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Do you prefer the drop pod + melta method, taking out tanks at the beginning of the game?
Or
Do you throw in some plasmas and drop in for some anti infantry action?
Or
Do you save your points and rely solely on special ammo?
Or
Have you found some other creative and deadly way to field your Sternguard Veterans?

And by all means, describe any instances where your strategy worked out beautifully. (link some battle reports if you have them.)

Take two Plasma Guns or Melta Guns, and about 7-8 in a squad. Don't go TOO over the top.

6/10 Combi-Melta, 4/10 Bolter in a Drop Pod. Drop next to a tank or something nasty. Blow tank up. Use appropriate Special Ammunition after that point.

In an Objective game, enjoy ObSec Sternguard.

Tyrannic War Veterans (Sternguard with only Hellfire ammo) and Chaplain Cassius in a Land Raider Redeemer. They work as my Horde killers above all else and the rest of my list can focus on killing tanks and heavy Infantry. Bikes with Melta, Tacticals with the Grav Cannon, that sort of thing. But the Veterans rip apart things without good armor and the Land Raider torches what does.

 SharkoutofWata wrote:
Tyrannic War Veterans (Sternguard with only Hellfire ammo) and Chaplain Cassius in a Land Raider Redeemer. They work as my Horde killers above all else and the rest of my list can focus on killing tanks and heavy Infantry. Bikes with Melta, Tacticals with the Grav Cannon, that sort of thing. But the Veterans rip apart things without good armor and the Land Raider torches what does.

Interesting. Do you find that you have better results with a Land Raider instead of a Drop Pod? I am considering a different strategy with mine since I don't like having the squad getting shot up as easily as it does after they alpha strike.

Actually, I haven't used them in a drop pod so I can't compare the two. The Formation I use restricts that. But, I haven't had a problem with my Land Raider yet. It keeps the threat mobile as the game goes on and I don't have to fully commit an expensive unit to one section of the table. Very few things want to be within 24" of wherever I put the Redeemer and it gives me very good table control.

SharkoutofWata wrote:Tyrannic War Veterans (Sternguard with only Hellfire ammo) and Chaplain Cassius in a Land Raider Redeemer. They work as my Horde killers above all else and the rest of my list can focus on killing tanks and heavy Infantry. Bikes with Melta, Tacticals with the Grav Cannon, that sort of thing. But the Veterans rip apart things without good armor and the Land Raider torches what does.

SharkoutofWata wrote:Actually, I haven't used them in a drop pod so I can't compare the two. The Formation I use restricts that. But, I haven't had a problem with my Land Raider yet. It keeps the threat mobile as the game goes on and I don't have to fully commit an expensive unit to one section of the table. Very few things want to be within 24" of wherever I put the Redeemer and it gives me very good table control.

Everyone always wants to go the drop pod route with their Sternguard, but I really like what you have. I'd prefer to keep my losses to a minimum, rather than use them as a suicide squad. What formation are you using? What has your success rate been?

BA Sternguard in a fast Rhino have worked pretty well for me. I mean, it's BA, so there's low expectations.

The St. Tylus battle force is Cassius, 1+ TWVs, and 0-6 stormtalons. The vets are not allowed to take pods, but can take LRs as DTs. They can’t normally take rhinos/razors.

While fluffy and cool, I dislike the rules for the TWVs. And I say that as an Ultramarine player who owns the minis. Outside a few niche cases, regular sternguard are the same or just better. Which is a shame.

As for my sternguard, they normally work in a 9 or 10 man squad in a pod. Usually with a pair of HFs, occasionally a handful of c-meltas. With the 1st co formation, full 10 man squads are more attractive. Combat squadding on the drop will yield 3 units, enough to trigger the special rule.

I like to use them as 10 mans with no upgrades. The cost of combies is just too high. They weren't OP at 5 points - don't know why they changed it.

It's really too bad we don't have an open topped transport we could put them in - then theyd be really good.

 Xenomancers wrote:
I like to use them as 10 mans with no upgrades. The cost of combies is just too high. They weren't OP at 5 points - don't know why they changed it.

It's really too bad we don't have an open topped transport we could put them in - then theyd be really good.

I now want to see some sternguard in scout armor, zooming around in a LSS doing black ops kinda work. The kind of work that requires shooting special ammo out of fast skimmers

 Nevelon wrote:

 Xenomancers wrote:
I like to use them as 10 mans with no upgrades. The cost of combies is just too high. They weren't OP at 5 points - don't know why they changed it.

It's really too bad we don't have an open topped transport we could put them in - then theyd be really good.

I now want to see some sternguard in scout armor, zooming around in a LSS doing black ops kinda work. The kind of work that requires shooting special ammo out of fast skimmers

Yeah that would be awesome - it begs me to wonder too. You have dudes like sgt. Telion (who is a career scout) there must be some scouts who would be approaching the skills of a sterngard. In today special forces as you said - our scouts are actually our best trained and most deadly units. So - why can't some scouts get some special ammo!?

 Nevelon wrote:

 Xenomancers wrote:
I like to use them as 10 mans with no upgrades. The cost of combies is just too high. They weren't OP at 5 points - don't know why they changed it.

It's really too bad we don't have an open topped transport we could put them in - then theyd be really good.

I now want to see some sternguard in scout armor, zooming around in a LSS doing black ops kinda work. The kind of work that requires shooting special ammo out of fast skimmers

Yes, please! Elite Scouts with Sternguard Ammo would be amazing. Would give me a reason to get more Land Speeder Storms too.

Nevelon said it. The Saint Tylus Formation. As long as they stick to their intended target, they do great. It's an expensive unit that chews through troop choices and leaves the bulk of my army available to take on other things. The Stormtalons being on the table Turn 1 with Infiltrate is friggin awesome, and in casual games it's more than enough to give me the advantage. I only run one to be friendly. Competitively it's not as good simply because a lot of armies at that level have a Turn 1 answer to Land Raiders and I lose all mobility.

I'm a fluffy player at heart which is why I use the TWV instead of normal Sternguard in my Ultramarines, but there's no reason why the same idea doesn't work with regular Sternguard.

I use mine using the ARCHANGELS SANGUINE WING Loaded up with Combi-Plasmas and two Plasma Guns.
The Vanguard Vets get Power Lance/Spear and Storm Shields [300 Style]
And then toss in a Close Combat tooled Dread.

 Anpu42 wrote:
I use mine using the ARCHANGELS SANGUINE WING Loaded up with Combi-Plasmas and two Plasma Guns.
The Vanguard Vets get Power Lance/Spear and Storm Shields [300 Style]
And then toss in a Close Combat tooled Dread.

Incredibly inefficient.

Martel732 wrote:

 Anpu42 wrote:
I use mine using the ARCHANGELS SANGUINE WING Loaded up with Combi-Plasmas and two Plasma Guns.
The Vanguard Vets get Power Lance/Spear and Storm Shields [300 Style]
And then toss in a Close Combat tooled Dread.

Incredibly inefficient.

What, I am only really Paying for the two Plasma Guns, Storm Shields and Jump Packs.

If your going to take stormshields and lances, why not just take lightning claws. They are also free and get reroll to wound rather than +1s, and they ALWAYS get it...not just on the turn they charge.

effreem wrote:
If your going to take stormshields and lances, why not just take lightning claws. They are also free and get reroll to wound rather than +1s, and they ALWAYS get it...not just on the turn they charge.

Because this is SPARTA!

I thematic choice, but I might do it for one of them. Those crested helm are hard to find.

 Anpu42 wrote:

Martel732 wrote:

 Anpu42 wrote:
I use mine using the ARCHANGELS SANGUINE WING Loaded up with Combi-Plasmas and two Plasma Guns.
The Vanguard Vets get Power Lance/Spear and Storm Shields [300 Style]
And then toss in a Close Combat tooled Dread.

Incredibly inefficient.

What, I am only really Paying for the two Plasma Guns, Storm Shields and Jump Packs.

Oh, that formation. I didn't like being forced to take two squads of overpriced crap in the form of Vanguards. The power weapons don't really help that much, only the free combis. And with combi plas, you are killing some of your own expensive Sternguards.

Martel732 wrote:

 Anpu42 wrote:

Martel732 wrote:

 Anpu42 wrote:
I use mine using the ARCHANGELS SANGUINE WING Loaded up with Combi-Plasmas and two Plasma Guns.
The Vanguard Vets get Power Lance/Spear and Storm Shields [300 Style]
And then toss in a Close Combat tooled Dread.

Incredibly inefficient.

What, I am only really Paying for the two Plasma Guns, Storm Shields and Jump Packs.

Oh, that formation. I didn't like being forced to take two squads of overpriced crap in the form of Vanguards. The power weapons don't really help that much, only the free combis. And with combi plas, you are killing some of your own expensive Sternguards.

Yes I have to deal with 'Gets Hot', but I can Vaporize a Riptide in one Volley.

Only if your opponent is braindead. You won't doubletap anything I care about in my BA lists, and I doubt a good Tau player will let you do it, either.

Martel732 wrote:
Only if your opponent is braindead. You won't doubletap anything I care about in my BA lists, and I doubt a good Tau player will let you do it, either.

I was going to say something about using tactics and using terrain, but all of that never means anything to you because we are not in the same META.

 Anpu42 wrote:

Martel732 wrote:
Only if your opponent is braindead. You won't doubletap anything I care about in my BA lists, and I doubt a good Tau player will let you do it, either.

I was going to say something about using tactics and using terrain, but all of that never means anything to you because we are not in the same META.

So your meta doesn't use bubblewrap? Or transports? Or board edges? Okay.

Martel732 wrote:

 Anpu42 wrote:

Martel732 wrote:
Only if your opponent is braindead. You won't doubletap anything I care about in my BA lists, and I doubt a good Tau player will let you do it, either.

I was going to say something about using tactics and using terrain, but all of that never means anything to you because we are not in the same META.

So your meta doesn't use bubblewrap? Or transports? Or board edges? Okay.

Yes we do that, but we also use Blocking Terrain and Bubble Wrap Means nothing with a target with a 5++ Save if I can get within 12".

 Anpu42 wrote:

Martel732 wrote:

 Anpu42 wrote:

Martel732 wrote:
Only if your opponent is braindead. You won't doubletap anything I care about in my BA lists, and I doubt a good Tau player will let you do it, either.

I was going to say something about using tactics and using terrain, but all of that never means anything to you because we are not in the same META.

So your meta doesn't use bubblewrap? Or transports? Or board edges? Okay.

Yes we do that, but we also use Blocking Terrain and Bubble Wrap Means nothing with a target with a 5++ Save if I can get within 12".

If you can get within 12", it's not bubblewrap. That's the whole point.

Personally, I like using them in the Deathwatch Kill-team formation from Warzone : Damnos. It's one captain + 2 or more Sternguard / Vanguard in any combination.

When I choose sternguard, I make them my MC/GMC dedicated killers cause I usually play against Nids or Eldar. With a Drop-pod 2 Grav guns and 1 grav pistol, they strike hard, especially because the formation give them Preferred Enemy (Xenos). I like to stick a Location Beacon on the drop pod so my Tempestus Scions can DS near them and give them support.

I know it's a costly combination but it's very fluffy and I like it. Sometimes, if I play well, my vets can avoid retaliatory fire and then they become even more a pain in the butt for my opponent.

I like to leave them painted on the shelf looking pretty with the other mediocre models I never field unless playing a certain few bodies

I play Crimson Fists with Pedro, so Strenguard are good for me.

10 Sternguard; 4 combi-plasma, Drop pod for Marine killing.

10 Sternguard; 4 combi-melta, power fist, Drop pod to kill vehicles.

I used to run a lot more combi and a couple of matching special weapons in the squads, but now it's more basic.

Do you find plasma to be preferable to grav?