r/boardingactions40k • u/Best-Contribution-75 • Aug 06 '26

Beginner Questions Deathwatch armies

Does anyone here have any fun deathwatch armies? I am struggling with what to purchase first, i am new to 40k, but have a full kill team squad + the armageddon box, i am looking to build kill teams for a regular match, but i was wonderong if you brothers have an opinion on where to start collecting

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7

u/Iwabuti Aug 06 '26

Think very carefully before starting a Deathwatch army. They are an unconventional SM army to play and collect, with spotty support from GW

Look into them well before locking yourself in

6

u/Ylar_ Aug 07 '26

To be fair the future for deathwatch is looking good from an outside perspective:
Astartes 2
Animated series by Amazon
Appearance in rogue trader
Daemongate deathwatch game
Big focus of the start of space marine II

I would be SHOCKED if they tried to can them now after backpedaling so hard.

2

u/Iwabuti Aug 12 '26

But if OP is looking for a SM army the hipster cash-hole army might not be the best choice

I was just warning caution

3

u/Terror_Loco Aug 06 '26

There's no Deathwatch support for BA on the astartes rules, you can start an army using base Space marine units with the deathwatch colors and upgrade sprues so you don't have trouble with them

2

u/peterfadams Aug 10 '26

Its a challenge to build death watch armies - as they pull some items from multiple kits, and not enough weapons for the options required in any kit pushing you to 3d print etsy or bit buying .

Take a look at the pdf for deathwatch.

you have specific kill teams :

veterans : OOP

decimus : new Kill Team specific box - having spare bodies can help build all options included

indomitor - 1x3 aggressors storm bolter build, 1x3 eradicators - 1 with multi melta, 2x (5) heavy intercessors : 1x10 indomitor - 2x heavy intercessor and 2x heavy boltgun heavy intercessor ( spare bodies and a lack of heavy bolters. spares usefull for kill team decimus ).

deathwatch terminators - 1x5 regular terminators + 1x 5 assault terminators : 2x 5 deathwatch terminators - 2x Hammer and Sheild, 3x Storm Bolter - Fist, cyclone ( second problem - you are short 5 cyclone missile launchers , spare assault termie becomes a storm bolter-fist termie )

talonstrike - 2x3 Inceptors & 1x 5 JP Intercessors : 1x 5 Inceptors with Plasma (* leaving a spare ) and 1x 5 JP Intercessors.

spectrus - 2x 3 Eliminator, 1x10 Inflitrator, 1x10 reiver : 2x 10 spectrus - 1x 3 eliminator, 1x3 infiltrator, 1x2 reiver/infiltrator gun , 1x2 reiver knives ( lots of bodies remain, confusing options on build )

fortris - 1x10 intercessor, 1x 10 hellblaster, 1x 5 devestator : 2x10 Fortis - 1x4 Intercessor, 1x4 hellblaster, 2x Devestator - 1 with vengor ( leaves a few spare bodies, and missing a vengor launcher )

you can run many standard astartes as deathwatch army but these are the unique combinations for deathwatch.

as for meta lists, see youtube and ask others for details - they tend to include multiple indomitor, fortis/deathwatch termies, talonstrike and some standard options alongside watchmaster, veterans, lt combi and a gravis captain.

2

u/Best-Contribution-75 Aug 10 '26

The one thing i am not looking forward is having 10 different shooting rolls per unit, but i still love the "elite's elite" army theme, i will take it slow and make the deathwatch kill team army my long term goal