Blood Angel Sgt. Load Out Questions

[whargoul666]

I was looking for input on how to build Blood Angel Sgts. of the various unit types (Assault/Tactical/Devistator)?

Here are my thoughts. I really like Power Fists and Axes and so forth, but are these Sgts. going to make it to I1 in a challenge? I'm thinking:

Assault: Power Sword/Plasma Pistol or Shield
Tactical: Plasma Pistol and Shield or Combi
Dev: Nothing or Combi

What is the general consensus?

[DarkLink]

Nothing, pretty much. Challenges killed assault sergeants. Unless you're like, say, a Grey Knight Justicar who can take an I6 power weapon for cheap, keep sergeants cheap, they're mostly there for extra leadership and maybe a combi-weapon.

[Bob821]

It depends on what you are using the squad for and who you are playing! I'd say if you did not know who or what...

Assault: Power fist or thunder hammer.
Tactical: Power sword.
Dev: Nothing.

If you know for example that you’re going Terminator or Broad Side hunting with you assault marines Power axe and plasma pistol. If it’s going to be swarms of Orks Power Mace... I'm sure you get the idea. It depends on who you’re playing and what sort of list they use!

If playing space wolves I would arm my Dev Sarg with a power sword as I expect drop pods with grey hunter behind my lines... I am going to stop now this could go on all morning!

I quite experienced with Blood Angels so if you know more about your opponent I could probably give you a better answer. If you don't know I'd go with what I put above.

[Anggul]

I would only take a fist/hammer if you're going vehicle hunting. In a unit-to-unit fight you're likely to get challenged which, if you survive the enemy strikes, you will probably win, but you're fairly likely to be killed first, wasting the expensive fist/hammer. Alternatively you could refuse the challenge, and still waste the fist/hammer because you then can't attack. It's annoying, challenges are a silly set of rules which actively encourages people to play against the fluff and work around the rules to avoid having their points and characters completely wasted.

Tactical Sergeants should have a combi-weapon if not just a bolter, Assault Sergeants I like to give a Power Sword. A Storm Shield is very tempting and useful for challenges but also very expensive.

Devastator Sergeants I would never give anything.

[Garradh]

Dev sergeants shouldn't get anything, Tac sergeants I don't typically give anything. If either of those squads is in melee, it's not on purpose.

Assault squads I usually take a power weapon and meltabombs, your choice on pistol. Assault Marine sergeants are good enough to beat some in challenges, tough enough to survive some challenges, but are going to die against the best unit characters set up to win challenges. Might as well give them an honest chance against MEQ and an above-average against worse-than-Marines. Use that I4.

[dirkspair]

try to figure out what the squad (or combat squad) is supposed to do, equip accordingly.
a tac squad with a heavy bolter and a flamer sits on an objective and shoots infantry, give him a storm bolter.
assault squad supposed to hunt vehicles? melta bomb or inferno pistol
dev sarges usually need nothing, they make sure a weapon shoots better with their signum, if they get into HtH, something went wrong.

[Brandoncbaker]

I still play an assault heavy BA army and my Sgt with power fist and shield has killed more than his share by 3. Just this weekend at the cost of his squad, he managed to kill a Wraithknight.then scurry back to an objective to control it. So. Guess it really just depends.

[ElectricPaladin]

In my current list...

Foot Assault Sergeant: Power Sword & Pistol

This guy is kitted out to support his squad in melee. They don't do a lot of shooting, because they come charging out of the land raider. Mostly, his squad relies on weight of attacks and ability to soften their targets up with their land raider before charging, so he isn't kitted out to do any shooting.

Jump Assault Sergeant: Power Maul, Plasma Pistol, Combat Shield

This guy's first role is to take challenges for the jump librarian who will be hanging out with the squad, hence the power maul. Anyone who gets into a challenge with him just might end up on his butt, which will make it easier for the rest of the squad to smush him next turn. Why a plasma pistol? This squad is actually mostly about shooting. With a Divination librarian hanging out with them, all those pistol shots and melta shots are going to hit home. So, I wanted to give the squad an extra high value shot.

Devastator Sergeant: Bolt Pistol & Chainsword

Never underestimate the power of a lone sergeant to mix it up in melee, but given how far back these guys are likely to be, it's best to keep their sergeant cheap.