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Is it worth it to run full ten man dev squads our just 5

zilka86 wrote:
Is it worth it to run full ten man dev squads our just 5

What kind of chapter are you playing?

Generally, five men units are sufficient. They have no ablative wounds, but are much cheaper than 10 men units.
Moreover, Dev units are generally not high priority targets and even if they are, your troops will be come a lower priority target and this will be good for you.

If you're running IF chapter trait it can be useful to get the full 10-man squad to be able to use tank-hunter on a couple different targets.

to elaborate, you can take the 10 man squad an combat squad them to split the heavy weapons into two teams.



This is great for going up againgst armor 12 or less. Anything higher than that and your gonna need the 4 lazcannons into the single target.

Tank hunter on IF's is what makes a 3 devestator squad list work. Though if you have more points, 3 cent dev squads is more firepower and immune to helldrakes for the most part.

As of now i haven't picked a chapter tactic as none seem to fit my defense style of play. Right now i been ruining 2 squads of 3ms and one lc as in my meta theres really not many vehicles manly foot armys my. dev squad seem to do good against nids and ther mc . also my dev squads are normal a number one tragert to must players as the damage they can deal

I find that with 10 mans squads, you can place the guys with bolt guns in front of your heavy weapons, so they should in theory last longer

 phoenix darkus wrote:
If you're running IF chapter trait it can be useful to get the full 10-man squad to be able to use tank-hunter on a couple different targets.

no.He HAS to get the new supplement to play IF.Isn't that right zilka?

Yes so i haven't picked what chapter tactic i will be useing because once you pick ur stuck with it for good

Well, regarding dev squads, I usually run either full 10 man to split fire, or when my list is getting almost done i'll throw 2-3 more bodies into the dev squads just for ablative wounds.

Regarding CT, IF makes debs ever so yummy, and you're not really stuck with one if you go successor chapter and make one up for yourself. The Sons of Zilka can have their own paint scheme and be a successor to whatever chapter you feel like playing.

Using a five man devastation squad, you can throw them into a razorback (does the new SM codex have razorbacks?) and not only have a more mobile devastator squad but also fire support from said razorback for when they disembark and fire.

I don't take any vehicles in my list as ther to weak in this ed and do not last more then a trun before they die and ther really not that mobile

Trun is turn.Learn to spell.

zilka86 wrote:
Yes so i haven't picked what chapter tactic i will be useing because once you pick ur stuck with it for good

No, you're not. You can use whatever CT you want, whenever you want.

 Blacksails wrote:

zilka86 wrote:
Yes so i haven't picked what chapter tactic i will be useing because once you pick ur stuck with it for good

No, you're not. You can use whatever CT you want, whenever you want.

This is probably another one of their bizarre house rules, like not being allowed to use a unit in your codex if GW doesn't sell a kit with that exact name (no IG veterans, etc).

 Peregrine wrote:

 Blacksails wrote:

zilka86 wrote:
Yes so i haven't picked what chapter tactic i will be useing because once you pick ur stuck with it for good

No, you're not. You can use whatever CT you want, whenever you want.

This is probably another one of their bizarre house rules, like not being allowed to use a unit in your codex if GW doesn't sell a kit with that exact name (no IG veterans, etc).

Because all house rules are cheating. Every single one, no exceptions.

The best perk of going with 10 man dev squads is that you can combat squad so you have 2 heavy weapons per squad. This can be pretty nice as it splits your fire and gives you lots of ablative wounds.

As mentioned, cost is the big problem. While bolters are not horrible weapons in today's meta, they are mid ranged and devs tend to want to sit back at long range.

It really depends on what you are using your Devs for. I usually just take them in 5 man squads, find a nice tall ruin and let them rain fire. With most of your guns being in the 36" - 48" range you really don't need them up close and personal so the ablitive wounds become less of an issue. Now if your using them to haul around multi-meltas then your will probably want some ablitive wounds hanging around, you probably don't need 10 unless your running IF and want to combat squad.

P.S. - Don't feed the trolls.

Are the options really only 5 or 10?

Why not 6-7? A couple of ablative wounds without going the whole hog.

If you have an extra 14 or 28 points, adding a few extra bodies is never a bad thing.

3 10 man units, banner of devastation. Against infantry those bolter chumps aren't so useless anymore.

 ADustyMan wrote:
3 10 man units, banner of devastation. Against infantry those bolter chumps aren't so useless anymore.

In 5th edition the bolter was a nearly useless weapon. Most players brought transports and were tank-heavy. The rules to rapid fire just made it hard to deliver that much of a punch with bolters.

6th edition has changed things around. The increase of infantry, xenos, and rapid fire have made the bolter a much more desireable weapon. In my last few games I've seen the bolters do as much of the work as the heavy weapons. For example, on my stormravens/centurians the hurricane bolters will often do as much damage as the special weapons when fighting xenos armies.

Beard wrote:
I find that with 10 mans squads, you can place the guys with bolt guns in front of your heavy weapons, so they should in theory last longer

Exactly my tactic, and yes, other then against template weapons, it keeps them in the fight much longer.

I like to combat squad my 10 man dev teams, get to use those 5 tacticals as bodies on the field. Of course there's been instances when my dev's could've used the bodies as shields, but generally I don't let anything get that close.

YMMV actually.

Also, IF Codex due out in 2014, explains: Bolter Drill and what it means. You should pick it up OP.

The nice thing is, if you have a 10 man squad you can choose to combat squad or not based on who your playing to give your list a little flexibility.

If they are a foot list or MC heavy, keeping the squad together into one blob isn't a bad plan. If they are vehicle heavy, splitting them up is the better choice. If your someone who runs a ADL, keeping your Sergeant and a normal bolter guy in contact with the gun allows you the choice of firing the gun on the Intercept Turn and then using the Signum on your normal shooting turn.

Personally, I run four lascannons in a 10 man squad and use a Icarus lascannon on my ADL. I surround my heavy weapons with bolter guys (2-3 outside the ADL in front) and two covering the rear and sides with the Sergeant on the gun. I use this squad as a Anti Aircraft squad as well as for normal high value targets. I fire the Icarus every turn I can, because why not?

I combat Squad up my Tactical squads to end up with two more Lascannons behind the ADL and I run two Preds with LC Sponsons to give me 11 lascannon shots a turn. One thing I fear is Helldrake spam, but the Preds give me something that is flamer proof, but a vector strike target. If they Vector strike it, they are not flaming. Not the best solution (Centurions win the Helldrake fight hands down), but a cheaper one.