Tactical Squads

Of the Tactical Space Marine, bedrock of his Chapter and paragon to his brothers, I shall tell thee. He shall be steeped in the lore of battle and schooled in all manner of weapon and strategy. With combat blade, boltgun and grenade he shall assail the foe. But these are mere tools: a Tactical Marine's true weapons are his courage, his wits, and his dedication to his brothers.

He will bring his foe to battle in a manner and time of his choosing, never himself caught unready or ill-repared for the task at hand. In defence he shall be stalwart as the mountain, a bulwark stood firm against the enemies of Man. In attack he shall strike with the wrath of the Immortal Emperor, felling the foe without mercy, remorse, or fear.

+++ Roboute Guilliman, quoted in the Apocrypha of Skaros +++

(stolen from Lexicanum)

Tactical squads are my main troop choice. As part of my half company I have created three squads: the 1st, 2nd, and 6th squads.

1st Squad

Led by Sergeant Quintus Decius Natta

1st Squad is a ten man tactical squad with a meltagun and a multi-melta. The Sgt is armed with a power weapon, a pistol, and meltabombs. They are my run and gun squad, meant to take the fight to the enemy. I designed them specifically to not combat squad, so I didn't want my heavy weapon choice to weigh down the rest of the squad. As such, I took the cheapest close range option. I like them in close combat, but facing a big heavy vehicle I have no problem planting them and unleashing some multi-melta terror. This is my most aggressive tactical squad.

2nd Squad

Led by Sergeant Titus Decius Calidus

2nd Squad is a ten man tactical squad with a melta-gun and a missile launcher. The Sgt has a power fist and a bolt pistol. This is my mid range tactical squad. The missile launcher is a great option to keep back in a combat squad and direct firepower toward a transport. The power fist meltagun combat squad is a great hunter killer team. I use them as a do everything squad, as they have no problem pushing toward the enemy or staying back and shooting.

You may notice a slightly muted hue of yellow compared to the 1st squad. This was one of my origianl two squads and my basecoating technique changed.

6th Squad

Led by Sergeant Aulus Decius Severus.

6th Squad is a ten man tactical squad with a plasma gun and a lascannon. The Sgt is armed with a power weapon, bolt pistol, and meltabombs. This is my fire support tactical squad. They are typically combat squadded, with the weapons held back. I honestly don'e like the power weapon on the Sgt, but I was trying to save points as this is my most expensive of my three tactical squads. This is my most defensive squad.

Like 2nd Squad, this has a muted yellow hue that I improved later (this actually was my first Imperial Fist squad ever).

Tactics

I typically run with two tactical squads in a 1500-1850 army. They allow me to have at a minimum 2-4 troop choices for objective games. Depending on my army list I use them to shore up where I think the rest of my army is weak. In one army list I have deep striking terminators and drop podding dreadnoughts, so I use 2nd squad and 6th squad to provide covering fire. In one list I use devastator and sternguard in a firing line so I use 1st and 2nd squads as a light counter-charge unit.