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I picked up a box of deathwatch vets to buddy up with my vanilla marines (imperial fist descendants). I'm a fluffy player so I'm not worried about making a filthy squad, I just want something that will work jumping out of a drop pod or on a zone mortalise board backing up termies (the two ways this squad will see use).

What loadout do you guys recommend? 5 men + the iron hand model as he was just too cool not to.

Thanks for your help.

I think there are a lot of benefits to taking one of the Deathwatch Formations if you're going to just field a single unit. Here are some suggestions:


Furor Killteam (formation from the Deathwatch Codex):
Vets (5) - shotgun x3, frag cannon x2
Terminator w/heavy flamer/power fist w. aux melta gun
Drop Pod

That list is meant to target troops, and has tons of template weapons to ignore cover or hit "into" open topped transports (against which you will still get your re-rolls!), and also the potential to pop them open if they are closed (melta, frag cannon solid shells, etc.)


Another option is to sit them back with some stalker boltguns, perhaps in the Purgatus Killteam formation.. but that's a bit more expensive, but can be quite effective against exposed HQ choices:

Vet (5) - stalker boltgun
Terminator - cyclone missiles
Librarian - level 2, (i roll for perfect timing or phaseform)


Or, depending on what you face regularly, you could gear them up for cc against squishy xenos... taking some shotguns, a blackshield with 2 ccws (maybe a maul and sword?) backed by a vanguard vet for re-rolls on the charge and a TH/SS terminator to tank wounds? Add a Chaplain perhaps if the squad is deadly-enough or if the game is large enough... but at that point, we're talking hundreds of points... so probably not a great idea ha!

Hope that helps (at least the first 2 suggestions)!

Thanks for the advice.

I think I am going to go with:
Watch sgt - heavy thunder hammer
Blackshield - power maul and power sword
3 x shotgun vets
1x frag cannon
- I think that works out as killteam aquila?

I already have a drop pod for them and I might convert a character in the future.

Sounds good. Don't upgrade to the Sgt unless you are taking melta bombs, special issue wargear, etc. I also think, RAW, you may not be able to take a heavy thunder hammer as them... so better be safe. Also, then you don't have a character that can be challenged out.

Currently, this can be a Aquila Killteam, but I'd really think about at least building a terminator so that you can make a Malleus, or Furor Killteam. Re-rolling all failed wounds with the S3 shotgun templates, rather than just 1's can really make a difference IMO. You'd also get fearless too then, which could be really good. YMMV.

I think a pod sounds good.