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After struggling with the low ranged damage output of my Deathwing, I thought I would try change the whole list into a melee focused force. Here's what I have in mind:

HQ
Belial - TH/SS

TROOPS
6x Deathwing Terminators - 5x TH/SS, 1x Heavy Flamer & CF
5x Deathwing Terminators - 4x TH/SS, 1x Heavy Flamer & CF
5x Deathwing Terminators - 4x TH/SS, 1x Heavy Flamer

999 points

(Obviously I am ignoring the poorly written FAQ regarding sergeants and weapons choices)

The heavy flamer is the heavy weapon of choice to help counter hordes, it synergises well with a melee focused squad, who should be running if they are not next to the enemy.

The CFs are there to help spend those last 10 points, and also will help if I come across any landraiders or soulgrinders.

Belial will most likely drop in with a squad to get some TL flamer hits, probably on turn 2 to try and allow the squads to reach the enemy around the same time to get a turn 3 charge. Though this of course depends on the opposition list.

As with any DW list, it is not overly competitive of course.

Any ideas or suggestions?

If you're going for hammernator spam then it seems that's the best you could do. Pretty sure you have to drop a TH/SS from each squad because you can't have a HF/CF and a TH/SS on the same model. Maybe look at changing one unit to DWK and then take CML instead of HF? That way you could keep the TH/SS and have the firepower of the CML. Just what I would do if spamming hammernators with DW.

Ah yes sorry, I had dropped 1 TH/SS from each squad to make room for the heavy weapons, let me just edit that. The points are still correct.

I thought about taking knights, the big thing putting me off them is the fact they are not scoring. Having 3 scoring units gives te list a little more flexibility when it comes to taking objectives.

This reason is also why I am not taking the FNP banner, as again it leaves me with only 2 scoring units.

Remeber to give your Sgt the heavy weapon as he cannot take a TH/SS

The Sergeant can't take the heavy weapon, as it says "deathwing terminator" may replace their weapon, not any model.

Its ok though, I am ignoring the FAQ with regards to the terminator sergeant and consider it an oversight, especially as terminator assault sergeants in the SM book get to pick TH/SS. The people I play with have no problem with this.

Does anyone have any experience mixing lightning claws into DW squads? Personally I don't see their merits over the TH/SS besides the cost. But I'm open to suggestions.

I played deathwing alot at the end with the old book.LC are ok but the TH is still better.,you gain one attack but make it harder to wound against t4, against t3 I think the math is about the same and the LC does end up doing more damage since it has that extra attack, and against t5+ the LC does less damage since it cant wound as easy.

After playing a few games I've found that this tends to work best of all:

HQ
Belial - TH/SS

TROOPS
5x Deathwing Terminators - 4x TH/SS, 1x Heavy Flamer & CF
5x Deathwing Terminators - 4x TH/SS, 1x Heavy Flamer & CF

HEAVY SUPPORT
Landraider Crusader - Multimelta, Extra armour

1000 points

Foot slogging just didn't seem viable, so belial will deepstrike with one unit, with the other riding in the LRC, hopefully both squads should arrive for a turn 2/3 charge.

Using only TH/SS has been a little too much of a handicap, especially with regards to holding objectives and still putting out some damage.

This is the list I plan to use next. 3 scoring units. TH/SS squad will drop 1st turn with Belial, ideally next to the enemy warlord or biggest threat, either running to cover more ground to guarantee a turn 2 charge, or using the HF to clear any vulnerable targets.

The other 2 squads start on the board and move towards objectives, attempting to draw some fire away from the hammernators.

HQ
Belial - TH/SS

TROOPS
6x Deathwing Terminators - 5x TH/SS, 1XHF/CF
5x Deathwing Terminators - 1x CML, 1x CF
5x Deathwing Terminators - 1x CML, 1x CF

In your 6 man DW squad I'm pretty sure you can have 4 TH/SS if you roll with any heavy weapon besides the CML due to the Sgt requirement of keeping the PS/SB combo. If your group allows you to give him the hammer then go for it.

Yeah, the FAQ is a load of rubbish.

The change was made to clarify the "• Any model can replace all of his weapons" line with regards to heavy weapons, and they messed up the wording imo.

If assault squad sergeants in SM can get TH/SS, then so should the DW.

I agree with you 100%. It is a giant load of crap and I'd rock the TH/SS if my guys weren't already modeled with the PS/SB.

After doing the math hammer on CML and assault cannon, I'm still convinced that the CML is the better choice. However the numbers are pretty close. With this in mind I am going to replace the CMLs and chainfists for an assault cannon to save some points.

The Thunderhammer squad will be changed to knights for 2 reasons. Firstly, they are a little cheaper. Secondly, they are slightly more durable, and in an army where every model counts, and where the squad will be deepstriked right next to the enemy, this will help. Thy also get Belial up to T5, which helps in challenges when faced with powerfists.

HQ
Belial - TH/SS

ELITES
7x Deathwing knights

TROOPS
5x Deathwing Terminators - 1x assault cannon
5x Deathwing Terminators - 1x assault cannon

Belial with 6 TH/SS termies will take 108 Str 4 hits on average to remove
Belial with 7 Knights will take 180 Str 4 hits on average to remove.

Thats quite a boost to survivability against small arms. Of course the presence of pie plates will make lining up less viable.

Still, on paper I am pretty happy with this build.

 Big Blind Bill wrote:
Yeah, the FAQ is a load of rubbish.

The change was made to clarify the "• Any model can replace all of his weapons" line with regards to heavy weapons, and they messed up the wording imo.

If assault squad sergeants in SM can get TH/SS, then so should the DW.

Wait, sergeants can't take TH/SS in DW? Screw GW and their messed up rules.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Big Blind Bill wrote:

The Thunderhammer squad will be changed to knights for 2 reasons. Firstly, they are a little cheaper. Secondly, they are slightly more durable, and in an army where every model counts, and where the squad will be deepstriked right next to the enemy, this will help. Thy also get Belial up to T5, which helps in challenges when faced with powerfists.

This was kinda why I originally wanted some DW Knights Squads in my army... I guess I could switch them and my DW Command Squad every now and then when the situation calls for it.