Dark Angels Review: Company Veterans Squad

In many ways, the company veterans squad is just like the command squad.  Except cheaper, with the option to put in more models, and with combat squads.  But, not every model can take most things, unlike the command squad.  So there's choices to be made here.  What battlefield role should a company veterans squad take?  Tankhunter, close combat, objective guarding, or something else?  With the extra attack in their profile versus a tactical squad, the company veterans seem to appeal to a close combat orientated squad.  But there's plenty of options.  The only negative is that they're competing against Death Wing for force organization slots if there's no Belial or Azrael to lead the army.  Let's have a look at a few builds and see what we can come up with.

Company veterans squad, 1 multi melta, 1 melta gun, 3 combi-meltas, mounted in a drop pod (175 points)
Drop, and take care of a pesky land raider.  Job done.  Now sell your live dearly against the contents of the land raider until your buddies can mop up properly.  Take melta bombs to taste.

Company veterans squad (10 members), 3 power fists, 3 melta bombs, 1 flamer, 1 melta gun, 1 missile launcher with flakk, mounted in a rhino (345 points)
Combat squad them so that the missile launcher and 5 regular members function as a mini-devastator squad (see a similar meme on the Dark Angels tactical squad) and place the power fist guys with the flamer and melta in the rhino for a race to some melee glory!  Add armour to the rhino to taste.  With 3 power fists, there's little they can't take on, assuming they survive until the I=1 step.

Company veterans squad, 5 storm shields, 3 power weapons, 1 flamer (190 points)
With a 3+ invulnerable save, this squad is a mini (but not quite) terminator squad.  The flamer is there to discourage charges against the squad.  Its role can be variable: head strong and offensive (purchase a razor back or drop pod), or defensive (sit on an objective and see what can dislodge you).  A bit pricey though, and terminators do do it better (but what do you expect for 30 points cheaper?)!

Company veterans, 3 combi plasmas, 1 plasma gun, 1 plasma cannon, 5 melta bombs (175 points)
Sit in a crater / cover somewhere and snipe at anything that comes close.  Bikes inparticular are a nice target for these boys.  And terminators.  And, well, most things that require a bit of low AP weaponry to take them down.  Just be careful not to blow yourself up by getting hot!  Replace everything with flame orientated weapons and mount in a rhino even for some anti-horde duty -- much fun!