# Using Pedro + Sternguard to hold objectives.



## Eric.West (Sep 16, 2008)

I was flipping through my dex the other day and realized that if you take Pedro then all your sternguard count as scoring units. This really got me thinking.

Now I wouldn't be using them for what I think is their standard use, taking advantage of all those bolter rounds. But instead a very effective unit to take objectives.

First off I'd more then likely toss them in a droppod, maybe a rhino depending on the situation. Out of the 5, I'd feild 2 with heavy flamers, 3 with combi-flamers.

This group ideally is going to drop into an objective your opponent doesn't expect you to get to, at least this fast, and may only have 1 troop choice squatting on it.

After drop podding in, you have 2 heavy flamers going off, and 3 normal flamers. Against most troop choices that should bring it down past half for sure, if not whipping it out entirely.

Now the second good thing about this unit, is if indeed the enemy survives the bathing in flames, you still have 5 marines with 2 attks each base, 3 with pedros banner, 4 on the assault. Unless your unlucky, or drop podded onto a very well guarded objective, this should do the trick.

Then its time to bunker down and maybe make some use of those AP 3 rounds  And you still have those 2 heavy flamers if anyone gets close, and Pedros power fist if there is any heavy near by to be dealt with. 


Let me know what you guys think!


----------



## Tim/Steve (Jan 25, 2009)

I think its an evil unit and those tactics may work well against most enemies but it has a couple of drawbacks.
All told thats about a 500pt unit and they can only shoot at 1 unit when they come down. Second unless your army is a pod list or you intend to blitz with rhinos you'll isolate them. At which point they're toast- they cant charge the turn they pod in and are unlikely to be in cover.

This unit would do well comming in on the flank of an enemy army but the rest of your army needs to be charging up to support them. That'll make use of Pedro's +1A bonus and keep teh initiative with your army.


----------



## Eric.West (Sep 16, 2008)

Thanks for the quick reply, I do agree the unit is pretty point heavy, it totals at 370pts, not 500, but still a hefty chunk. So your right it is risky if they don't get backed up.

A few things I'm thinking of are tossing a locator beacon in a droppod filled with an Ironclad Dread with 2 heavy flamers or something else to cause a ruckus and hopefully tie up a unit. He will come in first turn automatically with droppod assault. Then have the pedro+sternguard come in off reserves landing safely close by using the beacon.

I play with at least 2 units of bikes as well, so if needed they should be able to get there on time. 

It would be fun to try sending in some vanguard vets in via deep strike to the beacon and use heroic intervention to assault anyone close by that turn they come in off reserves. Would be nasty but faarrr too point heavy  Just would love to see it >


----------



## Tim/Steve (Jan 25, 2009)

Oh OK, was thinking you were having a unit of 10 sternguard... misread that bit.

Cheapest, funniest way of bathing oponent in flames is a normal dread with TL-heavy flamer and heavy flamer, incredibly useful against armies with 4+ saves. 

I like the idea of bikes backing up your unit- especially if you have a captain on a bike... Sternguard and bikes as scoring units would be harsh. The vanguard veterans are a little OTT normally but yeah, I too would love to see it- like taking my biovores in my nid armies... funny and can win you the game but not really a great choice.


----------



## Dafistofmork (Jan 9, 2009)

also, with pedro you can have 18 scoring units-6 10 man marine squads split into 12 combat squads and 3 10 man sternguard squads split into 6 combat squads. add a master of the forge and some dreads, or some tanks and that is one hard force.


----------



## Someguy (Nov 19, 2007)

To be honest I've not seen much success from this. The problem is that the standard sternguard tactic of drop podding down and rapid firing tends to kill a fair amount of stuff, but also leave your sternguard dead pretty soon afterwards. To score, a unit needs to be alive.

What I have seen do ok is to use them to "Hold the Line", as the rule itself is called. You can use sternguard to defend a position on your side of the board, especially with pedro skulking nearby giving them all +1 attack, and they are really quite difficult to remove from cover. You would probably then tend to give them plasma cannons rather than heavy flamers, or maybe combi weapons and a transport to keep enemy vehicles away.


----------



## Hialmar (Feb 19, 2008)

While I use Pedro with the Sternguard frequently I have not had much success having the Sternguard too forward as it seems to be too fragile. I think they hold a back objective fairly decently and with the ammunition they have a ten man squad has range and hitting power in shooting to hurt most things but Sternguard just do not do well in hand to hand. 

I think Pedro is great for making the Sternguard a scoring unit but you should then keep Pedro close to the units you want moving into hand to hand to take advantage of his +1 attacks.


----------



## Muzza69er (Feb 18, 2009)

using pedro allows you to make 3 5man Sqauds with 2heavyweapons sit and hold objsectives in your own half of the board it allows you to make a smelly gun line army


----------



## Juiceypoop (Jun 5, 2008)

I once came up with an amry list based around this concept, at 1750 points it was basicly 30 stern guard with combi weapons and 3 pfists and drop pods dropping in with pedro cantor and backed up by 2 tactical squads in drop pods with flamer and melta weapons.

5 or 10 stern guard dropping in on their own will do some damage and then get overwhelmed, but 30 stern guard with enough combi weapons to deal with any situation will do a crap tonne of damage and be able to support each other and make themselves much more survivable.


----------



## spike12225 (Aug 21, 2008)

yeah i've done a drop pod list with 1 sterngaurd and 2 tactical squads drop podding to back them up making 30 marines which is tough for alot of armies


----------



## DarKKKKK (Feb 22, 2008)

Yeah, my friend uses this sort of tactic a lot. Usually always has Pedro and Sternguard in his SM army. He usually understands the amount of points that go into such a set up, but still does consistantly good.


----------



## Blue Liger (Apr 25, 2008)

They can attack more than one unit though Flamer Template hits anyhting that's under it so you could essentially hit 2 units with it depending on how close they are together.


----------



## godzy (Jun 5, 2008)

Drop ten, combat squad them if necessary- the combi meltas pop a tank, and the HF and combi flamers burn infantry. 
or pop the transport and burn the passengers.


----------

