Space Marine Assault Squad Sergeant

[Blackcloud6]

What is the best way to equip a Space Marine Assault Squad Sergeant? Is the Power Fist a good thing? Or is there a better weapon/combo of weapons? His squad will have jump packs.

[Charistoph]

To many factors to be sure. Personally, I don't care for anything that could be in a Challenge to be fighting at Initiative 1 if I can help it.

[Djbz]

Depends on what You want him to kill, which chapter you use, and if there will be a character joining the unit.
A powerfist/thunderhammer/eviserator will be good for killing monstrous creatures and/or vehicles (mainly walkers as most others will be easily killed in combat with the squad).
But will leave him vunrable to challengers without unwieldy weapons (However remember that you can opt to pistol whip the enemy with a bolt pistol, or accept with an independant character that joined the unit)
Power Axes have most of the same upsides and downsides but exchange strength for an additional attack.
Power lances can be good for Blood Angel, Black Templars or White Scars characters. (The former for furious charge combining with the lance's +1 strength on the charge, the latter for hit and run allowing you to charge multiple times to get the best of it)
Power mauls are great for fighting most Xenos (Str6 ap 4 is deadly to a lot of them)
Powerswords are Ok but not amazing unless your hitting 3+ save units.
Lightning claws are similar to the powersword but exchange an attack for rerolls to wound (unless you combine it with another specialist weapon but then your paying 50+ points for a one wound model

[Blackcloud6]

Personally, I don't care for anything that could be in a Challenge to be fighting at Initiative 1 if I can help it.

That was my concern with the powerfist.

- - - Updated - - -

Depends on what You want him to kill, which chapter you use,

Well, I'm building this small squad to go against Tau this Friday. My SMs are Crimson Fists which use Imperial Fists Chapter Tactics.

[Mr Mystery]

Very situational.

Assault Marines are alright at tackling non-assault specialist units. They hit reasonably hard with a reasonable number of attacks. This is essentially their base usage - stick them in against big hitty stuff, and they'll likely get stomped.

So for that use, I'd stick with either just a Power Sword to help inflict additional casualties, or a Lightning Claw if you've got points to spare.

If you want them to dabble in Tank Hunting, Meltabombs are possibly your better option - they can crack open more stuff, and don't slow you down against other targets.

I'd say Powerfist and similar are, perhaps perversely to some, best kept for smaller games, where a good powerfist chinning can turn the tide - for instance knocking the block off a Tau Commander (who typically struggle to fight back effectively), or even to take out multiple T4 stuff in a single hit (Battlesuits again, Tyranid Warriors (small units only!). In small points the Powerfist's slowness matters less, as you're not as likely to run into stuff that can give Assault Marines a hard enough time for it to really count.

[Blackcloud6]

Assault Marines are alright at tackling non-assault specialist units. They hit reasonably hard with a reasonable number of attacks. This is essentially their base usage - stick them in against big hitty stuff, and they'll likely get stomped.

So for that use, I'd stick with either just a Power Sword to help inflict additional casualties, or a Lightning Claw if you've got points to spare.

This is good advice. Thanks.

[Cactus]

I find I never have the right weapon. Mostly, my assault marine sgts just have a melta bomb. The other two special weapons are flamers so I tend not to assault with them but hop around and roast things or just attack the occasional vehicle with the melta bomb and grenades.

[Hendrik Booraem VI]

Well, I'm building this small squad to go against Tau this Friday. My SMs are Crimson Fists which use Imperial Fists Chapter Tactics.

If you're facing the Tau, then Power Mauls are really great. Str 6, AP4, strike at init. As long as you use the assault marines against the squishier Tau (firewarriors, Kroot) the power maul will be a no-armor-save instant death wound. Against Crisis or Stealth suits the power sword would be more likely to cause a wound, since it would obviate the armor save, but how many power swords are you going to want to spring for? I figure just one on the sergeant, and so the whole unit is much more likely to be effective at chopping up the firewarriors or kroot.

[Defenestratus]

I always give my assault marine sargs thunderhammers because it looks badass to have a dude flying through the air swingin a yuge hammer.

[Path Walker]

Powerfists look cool and giving someone the old Power Uppercut is great fun. I like them. I put them on too many guys, but its always paid off. (Hell, I can't think of a Devastator Squad as being complete without one, I blame the two 2nd Edition Metal Devastator Boxes where both the Sergeants had them)