Death Company vs Death Cult Assassins round two

In recognition of my co-author's first post regarding SoB, and how one of their elites -the Death Cult Assassins- smash a Death Company unit into the ground, I wish to show how they may win. I will do an equal points example, then will try and adjust his example DC unit, and see how they fare without altering points. This will be hard, but I will endeavour to show tactics and unit composition that may make it easier.



First of all, a chaplain. You always want a chaplain in a Death Company unit, but in this case, keep it stock. Second of all, use bolters and not bolt pistol/close combat weapon. It isn't often I suggest this, but in this case the extra shots will be golden. Also, forget special weapons, with their only save being invulnerable, that makes it kind of pointless. This example will ignore other units, but shoot the living daylights out of them with whatever you can, as otherwise you WILL die. I don't expect this DC unit to live, but I expect them to do more hefty damage than my fellow expects, for significantly less points.

Ok, so keeping it stock, and wanting to shoot, ignore jump packs, and buy 7 death company, and the chaplain. If all of these single tap, hit with all, wound with all, and then the Assassins proceed to fail invulns, already they have done more damage than in my co-author's post. Also, never run. Sounds obvious when arming them with bolters, but when you forget they have relentless, you decide to run, and then you die.

Starting at 24 inches range, you move forward 6", and single tap bolters. 3.5 hit, 1.75 wound, 0-1 dies. They move forward 6" and run 3", putting you well within charge range. You then move forward 6", double tap bolters and charge. Bolters kill another leaving 8/9 alive and the special character. The assassins have 32/36 attacks rerolling to hit, so 24/27 hit, 12/13-14 wound, killing all but chaplain (potentially killing him too if they split attacks). The chaplain has 2 attacks, hits once, wounds .5 times, and probably doesn't wound. Chaplain takes 13 no retreat rolls, killing him.

If we use the Sgt's example unit, but armed with bolters instead of bolt pistol/CCW, then it all goes a bit pear shaped for the DCA. Same situation, but after you move, out of your shots 10 hit, 5 wound, killing 2. They move and run. You move, shoot: 20 hits, 10 wounds, killing another 3, meaning, when you charge, only 20 attacks, of which 15 hit, 8 kill. 36 attacks, 27 hit, 24 wound, 8 die, leaving just the special character to kill next turn. This is not counting Astoraths or Jacobus's attacks, so if they duel each other, this will be accurate. As it is, Astorath just needs to focus on Jacobus to win the entire combat in a single round.

Admittedly, as shown in the aforementioned post, this is a horrendous point sink, but they did this SOLO! With the other units in the army supporting, as they should be, the first unit should do it. Remember, on the tabletop, you should not be playing VacuumHammer, your units should be working together; E.G. devastator squads should be popping transports left right and centre, predator destructors should be mowing down the infantry inside, tactical squads should be helping kill whatever they can with what they are armed with.