Help needed with 1500 points tourney army

[Vintagephreak]

Hi all,

 

Have decided to start playing 40K after years devoted solely to WFB. Am rapidly assembling a BA army for a tournament in January, based on the current BA codex whoch is a joy to read.

 

The tournament allows special/named characters, Imp. Armour models/rules, but no allies.

 

I need some decent suggestions on how to put together a competitive, 1500 point force. My primary thought was to make the force as close combat-oriented as possible, and I'd like to field both tactical and devastator squads (in rhinos), one assault perhaps squad led by a chaplain, plus use a Contemptor dread, some termies and a Predator or Whirlwind for support. My primary goal isn't necessarily to win but to make the army look good and take home the prize for best painted army, although of course I'd like to field as versatile an army as possible and take home a victory or two.

 

So if any of you battle brothers could give me some pointers or direct me to an existing thread which could prove helpful, I'd greatly appreciate it!

 

Regards,

Martin

[IK Viper]

kind of a wide open statement, what do you have currently? what do you play test, what do you like to play with?

[Vintagephreak]

kind of a wide open statement, what do you have currently? what do you play test, what do you like to play with?

 

Last time I played a game of 40K it was called Rogue Trader, and we even had a GM to oversee the proceedings... Played Space Orks back then, but since the game has changed since 1989 I need help. I have a decent grasp of the rules but no real 40K gaming experience. So I have no current army except the beginnings of a BA force, built and collected to look good and be fun to paint. I figured I'd build an army out of my current SM boxes and bits, surely enough to make 70- odd marines of all types. Also have 4 rhinos, a Land raider, a Predator and a Whirlwind but will add to this (time and money allowing).

 

I'd prefer an army that gets stuck in and excels at close combat but of course I'd also need shooty troops. Since I'm aiming for a tournament I'd assume versatility would be a great asset...

 

Any input appreciated!

Martin

[IK Viper]

Well A Landraider is always a good thing... lol its tough enough to stand up to most anything except Melta weapons at half range, (6 inches or less) personnaly if I had a Land Raider I would paint me up 10-12 Death Company, armed either with CC weapons or bolters, or a mix of what every you have available, pack them in the raider and deliver them to the enemy door step as fast as possible... they are nasty shock troops. I personaly use DC with bolters out of my Stormraven, (they are all just repainted Assault on Black Reach tactical marines painted black, gold, and red) and they are hard to stop, also, a chaplin with them lets them reroll to hit and to wound on the charge making that unit one of the most devistating charge units in the game in my opinion, easily better then Korne Bezerkers since they have Feel no Pain built in.

 

Non-Assault transport vehicles (rhinos) are hard to use when you want to deliver close combat units to the fight, for this reason I would support using Tactical squads in the Rhinos, or even better, converting the Rhinos to Razorbacks be adding a weapon to the top, and then splitting up your tactical squad into 2 combat squads, one that goes in the Razorback and one that sits in the back on an objective and shoots with its heavy weapon (I usually use the free Flamer and Missile Launcher, Give the Sgt. a Melta Bomb, and then but the flamer, the Sgt, and 3 guys in the Razor, while leaving the Missile Launcher and 4 bolter jocks in the back on an objective, for 230 points you can have a Twl Heavy Bolter on the Razorback, a flamer, a melta bomb, and a Missile Launcher that counts as 2 scoring units)

 

Also, the best thing BA has over other SM armies is their Sanguinary Priests, which give Feel No Pain and Furious Charge to every unit within 6 inches. (mine are kitbashed from a the Death Company Box, as are my Librarians) The cool thing about the Razorback idea is that it can carry 6 models so you can have a combat squad in there and a Priest who gives the FnP bubble (measured from the hull on the Razorback when in the vehicle)

 

Predators are great too, unlike C:SM we have "Fast" Predators allowing them to move 6" and fire all weapons, or move 12" and fire 2 weapons and Snapfire everythig else :-)

I find them to be alot batter then Devistators because they can move around to get new firing lanes or even go Flat Out for a total movement of 24" to escape danger of set up a new firing lane. Devistator must stay in the same place all game to be able to fire enough to get their points back, you get less shots with the predator, but your opponent will have a very hard time using terrain to nullify your fire support elements.