SM Scouts and...?

[jollyork]

Are SM Scouts legit for the core of an army? Not on bikes, per se, but foot sloggers. They seem like a good deal. What's a good companion for them? 

 

I was thinking about a bunch of Infiltrator squads with Locator Beacons, backed up by some hard-hittin' bruthas with pipes and blowtorches (Termies). 

[scottshoemaker]

I think they'd by viable as "heavy infantry".  I was contemplating using that kind of list as Household Troops paired with Knights.

 

or Squat Proxies

[fluger]

They are great IMO.  

[AbusePuppy]

Scouts are decent as cheap-ish objective holders, but I think it's important to remember that BS3 means that they aren't accomplishing nearly as much as normal Marines will and 4+ armor means they aren't going to be nearly as resilient (even when wearing Camo Cloaks.) They are certainly not bad at all, but I think it would take a fairly specialized type of army for them to perform as a really solid core of a list- in most all cases, you would probably want at least one squad of Tacticals to back you up and act as more reliable anchors for your line.

[fluger]

I like using them in conjunction with IG.  Had I more time and money, I'd buy more of the models pictured in my avatar, which I use as SM Scout rules for.  

[BrainFireBob]

With camo cloaks and an Aegis line, they can be hard to move.

[jollyork]

fluger, can you expand on your experiences with them? Can they be aggressive attack troops, or are they too squishy? What do you equip them with? 

[fluger]

For my army, they are a both disruption and cheap scoring.  I run them as a single 5 man squad with bolters.  It's 55 points of win.  At OFCC last year they single-handedly won me two games, mostly by just showing up and hiding and getting me linebreaker.  

 

My strategy for them is far from what you're going for, but I could see taking about 3 squads of 10, keeping 'em cheap and using them to harass and distract.  I wouldn't count on them doing damage, but by forcing your opponent to kill them because they are either:

 

1. Sitting on an objective holding it.

2. Contesting an objective since they either infiltrated close or else outflanked.

3. Claiming linebreaker.  

 

It works especially well for my IG list because it is relatively static and my opponent tends to shift most of their focus there and then this itty bitty unit shows up somewhere else and they have to go deal with it or suffer the consequences.  

 

I could see that working with a SM-heavy force too, but again, you're counting on them not as major players, but as side shows.  

[jollyork]

Cool, thanks for the tips. 

[winterman]

Frontline guys have a couple of related articles worth checking out.

 

http://www.frontlinegaming.org/2014/04/09/scout-power/  <--Addresses the BS3 issue using Imperial Fist supplement codex

 

 

http://www.frontlinegaming.org/2014/04/23/dark-angels-scout-bat-rep-by-stephen/  <--Leverages banner of dakka with massed scouts

[fluger]

I need to check out the imp fists supplement!  I was using the default imp fists CT from the SM dex for re-rolling 1s, and that's pretty decent.  

[VonVilkee]

I need to check out the imp fists supplement!  I was using the default imp fists CT from the SM dex for re-rolling 1s, and that's pretty decent.

 

Straight up rerolls at half range is baller! Lose access to shield eternal tho. I've been running it with my drop pod marines and it has brought my killyness more in line with other forces.

[fluger]

I wish ravenguard didn't suck...

[AbusePuppy]

As long as you play one specific type of army that does what White Scars do but worse, they're not that bad!

[fluger]

I like the 30k Version where all bolters and bolt pistols get precision shots on 6s.  

[fluger]

I'd also like if they took the no-scout restriction off of jump packs and put it on vehicles.  'Cause, you know, that's a WS thing.