How big is an impressive Blob?

I’ve been researching what is the best number of bodies for a power blob through play testing, working out available wounds and costs to damage / survivability.

From first test running the blob army at 30 man squads I’ve bumped them up to 40, this meant the general army went from 4x 30 man squad sot 3x40 man, my logic being to see how not having the extra 5 man PCS would work out, and also to see how 40 men would work compared to 30 men when absorbing damage.

While the 30 man squads were compact enough to move around and still put out some hurt, I found them withered by the time combat would come around. Although when bumping the squads to 40 I found them much fuller by the later turns and much more capable in combat, it’s amazing what the extra Sgt and bodies can do, as well as the extra 10 bodies making break tests almost unlikely unless their properly torrented by the enemy fire.

The other reason I swapped to 40 man blobs was to give me the option to break down the squads into either a 10 man squad support firing while a 30 man blob advanced, or to make two 20 man blobs, one which could advance (Or both could, they have enough bodies, as long as I keep the non commissar one out of combat and use the regimental standard to keep them on the field) and the non commissar one fire support whilst giving me a solid enough mass of bodies to hold a capture and control objective with.

Although I have found that the two 20 man blobs can suffer if you play them against the wrong enemy, Scotty’s DOA list showing me the errors of my way as he cleaved through squads over a turn or two then getting free to continue fighting. Thus I think for facing Combat orientated armies it will come down to what I’m facing but the blobs will stay at 40 guys.

Whereas if I’m facing a pure small mech list (TL Lascannon razorbacks and the likes) in non KP games I’ll take the 20 man blobs to allow me more target opportunity and also due to less anti infantry shots. The problem is getting the experience to know what size fits what enemy army.

Going back to the previous point I was making, by taking the 40 man squads under 1 platoon I get the options I would not have had if I take two 30 man platoons. And in the army I’m finding the fewer but bigger platoons allow me the options already mentioned above while lessening my possible KP if needs be.

I’m thinking of also testing 50 man blobs to allow me a 20 man sit back with heavy weapons and shoot while 30 advance. The problem is going this big with the blobs is that certain armies or even units will munch them down (GK purifier even in 5 man squads, or wraith lords to name a few units I suspect will ruin my day) and so I come back to the previous choice post of including heavy weapons or not in the army.

Until I prove myself wrong I think 40 man blobs are the way to go as it has enough staying power to make a night of it, (with 15 PW attacks or 20 on the charge, 4 melta bombs for busting vehicles, 4 meltagun shots and 4 lascannon shots which gives them a lot of versatility making even more options when blob squadding) but small enough to get them where you want position wise without problems.