by Benjaymun
As those who analyse the probabilities know, it's almost always in the alien player's interest to seek close combat. This leads me to wonder whether the "blood angels bolter squad" could be played in a way to shutdown, or at least penalise this mode of play from the alien player. I theorise that most people are playing the squad wrong. Perhaps it can be made viable with the following ground rules:1) Run from and shoot all orks and gretchin. Do not allow them to close and engage in close combat. The 6 move of the bolter marines gives them a fighting chance of outrunning them. If there's unknown blips to be revealed, then the force fielded commander can do that.
2) Engage with combat blades hard targets that targeter'd bolters cannot be relied upon to take out, such as genestealers, chaos androids and chaos marines, but do not leave a marine in a position where he can be close assaulted by other aliens (unless it's the commander).
3) Leave the dreadnaught to the commander.
I suspect that marine players who take the full bolter loadout (bolt pistols, close assault blades, and targeter on bolters) make the mistake of mixing it up in close combat with orks and gretchin, which is a recipe for getting killed. Saving the close combat risk for the harder targets may work. Will have to try this.