Editing Warhammer 40,000/7th Edition Tactics/Deathwatch (section)

==Formations==
*'''Kill Team Cassius (Overkill):'''  Every member of the Overkill set forms a single unit that cannot be broken up, even by Cassius or Natorian who have IC, and gimps the mobility of the jump packs and bike as a result. The positive is that you get to re-roll to-wound and armour penetration rolls of 1, and having everyone in one unit does somewhat offset their individual weaknesses. Now with delicious mission tactics since the latest FAQ
** Another slightly overlooked detail thus far is that the entire unit gains the special rules from individual characters. This list is; counter-attack, fearless, hit & run, shrouded (first turn only), stealth, stubborn (slightly redundant because of fearless), and zealot. However losing the character that brought the rules to the table loses it for the whole squad, meaning if the White Scar dies, you lose your ability to hit & run. 
** If you've taken this unit and feel like you're about to be charged, keep Branatar (Salamander terminator), Delassio (Blood Angel Sergeant), and Grytt (Imperial Fist Sergeant) near the front, since they all have template weapons to fire in overwatch. And don't forget that as long as the Space Wolf is still alive, [[Rape|the entire squad gains counter-attack]].

*'''Watch Team Artemis (Death Masque):''' While everyone in the Death Masque set CAN smash into a mega-unit, such is not totally necessary. Even outside of it, everyone gets FnP 6+ from being near the captain, Hatred from being near the Sternguard sarge, and Precision Strikes from being near the Vanguard sarge. Add to this a re-roll of 1 on any to-wound or pen rolls, and you get a force that's remarkably better-assembled than Cassius' team, as there's not as many outliers in mobility as well as the option to avoid being slammed together,.

*'''Watchblade Taskforce (Battleforce):''' 1 Watchmaster, 3 units of Veterans, 1 Deathwatch Terminator Squad, 1 DW biker squad, and 1 Razorback. As long as the Watch Master is alive and on the battlefield, all units have the ''Hit and Run'' USR, and if 2 or more units from this formation are locked in with the same enemy unit, they auto-pass the initiative test to H&R.

*'''Indomitus Kill Team (Start Collecting! Deathwatch):''' 1 Watch Captain ([[What|but not Artemis, despite him being in the box]], 1 full Kill Team and 1 Venerable Dreadnought. Watch Captain joins the Kill Team, you know the rest. You get to re-roll any failed To-Wound rolls and armour penetration rolls for models from this Formation that are either controlling an Objective Marker or targeting an enemy unit that is controlling an Objective Marker. So, it's easy objective removal, [[RAGE|too bad you can't secure it for yourself]]

===Black Spear Strike Force===
Another variant of the Gladius, this one is, like the Deathwatch itself, focused in small numbers and pairing together things of unlikely composure. Alongside the mandatory WT re-roll, they gain one extra Mission Tactic use and grants all not-vehicle units Deep Strike, so you can have surprise bikes up everyone's ass. Also because you can stick multiple Librarians into pretty much every kill Team you can have a lot more psychic kick then might be expected.

One downside of the BSSF is that because of the ubiquitous need for regular veterans in all your kill teams, you cannot have whole units of bikes or Jump packs. So while you can Deep Strike everything, you won't have any fast moving squads until those five guys ''(minimum)'' bite the dust. It is really designed around Deep Striking proper Kill-teams near their assigned targets to murder the hell out of them and using Blackstars as your primary mobility and fire support (in case your prey is [[Tau|too dangerous to Deep Strike near]], [[Tarpit|is surrounded by bodies]], [[Eldar|needs softening up before committing]], or [[Dark_Eldar|attempts to flee]]), since you can have as many of these as you want, but it is not a "seize ground fast" army, with most Kill-teams moving on foot, nor it is a "form a battleline and hold the objectives" one, lacking any ObSec whatsoever or any durability beyond standard MEQ/TEQ stats. Arguably, you positively ''need'' another, more conventional force to do these tasks (cracking transports from afar, sweeping areas of any remaining enemies, holding backfield, capturing and holding objectives) for the Black Spear, just like in fluff. Thankfully, it is an Imperial faction and allying someone in is very easy.

====Command Formation (1-3)====
* '''Commander Guardian:''' An HQ choice or Dread. You probably want the Dreadnought, to avoid an HQ tax.

====Core Formations (1+)====
*'''Kill-Team:''' A squad of Veterans. The only option that lets you use combat squads, but otherwise unremarkable.
*'''Aquila Kill-Team:''' One Veteran Squad, with the option for Librarians, Terminators, Vanguard Veterans, or Bikes, so long as the whole team doesn't exceed 10 models. They all combine to become a bigger squad with the ability to re-roll to-wound and penetration rolls of 1. This is deceptively good due to the way the various unit options interact. By joining a Vanguard veteran to a unit, the entire team gains the ability to reroll charge distances and ignore disorganized charges. Taking a terminator gives you access to fearless and a host of additional weapons on a relentless model. Taking bikes grants split fire and skilled rider to the entire unit.
**As written the codex gives you very little reason to use anything but Aquila kill teams the majority of the time, the following other kill team variants are best used only when kitting for very specific threat types, such as high-AV targets or high-toughness monstrous creatures. Remember when doing so that in many armies the highest AV targets are usually dedicated transports or LoW choices, and high-toughness targets can be anything from HQ to Elites to HS, making the trade off of generalist for specialist very dubious.
**'''Alternate take:''' Aquila Kill-Teams only allow you to re-roll 1s for wounding/penetration. The other specialized kill-teams allow you to re-roll all failed wounds/pens. Furor and Purgatus kill-teams are good since there's almost always Troops and HQ units (With HQ units that are ICs, you gain your re-rolls on the HQ's joined unit!).
**That said, remember that Dedicated Transports take on the battlefield role of their squad, so Furor kill-teams will re-roll pens against any Troop transports AND re-roll wounds against Troops, which is really good! You are virtually guaranteed to have Troops choices in any opposing army, so taking Furor and Aquila teams in a Watch Company will almost ensure you will be able to use your bonuses.
*'''Furor Kill-Team:''' One unit of Veterans (with at least one of either a frag cannon or Infernus HB), one unit of Terminators, and any number of Librarians, Vanguard Veterans, or bikes up to a maximum of 10 models. This becomes a big unit with a re-roll to-wound or pen against troops.
*'''Venator Kill-Team:''' One unit of Veterans, one unit of Bikes, any number of Librarians, Vanguard Veterans, or Terminators, so long as you have at least two bikers up to a maximum of 10 models in the entire team. They all become a big unit and can re-roll to-wound or pens against fast attack enemies.
*'''Malleus Kill-Team:''' One unit of Veterans, one unit of Terminators, and any number of Librarians, Vanguard Veterans, or Bikes up to a maximum of 10 models with at least two of them using thunder hammers (heavy or not). They become a big unit and can re-roll to-wound or pen against heavy support. 
*'''Dominatus Kill-Team:''' One unit of Veterans, one unit of Vanguard Veterans (with a minimum of 2), any number of Librarians, Terminators, or Bikes up to a maximum of 10 models. They become a big unit and can re-roll to-wound or pen against Elites.
*'''Purgatus Kill-Team:''' One unit of Veterans, one unit of Terminators, a Librarian, and any number of Bikes or Vanguard Veterans up to a maximum of 10 models and a vet grabs a stalker bolter. They become a big unit and can re-roll to-wound/pen against HQ.
*'''Strategium Command-Team:''' One Watch Captain/Chaplain/Librarian, accompanied by one unit of Veterans/Kill-Team formation above:
**If commanded by a Watch Captain, all models gain FNP (6+), which helps survivability.
**If commanded by a Chaplain, all models gain Furious Charge for melee shenanigans. Combo it with Vanguards Veterans to get maximum benefit on your charges.
**If commanded by a Librarian, all models gain Stubborn and Adamantium Will so they can hold the line no matter what.
***Remember that Adamantium Will combos with Psychic Hood to provide additional Deny the Witch protection for every unit within 12", and the re-roll of ones to wound in an Aquila team, combined with a force axe, heightens the chance of landing Instant Death. If you don't want to take a separate Librarius Conclave from C:SM, this is your alternative. Ally in inquisitorial psykers for additional Warp Charges, they are really cheap.
***Unless the Kill Team is part of a Watch Company, if you were planning to add a Librarian to it then you may as well do this and get the additional benefit
*'''Watch Company:''' One Watch Captain, accompanied by four units of Veterans/Kill-Team formations. Everyone gets to re-roll to-wound against '''units''' including Warlords, Psykers, and Independent Characters.

====Auxiliary Formations (1+)====
*'''Ancient:''' A Dreadnought of any sort.
*'''Armour:''' Pick a Land Raider. Any Land Raider.
*'''Dropship:''' It's a Corvus Blackstar.
*'''Dropship Wing:''' Three Blackstars put together. Along with any Death from the Skies formation they take, they can re-roll to-wound/armour penetration against Flying Monstrous Creatures and Flyers.