40K: ‘Sleeper Units’ Of The Imperium
Warhammer 40,000 has a lot of armies and within those, they have a LOT of units. Folks tend to gravitate towards what they consider “the best” units in the meta. However, there are still some units out there that might surprise you for their effectiveness. Here’s our picks for the Imperium’s Sleeper Units!
There are a ton of “Known” units that can be scary – Adeptus Custodes Biker-Captains, Captain Smash from the Blood Angels, the Loyal 32, etc. When we are talking about “Sleeper Units” we’re talking about units that might get passed over for other things in the codex – but they shouldn’t be! That’s what we’re going to focus on today. You might not see these on the tabletop too often, but if you do, you might want to give them a second glance and be aware of what could be a ‘Sleeper’ attack!
Deathwatch – Storm bolter/Chainsword” Veterans
We know everyone wants to run Deathwatch Primaris or one of the other “fancy” guns – but have you seen what a squad of vets with the standard issue Storm bolter can do? For starters, Storm bolters base stats are good – but Deathwatch Kill Teams get access to all those Special Issue Ammo rules (and yes, that includes Storm bolters). The Chainsword is a bonus attack (so 3 per guy) and it’s also 0 points. It’s just a LOT of bullets that can do serious damage depending on the ammo and they aren’t slouches in close combat either. That’s why it’s a perfect sleeper unit.
Astra Militarum – Hellhound
The humble Hellhound is one of those units we’re always wondering why we don’t see more of on the tabletop. The Inferno Cannon “only” has a range of 16″ now, but it’s rolling 2d6 shots and hits automatically. Strength 6, AP -1 is no joke either. Plus it’s on a chassis that is just kind of annoying to have to take out. The Guard aren’t lacking in options, but the Hellhound is one that really should get more play time. It also fits in the Fast Attack Slot…Just one more reason to run it!
Dark Angels – Hellblasters + Weapons From The Dark Age
Why don’t we see this unit more often? We all know what Hellblasters can do, right? You stick a Captain (or equivalent – they are called “Masters”) nearby for the re-roll 1’s to hit and you overcharge until the enemy is plasma paste. But why do the Dark Angels do it better than anyone else? Because of the Stratagem Weapons From the Dark Age:
That’s 3 damage per wound! That’s brutal. And it’s only 1 CP which means it’s totally affordable. Make a target disappear with a flash of all that Plasma.
Blood Angel – Scouts
BA Scouts are cheap and mean. They are about as combat effective as a standard Marine, but “only” have a 4+ armor save. They still get access to “The Red Thirst” which makes them killing machines. That +1 to wound in the first round of fight phase is actually pretty useful. Don’t diss the Combat Knife – each Scout can have 2 attacks as well. This is a great example of a ‘sleeper unit’ and we wouldn’t be surprised to see more of them pop-up around the tabletop.
Adeptus Mechanicus – Sydonian Dragoons
Sydonian Dragoons are relatively cheap in points, hit like a ton of bricks, are fast, tough and deadly. In fact, on paper this unit should be DESTROYING things. Having got to play with them in an army, I can attest that a full unit will wreck just about anything. So why is this a ‘sleeper unit’ then? This unit is a ‘sleeper unit’ for a completely different reason – and that reason is cold, hard cash. Each model is $49. And with a Taser Lance they start at 68 points. See the problem here? That’s the real reason you don’t see these awesome models all over the place.
Raven Guard – Aggressors
(Pictures – Ultramarine Aggressors)
Wait, what? Why Aggressors and why Raven Guard ones, specifically? Well that’s due to their ‘Strike From the Shadows’ Stratagem:
They can literally deploy 9″ away, walk-up on their turn and show you what a BBQ is like when you’re the meat on the grill. Brutal. Oh and if they are going second, they can deploy over 12″ away and you have a -1 to hit them. Enjoy dealing with this sleeper unit!
There are lots of other sleeper units in the Imperium – what are some ones that you like to bring?
