Effectively useing Combined Arms tactics

[alisbin]

with all the balance whining (can barely hear myself think...) the whole idea of combined arms seems to be, at least in general, overlooked. Thus this thread, lets see if we can get a real conversation going on using combined arms properly with each race specifically and in DOW 2 in general.
if your gonna brag/whine about how you can or cannot obliterate your opponent by massing 1 or 2 types of squads, go somewhere else. let the balance threads go on elsewhere, lets talk about the game as we know it now and how to use each army to its best. also note that this is not a BO thread, this is about what you intend to do WITH whatever BO you use.

some thoughts to get things started;
thus far i've been playing SMs, trying to really understand each unit's place in a combined force. for my basic fighting unit what i'm trying currently is setting 1 shotgun scout on point (usually infiltrated unless their trying to draw fire) followed by my hero (apoth or sometimes FC) and/or a dread for support. just behind the hero i'll have 1 tac squad WITHOUT a special weapon (least till my enemy shows a preferred tactical direction) for general support and a HB team, the two of which will support each other. generally i'll keep 1 squad of assault marines behind them to cover rear guard or to hop up front quick in support of whatever unit needs them.

[Hugdealer]

i have no build order. it all depends on the the first fight goes and what i see tem building. My first unit is always a tac squad. though, then i get a bolter for my apoth or techmarine. and go from there.

[Tuna]

Combined arms is a requirement to win at this game. I see no way to just spam a single unit and win since everything has a counter.

But as hugdealer says, I wing it, see what my enemies using and adjust my tactics accordingly.

[Atritas]

One thing to remember about combined arms when using Tyranids is to ALWAYS have synapse in battle. There's just no way to win without it.

(Which is also why I propose for the Lictor Alpha to give synapse but that's just me.)

Not to mention Warriors are awesome units overall, always worth getting to support your Gaunts.

[Shinji]

As an Eldar player, I also think combined arms is necessary to win. In fact, I haven't played many people who've been very successful without it. As for my general strategy, I take points as fast as I can, denying areas with ShuriCannons. My Guardians either cap or provide a sort of 'stepping stone' for my ShuriCannons to move about safely. Banshees are almost entirely a defensive unit for me in T1. T2 comes and I'll almost always make a Wraithlord first. If I'm anticipating an enemy walker, I prefer to make a Brightlance and use my Wraithlord to bait it into melee in it's range.

I simply can't imagine focusing on just one or two units to win the game. It just doesn't fly against people who are at least somewhat familiar with the game.

[Ryouichi]

I've only been able to win with spam when the beta first came out.

Now my build order depends on which map I'm playing on.

The most spamtastic of the 4 races I use would be SM (ASM) and Orks. Orks because I only make use of 2 units, the Stikkbommaz and Tankbustas, 3 squads of each for massive over-9000 pwnage.

For Tyranids, Naturally I always have a combined force of Horms, Terms, and Warriors with a Carnifex thrown in there somewhere. I don't really find a use for the Lictor because I can disable platforms as it is and have more than enough firepower to discount the Zoanthrope (Though it'd probably be very effective AGAINST ME).

As Eldar, I make 1 Shuri plat and just go around with my Exarch and 2 Guardian squads ambushing enemies (Or falling back if they're too many). Then I get depending on the resources and situation a Wraithlord, Banshee, or Warp Spider squad. Or if I'm particularly rolling in resources, an Avatar.

[saint0z]

(Which is also why I propose for the Lictor Alpha to give synapse but that's just me.)

Not to mention Warriors are awesome units overall, always worth getting to support your Gaunts.

Nah i don't think the Lictor Alpha should get any sort of synapse, he works too well on his own. Instead of synapse you get Loner, and Loner is pretty frakin awesome. Just have to get warriors that much sooner.