Horus Heresy 3e Review: Assault Squad

Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

4.5/5 stars, rounded down. Mostly like despoiler squads, but with jet packs!

Background.

Rapid attack squads with jump packs to get them where they need to be very quickly indeed. Which by definition is usually in the thick of it all. The jump packs also enable them to jump over terrain, friends, foes, and also deep strike from orbit where required to boot. 

Strengths. 

Instead of Line (2) like despoiler squads possess, assault squads have Vanguard (2). This means that they want to be targeting enemy held positions and eliminating those enemies preferably. They need to be armed accordingly. 

The customization is as good as despoiler squads overall with the added bonus of combat shields (they look cool, and are more or less worth the points) and chain axes (to taste). There's also a heavy chain axe to ponder over which for the strength increase is probably worthwhile. 

Finally, remember that the unit can actually deep strike. You don't have to run them across the board. Sometimes this is good to have. 

Weaknesses. 

Sure, the standard 3+ save isn't great, but you do have access to combat shields. And the low advanced characteristics also aren't brilliant, but you can take the nuncio vox and expand your squad to higher numbers quite readily. 

The points cost is also appealing. For 14 points (12 per addition), you get the same as the despoiler squad, but get to where you need to be faster or by deep strike as well as having vanguard. You need to play aggressively here for the best outcomes, and large squads are favoured. 

Builds.

10 Marines, Sergeant with Power Fist (115 points). 

The baseline build. 

20 Marines, 4 Power Weapons, 8 Heavy Chain Axes, 4 Plasma Pistols, Sergeant with Power Fist and Plasma Pistol (380points).

The full kit. Expensive, to be clear. 

10 Marines, Sergeant with distinegrator pistol and power fist and melta bombs (170 points).

A buried disintegrator pistol is always interesting. However, I would also be tempted to add more melee weapons. 

10 Marines, 2 Heavy Chain Axes, 2 Power Mauls, 2 Hand Flamers, Sergeant with Twin Lightning Claws (190 points).

Attack! Take chain axes instead of chain swords to taste. 

10 Marines, All with Combat Shields and Chain Axes, 2 Power Axes, Sergeant with Thunder Hammer (195 points).

A combat shield option for illustrative purposes. Tempting to take slower weapons here as well (i.e., initiative negative modifiers) and try to rely on the invulnerable save to stay alive. You also get a focus roll benefit with the combat shield - NB.