Quick question about transport BA armies

[Leardinal]

Hello all,

 

I am currently running an almost exclusive JP army, and love it. The problem is that I also like the Death Company and am trying to find a way to make them fit in this army, but since jump packs are expensive and rage making hard to keep them in/behind cover, I have been looking for other ways to get them on the table.

 

I currently have them in a drop pod, but they are the only thing to come in turn one, (I would hold it until turn two and keep my army, but drop pod assault says half your pods must come in turn on,) so now I am looking for inexpensive transport options, and the rhino/razor back looks like it would work. I have yet to try it because it would be the one vehicle in my army, therefore probably being destroyed turn 1 by heavy weapons with nothing else to shoot at.

 

Now to the point. I don't want to run a transport heavy list, but I want the DC. So I was planning on working a list that involves a DC with a reclusiarch in a rhino, 3 RAS squads in razor backs and 2 full RAS squads with jump packs, with priests sprinkled throughout.

 

The tactic is that on my first turn I drive the DC's rhino behind a wall of the three razor backs. It would end it's movement backwards, normally revealing rear armor to the enemy, but the razor backs who pop smoke and block LoS. Even if the they destroy the Razor backs, I doubt there would be enough fire power left to get at the Rhino. Meaning next turn you are you can drop the DC out of the back and they are closer then if they had jumped out the sided by themselves.

 

I would like to believe that most of the razor backs would survive so that I don't have to sacrifice most of my army to protect the DC, but I am quite aware of the fragility of vehicles.

 

What do you think? C&C welcome.

[JamesI]

My instict is you are putting too much effort into protecting the DC.

[Leardinal]

I agree, but I am hoping that the cover bonus from the smoke, combined with the RAS squads charging up will give the enemy enough to shoot at/enough save to prevent any real damage.

 

Also, although I didn't mention it I think I should have, if I ran a transport heavy list I was going to keep my transports close anyway to prevent heavy weapons on the other side of the board from having as many targets and allow more hitting power on side of the gun line I am charging, (since this the only time I would use this tactic,) so I was just seeing if any one had tried this anyway.

[Taranis]

replace a razorback with a droppod, perhaps with beacon. Spend the leftovers on toys and icecream for the dc in the second droppod. Walk the droppod marines onto the field.

[Leardinal]

Taranis, thats a good idea. Like I was saying in the initial post, I run a full Jump Pack list. So I could drop the packs of a RAS for the drop pod, and go from there...

[Jt3n]

Mind posting your list? I know your running (nearly) all jump pack but wanted to get a feel for what we're looking at.

 

My mindset is similar to Taranis, but instead of buying a marine squad in a drop pod to drop it empty on turn 1 why not get something like a rifleman dread (dual TLAC) or a missile launcher Devastator squad with a pod to drop empty?

 

The dread would run ya ~155 depending on what you put on the pod, devs would be ~165 again depending on the pod and the amount of marines you put in the squad.

 

If you can fit the devs in as 10 man giving you the option to combat squad you can use them many different ways. You can split the missiles so you can fire on 2 targets, you can split the squad so you get a 5 man bolter squad to harass your opponent, or you could leave it 10 man and make them inflict 5 wounds before taking a decent member of the squad out. The beauty of the Devs is most anti-infantry fire is less than 36'' range, if they move up to fire at your marines, your jumpers have more room to play in the backfield. If your deploy them in some decent cover they will have to throw a lot of heavy weapons fire to deal with that cover save! And go to ground if he gets too many wounds on ya! :)

 

Both options are going to pop most annoying transports rushing to objectives and such, mess with your opponent's target priority, and provide some support fire when you need to take down a stubborn unit... not to mention the empty pod can contest if you drop it on an objective and he doesn't take the time to eliminate it!

 

I also have a thought of popping a deathwind missile launcher into the empty pod and deep striking very aggressively with it.. if it mishaps your most likely out 55 points, if it doesn't you get some Str 5 heavy blasts until he kills it or moves 12'' away. :)

[Leardinal]

Sure, Ill post the list

Note: Since this seems to be off the original name of the thread, let me know if I should rename it. Also, if I need to move the thread because it has the list just tell me and instruct me how to do so.

 

I don't know which list Jt3n wanted, the full JP list or the transport heavy list. Since I actually don't have the Transport one hammered out because I wanted to see if this tactic was viable before I started on the list, and I assumed you meant the full JP by the way you wrote the request I will put the full JP up and hammer out the transport heavy one if that is what you wanted to see.

 

Current incarnation:

Reclusiarch- 130pts

 

:)

2 Sanguinary Priests, Jump Packs, Power Weapons- 190pts

 

:)

(3x) 10 Man Assault Squad, Power Fist, Infurnus Pistol, 2 Melta Guns- 250pts

 

9 Man Death Company, Power Fist, Drop Pod- 240pts

 

5 Vanguard Veterans, Jump Packs, Power Weapon, Power Fist- 190pts

 

Total: 1500pts

 

I was thinking about dropping the VV for a DC dred in a Lucius pattern pod so I can drop him into enemy infantry first turn, but the Dev's would also be fun and give me some long range fire power while also giving a unit to contest in the seize ground(I think it is called that...) mission

 

edit: I added the pw on the priests and the infurnus pistols on the sergeants because I had the points, but will gladly drop them to add points to something else.

[Jt3n]

Yeah, I was looking for the JP heavy list. I was looking to solve your problem with the DC in the first turn. It's my opinion that if you've played games with this list already, maybe we should try to fix the problem instead of transforming your entire list from infantry to mech.

 

If I were in your shoes and you truly are interested in trying the devs, try proxying in a few games with something like this list... which is just a small variation.

 

Reclusiarch w/ JP 155

 

2x priests w/ JP 150

 

3x ASM x10, 2 melta, PF

 

DC x9, PF, Drop pod 240

 

Devs x10, 4 ML, Drop pod 245

 

1495, meltabombs on the Reclusiarch... or find 5 points somewhere for a locator beacon for your empty pod.

 

The dread would make this army really kinda cool to see it on the table, but I don't see it doing much in that turn 1 it drops... AV 12 to all his shooting when it's one of the two things on the board? (drop pod! :) ) Maybe run it up the board, but it'll still get shot to oblivion.

 

Also, if you haven't considered it, give your PF DC model a boltgun instead of a pistol in case you haven't thought about it. the extra shot from rapid fire before an assault shouldn't go to waste! :)

[Leardinal]

good idea, but I think I should have clarified what a Lucius Pattern pod does: It is in the IA books. It only carries dreds and costs 15pts more, but they can assualt immediately after landing, meaning that a DC dred with blood talons could dive into an enemy squad and watch them fall apart.

 

Also, why does the reclusiarch have a Jump Pack? I try to keep him in the DC, but if you think he needs to be somewhere else...

 

And I was going to give the DC a bolter, but forgot to type it in. :lol:

[Jt3n]

He got a jump pack because I'm building my all JP army and my brain auto put one on him. aka: I was temporarily retarded. I'm like 2 hours off my overnight shift and trying to give advice!

 

Well that is 25 points you get back! Use your 30 points wherever you like! Power weapons/Infurnus Pistols or try the... deathwind launcher! :lol:

 

I honestly dont know where that 30 points is best spent. Handflamers on the 3 ASM squads perhaps? The power weapon on the priest I personally am not a fan for, no reason to make your FNP/FC bubble more expensive and therefore more of a target for your opponent. Put him at the back of the squad! :P

 

And the shiny extra expensive pod is nice, but you might want to look into some mathhammer on how accurate they are. Without DoA like your jump infantry, they are scattering the full 2d6''. More mishaps and scattering outta charge range for ya. But... when in doubt try it out! It's your army, and those talons are crazy good against infantry. Proxy before ya model & buy, unless your really sure ya want it.

[Leardinal]

30pts... will think about this later, post after I decide

 

I ran an all drop pod codex:sm army and in my experience the pods are very accurate. They usually land where I want them to because I put them where most people without nice deep strike rules wouldn't be caught dead landing them: somewhere between tons of very closely spaced terrain. Internal guidance is amazing, but you are right about the scatter: I ran with a list similar to this but with no DC so I ran a furriso instead of a DC dred. It didn't scatter, but I was 1" short for a charge. It was immobilized by a tank squadron next to the target, it did take everything the 3 tanks had to stop it though. That is why there is a DC dred, so it can run after landing and charge something.

 

Now, all that being said, I am just going to have to choose what I want to run and go from there

[Leardinal]

I decided to go with the Devastators. The 30 extra points where bugging me. As you suggested, I could go with the death wind launcher for 20pts and I was very tempted to go with this since I mostly fight IG and tau, meaning that I would wound on 2+ and ignore IG infantry squads armor, which is what the IG players spam. Although I do not do alpha strike lists, a small narrative popped into my head when I was thinking about this option.

 

"The field in front of the infantry line was empty, with only the sound of vehicles and shushed orderes breaking the silence. Suddenly, a loud sound intrudes on everyone's thoughts. Looking up, the infantry see their enemy entering the field in their predicable shock and awe tactics. As the infantry brace themselves for the attack of the marines, the drop pod flies towards the ground at dizzying speed. The drop pod slams to Earth with a bone shattering smash, and everyone around hears the explosive bolts firing to release the hatches. The infantry are stunned at what they see though the doors. Suddenly, a rain of missiles flies out of the pod and shreds the ranks of the infantry. Their last sight was a sign mounted mounted in the pod that said, 'got'cha' :) "

 

Finally, I just sat down with the codex and looked at what I could do. After thinking about the drop pod and and how long it would probably last, I decided to go with putting two power weapons in the Death Company, which will most likely survive their initial landing and tear through enemy infantry and tanks long after the first pod goes silent, and no matter how much fun it would be to drop what is essentially a missile turret on turn one, (not to mention how cool it would be fluff wise,) I decided to go with a more practical choice IMO.

 

New list:

Reclusiarch-130pts

 

:D

2 Sanguinary Priests with Jump Packs-150pts

 

:)

(3x) 10 Man Assault Squad with Power Fist and 2 Melta Guns

 

9 Man Death Company with Power Fist and 2 Power Weapons in Drop Pod-270pts

 

:P

10 Man Devastator Squad, 4 Missile Launchers, Drop Pod-245pts

 

Thanks for the advice, and any new C&C welcome