# Assault Squads - Rhinos or Jump Packs?



## TunaSammich (Dec 7, 2009)

One of the biggest changes from 4th to 5th ed. 40k is the new way LOS is drawn. No longer can you keep an entire squad safe on the opposite side of 3 trees. Only behind ruins and hills can you now hide. Although this made sense, it turns the strategies of my Blitzing BAs on it's side.

Since I can no longer hide behind cover until the very last second, my jumpers can now be shot at when they are behind a "forest template". They can pretty much always claim a 4+ cover save, but having a 3+ armor save makes it all but useless save high AP weapons.

Anyways, with the reduced usefulness of a forest tile in the middle of the board, I find my assaulty units a lot more vulnerable. I think about turning to rhinos, but my fears of how they appeared to be death traps in 4th ed with their forced disembarkment and entanglement and what have you. Now they seem more viable, so I have a question to ask the forums.

Is the protection of a Rhino worth trading the tactical mobility (18" assault threat, can move faster if they jump then run, less worry about terrain) of a Jumping assault squad?

Aside: is it worth the money to buy a few more rhinos? Or does it not make enough of a difference? xD


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## liforrevenge (Oct 6, 2009)

I was having my doubts about Jump Packs too (after extensive reading of Jawaballs's blog), then I read *this* battle report. 

Very intriguing.


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## mrrshann618 (Jun 6, 2008)

Assault marines ahave become part of a combined attack rather than being able to do it all themselves like they have in the past. I've had mixed results with my assault marines w/ packs.

When acting on their own, they almost always get slaughtered, However when I use them right along side my rhinos they get to use rhinos as blocking terrain (except indirect fire) or if they are getting shot at, they have to wonder if the 3 rhinos I have plowing along is the greater threat or the assault marines are. Being able to move my rhinos 12, hop out 2 and then rapid fire all weapons makes them extremely dangerous when you concentrate firepower with a unit able to assault right along side it.


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## Praxiss (Aug 13, 2009)

I find that the jump packs come in very handy when used as part of a balanced army. Liek the above post stated, you can't really use them and only them, but are still a perfectly viable option.

As with most things, it does depend on what you are fighting.


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## Calamari (Feb 13, 2009)

The thing with Assault Marines is that while they have a slight edge in combat due to the extra weapons and Jump Pack (if you take them) is that they are still only marines and marines just aren't that good in combat. Where the strength lies is in sneaking up a hidden powerfist or something similar.

I like to take Jump packs and load up on flamers, to give them an edge I usualy take a jump chaplain or captain like Shrike so that they can actualy hurt something in CC, they are however a suicide unit. They will die but I hope to do some damage first.


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## Someguy (Nov 19, 2007)

Rhinos are ok, and often better than being in the open and getting lashed. They are a bit of a liability in kill point missions though, and may not get the job done in capture and control.

The main problem with playing BA with assault squads in rhinos is the space wolf codex. Grey hunters just do it so very much better. You basically get guys who cost the same (or less) but come with bolters and other special weps, a cheaper veteran sergeant, counter attack, a flag for rerolling all 1s in a round and maybe some other upgrades. 

The difficulty with rhinos is that you can't charge out of them after they move, so you don't get the reach you would have with a jump pack. Hunters solve this by shooting instead, and daring what's left of the enemy to charge them. A few bolt pistol shots from an assault squad would not be so effective.


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## typhus98 (Dec 13, 2009)

It all depends on how you play: do you go for objectives or assaults ?
-for assault, take assault troops 
-for objectives, take rhinos

I've been playing blood angels a lot, I prefer rhinos for speed, awesome overcharged engine !!

for your other question, yes, Buy more rhinos, convert'em and take your time painting, for this is the beauty of the blood angels, in the name of sanguinius !


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## Argitist (Apr 29, 2008)

Bloodangels overcharged engines are amazing, faster then assault marines and make perfect cover for jump packers. So they do have something over space wolfs. Plus, if I remember correctly they use the old smoke, which I think is a good thing...

Basicly, I'd say half and half.


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## High_Seraph (Aug 28, 2009)

i use my squad of assault marines with a chaplain w/jump pack and basically wipe anything out in close combat. interrorgator-chap hits int5 str4 5power weapon attacks on charge that are re-rollable thanks to liturgies of hate (love that rule). then my seargent goes with psword. then my assault marines with like 20 attacks that are re-rollable thanks to chappy


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## NecronCowboy (Jan 8, 2009)

I like to put a chaplain with an assault squad. This usually makes the unit 50% more effective on the charge, and the bulk of the effectiveness comes from the sgt and the chaplain, so as wounds kill off the regular assault marines, the unit keeps the bulk of it's effectiveness. It's good against hordes as well as MEQs.


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## Devinstater (Dec 9, 2008)

I took Someguy's advice and looked at the Space Wolf codex, it's pretty silly. Overall, If you want regular marines that can assault on their own and cause trouble, Space Wolves are your boys. They almost seem more intuitive of the SM fluff then regular marines, because regular marines kill so slowly in CC.

Because Rhinos are so handy in 5th, assault marines just don't match units in Rhinos. And if you want a bunch guys running at the enemy from a transport, you want Space Wolves, not Blood Angels. Overcharged engines don't do enough to make up the difference for me. 

My Ultramarine assault squads have been on the shelf a year now since I transitioned by brain over to 5th edition and the new vehicle destroyed chart and entanglement rules.


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## Starship Trooper (Dec 2, 2009)

Any thoughts on this boys and girls? I have a 10 man assault squad without jump packs that I picked up in an army and my first thought was to buy jump packs but now I'm wondering... I don't know 6th edition well. Should I go with the jump packs or through them in a rhino?


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## Arcane (Feb 17, 2009)

This thread is 3 years old. 

You can no longer assault out of a rhino even if it has not moved. Putting an assault squad in a rhino is terrible idea unless you have no other choice.


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## Starship Trooper (Dec 2, 2009)

Yeah but why would I want my assault squad to assault? 

LOL guess that answers that question... till the next edition anyway.


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## Archon Dan (Feb 6, 2012)

You could always have them buy a cheaper Razorback. You get a fairly competent unit to hold an objective and a nice big gun.


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## Sethis (Jun 4, 2009)

N-n-n-n-n-n-necro!!

Never swap your Jump Packs for anything, ever.

Unless you hate winning.


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## Mossy Toes (Jun 8, 2009)

Hammer of Wrath. Pretty much all you need to say.


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## Suijin (Aug 11, 2011)

Armor saves now on entering difficult terrain also.


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