Dawn of War II - Squad Build - Avitus

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Squad Build - Avitus
(Not for Chaos Rising)

Overview

Because his weapons have long range, you can start combat by setting him up with the enemy at the limit of his range. As they come closer in response to being shot at, hopefully they will be suppressed, making them easier targets for your other squads and to being hit by a Grenade.
If you spot melee enemies, you should set up Avitus a ways behind your other squads and use him to quickly clear any melee enemies that manage to close with your front line.

The traits we aimed for were in this order: Advanced Optics, Improved Load Out, Heavy Weapons Specialist, Terminator Honors, Battle Lust.

Of the squads in your roster, Avitus is probably the one who benefits most from Terminator Armour if you have a decent Assault Cannon to go with it. His damage-per-second jumps a lot, plus he is less vulnerable in melee as his Armor improves and his entire squads has Terminator Power Fists. He can't garrison anymore, but on Primarch Difficulty, being holed up in a building is a liability anyway. Only Avitus carries the Assault Cannon in Terminator Armour; his squad carries Storm Bolters.

Skills

Starting Skill

• Focus Fire - Greatly enhance the damage output of any ranged weapon, bringing ruination to the enemy.

Stamina

• Sprint - Gain additional movement speed and become immune to knockdown for a short period.
• Terminator Honors - Gain the ability to equip Terminator armor. Avitus wields a mighty assault cannon as his default weapon in Terminator armor.
• Steady in Cover - Become immune to knockback from conventional attack when in cover. Special abilities may still cause knockback.

Range

• Advanced Optics - Extend the range of all ranged weapons used by Avitus.
• Improved Focus - While active, Focus Fire also extends weapon range.
• Accurate from Cover - Devastator Squad has increased accuracy when firing from cover, significantly raising damage output.
• Missile Launchers tend to destroy cover in front of you when used against Infantry since they have a forced inaccuracy against infantry and the shots can go anywhere.
• Heavy Weapons Specialist - Avitus no longer needs to set up or tear down heavy weapons such as Plasma Cannons or Heavy Bolters.
• This applies to the whole squad.
• Without set up and tear down, models tend to wander when reloading just like any other squad not using a weapon with setup. Watch them to make sure they are still where you need them to be.
• You lose the area-of-effect diagram you normally get when you click-and-drag to establish facing.
• Missile launchers do not have set up or tear down but only Avitus carries it. The rest of the squad will still need to set up their heavy bolters, only now you don't have the firing arc diagram to guide you.
• Terminator Armour Assault Cannons do not have setup time.

Melee

• Sure Footed - While using Focus Fire, Avitus enters an extremely focussed state and he is unable to be knocked down.
• Just get Terminator Armour. You get your first suit after the mission "The Secrets of Angel Forge".
• Clear Out - Swing equipped weapon in a wide arc, knocking nearby enemies backwards.
• You do not need a ranged weapon.
• Seems mostly useless as it doesn't inflict a lot of damage, throw the enemies back very far, or last very long. If you are swamed by Tyranids, it is probably better to try to reposition or retreat than use this to give yourself maybe just one or two seconds of breathing room.

Will

• Improved Load Out - Adds an Accessory slot.
• You really want this because there are a lot of useful accessories and not enough squadmembers to carry them. Also, having some kind of attack accessory means he's not entirely useless if you don't have time to set up his heavy weapon.
• Battle Lust - Avitus regains Energy for every enemy he kills.
• Focus Mastery - The basic benefits of Focus Fire are extended to nearby allies, increasing their damage output.
• This sounds like a great skill to have, but unlike Tarkus's Tactical Mastery, not everyone will be using a ranged weapon in a way that will greatly benefit, so it is not a big priority to get.
• In our builds, the Force Commander was counting on Deadly Aim for kills with Flamers instead of raw weapon damage; Tarkus was using Grenades; and Cyrus was using demolition with Infiltration.