Compartment Tactics and Corbulo!

[Brother Lorenzo]

Hello all,

 

In my endeavors to understand this disgustingly fun game from a tactical list-building point of view, I've acquired a system I use in making lists that involves building my army around not simply a character or vehicle, but rather a tightly-knit group of units that function on each other and in doing so squish the enemies of tah Emprah. The rest of the points are spent on units that support this cluster. Thus my army concept functions with compartments: the core and the support, in the most general sense. Within these two compartments are, naturally, smaller compartments: as a BA player I find the spearhead element of my core (which, due to this being a BA army, is Blitzkrieg oriented), the vehicle-killers, the HQ hunters, mob lawnmores, and so on and so forth.

 

An example: You want Corbulo in your army? I do. So I throw him in with a TH/SS termie squad and naturally buy them a Redeemer and stuff in a Sang Priest to fill the bus. Sure, it's a dangerously packed vehicle, but rest easy: it's supported! "But how, Lorenzihno, do you expect to keep that million-dollar brick alive?" Simple: support it. Now I haven't played sufficient games to back this up from personal experience, but from what I've read as the shadow on this website, it seems that some heavy support should suffice. I'm thinking Vindies, Preds.

 

Problem with that army is, of course, it's point allotment: much of the 2k points invested in that one LR... :D

 

 

Another example: I desperately want to create a fast-moving transport spearhead to capture some forward objectives or whatever. We're talking 2 Rhinos and a Baal. Bodies in Rhino pile out to absorb Plasma love while holding objective, and the Baal's well-done setting scares the 'gaunts from charging up. That's a compartment. Support compartments needed. For some firepower, maybe some Drop Pods packed with pain, or Bike Squads or whatever.

 

 

 

So here's the question for y'all: how's this work as a list-building mindset? And how does that Corbulo compartment idea sound?

 

Cheers,

 

Lorenzi

[wabbitrage]

Really tough question.

 

I guess i would do it like this.

 

Stormraven

Corbulo

5 TH/SS termintors

Librarian (to fill the transport)

 

Need to keep the stormraven alive while i hold objectives

 

2 Devistators squads to shoot down flyers and/or support stuff on the ground

 

Agesis defense line for the devistators to hide behind.

 

Then move onto Troop selctions for holding objectives. Scouts, maybe even a ASM in a Las/plas razorback

[John_f]

Im not a fan of the death star approach. This game is about holding objectives and being flexible around the different missions. Terminators are non-scoring most of the times so if you come up against a mobile MSU army they can simply avoid your deathstar, run over your support and then sit on objectives.

 

I have the appoach that the core of the army should be troops; I usually run 2xASM with priest and one Tac squad and then build my support around that. If I have the points then I can play around with a deathstar or a storm raven or something. I'm not saying that your approach is wrong, Im just saying how I do it.

[Morticon]

At 2 K you defs need a bit of a deathstar. Also, as ive noted before, 2k is going to be a WHOLE different ballgame with double FOC. I woulnt dictate otherwise, but id strongly suggest that if people wanted to play 2k games that they get into it playing 1999 point games rather. Does depend on your area - if youre got loads of competitive types, it wont be fun.

 

That being said, I do exactly the same as you when it comes to list design. I take a look at what units can handle what, both supported and unsupported.

Its a great start to planning.

[Brother Lorenzo]

Thanks!

 

And how does 1999 change the game at all from 2k?

[Morollan]

Thanks!

 

And how does 1999 change the game at all from 2k?

 

At 2k points you now get a second FOC.

[Brother Lorenzo]

Oh gotcha so 2k-1 allows for a effective 2k game w/o double FOC

[Morticon]

Oh gotcha so 2k-1 allows for a effective 2k game w/o double FOC

 

Exaaaactly.

 

Look if your mates are all great sports, its awesome. But, if youre playing with unknowns or competitive types you dont wanna be up against 6x 2/3 Obliterators with 2 plague marine squads in rhinos with some IG vendettas, or something equally silly (the necron Doom Scythe list was noted in another thread) or any othe rhost of really abuseable units.

 

6 GK Psyfleman (4x twinlinked S8 autocannons each) dreadnoughts is something like 800 points - then they can still get elite dreads with those too.

 

I dont see myself playing too many 2xFOC games. Over 2k - defs, but not 2xFOC