I was just curious as the the rules on Dev Squads. I was under the impression that when fielding a Dev squad you could only take one of each heavy weapon. However in recent games and from reading other players battle reports i see that other players use several of the same weapon in a squad.
I was wondering if everyone would help clarify my confusion and what recomendations people have for a good squad set up.
Here, as someone who has purchased the boxset not once but twice I beleive I can solve this little dilema. The plastic boxed set comes with as stated before five bodies and a mix of heavy weapons that follow:
2 plasma cannons
2 lascannons
2 heavy bolters
1 multi melta
1 missile launcher
For further confirmation I would like to inform everybody that I am currently looking at the back of one of the boxes which I use to store my space marine bitz. The back of the box specifically lists which and how many heavy weapons are included with the box.
One of each is quite suboptimal, as whatever you shoot at you'll have at least one gun that's not as efficient.
If you've 5 men in the squad, give them all the same weapon.
If you've 10 men in the squad, give them two different weapons (either 2 of each, or one and three). This way you can combat squad them, and have two teams each concentrating on a different type of target.
I think one of my favourite line-ups is 4xPlasma Cannons in 5 men. Use the Signum on the Serg to reduce the first scatter distance, and then pummel whatever you hit with the remaining 3 shots! Alternatively, 4 heavy bolters will kick out 12 (of which you can expect ~9 hits) of AP4 shots that will kill a guardsman on a 2+ to wound (although he will get cover)
The only thing I'd add would be to stick to 36-48 inch range weapons and not use Multi-meltas. They're great, but you need to be up close and personal to get the full benefit of their use. Dev squads are much better at longer ranges in my opinion.
I played in a tourney over the weekend and I used devastators for the first time since 5th ed came out. I had a 10 man squad with 4 missile launchers. In two games I combat squaded them.
Against Chaos Space Marines I blew the crap out of his rhinos with krak and then used frag on his chosen with 4 power weapons that were bunched up in front of a land raider. I forced 9 armor saves killing 3 or 4.
In my 2nd game they were assaulted in turn 3 by outflanking genestealers and survived 2 rounds. before that they were...meh.
Game 3 also against Tyranids they were the BOMB!! (literally!) They tore up warriors using krak and wiped out genestealers that were bunched up using frags.
All in all, they were an excellent unit that is good against medium and light armor, against MEQs (Marine Equivalents) and bunched up infantry.
I always use either 4 of the same weapon, or two pairs of matching weapons (2 missile launchers and 2 heavy bolters, for example). If I use the pairs then I break them up into combat squads with the same weapons together. If I use 4 of the same, I prefer to break them up in to combat squads too, but depending on the mission, I may keep them together. I like being able to split fire between two targets if I combat squad them.
Thanks to everyone that helped clear this up for me! I dont usually field a Dev Squad but thought that I needed to know the rules for it just in case. I feel the 10 man is the only way to go on this squad, the combat squad option makes it a very versitile unit. Howvever it is very expensive.
Last time I bought a devastator squad was when the models were melal/plastic hybrids and only came with 1 of each weapon (well a missle, lascannon, plasma cannon and heavy bolter).
I usually bring 10 and combat squad it. Ill usually take a squad of 3 Hvy Bolter or ML, and have another squad of 1 LC or PC. If i know i am playing marines i may have a 2 ML and 2 PC squad. They are a little expensive to field but they usually perform well enough to justify it, at least in semi casual play.
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