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Hi All,

I've got a the deathwatch models from Deathwatch Overkill lying about, along with a few space marine bitz I can use to convert them, and since I'll be keeping them for the board game itself (and because they're such nice models), I want to figure out a way of using them in 40k as well. I do really like their rules in 40k as well, after all.

In the spirit of new year, new army, I'm going to be starting an Adeptus Mechanicus force and so wanted to use a small kill team of Deathwatch as allies. The idea I currently have is to stick the Aquila Kill Team (5 vets w/ 3x Combi-Meltas, 1x Frag Cannon, 2x Storm Shield + ML 2 Librarian) in a Drop Pod, drop them turn 1 near my opponents back lines and cause some havoc with combi meltas and then hopefully survive and charge. Librarian will be rolling on Divination as Prescience's re-rolls are useful both in and out of combat, plus there's some great spells like Ignores Cover in there. Librarian can also take an Auspex to help reduce cover as well, which will stack nicely with AdMech's Omnispexes and Luminagen weapons.

I was also going to run minimum Blood Angels allies; a Sanguinary Priest and 5 Scouts (which I'll be getting with Lost Patrol - another board game on my purchase list) to attach the priest to the kill team to give them more staying power with FNP.

The question I have is how to best kit out this kill team or if I'm even using the optimum one. I've got access to all the Deathwatch models that come with DWO but I'm not averse to picking up an extra box of Veterans. As I say, my plan is to equip them with 3 combi-meltas and a frag cannon which, with most likely a re-roll from Prescience , I hope to be enough to take out any vehicle. If there's no suitable targets for the meltas, the kill team will instead set about shooting holes in other stuff with the appropriate type of ammo. If my opponent has any AP3 firepower or better, the two storm shields will deploy closest to it, so hopefully I'll be able to soak up a fair bit of fire with a 3+/5+ (FNP) against pretty much anything. The Librarian is there to help buff the Kill Team, as well as provide some Psychic presence that AdMech otherwise lack. I'm hoping the Kill Team will stick around and be able to take on some stuff in combat, and generally just be a menace in my opponent's back line. As such, I didn't know whether it would be worth kitting out some of my guys with some close-combat gear, or even taking a black shield. There's also the option of some extra models, such as taking a bike and sticking him at the front to take wounds on his 3+ Jink save. However, I don't want the team to get too expensive, especially if I'm likely to be shot off the board as soon as I arrive. And of course, there's the option of a different Kill Team altogether.

So, opinions/thoughts on the best loadout for a small allied force of Deathwatch in this situation?

Skitarii lack good close combat and alpha strike. Deathwatch can help with the alpha strike but are really expensive for what they do in cc. A few frag cannons and or combi meltas in a pod can ruin someones day, but if you want a competent close combat unit you are going to be better off taking a unit of death company in your allied detachment.

 Hayes1118 wrote:
Skitarii lack good close combat and alpha strike. Deathwatch can help with the alpha strike but are really expensive for what they do in cc. A few frag cannons and or combi meltas in a pod can ruin someones day, but if you want a competent close combat unit you are going to be better off taking a few units of Wulfen in a Murderpack.

Fixed that for you. Anything DC do, Wulfen do better.

True, there's not much that can match Wulfen in combat, but adding in another allied detachment just takes more away from the main force and lumps more monetary cost on myself.

I'm not looking for my Deathwatch to go taking on massive combat beatstick units like Wulfen, but against armies like Tau or opposing AdMech I'm hoping they can start rolling up the back-line and causing some havoc and panic in their firebase. Sure, I don't expect them to wipe out everything before they inevitably get shot to pieces, but if they can draw some fire, tie up a unit or take one out or just generally do a bit of damage then I'm happy. I'm just looking for the most cost-effective damage. I also plan to field of a unit of Infiltrators who will hopefully be closing in on enemy back lines to cause some havoc/distraction, something hopefully made easier by the Deathwatch's presence.

 The Shadow wrote:
True, there's not much that can match Wulfen in combat, but adding in another allied detachment just takes more away from the main force and lumps more monetary cost on myself.

I'm not looking for my Deathwatch to go taking on massive combat beatstick units like Wulfen, but against armies like Tau or opposing AdMech I'm hoping they can start rolling up the back-line and causing some havoc and panic in their firebase. Sure, I don't expect them to wipe out everything before they inevitably get shot to pieces, but if they can draw some fire, tie up a unit or take one out or just generally do a bit of damage then I'm happy. I'm just looking for the most cost-effective damage. I also plan to field of a unit of Infiltrators who will hopefully be closing in on enemy back lines to cause some havoc/distraction, something hopefully made easier by the Deathwatch's presence.

To be honest, the less Wulfen anyone fields, the better.

I don't really play Deathwatch myself so I might not be the correct person to give advice, but if I were to field a few squads with maxed Frag Cannons in pods should give you a pretty flexible alpha strike.

 Lammikkovalas wrote:

 The Shadow wrote:
True, there's not much that can match Wulfen in combat, but adding in another allied detachment just takes more away from the main force and lumps more monetary cost on myself.

I'm not looking for my Deathwatch to go taking on massive combat beatstick units like Wulfen, but against armies like Tau or opposing AdMech I'm hoping they can start rolling up the back-line and causing some havoc and panic in their firebase. Sure, I don't expect them to wipe out everything before they inevitably get shot to pieces, but if they can draw some fire, tie up a unit or take one out or just generally do a bit of damage then I'm happy. I'm just looking for the most cost-effective damage. I also plan to field of a unit of Infiltrators who will hopefully be closing in on enemy back lines to cause some havoc/distraction, something hopefully made easier by the Deathwatch's presence.

To be honest, the less Wulfen anyone fields, the better.

I don't really play Deathwatch myself so I might not be the correct person to give advice, but if I were to field a few squads with maxed Frag Cannons in pods should give you a pretty flexible alpha strike.

Maxxed frag cannons are tremendously expensive (25pts/gun on top of 22pts/model) and massively overkill against almost anything. Two is more than enough if you aren't trying to alpha-strike a Titan or some kind of horribly durable deathstar unit.

(For the curious you'd need on average seven frag cannons to one-round a Wraithknight, with pods that's just under 500pts.)

So is the one Frag Cannon going to be enough, or is it still worth adding in a second, or even dropping them altogether to save points?