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.

What do you guys prefer, to use minimal squads with max upgrades, or maximum squads with minimum upgrades?

Boys before toys.

Generally I go with large squads with just enough gear to get the job done.

Although I do run assault/dev squads at 5.

I prefer to keep my HQs lightly equipped as well.

It depends on the squad entirely, but usually you need max upgrades from minimum in order to get the max value from them.

It really just depends. A squad of fire dragons is fine without taking an exarch and fire pike. A squad of true born don't have much use over warriors unless you give them upgrades. Gladius marines are mostly there to unlock free transports, but an eldar jetbike rarely leaves home without a scatter laser these days.

I find I generally gravitate towards maximum model count for my units. I play a demi-company and run 10-man tac squads, assault squads, and devastator squads. I do also like to combat squad, but yeah I like having bodies on the field.

Depends on the squad, if your not min/maxing Scourges then your throwing points away for little to no benefit but Talos are better when run in squads of 3 than they are solo.

Depends what you are running.

For me, I run deathwing raven wing

I Min/Max my deathwing, but Max/min my raven wing, fast attack.

Granted i min/max my command squads because gak yeah invul saves on command squads.

Each squad gets exactly what it needs, nothing more nothing less.

 MechaEmperor7000 wrote:
Each squad gets exactly what it needs, nothing more nothing less.

I run my armies the same way. Although I do tend to do max squad sizes for the transport the squad is in or the max for each unit if they are walking/deep-striking.

My harlequins stay small and get upgrades.

I max/max my squads.

I fulfil my duty as a Nurgle follower and take everything (Havocs, PMs, Raptors, Bikes) in 7s. At least for PMs it turned out to be the best number, even after a round of Tau shooting usually 1-2 marines survive to annoy or sweep some Xenos .

Minimum squads with just enough to be effective is what I tend to roll for. That being said, I play tau, and that middling leadership of 7 makes me dislike running large squads unless I've an HQ. Because of this, I tend to run almost anything that doesn't benefit greatly from a large squad in minimum squads. This means pathfinders are in squads of 5 (because that way they can lose a guy without needing a morale check). I run solo broadsides (can't flee if that one casualty is a single suit) and I run riptides with no drones. I run fire warriors in 5 man squads that screen or body block, or act as mobile cover unless I've a cadre fireblade, in which case I run 12 fire warriors.

The exception to the rule here though is that I always run crisis suits in units of 3 with drones unless they're suicide melta. I feel they need the drones for survivability and need even if it forces me to invest in a team leader.

If I have to take any leadership tests I've fethed up. I dislike rolling my 40% chance to turn and run. I've had half my army flee before I learned min maxed MSU is the best unless given a reason not to.

Another reason why I do this is so that my opponent tends to waste firepower by overkilling small man units. also 5 5 man squads of firewarriors can sit on 5 objectives and fire at 5 targets. two 12 man squads can only sit on 2 objectives and shoot at 2 targets, potentially overkilling them.

I usually go full options on my squads, simply because I never know what to expect from my opponent. Variety of weapons and armour is a good thing, after all.

Min squads max upgrades most of the time. I favor MSU very highly in my playstyle for its flexibility.

There's no hard and fast rule. Tool each unit for its role and tool it efficiently for its role. If it's a suicide tank hunter, it doesn't need lots of bodies, it needs sufficient shots.
If It's an objective camper, more than minimum bodies will help it survive.

I don't think boys before toys is really applicable anymore. Take good upgrades, don't take bad upgrades. And vote Quimby.

I love running max-size squads. To me, it's not 40k unless the battlefield is covered in infantry.

 HCMistborn wrote:
What do you guys prefer, to use minimal squads with max upgrades, or maximum squads with minimum upgrades?

I'm usually in the middle. I want to be able to use my weapons multiple times in a game and I find that without some ablative wouunds, that doesnt happen. But you on the same hand dont have to go overboard o nthem. The extra wounds carry guns and grenades quite often so there is some virtue to mid sized units with max weapons. that's how I tend to roll.

It's been boys before toys for me since Rogue Trader, although in 7th I can see where building a list around specific bling is a thing. And then we have War Convocation and Gladius, so there's that, too.

SJ

I prefer minimal squads with max upgrades- exception being my troop choices. Those are run as minimal as possible since I hate them (Iron Hands player here)
My LRC gets around 10 - 15 points splashed onto it since it's expensive enough as is (extra armour + storm bolter)

It depends on the points. I try to go with max troops then kit them out

Go admech. Take max troops and get all the upgrades for free.

Or go SM and pay or all the toys and get all the troops (transports) for free

I play Necrons and Imperial Guard so I don't get to choose.

IG squads are all set at ten so any infantry squad is always maxed, which leaves you picking between vets or platoons.

Necrons have no upgrades for any thing that isn't an HQ or tomb blade (which I don't use because I think they look really stupid) so it is mostly just picking between MSU or blobs rather than duds or upgrades.

Depends.

If I need more wargear (say one per 5 weapons) I'll take 2x5.

If I need a special rule to apply (say FnP) I'll take 1x10.