Tactics for a Jump-pack command squad in a vanilla army

[KeyOfTwilight]

Ok, call me crazy, whatever, but it is possible. Through forgeworld, yes, but possible nonetheless.

His name is Elam Coubray. His command squad can upgrade to jump packs for a paltry sum of points. My point here is to start a discussion over the viability of tactics using such a squad versus the viability of taking just a 10 man assault squad.

The Command Squad can take power weapons on all but one squad member, and has an apothecary. They could, if desired, also carry assault weapons (flamer, plasma, melta) They come down to about 15 attacks standard, 20 on the charge. 16 of those would be power weapon attacks. They also have an apothecary.

The Assault squad can take one power weapon at most, and two assault weapons. On normal, they have 21 attacks, 31 on the charge. 3 of those are power weapon attacks. They have no apothecary.

The two squads are roughly the same points, the assault squad coming out a tad higher if you take a PW and assault weapons.

So which would be more effective? Is the Jump command squad a viable choice, and if is, what tactics would you use with it?

Discuss.

[Bartali]

It's really going to depend on your list. Are you slotting them in to an existing list, or going to build a list around them ?

I'm going to imagine though, that much like BA Honour Guard, they're going to best off as fire support unit with 4x Meltaguns rather than anything choppy.

[Freman Bloodglaive]

Blood Angels go shooty on command squads because they have assault everywhere else. Codex Marines don't so they'll be better off tooling the squad for assault.

Like a biker command squad, three lighting claws, one thunder hammer, four storm shields, two meltaguns, two flamers (or four meltaguns).

[TheDoctor]

I would go with what Freman Bloodglaive suggested, but I would stick in 4 flamers. You have got melta and tank-busting power elsewhere, focus the command squad on killing dudes.

[Bartali]

It's not just that reason why I recommended shooty. C:SM can't pull of an assault based list, and it likely they will be the only assault unit in that list. In this role TH/SS Termimators are much, much better

[Freman Bloodglaive]

Agreed that shooting is the Space Marine forte, not because they're better than other armies at it, more that they can't do anything else effectively.

The Raven Guard character who makes assault squads troops could almost be worthwhile, if Codex assault marines could actually be made useful. I'd rather count Shrike as a Blood Angel Captain and build a functional list.

I haven't seen that character on the Forge World website. Got a link?

[The Marshel]

The Raven Guard character who makes assault squads troops could almost be worthwhile, if Codex assault marines could actually be made useful.

he doesn't actually make them troops. be kinda cool if he did but given that's one of the big premise of the BA dex gw prob want to steer clear of that.

I'd take the command squad over the assault squad any day of the weak purely because assault squads are bad. Chuck in a few storm shields and you make up for having less men in the squad. Add in some power weapons and you make up for lost attacks. You don't take up a valuable FOC slot so more bikes/speeders.

Basically, just what you'd do with any other command squad. difference is you have jump packs rather then bikes or a transport. this doesnt really effect the build as much as it does effect how you use them on the table.

[KeyOfTwilight]

Agreed that shooting is the Space Marine forte, not because they're better than other armies at it, more that they can't do anything else effectively.

The Raven Guard character who makes assault squads troops could almost be worthwhile, if Codex assault marines could actually be made useful. I'd rather count Shrike as a Blood Angel Captain and build a functional list.

I haven't seen that character on the Forge World website. Got a link?

The character has no figure, he's just included in IA9.

[Asi the Red]

Not familiar with the character, but I'm curious how that squad stacks up against a Vanguard Vet squad with a similar setup of CC gear?

[hazmiter]

Kayvan shrike does a good thing for your assault marines, and assault terminators. He gives them fleet of foot.....
Also, csm can do an assault army, its basic csm on foot..... Or khorne berserkers.

Bikers are always good for choice, t5, assault based..... But jump pack commands are great.
Down side is that they are a priority target, because once in combat, that fnp, plus multiple lightning claws makes them a tough nugget to kill off.