Calling all Elysian/AirCav players

[Atrotos]

Lol I made it through all of 5th with 35 Elysian models! It worked because one squad would get out, die, and then *poof* disembark again from another Vendetta!

The four rocket pods took a HUGE hit since you can't fire them at all if you evade and they don't benefit as much from Strafing Run. Still don't think there's anything better at punishing GEQ blobs though, definitely worth taking if you have the points.

30 guys isn't going to cut it in 6th, I don't think. The average number of objectives per game has more than doubled and when you run an army of suicide squads (that's basically all they are) you end up spending troops too quickly. My current line of thinking is to spam as many suicide squads as possible but Elysians are expensive and this means they can't have Valkyries. They have to deep strike (which, honestly, is what they end up doing a lot of the time anyway to avoid hovering).

A major drawback in the Elysians is only one special weapon per command squad - that's what makes me miss codex: IG the most.

[Kirsten]

I am more inclined to just rely on the aircraft wiping out my opponent :P

a few weeks ago my armoured company of four tanks and five aircraft wiped out a chaos space marine army in three turns with no losses.

[plasticaddict]

This is my base list. I do swap things out from time to time though, both to keep my regular opponents on their toes and to keep things from getting boring.

1850 Pts - Imperial Guard

Name # Grp WS BS S T Wo I A Ld Save Cost
HQ: Company Command Squad (6 , 135 pts)
Company Command Squad 4
3 4 3 3 1 3 1 7 5+ 135
Infantry; Assault Grenades; Flak Armour; Close Combat Weapon (x4); Camo Cloak; Heavy
Flamer; Sniper Rifle (x3); Astropath
Company Commander 1 4 4 3 3 3 3 3/4 9 5+/5(i) [26]
Character; Assault Grenades; Flak Armour; Refractor Field; Laspistol; Close Combat
Weapon; Camo Cloak; Warlord; Senior Officer
Astropath 1 3 4 3 3 1 3 1/2 7 5+ [30]
Character; Assault Grenades; Flak Armour; Close Combat Weapon; Laspistol; Camo Cloak;
Telepathic Relay

: Aegis Defence Lines (1 , 70 pts)
Aegis Defence Lines 1
70
Battlefield Debris (Defence Lines); Comms Relay

Troops: Veteran Squad (10 , 195 pts)
Veteran Squad 9
3 4 3 3 1 3 1 7 4+ 195
Infantry; Assault Grenades; Carapace Armour; Krak Grenades; Close Combat Weapon (x9);
Demolition Charge; Melta Bombs; Shotgun (x6); Heavy Flamer; Meltagun (x2); Demolitions;
Grenadiers
Veteran Sergeant 1 3 4 3/6 3 1 3/1 2 8 4+ [32]
Character; Assault Grenades; Krak Grenades; Carapace Armour; Melta Bombs; Plasma
Pistol; Power Fist

Troops: Veteran Squad (10 , 195 pts)
Veteran Squad 9
3 4 3 3 1 3 1 7 4+ 195
Infantry; Assault Grenades; Carapace Armour; Krak Grenades; Close Combat Weapon (x9);
Demolition Charge; Melta Bombs; Shotgun (x6); Heavy Flamer; Meltagun (x2); Demolitions;
Grenadiers
Veteran Sergeant 1 3 4 3/6 3 1 3/1 2 8 4+ [32]
Character; Assault Grenades; Krak Grenades; Carapace Armour; Melta Bombs; Plasma
Pistol; Power Fist

Troops: Veteran Squad (10 , 195 pts)
Veteran Squad 9
3 4 3 3 1 3 1 7 4+ 195
Infantry; Assault Grenades; Carapace Armour; Krak Grenades; Close Combat Weapon (x9);
Demolition Charge; Melta Bombs; Shotgun (x6); Heavy Flamer; Meltagun (x2); Demolitions;
Grenadiers
Veteran Sergeant 1 3 4 3/6 3 1 3/1 2 8 4+ [32]
Character; Assault Grenades; Krak Grenades; Carapace Armour; Melta Bombs; Plasma
Pistol; Power Fist

Troops: Veteran Squad (10 , 195 pts)
Veteran Squad 9
3 4 3 3 1 3 1 7 4+ 195
Infantry; Assault Grenades; Carapace Armour; Krak Grenades; Close Combat Weapon (x9);
Demolition Charge; Melta Bombs; Shotgun (x6); Heavy Flamer; Meltagun (x2); Demolitions;
Grenadiers
Veteran Sergeant 1 3 4 3/6 3 1 3/1 2 8 4+ [32]
Character; Assault Grenades; Krak Grenades; Carapace Armour; Melta Bombs; Plasma
Pistol; Power Fist

Fast Attack: Vendetta Gunship Squadron (2 , 280 pts)
Vendetta Gunship Squadron 1
280
Deep Strike; Grav Chute Insertion; Scout
Vendetta 1 Grp: BS: 3 FA: 12 SA: 12 RA: 10 HP: 3 [140]
Vehicle (Flyer w/Hover mode, Transport); 12 model capacity; Extra Armor; Searchlight;
Twin-linked Lascannon (x3); Heavy Bolter Sponsons (x2); Skyfire
Vendetta 1 Grp: BS: 3 FA: 12 SA: 12 RA: 10 HP: 3 [140]
Vehicle (Flyer w/Hover mode, Transport); 12 model capacity; Extra Armor; Searchlight;
Twin-linked Lascannon (x3); Heavy Bolter Sponsons (x2); Skyfire

Name # Grp WS BS S T Wo I A Ld Save Cost
Fast Attack: Vendetta Gunship Squadron (2 , 280 pts)
Vendetta Gunship Squadron 1
280
Deep Strike; Grav Chute Insertion; Scout
Vendetta 1 Grp: BS: 3 FA: 12 SA: 12 RA: 10 HP: 3 [140]
Vehicle (Flyer w/Hover mode, Transport); 12 model capacity; Extra Armor; Searchlight;
Twin-linked Lascannon (x3); Heavy Bolter Sponsons (x2); Skyfire
Vendetta 1 Grp: BS: 3 FA: 12 SA: 12 RA: 10 HP: 3 [140]
Vehicle (Flyer w/Hover mode, Transport); 12 model capacity; Extra Armor; Searchlight;
Twin-linked Lascannon (x3); Heavy Bolter Sponsons (x2); Skyfire

Fast Attack: Valkyrie Assault Carrier Squadron (1 , 140 pts)
Valkyrie Assault Carrier Squadron 1
140
Deep Strike; Grav Chute Insertion; Scout
Valkyrie 1 Grp: BS: 3 FA: 12 SA: 12 RA: 10 HP: 3 [140]
Vehicle (Flyer w/Hover mode, Transport); 12 model capacity; Extra Armor; Searchlight;
Multilaser; Multiple Rocket Pods (x2); Heavy Bolter Sponsons (x2); Skyfire

Heavy Support: Imperial Sentry Guns (IA) (3 , 45 pts)
Imperial Sentry Guns (IA) 3 Grp: BS: 2 FA: 10 SA: 10 RA: 10 HP: 0 45
Unit Type: Artillery (Immobile); Twin-Linked Heavy Bolter (x3); Firing Modes; Targetting;
Damage

Heavy Support: Imperial Sentry Guns (IA) (3 , 45 pts)
Imperial Sentry Guns (IA) 3 Grp: BS: 2 FA: 10 SA: 10 RA: 10 HP: 0 45
Unit Type: Artillery (Immobile); Twin-Linked Heavy Bolter (x3); Firing Modes; Targetting;
Damage

Heavy Support: Imperial Sentry Guns (IA) (3 , 75 pts)
Imperial Sentry Guns (IA) 3 Grp: BS: 2 FA: 10 SA: 10 RA: 10 HP: 0 75
Unit Type: Artillery (Immobile); Twin-Linked Lascannon (x3); Firing Modes; Targetting;
Damage

Total Cost: 1850

[Atrotos]

I can see how you solved the issue of being wiped 1st turn - that many T7 wounds on the table would be hard to shift. The Command squad makes for a cool forward observation unit, I like that.

Overall I am concerned about your lack of firepower. The Vendettas will light two targets up a turn but the rest of the army isn't exactly pouring shots downrange. I wonder if your area has taken to spamming troops the way my region seems to be doing. I'm facing 50-100 scoring models in every game with the exception of Cron Flyer spam and the Daemon flying circus. I suppose against large troop formations you could just kick everyone out of the Vendettas and toss demo charges at whatever moves.

I can also see why you've gone with such expensive troops. You've given all of them a ride to protect them and so spamming more would just leave them out on the ground. Still can't believe you're paying almost 20 points for Guardsmen but that does give them that "elite" feel all of us AirCav players like.

I really like the list but I hate that we're forced to take static elements like the Sentry guns just to survive. I enjoyed playing aggressively throughout all of 5th but 6th won't allow me to do that.

[plasticaddict]

I do hate having to plant boots on the ground instead of being fully air mobile. I have built my own Aegis Line sections as camo netting to really give my command squad the FO feel. The Sentry guns do make a good solid holding unit, people usually concentrate on them before they try dealing with to command squad. I play against our local Ork and Nid players quite a bit with pretty good results doing just as you think, graze them a little with the Valkyrie and finish them off with the Vet squads. Since our local stores run tournaments at 1500 and 1850, I don't see a lot of really survivable troop heavy armies. Either Masses of easy to kill stuff or small elite armies.

[Atrotos]

This is the list I tested out today:

Elysians

Company Command Squad - 70
- Plasmagun

Veterans - 140
- 3 Meltaguns
- Demolitions

Veterans - 140
- 3 Meltaguns
- Demolitions

1 Vendetta (carries CCS) - 140
- Heavy Bolters

Vulture - 155
- Punisher

Vulture - 155
-Punisher

3 Tauros Venators -150

3 Tauros Venators - 170
- Locator Beacon

Aegis Defence line with Comm Relay (modeled using the Ork Rubble Barricades and a "mobile" relay on treads) - 70

IG Allies

Company Command Squad - 150
-4 Plasmaguns
- 2 Plasma Pistols
- Carapace

Veterans -130
- 3 Meltaguns
- Demolitions

1 x 2 Vendettas -280
- Heavy Bolters

- 1750

This list is very strong in Scouring and Big Guns Never Tire where it has a massive scoring potential but miserable in Crusade. It's merely competent in the rest. Elysian Command Squads are deadweight with no ability to take multiple spec weapons and no Astropath forcing you to take the Comm Relay. There's also nothing to be gained by virtually ANY warlord trait. I deployed the Tauros and kept everything else in reserve but I guess you could deploy the Elysian Veterans as well. It keeps the full mobility although it's lights out if you play against a heavy Drop Pod list or Daemons.

[Atrotos]

Something I had made for my army. Just to add a little flavor.

[Atrotos]

Just FYI,

Spoke to mr. Ead Brown on the phone the other day and he told me that Elysians were, in fact, going to get a Drop Pod Assault style rule. This would pertain to any squad embarked in a Flyer (and would thus include Vendettas as well as Valkyries). Half of these units, rounded up, would enter from reserves automatically on turn 1 allowing us to play Elysians as they were first envisioned.

Secondly we spoke about some of the other things that ELysians were lacking. He mentioned they were looking at designing an Elysian set of "orders" as well as a Warlord Trait chart. Elysians are to be given top priority in the update list though the design team did not want to release just one army list at a time. Work on the Elysian update was to have started last Friday. Expect the update to come in the next several weeks.

I also brought up the D-99 (my own personal favorites). Mr. Brown said that they would be returning and perhaps with rules to make them a more generic regiment - something to represent an elite remnant style IG force rather than the specific regiment that fought in he Anphylion Project. I mentioned that Stubborn was more often than not a drawback, not a perk and he agreed. I thought a "Veterans of the Long War" style rule would fit better. I also chimed in with the idea that the D-99 should have access to Inquisitors as an Elites choice to represent those Inquisitorial paramilitary forces that no longer exist in the rules.

This is a glimmer of hope for any players still out there wanting to play AirCav. It definitely made my day. Honestly I was on the verge of quitting 40k, not having found an army list that allowed me to play the way I wanted.