Dread-Bullet

[Mezkh]

In Warmachine, a 'Jack-Bullet' is a term for any Heavy Warjack that through combinations available, goes a long way and kills something important. The best Jack Bullet moves can be very hard to stop and often win the game outright.

 

Blood Angels can do the best Dread-Bullet in 40k. For 575 points, we get

 

Mephiston

Stormraven

Death Company Dread with Talons

 

What makes this work is the combination of the Raven's delivery speed to get these two powerful units to where they need to be on the board the turn before they strike. As they're both Fearless, and can shrug off the Str10 hit, even taking out the Raven often isn't enough to stop it. Fleet is also very important, as giving a reroll on the charge distance ensures we don't duff that important roll and get left hanging out in the wind.

 

The secret, is to drop Mephiston's base powers for the new ones. Losing Str10 and Wings looks bad, but realise you can't use wings the turn you get out as your max disembark move is 6" anyway.

 

The strategy for rolling on Psychic powers is;

 

First roll on Divination. If Forewarning or Precognition, keep, and roll again on Divination, exchanging for Prescience. Keeping Misfortune is also acceptable as it's very powerful for clearing an important unit lategame, but you won't be able to use it until after you've deployed the Dread-bullet.

If not one Forewarning or Precognition, exchange for Prescience and roll your last power on Biomancy.

 

Whatever you ended up with, you will at least have an Prescience, which allows you to set into action the Death company Dread with 6 WS5, Str7 AP3 attacks, all rerolling to hit and wound, and all generating more attacks with each kill. Mephiston is no slouch himself, and the Raven packs it's own firepower.

 

The weaknesses here are getting your Raven onto the board in a timely manner, and 2+ save units. The first can be solved by taking either Corbulo for his reroll, or the Comms relay on the Aegis Defense line. The second you can build your army around helping with. You can also build your Dread Bullet with Blood Fists, this limits you to the 6 WS5 Str 10 attacks, but makes the Dread better at to cracking Paladins, Nob Bikers, and all those horrible units.

[Zedrenael]

Well right now the only complaint that I have about the list is that the base cost is 675. That is a huge chunk of army that is not on the board.

[Mezkh]

575, and it fills your compulsory HQ slot :)

 

edit: Ahhh I see you mean compulsory Death Company. I use them on the board, and they're something you'll probably be taking in most armies anyway. The trend seems to be bigger armies now too, at least 2000 points.

[Zedrenael]

Yeah this is a legal army list technically, because you have Mephiston (HQ/250), Death Company (Troop/100), Death Company Dread (Troop/125), and Stormraven (Fast Attack/200).

 

But even at a 2000 point game you are talking about having 500 points that is a 1/4 of your army not on the board turn 1. There is also no guarantee to having them come on Turn 2. Plus the one reroll with Corbulo should be used on that epic fail of a 1 on a 2+ save or to survive on top of an objective for a 3+. Both of which have a greater than 50% chance to succeed. I personally would never use Corbulo's re-roll for a 50/50 roll. Then you talked about a Comm Relay on an Aegis. What if the Aegis is not conducive to your army list? So there is 50 points down the drain, plus the Comm Relay. This in theory would be epic. I think the amount of destruction that it could do would be apocalyptic, but I would never put this in a tournament or competitive list.

[Mezkh]

Nothing wrong with 1/4 of an army in reserve when it creates an impact on arrival. Also reserve rolls are 3+, with the reroll turn 2 and 3. The reroll is to be used on what wins you the game, so if a one or a two on your reroll and you need your Reserves NOW, it's important :)

 

Otherwise, an Aegis is useful to any static firesupport. Given this can also be fielded as an allied detachment, think of say, an Imperial Guard gunline backing this up.

 

Couple of BA 2000 point armies to make use of it.

 

Mephiston

2x Sanguinary Priests, Power Axe

3x (10)Assault Squad, 2xMelta

1x (10)Death Company, 2xPowerfist, Drop Pod

1x Death Company Dread, Talons

2x (5)Devastator Squad,

1x Stormraven, TLMultimelta, TLLascannon

1x Aegis Defence Lines, Comms Relay

 

Mephiston

2x Sanguinary Priests, Power Axe

1x Corbulo (Drop Pod)

3x (10)Assault Squad, 2xMelta

1x (9)Death Company, 2xPowerfist, Drop Pod

1x Death Company Dread, Talons

2x (3)Attack Bikes, Heavy Bolters

1x Stormraven, TLMultimelta, TLLascannon

[SamaNagol]

Furioso with Talons would cost the same as a DC dread and not need the 'DC tax' for only one less attack. And in lists smaller than 2000pts you are unlikely to take 2 powerful assault contingents.

[Mezkh]

Sadly it actually gets two less ;) DC dread has one more base, as well as +2 for charging. He also gets fleet, which is very important.

 

In saying that, sure you could drop the Death Company and go Furioso for 1750, keeping plenty left over for your army.

[SamaNagol]

You don't REALLY need Fleet when coming out of the Raven. But it is nice to be able to engage 2 diff targets more easily. It's all a trade off I guess. If I was running a DC Dread I would probably just take 8 DC with 2 fists and a Librarian as the Raven cargo for not much more than Mephiston.

[Darklighter]

What ever you charge that Dread in to with the talons Mephiston can kill just as easy with his base powers and he'll be less likely to die in the process. It might take Mephiston the opponents assault turn to wipe the squad. But that's all bonus as he'll not be getting shot at! The only thing I can see the dread doing better is killing huge Ork mobs and that's not going to be faced often (in a well mixed gaming environment).

[Brynjolf Irontooth]

What ever you charge that Dread in to with the talons Mephiston can kill just as easy with his base powers and he'll be less likely to die in the process. It might take Mephiston the opponents assault turn to wipe the squad. But that's all bonus as he'll not be getting shot at! The only thing I can see the dread doing better is killing huge Ork mobs and that's not going to be faced often (in a well mixed gaming environment).

 

That's not the point.

 

The point is, cast rerolls to hit on the DC dread, mephiston will assault something and the DC dread will assault something else. The DC dread with 6 LC attacks on the charge will do a lot of damage (6A with RR to hit, S7 with RR to wound, and every unsaved wound generates a new attack benefitting from the RR, ...). Mephiston just charges something else (so 2 targets, explains the need for the dread, on his own Mephiston can only handle one target).

[Darklighter]

What ever you charge that Dread in to with the talons Mephiston can kill just as easy with his base powers and he'll be less likely to die in the process. It might take Mephiston the opponents assault turn to wipe the squad. But that's all bonus as he'll not be getting shot at! The only thing I can see the dread doing better is killing huge Ork mobs and that's not going to be faced often (in a well mixed gaming environment).

 

That's not the point.

 

The point is, cast rerolls to hit on the DC dread, mephiston will assault something and the DC dread will assault something else. The DC dread with 6 LC attacks on the charge will do a lot of damage (6A with RR to hit, S7 with RR to wound, and every unsaved wound generates a new attack benefitting from the RR, ...). Mephiston just charges something else (so 2 targets, explains the need for the dread, on his own Mephiston can only handle one target).

 

Ok but in buffing the dread you've hindered Mephiston and forced all of your attacks in one area. If you really feel the dread needs the buff why not run a second libby to buff the dread. Use the Libby in a squad moving fast up the field (so he has a duel purpose) then drop pod the dread and then buff assault the next turn. No waist and cheaper! In fact you gain an extra bit of psy-defence and much more utility. Ok you don't get the stormraven, but the topic is titled Dread-Bullet not Raven tactica. The Libby would start on the board 24" away from the enemy deployment zone first turn you jump move and run putting you 11"-6" away with a 12" power range that should be enough most games to use a power on the dread. Also it'll give you more of an element of surprise and the ability to assault with the dread a whole turn or two sooner.

[Brynjolf Irontooth]

Actually you could disembark the dread 6" in one direction, disembark Mephiston 6" in the opposite direction, and considering with their fleet they should be able to charge at least 6", this means they can end up more than 24" from each other. That's not really attacking one area. That's one big part of the battlefield.

 

Not using the Stormraven (and instead a droppod) means he can't charge on disembarking. It's not that hard to kill (or ignore by moving away) a dread if you get a turn to react after it disembarks. It's harder when it charges in immediately after disembarkment. So personally I don't think you get the same impact with a droppod as with a Stormraven. Especially when you really like a Stormraven (and why wouldn't you as it has some great firepower and is harder to destroy than in 5th), there is no need to buy the dread a droppod that hardly works as good. If you ofcourse don't want to field a Stormraven, then that's an other story. Though a droppod + the cost for a predator (to replace the Stormravens shooting abilities), ... well the pointcosts are getting quite close. So my preference would go to the Stormraven.

 

I have to say, I really like the idea of putting a Dread inside a Stormraven. And giving it rerolls to hit (Mephiston or an other librarian in the neighbourhood) makes it really devastating.

 

 

Greets,

BI

[Knaru]

Remember, Mephiston generates 3 powers, not two. So, you could very well run 2 Biomancy powers + Prescience or Forwarning/Precognition + Prescience + 1 Biomancy on Mephiston to help keep his position as a psychic powerhouse, while still buffing that dread to silly levels of slaughter.

 

Also, with Prescience in the mix, the Furioso with Talons may be a hardier choice than the DC Dread. Those +2 attacks aren't going to mean as much when you are generating new attacks whenever you hit with re-rolled 3+ to hit (WS 6 guarantees this against all but the most elite of targets) and re-rolled 2+ to wound (v T4). What may matter more is avoiding any possibility of Krak Grenades or Power Mauls glancing you to death with FA 13, especially since you're swinging those Talons at I4. As for Fleet, with an 18-36" move the turn the Storm Raven arrives, and 6" move + 6" disembark the turn the dread will assault, Fleet is probably unnecessary to get your Dread where you want it. And, since Mephiston has Fleet, you can always park a little closer to the Dread's target to manage that risk of a failed charge a bit.

[Darklighter]

Mephiston has 3 warp charges but still only generates 2 powers.

[Djulius]

Hmmm, yep BA 6th Ed FAQ states:

"A Blood Angels Librarian (including Mephiston) may use the psychic disciplines found in the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook, instead of those in Codex: Blood Angels. If he does so, generate two new powers from the Biomancy, Divination, Telepathy or Telekinesis disciplines (in any combination) before armies are deployed."

 

Can't help but feel this is a typical GW defect and that Mephiston will soon be able to generate three new powers from the stated disciplines.

[CitadelArmyGuy]

...As for Fleet, with an 18-36" move the turn the Storm Raven arrives, and 6" move + 6" disembark the turn the dread will assault, Fleet is probably unnecessary to get your Dread where you want it...

 

When you unload, that is your movement. You don't get 6" unload and then further 6" movement. So Fleet is still pretty important. Especially when charging into or through terrain.

 

EDIT: Oh I see what you mean-- the Raven moves 6 more inches... lol. Fleet is still important, especially since your opponent has a full turn to move away from where the Raven goes on turn 2.

[Knaru]

Hmmm, yep BA 6th Ed FAQ states:

"A Blood Angels Librarian (including Mephiston) may use the psychic disciplines found in the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook, instead of those in Codex: Blood Angels. If he does so, generate two new powers from the Biomancy, Divination, Telepathy or Telekinesis disciplines (in any combination) before armies are deployed."

 

Can't help but feel this is a typical GW defect and that Mephiston will soon be able to generate three new powers from the stated disciplines.

 

Derp. How did I miss this?!? Grr. Not a fan of this, but, such is life. I guess if he drops his codex powers, he always has his FW. Not much of a silver lining, but it's something, right?

 

Thanks for setting me straight.

 

 

...As for Fleet, with an 18-36" move the turn the Storm Raven arrives, and 6" move + 6" disembark the turn the dread will assault, Fleet is probably unnecessary to get your Dread where you want it...

 

When you unload, that is your movement. You don't get 6" unload and then further 6" movement. So Fleet is still pretty important. Especially when charging into or through terrain.

 

EDIT: Oh I see what you mean-- the Raven moves 6 more inches... lol. Fleet is still important, especially since your opponent has a full turn to move away from where the Raven goes on turn 2.

 

Exactly, Raven 6" move + 6" disembark. Sorry, I should have made that more clear. Fleet is wonderful, but with 36" on Turn 2, you can usually get right in the face of what you want to dump your dread on to mitigate the need for Fleet. Most infantry targets are only going to go 6" away, which you can more than match moving the Raven. Add in disembark movement and 2d6 charge, even charging through difficult terrain, you're likely to clear at least 10" (minimum 8") from the Storm Raven to the charged unit. If they run to put more distance between the Raven and the target, it means they aren't firing on anything else, and your big scary assault unit neutralized a whole turn of shooting from it. I'd call that a small victory in itself. :P

 

I love the idea of Meph and a Dread wreaking havoc out of a Storm Raven. I just think a Furioso is a safer, more durable option that has a better chance of surviving to tear through a second unit, or to take more punishment (and thus focus away from other elements of your army) before it goes down, while only losing a negligible amount of power in the initial assault.

[SamaNagol]

How many powers does Njal generate if he chooses to use Rulebook powers?

[Taranis]

I'd say two as that's his mastery level. He knows all wolf powers, but don't seem to get more than two brb powers.

[mysteriousmaskedmystery]

i'm wondering why it has to be mephiston? why not a terminator squad with lib, or DC with chap and lib? i realize meph is rock hard, but using the SR for only models seems like a shame, a unit of DC with chap and lib will slaughter just about anything.

[Brynjolf Irontooth]

i'm wondering why it has to be mephiston? why not a terminator squad with lib, or DC with chap and lib? i realize meph is rock hard, but using the SR for only models seems like a shame, a unit of DC with chap and lib will slaughter just about anything.

 

The reason behind it, is that if things go wrong (= stormraven gets wrecked or explodes) Mephiston would (at worse) only lose a wound, while a Librarian might suffer instant death from te crash (S10 hit). Next to this a single Librarian doesn't really work on its own; while Mephiston does. Ofcourse if you add a squad to the librarian things are fine as well. This is not about 'you have to take this'. It's about being a very good option. Depending on your specific armylist and personal preferences you could choose not to use this option (as you can't fit it into your armlist), or alter it to your own taste (for example taking a Librarian + squad instead of Mephiston). Though the last one is more about weither you want/like Mephiston or not.

 

Remember, there is no holy grail when it comes to armylists. Several different armylists (/options) might work equally good.

 

Also note that you example (DC + Recl + libby) is a lot more points than Meph + DC dread.

 

 

Greets,

BI