# Sentinels - Good, Bad or Ugly?



## hocky (Jan 31, 2009)

I've always been intrigued by playing sentinals so have just picked a couple up off ebay to playtest with.
Any thoughts on whether they are any good in game or against certain opponents? Also what weapons would you suggest?
I am looking to include them in a 1500pt Guard army against all comers.
I have already a LRBT and a demolisher for heavy support with a vendetta for long range firepower. Then lots of troops and some stormtroopers. My idea was to use the sentinals to support the stormtroopers in a counterattacking/forward advance movement under cover fire from troops and tanks.
My original thoughts are that the scout sentinals are cheap and therefore fairly expendable so if you got a few of them with heavy flamers into range of troops then they could be pretty useful. However the 10 armour is like tin foil.
I think that armoured sentinals dont give you much extra for the extra 30 pts as they are so small, chances are an enemy will always have a side shot at the 10 armour anyway.
My thoughts are probably completely wrong as i have never played them so any ideas would be great.


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## NecronCowboy (Jan 8, 2009)

I don't know about sentinals but I play Eldar and like to field 6 war walkers every game with shuriken cannons. At 40 points with two heavy weapon each makes them pretty good in my eyes. Can sentinals outflank?


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## HOBO (Dec 7, 2007)

The biggest downside to Sentinels is that they're a FA choice and Vendettas/Valkyries are just too good to not take. That said, I have an 'Emperor's Talon Recon' detachment so have 10 Sentinels - 3 AC, 3 HF, 1 Lascannon and 3 FW Support (2 ML/1 MRP). Trouble is they've been sitting on the shelf of late because of the Vendettas.

The best fit-out is AC's or HF imo, mainly because 1-shot weapons on a BS 3 model is a bit of a gamble. If you have plenty of other vehicles on the board then the Sentinels do have a higher chance of survival because the enemy has higher target priority checks to make. You'd probably be best to only squadron 2 at most so obviously keep the weapons the same on each, and I think you'd be handicapping your list too much by using up more than one FoC slot on them over the Skimmers

Use the HF ones aggressively so they actually achieve something before getting destroyed, and make use of cover as much as possible. The AC ones should be back at range in cover (if possible) and setting up firelanes....but don't forget that Scout Sentinels can Outflank (Armoured ones can't) so that can give them a decent chance to hit side armour.

They do make decent fire support units for advancing Inf/Squads, and you can also use them as a Tarpit to keep the Squads out of c/c for a while, but the downside is they are very easy to kill, especially in Squadrons.

In the end I'd say they're a mix of good/bad/ugly depending on the overall build of your list and the enemy faced...the real downside is that the more FA slots you use them on the less Vend/Valks to take unless you squadron them, but that has added complications as well.

my 2c anyway.


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## Asmodeun (Apr 26, 2009)

personally, I think that large amounts of light vehicles is one of the most fun things that you'll get in a game. Also, an extra armour point on the fronts will make you immune to 
space marines in cc, and bolters head on.


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## bishop5 (Jan 28, 2008)

Asmodeun said:


> personally, I think that large amounts of light vehicles is one of the most fun things that you'll get in a game. Also, an extra armour point on the fronts will make you immune to
> space marines in cc, and bolters head on.


Space Marines all come with Krak Grenades, so can damage your Walkers, although it may take a while!

I'm a fan of Sentinels, and usually take a squad of two Scout Sentinels with Autocannons. Depending on the opponent, they will either sit back and snipe transports, or outflank for side shots at enemy armour.

I tried using two Missile Launcher, HKM Armoured Sentinels yesterday and was underwhelmed by their performance. I am thinking of just taking Armoured Sentinels with Multilasers, for multiple high S shots, and soaking up damage that would be directed towards more vulnerable vehicles.


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## lawrence96 (Sep 1, 2008)

I love them, one thing i like doing id if you're playing a lower S army (like IG, Tau and other S3 troops) is to outflank a unit of 3 scout sents, with HF, glame and then charge. and that gives you another turns protection from firing


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## Lord Castellen (Jun 29, 2009)

i love the idea of sentinels, although in practice theyre rough at best, autocannons are the best option by far in my opinion, and i use them as light troop support, just use them to support a squadron moving into an objective, or i use them to pop transports of course, but the concept that theyre really going to turn the tide of battle is over hopful, although at 80 pops for a pair with AC its not half bad, i like feilding 2 squads of 2, this means it takes a lot to knock them all back, they have an impressive amount of fire power, and you can split your outflank and your sniping squads, or do both, 4 sentinels coming in behind opponents lines can be deadly, especially while im feilding apair of V's with vets in themthat are also outflanking, it makes for a pretty devestating pincer. my overall opinion with them though is to avoid them unless you already own them, at $50-$100 for effective use theres much better things to be buying, like V's...haha


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## hocky (Jan 31, 2009)

Yeah i kind of agree with you all. Basically i picked a couple of scout sentinals up pretty cheap off ebay which is why i'm asking. I've always liked the idea of them but thought they may be too weak. Plus i like my two russ'[ and LOVE my Vendetta - need another of those puppies! Because i have the two tanks and vendetta though i was thinking of the sentinals pushing into enemy lines to take some fire off my bigger stuff. Because they are so cheap and can be threatening i thought that would give me another turn of fire with my pie plates!


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## Lord Castellen (Jun 29, 2009)

haha not a bad plan, although from what ive seen the stuff at range cant kill mah tanks, the V is dropping regardless of what you put on the board and the stuff thats made to kill the tanks at close range is gunna kill the tank at close range regardless of the obsticles you put in front of them, i mainly just see them as something to draw away alot of the mid line fire that would normally be drilled into your chimeras


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## bobss (May 18, 2008)

Yeah, I plan to get some Sentinels, about 3 with Plasma Cannon, Autocannon and a Heavy Flamer. Sounds good to me, considering how my main opponents will be Chaos Marines and `Nids, hence flamer spam.

One question though. Are armoured sentinels, or scout sentinels best?


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## edd_thereaper (Oct 21, 2008)

well at 20 points more you get 2 more front AV points, extra armour, you're no longer open topped and you get the option to take a plasma cannon, but at 75 points each i would say plasma sentinels aren't worth it, so it depends on what they'll be used for, scout sentinals would be better suited to hit and run style attacks with autocannons and such however they would have to be out of sight of enemy anti tank where as armoured sentinels won't be taken down as easily and will have more reselience but its whether you are willing to pay the extra 20 points, also i think the armoured sentinels look better

hope this helps

cheers

edd


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## bobss (May 18, 2008)

Yeah, armoured ones, _do_ look better, and I guess they are more suited to supporting troops. Thnx anyway


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## piemaster (Oct 9, 2009)

I skipped all the comments and went straight to this. Sorry if I repeat anything.

I play guard and have 2 of these babies. 1HF and 1ML.
They are good at assaulting squads of space marines. A sentinel can't be taken out by lowly space marines all that easily if there are no power weapons/fists in play. Sentinels can take out like 1 dude per round of combat if you're lucky.

What with troops being the only units to take objectives, a sentinel can take a troops choice out of the equation and since its FA or even part of your HQ it doesn't eat up lovely troops choice slots.

I like Sentinels and if you magnetise the crap out of them they are highly versatile.


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## Lord Castellen (Jun 29, 2009)

in answer to the question, scout sentinels are best, theyre far cheaper, and the ability to outflank makes them un questioningly useful, 2 autocannon hits to back armor is enough to punch through a leman russ, and if my 80 point autocannon sentinel pair knocks back a 240 pt leman russ executionar then my god im prolly gunna win that game!


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## HOBO (Dec 7, 2007)

The best one is the one that fits your list best, and whatever Tactics you use.

If you want to cause some disruption to the enemy outflank with Scouts with AC's against Vehicles, or Flamers for Infantry.

If you don't have any Vendettas or Lascannon HWT's I'd say take Armoured Lascannon.

In the end though you are paying 20 pts for EA, that's bloody expensive just to make a still weak unit a bit harder to destroy...better spent elsewhere in the majority of cases.


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## Crimzzen (Jul 9, 2008)

For me:
Armoured Sentinels /w plasma cannons to sit back and take shots at nasty things
Scout Sentinels /w H.flamer or Multilaser or Autocannon - outflank with astropath

Generally, Valks are much much better though.


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## bobss (May 18, 2008)

Ok, then so whats 2 Armoured Sentinels. One with Plasma Cannon and the other with Missle launcher, there to generally support the Troops like? I intend to take Heavy Bolters and/or Lascannons as Heavy Weapons Teams, and a Valkyrie for Fast Attacks, alongside a Hellhound /w an Inferno Cannon.


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## hocky (Jan 31, 2009)

Agreed valks are much better but you cant compare a valk with a sentinel as the points difference makes that a ridiculous argument - Of course valks are better they cost another 60-70 pts. Sentinels can i think fulfill a role though i think they are a little weak in armour. The other consideration is whether you could have Ogryns instead of Sentinels. I love my Ogryns and for a pretty similar points cost i could include a couple more in my army.....


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## Lord Castellen (Jun 29, 2009)

hahaha nice turn of conversation, but still hilarious, orgyns are actually very good as a dedicated assault unit, i dont use them just cuz theyre fricken $20 a model


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## HOBO (Dec 7, 2007)

I had 10 of the buggers (Ogryns)...sold them before the new Codex came out.

Not sad I did because the money went into getting some FW IG Vehicles, but a Sqaud in a Chimmy wouldn't be out-of-place in my Mech list. Trouble is, as soon as the opponent knows what's inside said Chimmy it's targetted quick smart 'til gone.


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## SandWyrm (Dec 8, 2009)

hocky said:


> I think that armoured sentinals dont give you much extra for the extra 30 pts as they are so small, chances are an enemy will always have a side shot at the 10 armour anyway.
> My thoughts are probably completely wrong as i have never played them so any ideas would be great.


I've never been a big fan of the armored sentinels, but I consider the scout type to be a very good swiss army knife of a unit. 

3 Scout Sentinels with Autocannons costs just 120 pts, and I use them for mobile anti-transport duty in the first 2 turns of the game, shifting to assault/vehicle blocking in the rest of the game. I almost never outflank them anymore, as those turn-1 shots at Trukks, Rhinos, and Chimeras are too valuable to give up. No, they don't have the sheer anti-tank ability of the Vendetta (about 20% less, on average), but they'll also get the cover saves that Vendettas never will. 

Typically, I deploy them in cover and shoot. With their move-through-cover ability, they can stay mobile and move in areas my tanks would have trouble with. All the while exploiting available cover and denying it to the enemy. Later, as the enemy closes, they can tarpit assaulters. Giving me the time to focus-fire on other threats. Against bugs and orks, this is wonderful.


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## Devinstater (Dec 9, 2008)

Not a bad unit, they just suffer from having much better options in the same Force org slot.


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## SandWyrm (Dec 8, 2009)

Devinstater said:


> Not a bad unit, they just suffer from having much better options in the same Force org slot.


Well, "better" is relative term. I regard Scout Sentinels, Hellhounds, and Valks/Vendis as good, efficient fast-attack picks. But which one is "better" depends on the rest of the army and the play style of the general in charge. There are things I can do with Sentinels that I can't do with Vendis, and vice-versa.


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## The501stRegiment (Oct 29, 2009)

I'd say Scout because the Extra Armour just seems like a bit of a waste to me. I've only used Sentinels a twice but they seem to be better suited to AI than AT.


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## Widowmaker666 (Jul 30, 2008)

Plasma cannon, Plasma cannon, Plasma cannon, Plasma cannon, Plasma cannon, Plasma cannon, Plasma cannon, Plasma cannon, Plasma cannon, Plasma cannon, Plasma cannon, Plasma cannon, Plasma cannon, Plasma cannon, Plasma cannon, Plasma cannon, Plasma cannon, Plasma cannon :victory:

ofcourse scout sentinels outflanking with heavy flamers or lascannons to fill waht ever niche you need there are also sweet but you cant beat plasma cannon killy-love


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