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For all the Sons of the Lion out there, how do you kit out your Sergeants? I have always just given them a combi-weapon and called it a day, but I've been told this is the sloppy way to do it. I tend to get charged a lot so I was thinking about changing up my Sgt's in my Tac squads to have either a power weapon (probably an axe) or a bolt pistol plasma pistol combo. For my bikes I have been pretty happy giving them meltabombs and a chainsword and calling it a day. It's my tacticals that get swamped and crushed without doing much damage back.

Also, is the upgrade to veteran sergeant worth it? I always sort of figured that giving them a power weapon without the vet upgrade was pointless. Please let me know how you kit out your guys to smash the filthy traitors!

I'm interested to hear what people have to say about the vet upgrade, I play BA but have been throwing around ideas for DA allies, i like the fact that you can keep the unit cheap by not boosting the sgt and thus don't feel obliged to give him extra gear to maximise his stats.

D

Vet upgrade is a waste, if you field Azzie, all your army has Ld 10 anyways instead of a single tad with leadership 9... Power fists are great one sergeants for the kill vehicle and MC ability.

I used to arm them with a Combi-Plasma and a Power Fist, but now in 6th with the Challenges I have been replacing the Power Fist with a Lighting Claw [Both a now available option and Fluffy], to make up for the lack of the S8 Power Fist I have also been adding Melta-Bombs.
As for upgrading to Veteran Sergeants, I tend to, mostly for the Second Attack than the Leadership and once more for Fluffy.

I normally have plasma pistol, chainsword, vet and melta because it gives me a wide range of things I can do. Also vets just look awesome imo.

I'm experimenting with Sergeants and I tried some variations among the four tac squads (trying to give a "role" each), so I currently have:

Vet Sgt w/ plasma pistol and chainsword ("plasma" squad)
Vet Sgt w/ bolt pistol and chainsword (low cost "multipurpose/skirmish" squad, flamer + ml w/ flakk)
Vet Sgt w/ bolt pistol and power fist ("heavy impact" squad, meltagun +lascannon)
Vet Sgt w/ plasma pistol, power axe and melta bombs ("anti tank" squad, melta specs)

For the two small RW squadrons, I kept them simple: vet sgts (one with bolt pistol one with chainsword)

(no special chars in the army, btw)

I tend to keep them cheap: PB/Chainsword and no vet upgrade with maybe meltabomb if I have the points to spare.

Vet upgrade only on the squad that's objective camping on the home-side.

I save the points to upgrade elsewhere.

Combi-weapon to supplement the squads special weapons. Cheap upgrade that has potential for high impact.

So would a vet upgrade, lightning claw and a combi-weapon be too many upgrades?

I have honestly never understood dumping points into Sgt upgrades; in any edition but most especially this one.

Even before the challenge function made powerfists a silly idea: What, your 2 attacks at WS4 when being charged are really going to hurt that Bloodthirster?

If you've got 4 squads of tac marines use the 10-30 points you'd spend on them to get upgrades that CAN affect the game in a big way.

How about a Power Field Generator on your Librarian for 30 points or Venerable for a dreadnought or two? How about an extra scout sniper squad?

Rant done. I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'....

That's 35 points of upgrades for a model in a squad that's not really set-up for CC.

I don't see a problem with the combi-weapon as it can compliment your squad well but I think you're wasting points on the claw.
If you remove the vet upgrade it gives you a better chance of breaking during the enemy's shooting or out of an assault if you have to take a morale check (think combat-tactics).

I usually only give the vet upgrade to my devastator srgt since they tend to be near the board-edge and I don't want them running off the board.

The Shrike wrote:
I have honestly never understood dumping points into Sgt upgrades; in any edition but most especially this one.

Even before the challenge function made powerfists a silly idea: What, your 2 attacks at WS4 when being charged are really going to hurt that Bloodthirster?

If you've got 4 squads of tac marines use the 10-30 points you'd spend on them to get upgrades that CAN affect the game in a big way.

How about a Power Field Generator on your Librarian for 30 points or Venerable for a dreadnought or two? How about an extra scout sniper squad?

Rant done. I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'....

I really want to do it to add some flavor to my guys. I've been noticing that after my sergeants spend their combi-whatever, I just don't care about them living any more. This isn't really how I wan't to play the game, since I'd like to stay closer to the fluff and, in the DA codex, it says Sergeants are the veterans of the veterans, the best of the Greenwing. I want it to feel that way, rather than just another platform for a combi-weapon. I am just wondering if there is a viable way to do this meta-wise.

Chaos has the same issue but worse due to forced challenges and mandatory champions.

Giving your leader a melta bomb is a cheap way to keep him relevant throughout a game.

 jetstumpy wrote:
So would a vet upgrade, lightning claw and a combi-weapon be too many upgrades?

can be a great set up but what are you actually thinking of doing with that squad?

The Shrike wrote:
I have honestly never understood dumping points into Sgt upgrades; in any edition but most especially this one.

Even before the challenge function made powerfists a silly idea: What, your 2 attacks at WS4 when being charged are really going to hurt that Bloodthirster?

If you've got 4 squads of tac marines use the 10-30 points you'd spend on them to get upgrades that CAN affect the game in a big way.

How about a Power Field Generator on your Librarian for 30 points or Venerable for a dreadnought or two? How about an extra scout sniper squad?

Rant done. I'm not sayin', I'm just sayin'....

For me the Combi-Weapon is a must, especially the Combi-Plasma to go with the Plasma Gun. If I don’t get to use to pop a vehicle, having 4 Plasma Shots on Overwatch can make a difference, one usually hits and is an almost guaranteed wound.
The “Power Weapon” has become more of a necessity. In 5th it was about fighting Dreads that were constantly Assaulting my Squads, the Power Fist Attacks actually given them a shot. The other is the number of times a MEQ armed with a Power Sword would Assault me and just [bleep] me while he just sits there and make his 3+ Save. All I would have to do was backhand him with my power Fist and the ing was over,
Now with Challenges the Power Fist is a Death Trap, but the 6th edition Dark Angels now give me the Option to take a Lighting Claw. This is both Fluffy and gives me a chance in a Challenge most of the time.
I have been finding this to be true with my Guard, most of my Squads have a Sergeant with a Power Sword and the Commissar has a Power Maul. This gives me the option of feeding the Commissar and hopping for a 5++ Save while my Sergeant can actually kill off a few marines.

 Exergy wrote:

 jetstumpy wrote:
So would a vet upgrade, lightning claw and a combi-weapon be too many upgrades?

can be a great set up but what are you actually thinking of doing with that squad?

Well that's generally the squad I have equipped with a combi-flamer, flamer and heavy bolter. They drop pod in turn 2+, I have a dread that drops turn 1, and they flame troops off an objective, sit there and hold it.

 jetstumpy wrote:

 Exergy wrote:

 jetstumpy wrote:
So would a vet upgrade, lightning claw and a combi-weapon be too many upgrades?

can be a great set up but what are you actually thinking of doing with that squad?

Well that's generally the squad I have equipped with a combi-flamer, flamer and heavy bolter. They drop pod in turn 2+, I have a dread that drops turn 1, and they flame troops off an objective, sit there and hold it.

I feel combi's are best if they are combi plasma, but I suppose if you are dropping the extra flamer can be nice. If they are going to drop, having something that is good in combat is good too. The heavy bolter is a question though.

I think I've read all of the Dark Angel books but I don't see why a Lightning claw is fluffy on a Sargeant? Can someone explain?

I like the vet upgrade even tho they are stubborn and have shall know no fear. Having that one extra leadership so you don't get pushed off an objective can win you a game. Other than that the TAC list would have a combi weapon.

I run my sergeants with a BP/CCW. I would even debate not taking the Veteran Sergeant upgrade, since one attack and 1 LD for 10pts is meh. Especially since Space Marines already have high Leadership base.

I'd take the points and buy an upgrade elsewhere in my army first. That's just me.

If I bought a combi weapon for each of my sergeants, that'd be 45pts. That's a decent chunk... i could take that 45pts and buy a CML for my Contemptor, or, in the case of DA, buy a power field generator, or a second level for my librarian. /shrug.

(I'm a son of Gulliman, though.)

 General_Chaos wrote:
I think I've read all of the Dark Angel books but I don't see why a Lightning claw is fluffy on a Sargeant? Can someone explain?

I like the vet upgrade even tho they are stubborn and have shall know no fear. Having that one extra leadership so you don't get pushed off an objective can win you a game. Other than that the TAC list would have a combi weapon.

This comes from my own DIY Chapter “The Imperial Tigers”. I actually use a Different Codex for each Company, 1st Chapter is my Deathwing the “Tiger Claws”. The 4th Company also uses the Dark Angels Codex.
As I have them, they have a Lighting Claw “Fetish”.
So they are Fluffy for me.