Fun in Thoery

[Sousetsu]

So, I'm starting out with marines, and I'm still debating codexes and lists to start my buying with.

one of the things I'm thinking about is a Salamanders type list mixed with a Drop pod list, but I don't know if its workable. The thought is to stick a bunch of Tac marines, one squad geared with flamers, one squad with meltas, each for anti-troop and anti tank respectively, and dropping them into the enemy. If I can get the cash for it, a Dreadnought (also tricked out with meltas as such) in an additional drop pod sounds nice, or maybe deep-striking assault termies with thunder hammers. Vulkan He'stan will be leading of course.

Seeing as I'm undecided on codexes at the moment, i don't have C:SM on me, so I'm not sure how viable/possible it is. On top of which I don't have experience about marines, so I'm bot sure if on how sound a tactic it is.

Any advice?

[Zynk Kaladin]

If you really want to drop with a Vulkan list then I highly recommend a squad or 2 of sternguard. Get a full squad of sternguard with 2 heavy flamers, 4 combi meltas, and a power fist sergeant and plop that crap behind enemy lines and go to town. This unit will die, but it will take out a good enough chunk of your enemy army. Also, the MM/HF dreads you suggested work really well with dropping the sternies.

 

I'm not sure about tactical squads in drop pods, but I'll tell you how I would run them with Vulkan. I put run 2 squads of multimelta and flamer weapons in rhinos. Then drive them into the middle of the board and dare your enemy to roll a tank within 24" of them.

 

As for deep striking assault termies, I don't recommend it. They can't charge the turn they arrive so that gives your enemy a full turn to unload everything on this unit. Put them in a land raider for adequate protection. I like the redeemer pattern for Vulkan lists, but note the flamestorm cannons don't get the twin-linked rule, but you'll hardly need it.

 

MM/HF speeders are also another good choice when running with a Vulkan list for obvious reasons.

 

Basically, hell yes it works. Really well. If you want a "for fun" list I don't recommend a strong Vulkan list because you won't make friends unless they like fighting powerful lists or have plenty experience against such things.

 

I say try it out and see. Good hunting!

[DarkGuard]

Yes, Vulkan works, really really well. He twin-links two good, cheap weapons, plus master-crafts thunder hammers, all for the exchange of combat tactics. And he twin-links all of those weapons in the army, even on models that don't have combat tactics.

 

For list composition, Drop Pods aren't a favourite of mine. These units are often suicide units, and will die. If you are using Drop Pods, I'd go for either one or three, to get the maximum amount you can deploying first turn. Then load them with either Sternguard, Dreadnoughts, or a mix of both. Load the Sternguard out as Zynk Kaladin has already described, and remember you can combat squad them, allowing you to bust open a transport and flame the guys inside. Dreadnoughts and/or Ironclad Dreads should be melta/heavy flamer as well.

 

For Tactical squads, the best config for them with Vulkan is always the multi-melta as their free heavy, as its now also twin-linked, and then a flamer or meltagun depending on what you want them to do, flame infantry or kill mech. Then add a combi of the same flavour onto the Sergeant, though you may like the idea of a power fist due to the fact that these squads will be operating close. For their transport, consider Rhinos. You want your scoring units to be mobile, and Drop Pods do not give mobility, they are just enhanced deployment, that requires a unit of dealing serious damage to be inside. Tactical squads are not this unit.

 

If you want to run TH/SS Terminators (and not a bad choice), don't deep strike them, or walk them, as doing so means they'll be shot to ribbons before they can assault. One combo that will give your opponent a headache is to put them in an LRR, give it a multi-melta and extra armour, and drive it (with Vulkan inside), to the target you want dead. If you have Tactical squads in Rhinos and MM/HF Speeders you will also have a measure of redunancy to protect your vehicles.

 

A word on MM/HF Speeders. I have found this config to be amazing, and I now greatly prefer it to Typhoons, However, again they should die quickly when they get in melta range, although mine don't due my opponent's rolling a lot of 1s on the vehicle damage table against them. However, if you want a fluffy list they aren't exactly the best choice.

[Ming]

I guess to add my two pence: If you go pod, go all the way. Everything has to be pod-able of deep-strikeable, and you either build co-supporting castles on objectives, or you go right after the enemy to wreck / assault his units in co-supporting attack clusters.

 

Where most people hate pods boils down to the "don't split your forces" issue, where their pod people get eaten before their mech can support them, or their single dread and pod becomes 2 kill points on turn 1.

 

A good pod list needs 7+ pods to be truely "wrecktifying" to your opponents. A great salamander list can be made that uses no mech - but you have to be all-in on the concept. And of course...practice, practice, practice....develop your feel and flow on how to use it. If you scare your opponent into reserving everything and you pod down to accomplish your mission, you already have him responding to you and you hold the upper hand.

 

Sounds like you want to build your way into the game and not get it all at once - so yes, stage 1 (maybe just get a battle box if you can grab one) is getting 2 tac squads, vulkan/counts as, 2 pods - this covers about 650 points, and covers the force org chart minimum. Stage 2 - get 2 sternguard with pods and a librarian or MOTF, and maybe 5 assault terminators, and you are at over 1500. Stage 3 - more tacticals or sternguard and pods, dreads and more pods, more assault terminators...stage 4 - if you hate the pods by now - pick up 4 razorback boxes (to be both razors or rhinos), and a landraider redeemer (staying with the vulkan theme). Stage 5....forgeworld upgrade parts, painting, and decals....Do stages 1 and 2 this year as a plan, then adjust accordingly to your own feelings and finances.

[Mezkh]

I agree with Ming, if you go pods, you need to go all out. Provided you do, Vulkan Pod lists are definately doable. Twin-linking the Melta makes stuff like Dreadnoughts with a MultiMelta in pods so much more reliable.