Blob Guard Choices: Platoon Command Squads

Another sidestep from the Warpcon results to fire up this small article I had lying about.  

While I've already discussed platoons i decided it might be worth mentioning the platoon command squad separately in a short article.

There are a few ways I’m beginning to see of how to build these, my usual being 3 meltaguns and moving them up behind the blobs for orders and extra anti tank. Although I'm now looking at them possibly as a counter punch unit, platoon commander with fist, Commissar with power fist, medipack and squad with Laspistols / CCW.

On paper it doesn't seem too high a threat, but following in the blobs it could be used to dive into a fight (Hopefully gaining furious charge from Straken if he's in the list) and causing some serious damage, 3 PF attacks from the commi and from the commander, with a further 12 more from the squad. With Straken boosting them that could be a nice S4 ini 4 meaning a marine squad might feel the pain by the end of this and it means your blob can focus on other threats, although it costs 125 points to equip this out. But it is looking like a possible option for blobs (Even more so if you can charge in and help the blob clear away its attackers to get it back and moving again.

Adding a priest with his upgrades also means even more higher Str fun

Another option is a Lascannon or even autocannon heavy weapon team, but as I'v mentioned in previous articles led to them being focused fired down for quick kill points and to remove a heavy weapon.

I do think though that they should remain hidden or at least screened close by for orders and backup fire/HTH support, and are able to move as required which you may be reluctant to do with a heavy weapon.

Picture from: http://aguardsmansguidetoglory.blogspot.com/

Bringing up the wargear again I still find little of it that appealing for the points. The medipack etc is not essential unless you wanted to run the ‘’fisty’’ squad as Ailaros calls them to give him the credit. The special weapons still go the same way in my mind as the infantry squads and what I need from them, and while plasma guns and a medic would be interesting to run, it would also be focused down as being expensive points wise and a threat by the enemy, or meltguns which I'm still loving as backup shots or infantry thinners (Take that paladins you TDA bullies!)... although I'm not pondering 4 GL's and their cheapness, 4 S6 shots flying 24inches could really screw up a transports day if it gets sunned or immob and the blob swarms it.

As long as the Commissar doesn't shoot the P-Commander though, thats when it can begin to backfire losing a fist to a get back here you shot.

At Warpcon I was discussing Blob guard with a guy from down south called Mark and he put forward a really good proposal I hadn't thought about. A PCS with meltabombs and krak nades... cheap and effective with a very fire and forget price. It does have a lot of merit, but to do this you'd need to include Creed in your lists to allow them to gain the outflank ability.

Regarding commander upgrades, Al’Rahem could work nicely with the power fist commissar meaning his squad fires and orders like the wind to get closer for some HTH fun, though if I was doing this I may have to include a priest to really get the best from his attacks... that and the arrival of his 40+ men on a unknown, but hopefully good odds (Astropath) flank.

Chenkov still doesn't interest me as I don't like the idea of the next wave having to come on, and even more so as they don’t have the same qualities as the platoon regarding wargear options.

Hopefully these random musings can give some help in deciding on load outs for the PCS.