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What is the best loadout for Tactical squads?
I use Sergeants with Plasma Pistols, Plasma Guns, and Plasma Cannons, as they aren't useless against PaladinStars/Centurions/Terminators like bolters are.
My meta is pretty casual. My usual opponents are GKs, CSMs, DE, Ultramarines, and super-competitive Tyranids.

This is both situational and subject to personal taste to an extent. Can you let us know more about the rest of your army, points level, and preferred tactics?

For example, in small, sub 1000pt games I would be more likely to give my tac squads a power weapon, melta bombs, and a more diverse loadout since they will provide a lot more of my armies core power.

At 2000pts though I am more likely to specialize each squad for a specific role, so I might have two 5 man squads in drop pods with melta and combi-melta for 1st turn drops and then have 2 10 man squads in Rhinos with flamer and plasma cannon for holding objectives.

We can give you some better opinions once we know a bit more about your army, etc.

 Gideon999 wrote:
This is both situational and subject to personal taste to an extent. Can you let us know more about the rest of your army, points level, and preferred tactics?
Nothing except a LR and Devastator squad. It's a side project, but I want to be able to build everything in the most competitive loadout. My points level is Whatever the Opponent Has. My chapter tactic is tailored to the opponent.

For example, in small, sub 1000pt games I would be more likely to give my tac squads a power weapon, melta bombs, and a more diverse loadout since they will provide a lot more of my armies core power.

At 2000pts though I am more likely to specialize each squad for a specific role, so I might have two 5 man squads in drop pods with melta and combi-melta for 1st turn drops and then have 2 10 man squads in Rhinos with flamer and plasma cannon for holding objectives.

We can give you some better opinions once we know a bit more about your army, etc.

If you are looking to tailor your army to each and every individual game then I suggest either getting lots and lots of marines and making some of everything, or magnetizing.

For me, I keep tactical as cheap as possible, they are there to grab objectives and not be too expensive when they die

Verviedi wrote:

 Gideon999 wrote:
This is both situational and subject to personal taste to an extent. Can you let us know more about the rest of your army, points level, and preferred tactics?
Nothing except a LR and Devastator squad. It's a side project, but I want to be able to build everything in the most competitive loadout. My points level is Whatever the Opponent Has. My chapter tactic is tailored to the opponent.

For example, in small, sub 1000pt games I would be more likely to give my tac squads a power weapon, melta bombs, and a more diverse loadout since they will provide a lot more of my armies core power.

At 2000pts though I am more likely to specialize each squad for a specific role, so I might have two 5 man squads in drop pods with melta and combi-melta for 1st turn drops and then have 2 10 man squads in Rhinos with flamer and plasma cannon for holding objectives.

We can give you some better opinions once we know a bit more about your army, etc.

Don't be that Tau Player

Actually if you want an adaptable list with out spending a chunk of points on "spare bodies" then UM Tactics and list built to them is probably your best choice, plus it gives you Tiggy. I like to hav a mix of tac sqauds in a list. A plasma squad like you mention, a melta squad, grav squad, and even the classic flamer/ML/BP+CS build. Helps to insure you got something for every one, and with UM you get he most use of CT since they now benefit from all of them.

You probably want a mix of Rhinos and drop pods for versatility.

I play a drop pod list and I like a 10 man squad with plasma and combi plasma sergeant for my TACs.

I run Sentinels of Terra so points allowing I'll put a Heavy Bolter in there.

Deep Strike, Combat squad into Sgt w/ Combi Plasma, 3x Bolters, Plasma marine - 4x Bolters and Heavy Bolter.

The heavy bolter for SoT rerolls to hit within 18" which is almost always the case with deep strike, so even the turn they land his snapshots aren't useless. The next turn the second combat squad pumps out 8 bolter and 3 heavy bolters shots at 12" range, rerolling to hit.

They also are not bad at all at dealing with light-medium vehicles. Hit AV 10 rear with a bunch of bolters, a heavy bolter, 2-4 plasma shots, and 2 krak grenades.

Krak grenades are often forgotten, and by combat squadding you double your grenade count. In the last game I played, double krak grenades from TAC squads were responsible for the last HP on 3 razorbacks.

I have been play testing 10 man with plasma combi plasma in rhinos and rushing up with support from various other units.

If you like specialized Pod Squads, it's hard to go wrong with Flamer / Heavy Flamer combo, with a CC weapon upgrade for your Sergeant. Combi flamer, if you really want to lay out the infantry hate. Flamers mix well with bolters on the turn your drop, as they have the same ideal targets. The follow up turn, you can fire pistols and still charge the one or two guys that are left.

If you like flexible Pod Squads, then a Plasmagun, Multi-Melta, Combi-Flamer makes for about as flexible a unit as you can get. Good against hordes [Flamer / Bolters], good against elites / MC [3 low ap shots, plus Power Axe + MB] and good against mid AV vehicles.

If you want a Sit'n'shoot squad, Plasma / LC is handy against most units, up to medium vehicles.

I'm not big on Rhinos, when Pods are just as cheap, but if you like Razorbacks then a PG / LC home squad, with a Combi-Flamer rocking squad in a Razor isn't too bad. Probably best with a Heavy Flamer turret [?] but the turret is probably best chosen based on what your army needs.

Umm... that's what comes off the top of my head.

My current list has my tacticals as METAL BAWX hugging back field objective holders.

so i have em with a Plasma cannon and a melta bomb sarge

Gives me the range and shouldn't get too swamped against vehicles.

however if i got full HAM on drop pods, it will usually be 5 mans with a Melta or Plasma with a combi of the same type. then add melta bombs as redundancies.

 greatbigtree wrote:
If you like specialized Pod Squads, it's hard to go wrong with Flamer / Heavy Flamer combo, with a CC weapon upgrade for your Sergeant. Combi flamer, if you really want to lay out the infantry hate. Flamers mix well with bolters on the turn your drop, as they have the same ideal targets. The follow up turn, you can fire pistols and still charge the one or two guys that are left.

If you like flexible Pod Squads, then a Plasmagun, Multi-Melta, Combi-Flamer makes for about as flexible a unit as you can get. Good against hordes [Flamer / Bolters], good against elites / MC [3 low ap shots, plus Power Axe + MB] and good against mid AV vehicles.

Unfortunately if we're talking about just tactical squads you can't take the heavy flamer (only sternguard or LotD or terminators) Also now in 7th mixing flamers and heavy flamers means you might miss some wounds as they resolve at different times.

As for flexible squads its nice to have options but I would prefer to have each squad dedicated to one purpose so it's strong against that rather than being less effective against everything. So flamer, combi-flame, maybe heavy bolter, vs hordes then another squad with melta, combi-melta, maybe multi-melta for tanks. Especially in drop pods as you can pick your targets most of the time.