1500 Point Salamanders 30k List

[amazarak]

Good morning,

 

I am working on a 1500 point 30k salamander list that will initially be fielded against my good buddy's tyranids and eventually against other 30k armies. This army initially started out as a traditional 40k army in old marks of armor, but I simply can't resist the pull of the 30k universe! :)

 

Some thoughts: The troops are in units of 10, certainly not ideal, but I don't have enough marines painted up just yet to properly flesh them out into units of 20. Vexilla's are not included because of the salamanders ability to reroll one dice for failed morale. I'll be using the Covenant of Fire Rite of war for the master crafted melta guns (does this effect combi-meltas?), the save for vehicles vs melta/plasma, and for move through cover.

 

The Plan: The plan is to use the troops to thin our the bugs lines (FoTL) and the extra cc weapons, and kitted out sgts are so they aren't completely helpless when the bugs do get into cc (which seems to happen). The dread (dead?) HQ is AV14, has IWND, and seems to be a rock solid beast in CC. The MoS will drop his orbital strike and buff a tac squad with +1 BS. The seekers are a sub-optimal use of points, but I have them built and ready to go (former sternguard) so I thought I'd use them to hunt big bugs with their combi meltas, 5 BS, and special ammo (no poison though! ack!). Mortis dreads are for the inevitable flying Hive Tyrant and for general fire support otherwise (really close in points to regular dreads, a tremendous value for the cost).

 

HQ: Master of Signal w/ artificer armor, power sword, refractor field

 

HQ: Cassian Dracos

 

Troops: 10x Marines w/ Rhino, artificer armor, power fist, extra cc weapons

 

Troops: 10x Marines w/Rhino, artificer armor, power fist, extra cc weapons

 

Fast Attack: 9x Seekers w/Combi-meltas, Rhino

 

Elite: Mortis Dreadnaught w/ TL auto cannons

 

Elite Mortis Dreadnaught w/ TL missile launchers

 

Future: I'll be taking these guys to 2500 points. Next up would be extra troops for 20 man squads, an apothecary detachment for FNP, and likely a predator squadron (330 points for three? You betcha!). I have thus far avoided the firedrakes and Spartan combo as it seems a huge amount of points for what you get. I might get a Spartan in the future but likely carrying a 20 man squad vice 70 point TH/SS 2 wound terminators.

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated! I understand volkites are the bees-knees vs bugs. Is there anything I can do to help battle the great devourer?

[Slips]

Seekers are a nice touch since you have Tempest Bolts (small blast, low S and high AP though) and you can double tap them if needed and saturate a brood of gaunts and the like rather easily. Other Special Issue is nice and helps make your seekers less of a one-trick pony after they fire off their melta.

 

But, since you know who your playing against and what they'll bring, as well as already lining up a good progression route for your force, I can't really comment on anything since you gave good enough reasons for why you were using small squads.

 

Things to consider when building up the list : Contemptor Dreadnoughts. They are generally just better (but pricier) than the box counterparts but have a wider range of weapon selections. Standard loadouts are : 2x Kheres Assault Cannons Heavy 6(each) and Rending among others. 2x Twin-Linked Lascannons or 2x Twin-Linked Autocannons. 

 

Spartans : Av14 everywhere with armored ceramite (immune to melta) and Flare Shields (-1s when firing at front arc) and well you've got something that will highly likely survive all game unless fired upon by a titan or smack at by Angron or another Primarch.

 

Pyroclasts : Very good salamander unit coming in with AA for 2+ and having a s5(?) heavy flamer that you can switch firing mode into an 18" multi-melta if needed. Put these in a Landraider (since max squad size is 10 unless you add HQ's and IC's onto them. if so take a spartan) and shove them down your opponents throats and watch the BBQ happen! They're also a VERY good unit to have against horde armies like Blob Guard, Orks and Nid (heyo! This is what you're playing against!).

 

Vulkan : What kind of a son of Nocturne would you be if you didn't field this BAMF at least once or have him on display? True, he's a LoW and can't take up more than 25% of your armies points, but he brings a lot to the table in terms of force multiplication and lets be serious here, he has an AMAZING model.

 

Firedrakes : 2W Terminators that DONT have to be TH/SS, they just come modeled with those on when you buy them. Look up their entry in LA:CAL or HH:Massacre and they're pretty versatile. Also, whats not to love about 2W TH/SS terminators? True they're pricier than their 40k counterparts but with 1 extra would and the option of having a nigh indestructible spartan lug them around, they're leaps and bounds better!

 

Thats about all I've got really...

 

OH! Almost forgot! WELCOME TO THE HERESY SON OF VULKAN! Feel free to read up on the Salamanders Tactica thread in the tactica subforum if you ever have any dobuts!

[Adra'Melek]

The Pyroclast Melta type weapon isn't 18". It's more like 6" or 8" (unless that's a massive chance in the newer books).

[Slips]

The Pyroclast Melta type weapon isn't 18". It's more like 6" or 8" (unless that's a massive chance in the newer books).

WOOPs my bad then haha :P I must've misremembered for some reason i thought it was 18"

[Adra'Melek]

Oh I wish it was. I got my hopes a little when I saw it but I'm pretty sure the Melta range (half full range) is around 3".

 

But Pyroclasts, Firedrakes and Vulkan are all awesome.