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Can I just confirm firstly....is this the right place in the forum for this kinda question(if not ill move it)

Building my fist 40k list in a long time and making a small AM list first.

What is the actual role of a Command Squad?

I can see the flag gives a leadership bonus to (very) close by units..the medic can help a little with healing.....beyond that, what if any use does it actually have?

My company commander is the leader so the Command Unit seems a little odd unless im missing something(which I may very well be)?


Thanks

In prior editions, they were PART of the unit the commander was in, basically, they could intercept wounds to protect him. Or something like that.

In Eighth, they lack a specific such role. Other than healer and medic (and a cheap source of a vox relay if you are a vox using diehard) they are
0. compact enough to carry easily in multiples inside one 12 man transport.
1. dirt cheap
2. special and heavy weapons with bs3+

I tend to run them as suicide plasma squads or as low threat longer range grenade launcher squads. I don't think the heal makes its points back often, outside of very situational times.
It seems silly till you figure that 4 of them plinking away is a surprise threat against some things that never look twice at gaurd trooplets. Like eldar flyer bikes or like a squad of orcs trying to engage someone else nearby.

The healing is very nice to have to bring back overcharged plasmagunners (or meltagunners if you use them and they are killed). Also it might just give an important character one more round on the table now and then.

I tend to run them as suicide plasma squads

an advantage here is, that due to their small squad size you can squeeze 3 squads in a single Valkyrie or Chimera

And a last (if again very situational) possible use: if you for some reason want to run melee guardsmen (regardless of Bullgryns and other more effecient imperial options) they are the only infantry unit that can take pure Laspistol + Chainsword. Three Catachan Command Squads + Straken + Ministorum priest therefore bring 12 x 4 = 48 S4 CC attacks (+ those of Straken and the priest). And if you order them to fix bayonets that rises to 96 attacks. I seriously have no idea if that is worth it (I suspect no from a strictly competetive point of view), but if you want to try something new, why not.

Thanks all.

Seems I was right they serve no actual purpose?

They have a few uses as such as noted above, but nothing to do with the actual command chain of AM now....seems an odd move to me.

Surely would make 100% more sense if you were allowed to use them as Commanders bodyguard as in the past etc?


anyway, at least I know I wasnt going mad and missing what they were were for. Thanks.

Several specialist weapons at BS3+ is pretty good purpose.