15 Death Company in a LRC

[Droofus]

Hello all,

 

Upon reading our book, I found myself unable to resist the lure of building a massive unit of death company. I can't say why - perhaps it's my love of death company from the PDF 'dex. Perhaps I'm falling to the black rage. As for the transport, I can't really see using the raging death company competitively unless they have some means of conveyance to counteract it. A sane person would use a rhino, perhaps, but I want to field a bigger squad. So it was right for a land raider crusader that I went with some tourney winnings.

 

I've purchased and painted the models for a 15-man death company squad as well. I'm about to embark on the adventure that is assembling a Land Raider Crusader.

 

The unit will look something like this:

 

15 Death Company: 405

Thunder hammer x2, infernus pistol x 3

Land Raider Crusader: 280

Extra Armor, Multi-melta

 

They would probably also be joined by an elite chaplain.

 

Tell me brothers, am I insane for even attempting this? My hope is that I can use it semi-competitively in games of 2000ish. Am I fooling myself and will the unit gather dust until I play a game of apocalypse (where no doubt they will be destroyed by a well placed vortex grenade)? Any ideas on the unit build would also be appreciated. I just want some outside opinions before I slap the black paint job on the Land Raider.

[wookielips]

awesome death-star idea. too pricey imo.

 

also, it will get shot all to h3!! once it massively-overkills whatever it charges, which stinks, but is most definitely the case.

[Isryion]

Personally, I think you'll want a couple of power weapons, but I say go for ti.

[Roachboy]

Always attach a chaplain! also try to ensure you can get a multiple charge the turn you disembark and you're golden. I use a similar setup and it will eat though several units at once if positioned correctly. Also with any luck one of the hapless victims will pass their morale and protect you from any shooting back lash

 

My 15 man DC has a thunder hammer, a fist and 2 PW. Would have been 2 fists but the hammer looks sooooo cool!

 

And yes you've definitely fallen to the black rage, as have I :P

[Emperors Immortals]

I was running a similar set up, but now ive cut back to 10 and stuck them in a rhino that i tank shock any shooty units nearby with.

 

But i loooove DC - its what makes us BA IMHO.

[Redo]

Sound like a intense Death Star unit. Always have a Chaplin, chuck in a Hamer and a Fist and power weapon. You might want to consider a Infernus pistol on the chaplin and one for the DC. ALways good if assaulting a unit, like terminators that are in Raiders.

 

Now you only problem will be what to do after you have annihilate your opponent and have to satnd a turn in the open...as someone said try to get muliple charges

[Roachboy]

multiple charges are also great against tough fearless units (i'm looking at you Carnifex). If you can involve that blob of gaunts in the same combat, chances are the Carni is going down from no retreat saves

[Droofus]

Thanks for the comments, Brothers.

 

I'm actually not too worried about standing in the open - unless what is shooting at me is ordnance that is. The size of the unit and their resiliency mean that they'll be able to soak up most shooting and go on to slaughter something else in the following turn.

 

Follow up question:

 

What sort of army do you think would be best to support this monstrosity? Jump? Mechanized? I'm thinking that either way, I'll want to include a couple alpha-striking units to try and remove threats to the raider ASAP.

[Roachboy]

i normally go a combination of mech and jump infantry. you need other Targets for his anti tank so your Raider isn't the only target.

 

I hadn't previously thought of the alpha strike idea, i normally just rely on AV14 and smoke launchers to get the raider there. But alpha strike could be a plan, what would you be thinking of using for that unit?

[Burningblood]

You're also forgetting the true gift of a fifteen man death company unit.

3 Death Company Dreadnoughts!

Screen one of them with the landraider so that it can basically support your dc. Fun. Munch munch munch.

 

Also, when the stormraven model drops, cut this unit down to 10 or 11 (so you can have 11 dc and a chaplain/reclusiarch), and put them and a dc dread in the storm raven.

...That's no moon!

[Roachboy]

Oh don't worry sir, I hadn't forgotten the Dreadnoughts. Although I only use 2 (other 3 troop choices required for RAS in Razorbacks)

 

And munch munch munch sounds about right for this bunch

[Burningblood]

Here's what I'm running in a game against orks in the next week ( i have to model them. Buying half tomorrow, already have half assembled)

HQ: Mephiston

Troops:

DC x14, JP, x5 thunder hammers, x5 power weapons, x2 bolters, x3 ccw/ bolt pistol, x1 infernus pistol, x2 hand flamers, Lemartes. (900 points- 20 less than strapping these psychos and a reclusiarch into a landraider)

Dc Dread: Blood Claws

Dc Dread: Blood Claws

Fast attack: x2 baal preds with hb sponsoons

Heavy support: x2 vindis

Comes out to 1980 points -its a 2000 point game. This is going to be fun.

Now with a landraider this is probably even more insane, but I like it the way it is.

[Roachboy]

That DC looks epic! Do you feel that 5 thunder hammers are strictly neccessary? Would using fists not work just as well (and you can afford 6 fists for the cost of 5 hammers).

 

Having said that thunder hammers look cooler. Let us know how it performs either way!

 

Cheers, Roachboy

[Burningblood]

Well, In my opinion, unnecessary roughness is the name of the Death Company game. This unit can take a lot of other units. This is just theory, but here goes:

Say I don't get a charge off on Genesteelers. Lemartes will go as fast as they do (and hopefully take a wound and go insane); wounds get heavily allocated towards the vanilla death company and those with bolters, then down to the power weapons, and THEN to the thunderhammers. Ok. Then whatever's left of the I4 bunch go off, and then at I1, 15 hammer swings at WS 5 get to munch some genesteelers. Not as nice as getting the charge, but still great.

 

Hypothetical 2- I charge the genesteelers after shooting and scorching them at close range. (this is what I'm hoping for, of course) Lemmy goes off at I7, hopefully swiping at a broodlord or at least taking out a couple of them. Genesteelers go at I6, taking their toll on the I5 crowd. Remnants of the I5 crowd do their thing (and if all of the powerweapons are left thats 20 powerweapon attacks with rerolls to hit and wound), and then the thunderhammers go off, at 20 strength 9 attacks with rerolls to hit and wound. Likely result: squished genesteelers.

I used genesteelers in this example because of how insane they are. I also heard that with the new dex they can also be given feel no pain, so those hammers are nifty for dint of instant kills.

 

Now if you try this unit out of a landraider, you get a firepower bonus, armour for your guys, and the ability to direct them where you want them. Thats definately a plus. I think, however, that the purpose of the deathcompany is to just kill, kill, kill, so why do they even need direction? Just kidding. I think I might magnetize these guys so I can do both.

[Roachboy]

I agree that 5 thunder hammers are gonna wreck most units day, but they are an extra 5 points over a power fist, and do much the same job (I've never used their initiative dropping potential for example).

 

So if you swapped 3 thunder hammers for fists, that's 15 points you could spend elsewhere.

 

Like I said though, looks like a fun list, I'm sure you'll have a blast however it goes

[Burningblood]

Actually something I really like about thammers is their ability to really wreck vehicles. In my area there are a lot of chaos players that spam Violators. This is also in response to them. Plus they look so cool.

[Whitefireinferno]

Heh Im thinking of going for the full dethstar of doom as a LRC with 10 dc 1 TH/Bolter,4 bolter,1 power Weapon/BP,4 norm with Seth a Chappie and a libby for pure undiluted EPIC carnage ;)

[Arkio]

works great with just chainswords. my unit of no power weapons no special pistols tosses 38 + wounds and wahtever it charges with is basic elite chappy tagging along.

[Droofus]

i normally go a combination of mech and jump infantry. you need other Targets for his anti tank so your Raider isn't the only target.

 

How is this working for you? My thought was to either saturate with armor (i.e. you don't have enough AT to stop me!) or take just the raider (i.e. oh, you brought autocannons, how adorable). Maybe the mix gives enough versatility to go either way.

 

I hadn't previously thought of the alpha strike idea, i normally just rely on AV14 and smoke launchers to get the raider there. But alpha strike could be a plan, what would you be thinking of using for that unit?

 

Probably a dread (maybe a death company one) in a pod for a big "Shoot at ME with your AT weapons!" and a unit of scout bikes (sergeant has power fist and combi-melta) for a first turn assault threat (provided I go first). That should do the trick of at least providing plausible distractions for the foe.

 

 

DC x14, JP, x5 thunder hammers, x5 power weapons, x2 bolters, x3 ccw/ bolt pistol, x1 infernus pistol, x2 hand flamers, Lemartes. (900 points- 20 less than strapping these psychos and a reclusiarch into a landraider)

 

That's a thing of beauty but don't you worry about getting rage-baited? I know a certain eldar player in our area who would delight in leading me around with a vyper or something silly like that.

[Burningblood]

Well thats what all the other units in the army are for. :)

[wookielips]

remember boys and girls....

 

PF's do not get the extra attack from a 2nd weapon. DC are relentless.

 

the BEST combination of these 2 rules is to give all your PF/TH's bolters in the other hand, since they aren't taking any negative effects from the bolter, and make all the rest of the DC pistol/cc.

[Roachboy]

Combining mech and jump troops is pretty effective to be honest. Opponents find it hard to shut down your mobility with so much fast stuff to deal with.

 

The thing that always puts me off full mech, is that if he kills off your transports early (which is pretty likely nowadays), your game is almost over. With jump troops backing them up that isn't the case. Jump troops are also ideal for dealing with those "bait" units that try to draw off DC.

 

My normal strategy is to drive the LR straight at either 1. his toughest, killiest unit, or 2. large concentrations of weaker units (multiple charge). This normally has the effect of driving his army out to the flanks which is where I have my more mobile units. I often follow the Land Raider with a Dreadnought (furioso or DC). Another good move is to hold an assault squad or 2 in reserve, then drop them straight into your "weaker" flank. When your enemy finds himself between both of these elements he's as good as beat.

 

@wookie: good advice, anyone who doesn't do this is a fool!

 

@Drufus: I used sternguard w/priest in a drop pod in a similar role a couple of weeks back. Unfortunately he had tucked away his big guns in hard to reach places (i HATE tau railguns)

 

@Arkio: you'll wish you had some fists/hammers when a defiler comes knocking

[Guest Drunk Guardian]

I have been considering fielding this unit against a friend of mine who plays as Tau... what do you guys think?

 

Dante

Librarian w/ JP - Shield and Fear

30x Death Company w/ JP

LeMartes

 

Rest of points towards DC Dreads...

 

How well would that go in a larger game (1850)?

[Droofus]

Just an update for all of you who weighed in. I field my Land Raider/Death Company blob in three games last Saturday. The first game was a 1200 weird mission that only allowed troop choice (guess which mine was!). Here was my list:

 

Reclusiarch

15 Death Company (3 Infernus, 2 Thunder Hammers)

Land Raider Crusader (Extra Armor, Multi-Melta)

Furioso (talons) in drop pod

5 Devestators (4 missile launchers)

4 Scout Bikes (Sergeant with Comi-Melta)

 

I was up against a dreadbash orky list that looked like this:

Big Mek (Kustom force field, burna, cybork, eavy armor)

11 Burna Boyz

Warboss (power klaw, bosspole, cybork eavy armor, attack squig)

19 Ork Boyz (Nob with klaw and bosspole)

Battlewagon (armor plates, red paint, deffrolla, big shoota)

3 Killa Kanz (rokkitz

3 Killa Kanz (rokkitz)

3 Killa kanz (grotzookaz)

Deff Dread (plates, 2 skorchaz, grot riggers)

 

Mission was kill point, dawn of war.

 

Basically, his KFF couldn't cover his wagon and protect the kanz as they arrived, and he left them to cover the kanz. I exploited this by exploding the wagon with my deepstriking dread. My death company got off to an inauspicious start by rolling double 1s to charge the surviving orks, but managed to do well enough even with the orks charging, wiping out the orks with ease (I think I lost two DC). They then raged up to beat down one Kan squadron in a single turn, losing another couple to klaws as they did. My Furioso managed to kill off the Big Mek and his burnaz and then block some of the remaining dreads from getting to my DC.

 

This allowed my Death Company to accept a charge from the final squad of kanz, which they disposed of, though it did take a lot longer than before. There were about 6 left at this point. The final kan squadron lost two kanz to devestator fire and the deff dread was exploded by the land raider's multi-melta (after easily polishing off my furioso).

 

The final kan got a turn 5 charge on my death company and killed a couple more only to get exploded for its trouble.

 

Crazy, fun game that showed how freaking powerful this death company squad truly is. I thought I was facing a bad matchup with the kanz, but the thunder hammers proved MORE than capable of disposing of them, and the large squad size shielded them.

 

Death Company Kill Count:

Warboss

19 Ork Boyz

7 Killa Kanz

 

Approximate Victory Points: 620ish

 

Next game was against Necrons and was an 1850 matchup. I took a 25 assault marines and astorath to support the Dethwagon and the DC, along with the previously mentioned talon-dread. I did have to downgrade the Reclusiarch to a basic chaplain. Basically their only contribution to this game was to kill the night bringer who was stuck fighting my dreadnought. The fact that they lost 12 of their members to the ensuing explosion sucked, but what was really cool was that they killed the Nightbringer at initiative 5. Rerolling hits AND wounds really is great!

 

Anyway, while the death company took fire from the remainder of the necron army and died, they had eliminated the one thing that could fight my Tearer's in CC. This allowed astorath and the rest of the assault wave to sweep the board clear of the 'crons and phase them on turn 5.

 

Kill Tally: The nightbringer (only one item, but hey it's pretty much the crown jewel of "tough stuff" in the game).

 

Final Game was against a very well-honed Vulkan space marine army that specializes in alpha strike destruction. My raider, despite popping smoke, got popped on turn 1. The death company, bereft of their rage insurance spent the rest of the game turning around to kill 2 drop pods and an ironclad and then getting picked off by krak rockets and vindicator fire as they tried to close with the main marine force.

 

Kill tally: 2 Drop Pods and 1 Ironclad

 

So all in all it was a day of ups and downs for the death company. At the low point value in the first game they absolutely took over, slaughtering everything in their way - accounting for over 1/2 of the orkish dred mob all by their lonesome.

 

In the second game, they didn't exactly earn their points back, but the tactical advantage of removing the big nasty C'Tan paved the way to winning the game.

 

The final game showcased where I think this unit will struggle - against armies with potent anti-tank firepower that can hit on the first turn. Losing the raider too early is really crippling for them, especially if there are low-priority targets like drop pods and other stuff triggering their rage sitting nearby.

 

Anyway, brothers, I've already rambled on WAY too long. Just wanted to give you an update on my progress, since you were all good enough to give me your thoughts.

[wookielips]

i think redundancy would have helped u a lot.

 

a 2nd LRC with RAS inside, instead of JP, to park in front of the DC to block their LOS and then you could control them, move them into their 2nd xport, and move out.