[Jace of Ultramar]

So, I keep having this recurring day dream where I'm fielding 30 Sternguard. I've posted a list for 2K and had moderate success with it in gaming groups. However, I'm curious to know if fielding a list with these guys maxing out the Elites slot is cheesy or not. I don't care for any of the other Elites options despite the fact that I like them in certain ways that are entirely situational. After playing a number of games, I've come to the conclusion that I like having a lot of infantry on the field and my ideal army collection would look something like the following;

Pedro Kantor
Honour Guard
Captain
Command Squad
Chaplain
Librarian

5 ten man Tactical Squads
Sniper Scout Squad

3 ten man Sternguard

3 Stormtalons

Stormraven
Landraider Crusader
2Predator
2Vindicator

And using those to build a list of various points when need be. However, I wondering if for the points paid to have Sternguard, is it fun for an opponent to play against 30, or am I being unrealistic? Infantry seems to be my unit type of choice and I like the idea of bullets flying everywhere.
But, in a scene where things are fairly dominated by Helldrakes, Wraith-dar, and various other types it seems like a decent and solid unit for an auto-include on my lists.
Any C&C would be appreciated on this topic as I'm currently mixed on what to think.

 

[Wookiepelt]

We're building two 10-man Sternguard Veteran Squad for the daughter's BA with the bulk of them equipped with combi-meltas... pretty much able to deal with most situations!!!

 

[Gret79]

I'd play against them happily.
On a scale of cheese, they're about an Edam. Quite nice toasted...

 

[Jace of Ultramar]

We're building two 10-man Sternguard Veteran Squad for the daughter's BA with the bulk of them equipped with combi-meltas... pretty much able to deal with most situations!!!

See, I like the swiss army knife nature of the unit, its great! Combis can help deal with most anything the opponent can throw at you while still maintaining the Special Issue Ammo.

I'd play against them happily.
On a scale of cheese, they're about an Edam. Quite nice toasted...

Nice!

I play against a fair number of people now and then who will typically use two or three Drakes. I don't care, for the most part, because that's what they brought. Granted, opponents who are intentionally OP in their builds aren't the most thrilling people to play against, but, I find it a challenge to my abilities to reason their threat and deal with it.

 

[Gret79]

See, I like the swiss army knife nature of the unit, its great! Combis can help deal with most anything the opponent can throw at you while still maintaining the Special Issue Ammo.





Nice!

I play against a fair number of people now and then who will typically use two or three Drakes. I don't care, for the most part, because that's what they brought. Granted, opponents who are intentionally OP in their builds aren't the most thrilling people to play against, but, I find it a challenge to my abilities to reason their threat and deal with it.

I love the 'every now and then games' where you fight an OP build that bases it's attacks around one unit (IE heldrakes) and then they don't turn up. Or they do and you blow them out of the sky straight away and then your opponent has to fight without his crutch...mwahahaha!

It's like queen swapping in chess. I've beaten better players than me purely by immediatly swapping queens at the first chance as it can put people right off their game :grin:

 

[Xabre]

Honestly, I love Sternguards for their versatility. I'd probably run them as my 'tacticals', and throw as many Combis as I could afford... 3 fully kitted squads is 900, I believe? Troops would probably just be Scouts because I don't need them as much; park them in some cover with sniper rifles and just hope they cause some grief.

 

[Jace of Ultramar]

I love the 'every now and then games' where you fight an OP build that bases it's attacks around one unit (IE heldrakes) and then they don't turn up. Or they do and you blow them out of the sky straight away and then your opponent has to fight without his crutch...mwahahaha!

It's like queen swapping in chess. I've beaten better players than me purely by immediatly swapping queens at the first chance as it can put people right off their game :grin:

Yup, love when that happens and the drop of face as the realization sets in that the basket all their eggs are in is crushed! Sweet, sweet victory in those cases.

Honestly, I love Sternguards for their versatility. I'd probably run them as my 'tacticals', and throw as many Combis as I could afford... 3 fully kitted squads is 900, I believe? Troops would probably just be Scouts because I don't need them as much; park them in some cover with sniper rifles and just hope they cause some grief.

Ditto on this. They're great. I actually only run two kitted out squads and one with the regular bolter/special ammo instead of Combis everywhere.

 

[ntaw]

A buddy of mine runs 90+ marines at 2k, with basically nothing that has an AV. I would love to face a list like this, specially with the addition of 30 Sternguard. I'm even going to suggest it to him to try out.

In other news, I just found out that Sternguard stay Elites choices when you include Kantor instead of becoming Troops. They just become scoring Elites choices.

 

[Jace of Ultramar]

A buddy of mine runs 90+ marines at 2k, with basically nothing that has an AV. I would love to face a list like this, specially with the addition of 30 Sternguard. I'm even going to suggest it to him to try out.

In other news, I just found out that Sternguard stay Elites choices when you include Kantor instead of becoming Troops. They just become scoring Elites choices.

Yeah, if Kantor made Sternguard troops then everyone and their cat would have a Crimson Fists army.

 

[ntaw]

I was seriously considering them as an allied detachment, but big ol' can of meh now. 2 SG squads with Kantor in DPs would be a great addition to any army, but alas. No dice.

 

[Straken's_Fist]

Nothing wrong with this. It's Crimson Fists, they are known for sternies so it's all good. I'd be happy to play it; Fresh challenges and characterful lists are always fun to play against, tests your skills in new ways.

You could field an horrendous amount of plasma/melta by taking x3 Sternguard Squads and x2 Command Squads and a couple of tacts or scouts for the compulsory troop slots. I'd probably go MSU if doing this though, and take 5-man squads of sternies, I prefer more firepower spread out over durability. 5 meltas for each command squad, maybe x4 combi-plasma for x1 sternie squad and x4 combi-melta for the other 2, with the melta units in drop pods and the plasma possibly in rhinos/razorbacks...Then a bunch of long ranged weaponry to cover them all, stuff like Thunderfire Cannons, possibly dual Vindicators.

Sorry, yeah just thinking out loud here (much rum is being consumed this evening).

 

[Straken's_Fist]

I was seriously considering them as an allied detachment, but big ol' can of meh now. 2 SG squads with Kantor in DPs would be a great addition to any army, but alas. No dice.

They are great in the dawn of war codex edition though. Plasma spam puts out an ungodly amount of anti-infantry firepower. Then you just need lascannon devvies and it can deal with pretty much anything (except maybe Tau, which will outgun them without assault units to support).

 

[ntaw]

They are great in the dawn of war codex edition though.

I absolutely love this expansion. The Blood Angels in the game are...well suited to how I like to kill things. Haven't given CF a shot yet....maybe now I will...

 

[Varakir]

Yeah, if Kantor made Sternguard troops then everyone and their cat would have a Crimson Fists army.

My cat is a hard line DE player, he would never play marines.

I love my sternguard and would be more than happy to field more, and to face more as well. Can't see anything cheesy about bringing 30 SG.

 

[Jace of Ultramar]

I don't either, but, I wanted to make sure it wasn't just me thinking it.

 

[Shadow's Fury]

At the end of the day, they are just marines. Sure they have better ammunition, but they still have the same stats, they aren't any harder to deal with.

I don't think they 30 is cheesy at all, I see it as sport with an edge of a challenge

 

[Jace of Ultramar]

Well, as a reiteration of the list, here it is. I find it fun and it seems to cover multiple bases, IMHO2,000 Sternguard

HQ 185
Pedro Kantor

Troops 174
Scouts, ML w/Flakk, Sniper x4, Camo x5
Scouts, ML w/Flakk, Shotguns

Elites 1005
Sternguard, Combi x9 (various), Heavy Flamer, Rhino
Sternguard, Combi x9 (various), Heavy Flamer, Drop Pod w/ Locator Beacon
Sternguard (10 man)

Heavy 150
Predator w/Autocannon
Predator w/Autocannon

Formation 451
Storm Wing, Raven w/MM&LasCan Search Light, 2x Talon w/Skyhammer ML

Fortifications 70
Aegis Defense Line, Comms Relay

 

[ntaw]

With Sternguard, since you have to choose special ammo as a squad do you fire your combi-weapons as a squad as well? i.e. can you shoot your melta combi shots one turn and your flamer combi shots another turn from the same squad?

 

[Jace of Ultramar]

With Sternguard, since you have to choose special ammo as a squad do you fire your combi-weapons as a squad as well? i.e. can you shoot your melta combi shots one turn and your flamer combi shots another turn from the same squad?

I believe so.

Very valid question. If I'm wrong, someone please point out the ruling so I can know how to properly use the squad.

 

[Uveron]

I believe so.

Very valid question. If I'm wrong, someone please point out the ruling so I can know how to properly use the squad.

You can choose which ones are going to fire with the combi-weapon, the same way you chose if a person fires with a bolter or boltpistol.