Topic: How should I kit out my Sternguard Veterans?

[JDizzle]

I've never used the Sternguard vets before, so I was wondering how big people run the squads, and what exactly they upgrade the squad with. This unit would be in a rhino with a fast paced assault army (2x assault marine squads, Furioso, Death Company)

[Ludo]

I'm not very familiar with the BA Codex but with the C:SM the best way to kit them is with a mix of combi weapons depending on their purpose and a power fist on your SGT.  My preference is 4x combi meltas. Another good tactic is combi meltas and combi flamers coming in from a drop pod.  You combat squad them, have them pop a transport and then flame the insides.

[maturin]

Sternguard have so many options that they can fill whatever role you think your army list is lacking.  Not enough melta?  Take combi-meltas.  Need AP2?  Combi-plasmas fit the bill.  Some long range support?  2x lascannons coming right up!  Anti-horde?  Heavy flamers on the way!

Overall though most people try to capitalize on their special ammo by using combi-bolters.  Running larger squads gives you the option for some ablative wounds as they're definitely going to be taking some fire after they get out of their rhino.  You don't want to have them charged if possible, so have enough veterans to kill whatever you're shooting at in one round.

[Caustic]

Although Sternguard are in the Blood Angels Codex, Vanilla Marines can make the best uses of them at the highest level of list building.  This not to discourage you at all, but the lack of Combat Tactics/TL Melta Flamers and the expense of Rhinos in BA means that there are other units that are simply better for your Elites slot.

If you really want to know details about how to properly kit them if you are intent on running them in a list, then Combi-Meltas, Double Lascannon, and a transport/drop pod can work pretty good.

This article I found online should be very helpful to you: http://www.3plusplus.net/2011/09/blood-angels-codex-review-part-5-elites.html

[Partninja]

Some combi-meltas and a power fist are all that are really needed.

[JDizzle]

I'm already getting a tactical squad, and considering how they're pretty weak I wanted to kick them up to sternguard. Partninja said exactly how I plan on taking them, I figured no heavy weapons as I want to move up to rapid fire and get in a bunch of shots. I understand that I could take better units, but the people I play with are very casual gamers, so that's not really an issue.

Has anybody ever had a problem with Vengeance rounds, i.e. losing a lot of marines from gets hot! I imagine I'd lose one or two guys a turn from rapid firing.

[Eagels of the Saints]

I have Vanilla Marines and my squad of five do really well. they don't have the combis but i recommend them. As others have said give them whats required. I personaly put them down and let them shot at what ever is a high priority. Ive killed a carnifex in one turn from them alone. I would put them in a Rhino have them go up shoot at high targets (give them combi's if you want) and let them give support to other units in firing and mele. They have 2 attacks and if they assault 3 so you can kill a small unsuspecting squad of anything that is shooting orriented.

[enlg]

^Theorically you want them to have a sanguinary priest to prevent wounds from vengence rounds (FNP) and also for a nice furious charge benefit. They do actually have a lot of attacks.

But I don't use them, I simply face them and I would recommend having a substantially large squad (8-10 man+IC's).

Most people prefer meltaguns/combi-meltas, but combi-plasmas can also be quite powerful.

I'd suggest posting a list to see what you want with them.

[Admiral Dred]

I wouldnt be too worried about the Gets Hot!

Think, 10 guys shoot twice.  20 shots. About 3 of those will be ones.  Two of those will be saved.  The risk is about one Sternguard dead.  But think the damage done.  About 13-14 hits, about 7 wounds on an MEQ, thats big hurt on any MEQ.  Its a good idea to target similar Sternguards, the expensive guys that look to wargear instead of a stat change from the basic MEQ line. 

For loadout, 3 plasmas, 3 flamers, 3 meltas (all 9 combis of course) and power fist?  Ultimate flexibility.

[JDizzle]

I had to change my old list a little bit on order to get the Sternguard in. I changed my tactical squad into Sternguard by dropping one MM Land Speeder and by changing my Reclusiarch for a Librarian.

HQ: XXX
Libby w/ Unleash Rage (goes with DC. I know I should have a Reclusiarch with the DC, but I had to shave off points. At least I get a psychic hood and rerolls past first turn of combat. Any suggestions on the other power?)

ELITES: 525
Priest (90): w/ Jump Pack and Power Weapon

Furioso Dreadnought (XXX): (could always switch to a DC dread instead)

Sternguard x9 (310): w/ Power Fist, 2 Combis, Rhino

TROOPS: 755
Assault Marine Squad x10 (225):w/ Power Weapon, 2 Meltaguns (goes with Priest)

Assault Marine Squad x10 (235): w/ Power Fist, 2 Meltaguns (stays near Priest if possible)

Death Company x8 (295): w/ Power Fist, 4 Power Weapons, Rhino

FAST ATTACK: 120
Land Speeders x2 w/ one Multi-melta each

That SHOULD be exactly 1500 points, let me know if I wrote something down wrong, after all this is all from memory.

[ak-73]

I have 3 stock varieties in my vanilla list:
-2xHF + some combi-meltas (infantry killers that can threaten tanks/MCs, etc.)
-1 meltagun + lots of combi-meltas (dedicated tank hunters, sometimes gating in with librarian)
-2xLC + some combi-meltas or -plasmas (ersatz devastators, supposed to threaten tanks/MEQs, etc.)

Variant 1 and 3 need a Rhino to fire out of fire points. Variant 2 doesn't care.

Alex

[JDizzle]

Out of those variants ak-73 said, I'd be leaning towards the first one. I want them to be up close killing armored infantry or annoying CC units, and if the time arises I can pop a tank or two. I really don't want the Special Issue Ammunition going to waste.

Thanks for all the help so far people and Happy Thanksgiving!

[KJQ]

I play Sternguard all the time, but I always have them in a drop pod (1 of 1 or 1 of 3 and come in turn 1). I want to get them 'up-close-and-personal' fast, and rhinos and razorbacks don't cut it. I suppose if you use a couple of long range heavy weapons then a rhino might make sense, but I don't use SG that way.

Depending upon points and opponent, I either go with 5 combi-melta Sternguard or with 5 comb-melta and 5 comb-flamers in the DP.  The former are great at taking out key tanks or transport.  The latter are superb at taking out transports AND the infantry inside (i.e. combat squad on entry, pop the transport with the combi-melta squad, then fry the occupants with the combi-flamer squad. I play vanilla marines with Vulkan, so with re-rolls to hit with meltas and to wound with flamers is almost a guaranteed dead transport and dead or severely weakened infantry unit. I try to place the pod so it will give the squads cover from the 'worst' unit(s) of counter-shooting they'll take in the opponent's next turn. Then my next turn they can use the special ammo to finish off the infantry unit or move on to another one.

[ak-73]

Note that I include meltagun in the tank hunter squad. That way the enemy needs to eliminate them to the last man to keep his vehicles safe.

Alex

[THE Dwarf]

I have just uploaded a 875pts doubles list

http://www.40konline.com/index.php?topic=219020.0

Which includes Sternguard
I my self have never used Sternguard before but need some all-rounders in my Sallies
I have 6 in a drop pod - with Vulkan - armed with two Meltaguns and a powerfist
I decided with Meltas not combi-meltas becasue with Vulkans re-roll they be hitting every time they fire - hopefully
So no matter what ammo I fire they gonna be doing same or mostly better than their brother in arms

[JDizzle]

Thanks for all of the input so far, it seems that melta with a fist is the way to go. Remember that BA rhinos are fast, so I can get up close faster than Vanilla players are used to. I also want combis because I still get my special issue ammo (the reason I have them in the first place), not to mention that once they use their melta shot, that would probably be all I need for the game. After that my other meltas will be doing their jobs (assault marines killing transports, speeders killing tanks, furioso killing whatever). Again, thanks a bunch, I appreciate all of the input and reasoning 

[ak-73]

Note that I do not recommend the fist on 5-man Sternguard squads: it might die before it can swing. If you want to use it on SG, take 7-men SG squads (10 are usually too much).

Alex

[dalaran1991]

I honestly suggest a drop pod instead of Rhino. Your Rhino is expensive than the vanilla version but the drop pod is the same if I remember. Sternies benefit greatly from combat squadding on the drop to split fire. Plus, with a drop pod you have more discretion in choosing where to land. I always use my drop podded units to block off a chunk of the opponent's army to divide and conquer. Plus, since your army will be getting in the face of people right on turn 1 with your fast transports, no need to worry about sternies getting stranded. Often people worries more about those BA assault marines/deathcompany rather than a squad of sternies, which will be their undoing.