How do you deal with Sternguards?

[Infidel]

So, I have experienced something relative new today, a new list i ran into at 1500pt level, the guy wiped the floor with a few other guys and i just pulled off a win when the game ended by contesting his objective with my Tzerald, I was on the verge of being tabled had the game gone on for another turn.

Anyway, this guys runs a list that goes something like
Vulkan
10xSternguard w/ Droppod, combi flamer, combi melta (not sure how many combi there is)
10xSternguard w/ Droppod, combi flamer, combi melta (not sure how many combi there is)

5 man tac squad w/Razorback, fist, combi melta
5 man tac squad w/Razorback, fist, combi melta
5 man tac squad w/Razorback, fist, combi melta

2x Multimelta Attack Bike
2x Multimelta Attack Bike
2x Multimelta Attack Bike

A scary amount of melta fire.

Anyhow, I've got a big MC list and don't really mind the melta, but what really scared me is those Sternguard with hellfire bolts. Wounding on 2+, my KoS didn't have a chance to see combat, it's like being hit by 20 s8 shots, no amount of 4+ invulns can help.

I managed to tie up one squad with my DP and then hit it with fiends, that wiped them out alright, but then there was another 2 5 man squads. My Tzerald did a score on his attack bikes but got tore up something horrendeous by his heavy bolters.

Anyhow, just curious how people deal with sternguards in their respetive area, they certainly earned my respect.

[==Me==]

For all their fancy tricks, they die like normal marines. Fiends eat them alive.

[Mad Cat]

As do flamers of tzeentch or any daemonprince with gaze. Have you tought about giving your opponent the first turn to force him to drop pod onto an empty table? Then you turn up and either shoot him or deploy miles away.

[mynameisgrax]

I agree with ==Me==, assault with rending or power weapons is the way to destroy marines, regardless what type they are. Daemonic gaze is a little underperforming, and bolt/breath are hit or miss, but can work. However, if it doesn't work, you're going to be within rapid fire range on their next turn.

I feel that no matter what shooting you have available, I'd plan to drag them into close combat, one way or the other. In close combat, their advantages are lost, and your daemons can tear them to pieces.

[Infidel]

I'm trying a combination of Gaze and Pavane on the prince, making sure that they get stuck into combat asap and be capable of doing damage at range.

My current struggle was to weather the amount of shooting his drop pod part dishes out on the turn it arrives, I'm not to worried about the flamers and such (although vulkan makes them re-roll to wound and that's pretty nasty).

I'm hoping that he'd get first turn and his drop pod assault would be wasted on 4+, but if they don't arrive then it's a pretty meh situation.

One thing I did notice about this player is his extremely aggressive play-style, he HAVE to absolutely table people whenever possible, even if that costs him the game in capture and control missions. I know if i do what PBs do best I'll be able to just constantly pull wins/draws off him, but I just want to beat him in his own game, and possibly get a massacre once in a while rather than minor victory.

[Trouser Tyrant]

Flamers, it sounds like you need them....Lots of them....at least 12. That helps me kill anything MEQ related.

[Infidel]

Had another game against a simlar list, albeit at 1850 level

Vlukan
Tigurus
9 men sternguard, collection of combi flamer and combi melta, Drop Pod
9 men sternguard, collection of combi flamer and combi melta, Drop Pod
Ironclad, Drop Pod

5 men tac squad, PF, combi flamer/melta Razorback
5 men tac squad, PF, combi flamer/melta Razorback
10 men tac squad, PF, combi flamer/melta, multimelta

2 Multimelta Attack Bike

2 Dakka Pred

I rolled and divided my forces into 2 halves, one wave with a large PB squad with icon and with just about every thing with a save (3 DPs, 2 Chariots) and leave my GD in reserve so she won't get chewed up by hellfire bolts before she sees combat. Unfortunately, I didnt get my preferred half and my reserve roll for the first turn saw me getting only a single 5 men PB unit. His Tigurus deployed with the marines and gave the drop pod the the other 10 men tac squad, he teleported into my face, shot up plenty of things but failed his Nullzone. I lost 7 out of 12 fiends and my GD from the first round of shooting alone.

I almost got tabled, with only a single squad of 5 PBs left, we drew the game as we both held one objective and he couldn't get to me on time before the game finished.

Here's a revelation, and perhapse once, an argument in favor of Crushers. I've found, as everyone have, the key to dealing with the new IG and SM are to either weather as much shooting as you can in the first round, or wipe out as many units as possible on the turn you land.

I've never liked Crushers, expensive model, slow movement and I've been a fiend fan since i first lay eye on them. However, I take a lot of fast MCs, namely KoS and 3 Slaanesh DPs (Tzeentch DP never really manage to kill much, and 4+ save die too easily to scatterlaser, heavy bolter loota etc).

I have 3 pavanes, effectively giving the crushers and themselves fleet and I think that is adequate for chasing down infantries. I have the slaanesh MCs (each with HitNRun) to deal with dreads and possibly chasing down fast vehicles.

What do you guys think?