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My buddy plays SM against my Orks. In many of our games his tactical squads seem to just sit back out of sight and dont even fire a shot while he charges me with his terminators. this would be fine if they were camping objectives, but this is often not the case.

Seems he just has no idea how to effectivly use them. He wants to keep them out of CC with my orks, but its costing him.

How does one use tactical squads to the best advantage?
Should he NOT bring them and bring sniper scouts instead?

any advice from experienced SM players would be great

Just plain hiding the tacticals isn't giving them much of a purpose, you're right. There are a lot of things he could try:

- He could outfit them with a Missile Launcher or Heavy Bolter, and use them as fire support to thin out your mobs.

-He could buy them a Razorback. The Razorback can get a TL Heavy bolter to provide fire support, while the Missile Launcher and a few guys get combat squadded and left behind for support.

-Flamers work great on greenskins!

He needs to remember that a plain old vanilla marine isn't THAT useless in CC also. An Ork Boy is inferior in lots of ways. If he uses some of his shooting to thin out your mobs before they get into assault, he can force you to lose leadership checks as your mob gets smaller... or if it's still fearless, force you to take un-makeable armor saves!

Reserve those terminators and teleport them in when you need them! Hang back! You're a lot scarier than the Orks are in the shooting phase. Thin their numbers out, and then finish it out in CC on your terms!

That's the best advice I can give, with limited knowledge of what models you have, or what your level of play is.

I'd say he needs to get them in the fight!

That said, if he's worried about them facing cc, he can always go for thinning out the orks before they get in range.

If he knows he'll be playing Orks, a Heavy Bolter and flamer, with a combi-flamer on the Sgt should go over well.

At 36"-25" he gets 3 HB shots

At 24"-13" he gets 8 bolter and 3 HB shots,

Once the orks cross the 12" line, he'll get 16 bolter and and 3 HB shots, possibly the tip of the regular flamer template too, depending on where the orks stop.

When charged, they get over-watch shots, and two flamer hits (possibility of 6 wounds) . Then when the assault is over, auto-fail leadership due to combat tactics, and fall back. Due to higher marine initiative the odds are that he'll get away from the orks.

Then on the following turn, dakka away again

Throw in a HB razorback and you get even more fire power, and the possibility of a tank shock to keep the orks at bay for another round.

Hope that helps

He is using a missile launcher and flamer. But he will go 2 and 3 turns without even moving them. I know he needs to get them into the fight just wondering where they were most effective.

As for terminators, he always runs thunder hammers 10man. So deep strike isn't as effective.

I think he is just being too squeamish with the tactical squad.

Thanks for the advice.

In his defense, I am rushing at him with Nob bikers LOL

He could give them a flamer for the extra overwatch shots?
Or combat squad the terminators and use one as a counter-assault unit. (Ineffective but saves buying any new units)

Use the combat squad, 5 SM go do mahem and 5 other keep the objective. SM are the most brainless troop to use... Move, shot and die.

If he places them in terrain, he can benefit from the cover save, and will get to go first in cc due to orks lack of grenades. If he's got a few points to spare he can always throw a Power Maul on the Sgt, that should help him soften up the nobs high toughness, but his primary strength should be his shooting.

On that note, tell him to try proxying in a Thunderfire cannon. It will only cost him 2 terminators or so, and will decimate orks, nobs / bikes or what have you, due to their low armor saves. Plus they have 60" range, so they can be placed way back, and the Techmarine can buff the cover save of any ruins he might want to hide his tactical marines in (12" from mid-line of the board on his side is best). Tell him to experiment with the different ammo options, the dangerous terrain inducing one can be murder on bikes

Hope that helps

I am grateful for all the advice. Thanks.

However, I am really just asking about tactical squads specifically as they seem to be his weak spot.

He does run 2 thunder fire canons and my orks hate them.