1500 IG, 3 planes, 3 tanks, 7 troops!

[Tombworld]

Hi all
Here's a modification of a list I posted earlier. This has more mobility, more varied units, more troop choices, and it'll hopefully be more fun AND more competitive! An explaination of how I'll use the units is included below the list:

HQ:
CCS w/3x Melta Guns (MG's), Voxcaster (Mounted in Valkyrie )

Troops:
Veteran Squad W/3xMGs, Voxcaster (Mounted in Valkyrie )
Veteran Squad W/3xMGs, Voxcaster (Mounted in Vendetta)

Platoon Command Squad W/2 Flamers, Chimera w/Hull and Turret Heavy Flamers
Infantry Squad W/Auto-cannon (AC)
Infantry Squad W/AC
Infantry Squad W/AC
Infantry Squad

Heavy Support:
Leman Russ Demolisher,
Leman Russ Demolisher,
Leman Russ Eradicator

Fast Attack
Valkyrie W/Rocket Pods
Valkyrie W/Rocket Pods
Vendetta

Here's the plan:

The plan is for the planes to drop off the CCS and Vet squads right in front of the biggest 'big bad(s)' the enemy has, making use of the scout move for the 4+ save (The valks can still fire their Rockets). The Valk with the CCS advances up the centre, with the other valk and the vendetta no more than 12" away so that the CCS can issue a vox-casted order to each of the vet squads. The planes fire whatever they can, and the vets and CCS deploy and start shooting ASAP at whatever needs to be melted. If there are three such targets, no problem. If there's less, the units can converge and concentrate their fire as needs be. Hopefully, the movement cover-save will help protect the planes if the enemy does get the first turn. The CCS are not in the vendetta because that'd be an especially tempting target, but the Vendetta's lascannons should be able to reach across the board and shoot what it needs to pretty much wherever it's placed. Obviously, I intend for it to survive more than one turn so it can sit still and fire off all its guns!

The Tanks keep the pressure on, and deploy within range of the Demolishers' lovely cannons. Demos are a threat to ANYTHING, esp 'unkillable' units like termies and Plague marines, but also characters and vehicles. The Eradicator makes it so the enemy can't just cower amongst cover. The Demos have to get relatively close to use their cannons, but the enemy should be distracted by the planes and troops that have deployed amongst their lines. The Idea is that the enemy has two insanely dangerous threats; the planes and their troops, and the advancing tanks, and neither is easy to deal with, nor can they be ignored without that costing him dearly.

The Platoon Squad will be able to rush to where ever it's needed on the board, but is again designed to deny the enemy cover, ideally burning them out of objectives.

The Infantry squads will ideally sit back and pop transports or shoot at anything that moves. There should also be enough redundancy with that many squads that they could go for objective grabs/objective babysitting if there's a dearth of targets. Their other task is to protect the tanks from assaults or other attacks by deep-striking/reserve enemy forces, jumping in the way of such attacks if needs be. Hey, it's tough bein' a guardsman.

Any comments are welcome!

[SlavesToDarkness]

I mostly like this list, but there are a few little issues:

1. Why double flamers on the Chimera? Is that how you have it modeled? Multi-laser turret and heavy flamer hull is the way to go. You will always be moving and from a distance the multi-laser can engage and up close the heavy flamer adds its weight to the regular (defensive!) flamers inside.

2. I would suggest dropping the 4th squad (the one without any upgrades) and adding in a commissar w/ Power Weapon so you can "blob up." Then take the final 5 points and add another flamer to the command squad.

[Tombworld]

I used the list, and it was effective! I'll give y'all the low-down in a sec, first up, those questions:

1) Yes, that's how it's modelled. At the mo, that chimera has the two-flamer option, but it's also kinda how I planned it; flaming is the only thing I want it to do, and if one of the HF's is deswtroyed, there's still another left. Plus, the flamer turrets look very cool...

2) Yeah, that may be a better idea. I actually ran this list slightly differently, with 2 AC squads and 2 squads with GL's. I'll take your advice and have a blob squad though; I think it'll be more effective.

Now, here's how the list worked out! I played a game against an Eldar player, and the result was a pretty flukey draw. This was because I became a bit 'target blind', and got caught up blasting his army apart. A jammy last-turn transport rush saw him secure the objective on my table edge, while I poured troops onto his.

I was gonna write a comprehensive battle-report, but some of the details are a bit fuzzy. In short, we were on a quite terrain-heavy table, playing pitched battle, capture and control. He had two wraithlords, Mugen ra, a fire-prism, Dire avengers in a transport (CAn't remember the model), fire dragon in transport (ditto), rangers and striking scorpions, as well as aonther poncy floatinf space-elf vehicle. The salient points with regards unit performance are thus:

1) The planes did admirably. The 4+ cover save from moving is priceless, as is the ability for the valks to fire those really-quite-dangerous rocket pods AND move 12". Being able to shift troops around and adapt to the battle not only makes for a more diverse and satisfying game than would be had with sit-and-shoot, it really messes with the enemy plans while keeping yours flexible. Three melta-toting squads may be overkill though; the CCS and a vet squad should really be able to take out just about anything. It may be better if I spend the points for the other vet squad on something else and let the Vendetta sit-and-shoot.

2) The eradicator was great. Why does this fantastic unit not get more credit!? His troops had virtually nowhere to hide, and it took a heavy toll on both the rangers and the striking scorpions as they tried to hunker down in cover. I'll definitley be taking it again.

3) Having two demolishers, one on each flank, really helps negate their fairly short range. They really are dangerous to anything too. But I never NEEDED two units with such immensly powerful weaponry, and that may also be true in the future. The longer range and cheaper cost of a standard battle-tank may be, pound-for-pound, more useful.

4) His transports were a pain. Nailing a unit with some ball-bustingly powerful uber-weapon only for it to get a turbo-boost cover-save is very annoying. A Hydra or two simply could not be a bad thing to take in the future (Quite possible replacing a demolisher) and I'm gonna give it some consideration. They may also be able to ladle wounds onto MC's.

5) I want to work another pyro-maniac PCS in there if possible; the eradicator IS utterly awesome, but I need yet more cover-negating firepower!

6) having lots of troops in a list is a great idea. He managed to mangle a few squads, but I still had plenty left to hop in a valk and go get his objective.

The game was great fun, and I managed to cause a lot of damage to his forces. The pace of the battle see-sawed - we each had some great turns, but my army had more units, more options, and more fire-power, and by the end, His forces had taken an incredible pounding.
He had his wraithlords, Mugen-ra and a battered unit of dire Avengers cowering in a smashed transport. My vendetta, chimera, thee infantry squads and a Demolisher had been taken down. The rest was left. if I'd have defended my table-half better, I'd have won for sure. Must remember not to have death and destruction alone on the brain; it's all about objectives!

[gcsmith]

Tbh your army looks sick, mes wishing nids could do anything that evil, well maybe soon with skill and knowlege but not yet, would fear to play you

[SlavesToDarkness]

Glad to hear the game went well! I have a few suggestions...

Suggestion #0, the over-suggestion, is to play the exact same list like 100 times before you change anything. Don't shuffle units around until you have played them all enough to see if they are truly in/effective.

1) I can respect that. I have power-fists on commanders that I still use, even though the fists are usually a waste of points. That being said, I find the best thing to do with Chimeras is to model them so that the turret can be swapped around (it even lets you make Hellhounds, Hydras etc. all with one Chasis). I achieved it with a little cutting and a Predator turret collar.

2) Never overestimate blob squads - so good! Even scare Space Marines! If you can ever squeeze in the points, add in Power Weapons and Melta bombs so that they can be a terror against anything from walkers to terminators.

Battle Report...

1) Yup. Valkyries rule. I swore I'd never use them, but then I got sick of my Chimeras being out-manuevered and I have never looked back. You can also equip your Vets with demolition charges to get even more bang (pun intended) out of them.

2) The Eraditacor is fantastic! ...except against Marines. Against 3+ save armies (of which there are TONS) a standard Leman Russ is much better.

3) Agree. I am taking 1 x Demolisher, 1 x Executioner and 2 x Hydras for my Heavy Support. But I am very conflicted about the Demolisher as a Standard Leman Russ has so much better range.

4) Hydra, hydra, hydra! Total bargain at the rock-bottem price of 75pts.

5) Yup! I am running 2 platoons, each command squad w/ 3 x Flamer, Vox-caster and mounted in Chimeras. Being able to drive up and hit them with 3 templats PLUS the tank's flamer is absolutely nuts.

[Chumbalaya]

Looks neat, glad to hear you're enjoying it.

I would suggest giving both Vet squads Demolitions. With the melta bombs you can scout up in your planes, drop off the Vets, then charge any vehicles that haven't yet moved. Auto-hits with melta bombs are so lovely, especially if you can multi-charge multiple vehicles. The demo charge is also handy if you want to kill off some infantry or need the extra S8.

A Commissar for your infantry would be very handy; blobbing is extremely useful.

[SlavesToDarkness]

Agree with Chumbalaya. Blob squads are as close as IG will get to tactical squads: survivable, good in combat and good at shooting. 30+ guys with 3 x heavy weapons and power weapons can use orders to destroy just about anything.

[Tombworld]

Blob swuads DO sound fun, and poowerful! I'm working on a 'no-where's safe' list similar to this, but with two collosus, two hydra, and some other good stuff to ensure the enmey is not safe ANYWHERE on the board! Will post it soon :)