Hi everyone, Michael here to bring you a review on the Terminator Assault Squad. For more reviews, analyses and battle reports, check out the Tactics Corner.
The Terminator Assault Squad is the second Terminator unit in Codex: Space Marines, and a slightly more popular choice than the standard Terminator Squad due to the wargear options they can take. The squad consists of 5 Terminators, with the option to add an additional 5 Terminators to the unit.
Wargear:
- Terminator Armour
- Two Lightning Claws
- Options for any model to replace their Lightning Claws with a Thunder Hammer and Storm Shield
- Option to take a Land Raider as a Dedicated Transport (all three variants available)
Special Rules:
- ATSKNF
- Chapter Tactics
- Combat Squads
Tactics:
Much of what I said in my review of the Terminator Squad is applicable to the Terminator Assault Squad as well. The Terminator has Space Marine stats with an additional attack, Ld 9 and a 2+ armour save.
Since the introduction of AP values for close combat weapons, the 2+ armour save has gotten even stronger in combat, as power weapons no longer ignore all armour saves. Your Terminator Assault Squad will only have to worry about AP2 combat weapons or attacks in combat, and combat is where they want to be. The basic load out of the Terminator Assault Squad means that they will have 3 attacks in combat (4 on the charge) with AP3 and Shred. This makes them great for taking out units with 3+ armour save who cannot negate their 2+ armour save or muster sufficient attacks back to bring down the Terminators through forcing enough failed saves. Ironically, this makes the Terminators with Lightning Claws ideal at taking out other marine units such as Tactical Squads, Devastator Squads, etc. A unit of 5 Assault Terminators will put out 20 Lightning Claw attacks on the charge, enough to put a serious dent in a unit of 10 Marines (lacking any bonus saves such as Feel No Pain or Invulnerable Saves) with average rolling.
Upgrading the unit to carry Thunder Hammers and Storm Shields means that they will be able to take on the toughest of opponents thanks to a boost to the strength and AP of their attacks and the added durability that a 3+ invulnerable save provides.
The problem with the Assault Terminators (and all assault units in general) is getting them to their target in one piece. The prevalence of Grav weaponry in the current meta means the Terminators will not survive long on the board should they become a priority target. In fact, any weapon has the ability to take out the squad if the volume of fire is high enough, as eventually you will roll those 1’s and start losing the unit.
For the Terminator Assault Squad, it might be worth investing in a Land Raider as a Dedicated Transport. This will help your unit to get to their target in one piece (though Grav still poses a threat as you risk your transport being Immobilised). However, this greatly increases the cost of your unit, taking up a substantial amount of your points in an 1850 game.
Chapter Tactics
Some of the Chapter Tactics in the Space Marine Codex add some additional utility to the Terminator Squad.
The Ultramarines Chapter Tactics give some additional re-rolls to the unit, depending on which doctrine is used.
The White Scars Chapter Tactics now provide your Terminators with Hit and Run, great for preventing you from being bogged down in a protracted combat. It also allows you to re-roll run moves, giving the Terminators a bit more mobility in the game.
The Iron Hands Chapter Tactics will help increase the durability of your Terminator Squad, providing a 6+ Feel No Pain roll.
Formations
The Terminator Squad can be taken as part of the 1st Company Task Force or Strike Force Ultra.
The 1st Company Task Forces consists of 3-5 units of Terminator Squads, Terminator Assault Squads, Sternguard Veteran Squads or Vanguard Veteran Squads. The formation gains Fear, Fearless, Preferred Enemy against one selected enemy unit and gives Leadership penalties to the enemy army under certain circumstances. Fear is not the best of rules, but can be useful when it comes off. Fearless on all the units is great, making them much more reliable. A decent formation, but at a high buy in for the army depending on which units you take.
Strike Force Ultra consists of a Terminator Captain, 2 Terminator Squads, 2 Terminator Assault Squads, a Venerable Dreadnought, A Stormraven and a Land Raider Crusader or Redeemer. The formation gives bonus shots and attacks to the Terminator units the first time they arrive from Deep Strike or disembark from a vehicle. At a minimum cost of 1395 pts, this formation is essentially an army. Not the strongest of choices given the limitations of Terminator Squads in the game.
Overall:
Terminator Assault Squads have a lot of bonuses going for them over regular Terminator Squads, but it still does not make them a cost-effective choice. They will make a mess of many units in the game in combat, but the real problem is getting them there in one piece. Am I wrong? Are Assault Terminators a mainstay of your army? When was the last time you saw them on the table?
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