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Hi all,
Need advice on deciding the load out for my Blood Angels assault squad.

Here are the two options I am considering;

OPTION 1
Vet. Sergeant (+10pts)
Inferno Pistol (+15pts)
Power Sword (+15pts)
Assault Marine
Meltagun (+10pts)
Assault Marine
Meltagun (+10pts)
Assault Marine
Eviscerator (+25pts)
Assault Marine
Bolt Pistol
Chainsword
- Jump packs all round (+15pts)
TOTAL COST 170pts

OPTION 2
Vet. Sergeant (+10pts)
Inferno Pistol (+15pts)
Power Sword (+15pts)
Assault Marine
Meltagun (+10pts)
Assault Marine
Eviscerator (+25pts)
Assault Marine
Bolt Pistol
Chainsword
Assault Marine
Bolt Pistol
Chainsword
- Jump packs all round (+15pts)
TOTAL COST 160pts

Note: Must include Eviscerator. Now Blood Angels can take it, I wannit. Hide it on a regular marine and it can't be challenged out. Saves the Sgt. taking a power fist, and also means he can fight at I5 with his power sword (on the charge).

Option 1 lets me make the most of being able to take two meltaguns in the squad. It does however only leave me with one regular guy for redundancy before I start losing points I've invested.

Option 2 drops one meltagun in place for a regular guy. -1 melta shot, but gives me two models for redundancy before I start losing points I've invested.

Hidden 3rd option: Drop the inferno pistol from the first option and just have two meltaguns (incase 3 melta shots is OTT). Leaves me with the same problem and -1 melta shot, but saves 15pts (if I have a bolt pistol instead). Also means if I fail with the shooting, I can charge and make the most of the 25pt eviscerator.

The reason why I included the inferno pistol is because I tend to roll bad, so 3 shots for me is better than 2. This may however invalidate the need for the eviscerator if I manage to pop the target vehicle. The eviscerator is great for if I fail with the shooting (which I normally do, hence the 3 shots), and charge afterwards.

I know the sensible option may be to drop the eviscerator and take a power fist on the Sgt. (and a combo-melta instead of the inferno pistol), then I'd have two regular marines for redundancy and keep 3 melta shots, but the eviscerator is too cool to leave out lol. That, and I want to keep the Sgt. fighting at his initiative at least.

Any advice would be appreciated!

Option 1. Although I'd consider combi-melta and lightning claw on the sarge.

Evicserators would be better if the guy didn't have a single attack.

I'd go with option 1, but loose the inferno pistol. I tend to find that their limited range and high cost means they're rarely worth it. Better value than the hand flamer, but still not that great in my experience.

Martel732 wrote:Option 1. Although I'd consider combi-melta and lightning claw on the sarge.

Evicserators would be better if the guy didn't have a single attack.

Combi-melta and lightning claw is what I went for on my drop pod unit. Good combo, but I figured that I'd rather the Sgt. in the jump pack squad have more than one shot with his melta. I also wanted him to have as many attacks as possible so he could protect the squad a bit in combat. That why I stuck with pistol and power sword.

I did think about giving the veteran Sgt. the eviscerator for the extra attack, but again, I wanted the Sgt. to have more attacks and be able to take advantage of having I5 on the charge. Plus I figured, a normal guy will still have 2 attacks on the charge and you only need 3's to hit a vehicle. A strength 10 hit would likely do some damage especially as it has armourbane.

snykyninja wrote:I'd go with option 1, but loose the inferno pistol. I tend to find that their limited range and high cost means they're rarely worth it. Better value than the hand flamer, but still not that great in my experience.

Yeah that's what was putting me in two minds with the inferno pistol. 6" range at 15pts isn't fantastic. At least with regular meltaguns I wouldn't have to worry about it as much.

Do you guys think I shouldn't worry about how many regular marines I have in the squad for redundancy then? Just go Sgt. - melta - melta - eviscerator - regular ?

You probably won't get more than one shot with your assault sergeant, so why not combi/claw?

Martel732 wrote:
You probably won't get more than one shot with your assault sergeant, so why not combi/claw?

I was hoping the guys with jump packs might survive a bit longer to be honest!

That's why I gave the drop pod Sgt. a combi-melta,because I though he'd probably just get the one shot off. If the drop pod unit tend to get wiped after getting their shots off, I'll probably not upgrade the Sgt. and drop his lightning claw for a chainsword to shave 25pts off the squad.

Power armor units don't last that long anymore. Or the get tarpitted because assault marines aren't that killy.

When I see BA assault squads it's usually 5 men with 2 meltaguns, and a pair of inferno pistols on the sgt. Then dropped in a pod next to whatever needs melting.

4 melta shots from a 5 man assault squad is pretty decent.
Plus as you say, they tend to only get one volley of shots off. So may as well make those shots count for as much as possible.

Arson Fire wrote:
When I see BA assault squads it's usually 5 men with 2 meltaguns, and a pair of inferno pistols on the sgt. Then dropped in a pod next to whatever needs melting.

4 melta shots from a 5 man assault squad is pretty decent.
Plus as you say, they tend to only get one volley of shots off. So may as well make those shots count for as much as possible.

Is 4 shots overkill though? 30pts for two 6" shots is a big investment. I decided to leave the inferno pistol off my Sgt. because I didn't want to have someone running around on foot with a 6" range pistol (thats if they survive of course). Plus having a combi-melta means I wouldn't have to worry about range as much.

Anyway, my drop pod unit are already built

For the jump pack squad, I think I'll have 2 melta guns and an inferno pistol. Keep them to 3 shots too.