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I came across a bits pile of 11 Assault Marine bits in a ziploc bag, which I purchased. I like to look at it as I saved them from euthanasia. Yeah they looked really bad. But I have saved them and am ready to give them the much needed love they deserve.

Anyway...

Lion Blade Strike Force Detachment requires two assault squads (min 5) Having 11 I can build 2 sargents, and can run them as two 5 man squads or outside the formation as a 10 man assault squad (with a Sgt being an extra). Great!

The question is build. In the Lion Blade Strike Force that full BS for Overwatch really makes me wanna take 2 plasma pistols (and 1 on Sgt) So I can shoot plasma and assault next round (shoot and charge) and possibly soak up some shooting at the unit with 2 jobbers out front.

Am I drinking the Lion kool aid? Should I just run two 5 man units with a melta bomb on sgt (maybe powerfist or sword?) and just keep em cheap? or tool em out with plasma pistols, melta bomb and possibly even an eviscerator?

I'd appreciate any thoughts on this before the regluing commences!

I'm more of a fan of the 5 min squad with flamer deep striking in. But that's just because I've never put them in a situation where they would be charged.

5 man squad with 2 Flamers, jump packs and a melta Bomb. 100 pts on the nose for a unit that can deep strike in turn 2 and roast some light infantry. If they survive the return fire, they can happily jump around grabbing objectives in your opponents half, and even threaten transports/other mobs. And if they get shot off the board, it's not a huge loss

I have three armies I normally use, none of them field jump troops. This will be first go with them.

I watched a batrep where a DA Command squad landed in a drop pod and was gunning everything down with plasma during the players turn and his opponent's (overwatch), and it got me thinking about looking outside the box with assault squads in a LBSF. I guess flamers and melta bombs are way to go. Keep them cheap. With all the free vehicles associated with LBSF, there's gonna be a lot of target saturation to help them survive their initial drop so they can be upfield harassers.

What about the big choppy x2 S eviscerator? A 10 man squad could field 2. With the Sgt thats almost like 3 power fists in a squad. Maybe field vs some kind of armored company? Multi charge and ruin a few tanks day?

I've had good success with my 2 obligatory assault squads. One is 8 guys with 2 flamers and a vet with fist in a Rhino riding shotgun with my Company master and Ezekiel. The other is 10 guys with jump packs, 2 flamers and a vet with fist escorting my Chaplain. Neither is super killy, but will easily stomp through non dedicated assault units. Ezekiel's unit with the right psychic buffs can bepretty nasty but they're pretty slow for an "assault squad". They definitely give the enemy something to worry about while the heavy weapons do their evil work...

Go 2 x 5 guys with 2 flamers in free Drop Pods. I've use this in my Gladius and it does pretty well.

Plasma pistols are pretty nice, but they are way too expensive really. I still take them because I modelled my Assault Marines that way, but it is not optimal. I've had guys die to Gets Hot far too many times...

 ZergSmasher wrote:
Plasma pistols are pretty nice, but they are way too expensive really. I still take them because I modelled my Assault Marines that way, but it is not optimal. I've had guys die to Gets Hot far too many times...

Are you playing DA Zergsmashers? I'm only considering the plasma because of the added benefit of full BS for overwatch. I'm really puzzled by the lack of people using the eviscerator.

Eviscerators are dope. They're expensive but they're definitely worth considering, as they let the squad threaten knights and other heavy targets. I like taking 2 eviscerators in a 10-man squad, with a Veteran sergeant with a Power Lance and melta bombs, and Chaplain with just a jump pack. This is for Codex Marines, mind you, so I don't know if Dark Angels would play differently.

 Phydox wrote:

 ZergSmasher wrote:
Plasma pistols are pretty nice, but they are way too expensive really. I still take them because I modelled my Assault Marines that way, but it is not optimal. I've had guys die to Gets Hot far too many times...

Are you playing DA Zergsmashers? I'm only considering the plasma because of the added benefit of full BS for overwatch. I'm really puzzled by the lack of people using the eviscerator.

Yes, I play DA. They are my primary army (see my sig). One thing I will say is that full BS overwatch is slightly overrated. It's great against assault-based armies (like Orks or Khorne Daemonkin), but worthless against shooty armies (like Tau or Eldar). I only take Plasma pistols because I modelled my Assault marines that way before I knew better and I like to have my models be WYSIWYG. They are not completely worthless, but overwatch should be at best a secondary concern for assault marines. They want to charge, not get charged, if at all possible.

As for the eviscerator, I plan to take one if I get one of the new Assault Squad kits (my existing squad is from the old kit). They are the same as a Chainfist, and as Saber pointed out this makes your assault squad a threat even to Imperial Knights. Melta bombs can help too!

I've been looking at getting back into the game and I'm currently painting up some DA miniatures I'd abandoned some years back. Assault Squads are one of my favourite units aesthetically and I'm definitely working on a LBSF. I'm also unsure of how to run them, currently I have 2 plasma pistols and a sergeant with power axe/storm shield.

Currently I have very little to deal with high AV vehicles, my tactical squads are plasma/heavy bolter equipped, and I was thinking of running one with melta/multimelta set up. Just wondering if that is worth it as I'm concerned I'm just wasting a load of bolter shots. Should I keep them dedicated and instead run a drop pod of devastators with multimeltas? Or would I not need them if I have a 2 eviscerator 1 powerfist assault squad? Also, if I keep the current assault squad set up, is it worth upgrading the axe to a fist? I was planning on infantry charging with them predominantly, but my army is pretty sick at infantry shredding anyway.




I'm currently planning a game this weekend against my friends Daemons army (we're still playing 6th atm as neither of us know the 7th rules), and just planning on fielding what I can have painted in time. Although, I have 4 painted tac squads.

My current 1000pt Combined Arms list;

1x Chaplain with jump pack

1x Assault squad (jump packs, 2x plasma pistol, sergeant with PA and SS).

2x 10 man Tactical Squad (one with M/MM and other with PG/HB. sergeants have no additional wargear.)

1x Command Squad (apothecary, 4 combi-flamers).

1x techmarine (just spending leftover points, but adds something to the command squad as can challenge anything that charges them).


Hoping for some advice on anything you guys think i'll get sweeped by or if I've misunderstood a units role and poorly equipped them. Any advice before taking the army up to the 1850 LBSF I'm planning would be great as it'd save me a huge amount of time rebuilding and painting.




EDIT: Forgot to mention everything is in a drop pod, except the jump packs, duh.

(Speaking as an Ultramarine, YMMV)

Plasma pistols are comically overpriced. Even with a boost to overwatch. I can’t recommend them at all, under any circumstances besides looking cool and fluff.

I run my assault marines 5 man, vet sarge w/power weapon, 2xflamer. Sometimes in a pod, other with packs. Power weapon varies depending if I have a HQ to eat challenges. Sword or maul if solo, axe if he can’t be called out. If I have 5 points left over at the end of list building, he is first in line to get a MB.

the evisorator is a nice hidden powerfist, but is very expensive. Too rich for my blood. If there were options to have it on someone with more then 1A base that can’t be called out, I might think about it. But with the options being either a random trooper or the sarge, I have to pass. Too pricy for a 1W guy.

Cant AMs with packs deepstrike already as jumo inf? Why take pods out of interest?

 Ratius wrote:
Cant AMs with packs deepstrike already as jumo inf? Why take pods out of interest?

Pods have less to worry about as far as scatter. They can't scatter on top of enemy models and mishap.

Gotcha.

 racta wrote:
I'm more of a fan of the 5 min squad with flamer deep striking in. But that's just because I've never put them in a situation where they would be charged.

I've had nasty success with this as part of the Pinion Demi-Company for Raven Guard. It's hilarious jump packing two flamers into a position before a charge.

I bought it all for my 10 man assault marine squad. It has a PP and PS vet sarge, 2x PP marines and 2x eviscerator. The idea is to make it a diversion that is too tasty to ignore. Also with it fully kitted out I can use any combination at smaller squad and points size.

People I've played against go bananas when they see assualt marines and dump far more firepower then needed their way. As they usually die this way when ever I play, I found it easier to just plan for it. Seeing as the rest of DA are good at crunching up horde type units and assualt squads are fairly good at it in CC I decided to make them a threat to vehicles. An opponent with vehicles will either have to address them right away or worry about the assault squad assaulting and smashing vehicle after vehicle in CC.

Buff them with a tanky jump HQ if you want to make them a long term issue your opponent has to address.

Point is, let them be the unit your opponent kills while you tacticals and devastators put in work. An if they don't kill them, make sure they are equiped with the means to punish your opponent for letting them live.

 Phydox wrote:

The question is build. In the Lion Blade Strike Force that full BS for Overwatch really makes me wanna take 2 plasma pistols (and 1 on Sgt) So I can shoot plasma and assault next round (shoot and charge) and possibly soak up some shooting at the unit with 2 jobbers out front.

Am I drinking the Lion kool aid? Should I just run two 5 man units with a melta bomb on sgt (maybe powerfist or sword?) and just keep em cheap? or tool em out with plasma pistols, melta bomb and possibly even an eviscerator?

Never ever buy plasma pistols.

Melta bombs are fine. If krak grenades stay nerfed, an eviscerator is fine too.

Two flamers are probably better than bolt pistols and they do not prevent them from charging.

Keep them cheap - only five models. These guys are not the strongest part of a Lion's Blade. Spend points elsewhere.

 ZergSmasher wrote:

 Ratius wrote:
Cant AMs with packs deepstrike already as jumo inf? Why take pods out of interest?

Pods have less to worry about as far as scatter. They can't scatter on top of enemy models and mishap.

Lots of reasons. Better scatter is a big one. Also:
In a full Battle Company, Drop Pods are free; jump packs are not.
The Drop Pod is an additional AV12 Objective Secured vehicle that can sit on objectives.
At least some Drop Pods arrive on your first turn.

If they already have jump packs modeled and you don't want to change that then that's probably fine too; that won't make or break the unit.

 Ratius wrote:
Cant AMs with packs deepstrike already as jumo inf? Why take pods out of interest?

Drop Pod Assault is the business. I love bombing in half your army into near-perfect position on turn 1, and the disembark normally covers for the scatter. In case you aren't aware, DPA lets you put in half your drop pods on t1, but you get to choose which ones, meaning you can work out your game plan and rely on it. Another thing people don't realise about drop pods is that the storm bolters can put in a surprising amount of work, effectively working as your 11th tactical marine in the squad. Against guard, orks or the like, you effectively get to take a guy from your opponent each turn.

Thanks for all your help guys, I've been thinking more about plasma pistols since you guys made it quite clear they're terrible. You're paying the same points for a plasma gun but only getting one shot, and plasma's make you unable to charge. I'm now thinking about Meltaguns, to make it an amazing tank killing doom engine. But the issue with that is it'll cost so much in points if I use eviscerators aswell. I'm at work right now so can't check rulebook or codex, but I'm pretty sure they can use 2 meltaguns in a 10 man squad. 1 eviscerator and 1 melta, plus power fist vet could work in a 5 man squad...

the eviscerator is a nice hidden powerfist, but is very expensive. Too rich for my blood. If there were options to have it on someone with more then 1A base that can’t be called out, I might think about it. But with the options being either a random trooper or the sarge, I have to pass. Too pricy for a 1W guy.

I have thought a bit about this, but for me the main draw is the jump pack chaplain I was including. I opted for jump packs over drop pod as to get the extra guy, charge with 7 marines, get the extra attack for the charge and the extra attack for the chaplain. Meaning eviscerator weilders will get 3 attacks, albeit only if I get the charge.


What was the comment about krak grenades being nerfed? do you now go on I1 when assaulting into cover?

Some points of fact:

Plasma pistols don't prevent charging (they're still terrible)

Assault squads can't have melta guns or other special weapons, only flamers.

Chaplains with Zealot don't provide extra attacks, they let you reroll misses.

The new draft (not final!) GW FAQ says only one model in a unit may "throw" a grenade in close combat.

 axisofentropy wrote:
Some points of fact:

Plasma pistols don't prevent charging (they're still terrible)

Assault squads can't have melta guns or other special weapons, only flamers.

Chaplains with Zealot don't provide extra attacks, they let you reroll misses.

The new draft (not final!) GW FAQ says only one model in a unit may "throw" a grenade in close combat.

Sorry for terrible misconceptions. I was trying to plan in my head as I'm at work and unable to access a codex (all pdfs are blocked, go figure). I've never used assault squads before but an old friend who was obsessed with them used to talk about them to me a lot, but he played blood angels predominantly so I think that is where I have got my bad info from. I meant plasmaguns stop the charge, but then rereading the codex, I noticed they can't have them. My bad. Also, makes sense you don't get free attacks on chaplains, I've never actually played with one because despite how great they are flavourwise, I've not had a list before that they particularly fit well in.