for CC options for the other guys in the squad if you are going to keep the chaplain with them. Plasma command squads are in general not a bad thing, but not what this list needs.

2 flamers for the assault squad, power sword on a vet sarge. Chaplain can work nicely here. One reason for flamers over plasma is that there are only 3 chainswords in the box. Plus they work really well and plasma pistols are comically overpriced.

Dev squad is going to be the 3 MLs. They might not be the heavy weapon you want, but they are the one you have. Plus they look cool.

Either gun works on the dread. Probably worth using him as a venerable, as none of his guns are TL’d, and he’s probably stomping across the table to get into a scrap.

Tac squads I’d go with plas, c-plas sarges. Partially because that’s all you have left, but you need more firepower, and while expensive, plasma is flexible and threatens a large number of targets. I’d love to see these guys at full 10 man squads, toss in the HB just to have it. But you are out of bodies. 5 man footslogging marines are not going to last long in the open.

Easy done

30 PA models

3x 5 Tactical marines with 1 special weapon each
1x 5 Assault marines (you get 3 chainswords and bolt pistols, give another guy a flamer and the sergeant a power weapon)
1x 5 Devastators with up to 3 HB or ML and one of the other
1x 5 man command squad using leftover Special Weapons
Either Chaplain or Captain
Contemptor Dreadnought = Venerable Dreadnought or Regular depending on points

Hell if you grabbed another 10 Mk IV from ebay or Forgeworld you could turn them into more Assault Marines and Devs and run it all as a full battle company. Plus you already have 5 Termies to go towards a First Company Task Force for a Gladius detachment.

Do what Deadshot did but consider the following:

Make the assault Sargent's power weapon a power maul to sync with the Chaplain.

Give the command squad all melta guns or combi meltas and drop pod them in to finish off any vehicles at turn one.

If tacs are gonna foot slog, go plasma. Grav is reduced in effectiveness unless you plan to have them camped or have relentless models. Flamers are good only if they start and plan to stay in cover. Tacs are probably not the best for anti vehicle work.

If you can drop pod a dreadnought, a multi melta and storm bolter power fist with 4 attacks would do killer against a vehicle.