Starting Alpha Legion 3000 pt list

[Aias]

So, I'm finally taking the plunge, planning out an Alpha Legion list, armored spearhead. I'm a treadhead all around, so this is the most natural list for me to go with. I know that Alpharius doesn't help a whole lot with this list, but I like his rules enough that I wanted to include him anyway The idea is simply overwhelming numbers, really. I know that I'm woefully lacking anti-air coverage, but maybe one of these days I'll get a Storm Eagle, too.

 

At any rate, what's the general opinion? This make a fun place to start? I've got the Sicaran and the Contemptor, and am considering an order to get two of the Predator Executioners, as I hope that Alpharius will release by my birthday, enabling me to get him and the last tank for that squad if so. I've also got plenty of marines from my 40k Alpha Legion loyalists, though eventually I'd like to replace them with Mk IV squads for aesthetics, and I'd also like to get some options for doing Coils of the Hydra. The biggest question I have, I guess, is how effective are Predator squadrons, really?

 

+++ Legio (3000pts) +++

++ Legiones Astartes: Crusade Army List (Age of Darkness) ++

+ HQ +

Legion Praetor [Cataphractii Terminator Armour with Combi-bolter and Power Weapon, Combi-bolter with only Banestrike Rounds, Iron Halo, Mastercraft a Single Weapon, Paragon Blade]
····Legion Terminator Command Squad [Cataphractii Terminator Armour with Combi-bolter and Power Weapon, Grenade Harness, 4x Legion Space Marine Chosen, Legion Standard Bearer, 5x Power Fist]
········Land Raider Phobos [Armoured Ceramite, Combi-Weapon, Dozer Blade, Frag Assault Launchers]
····Master of the Legion [Armoured Spearhead]

+ Troops +

Legion Tactical Squad [Legion Rhino Armoured Carrier, Legion Tactical Sergeant, 9x Legion Tactical Space Marines, Legion Vexilla]

Legion Tactical Squad [Legion Rhino Armoured Carrier, Legion Tactical Sergeant, 9x Legion Tactical Space Marines, Legion Vexilla]

Legion Tactical Squad [Legion Rhino Armoured Carrier, Legion Tactical Sergeant, 9x Legion Tactical Space Marines, Legion Vexilla]

Legion Tactical Squad [Legion Rhino Armoured Carrier, Legion Tactical Sergeant, 9x Legion Tactical Space Marines, Legion Vexilla]

+ Elites +

Contemptor-Mortis Dreadnought [Havoc Launcher, Two Kheres Pattern Assault Cannons]

+ Heavy Support +

Legion Predator Strike Armoured Squadron [Command Tank]
····Legion Predator Tank [Heavy Bolters]
····Legion Predator Tank [Heavy Bolters]
····Legion Predator Tank [Heavy Bolters]

Legion Predator Strike Armoured Squadron [Command Tank]
····Legion Predator Tank [Combi-Weapon, Executioner Plasma Cannon]
····Legion Predator Tank [Combi-Weapon, Executioner Plasma Cannon]
····Legion Predator Tank [Combi-Weapon, Executioner Plasma Cannon]

Legion Sicarian Battle Tank [Armoured Ceramite, Lascannons]

+ Legion +

Legion Astartes [XX: Alpha Legion]

+ Lord of War +

Alpharius [Master of the Legion, Primarch]

Created with BattleScribe

[Hesh Kadesh]

With so many points spent on Legion Vexilla, have you thought about giving one of the Predaotrs the Command Tank upgrade? It gives a 24" bubble for less points.

Only issue I can see is that the 30k LR Phobos only holds 10 men, IIRC, so cannot take the full Command Squad, meaning the Praetor and Alpharius are running on their lonesome.

Banestrike Rounds I find are terrible. The reduced range not really worth it.

Predaotr Squadrons I love, but when running them as counts as, I find that they're better run cheap as chips with just the main weapon. Sure, a full squadron with HB's puts out a lot of dakka (18 HB shots, 12 AC shots), but their strength is an AV 13 wall IMHO. In this list, that advantage is lost thanks to Infiltrate/scout and the unwieldiness of having a squadron that is not fast being able to get full line of sight beetween advancing Rhinos is a bit of a pain.

My favourite Load for a Predator Squadron used to be 2Predator Destructors, 1Predator Executioner Command Tank, but that is not as preferential now that command tank has lost the intercept rule. I've not really run them as anything else yet, as I tend to prefer Fire Raptors for AL (better Line of Sight, Flyer defences, TL'd MEQ Slaughtering Main gun and a pair of  split fire 4 shot tl'd autocannons - essentially it costs 210, compared to 225 - the offset being trading 12 s7 ap4 shots for 7 tl s6 ap3 and 8 tl'd split firing s7 ap4 shots. Combine with flyer defences, the only downside is that it doesn't get the first turn to shoot. I think Fire Raptors are better, and enjoy using Proteus Land Raiders to provide the reroll.

[Kossaka]

Are you dead set on using Alpha Legion? IMHO Its like saying that you want a Burrito and going to Mc'ds. Yeah they can do it, but you can go somewhere else and get it better. What about Iron Hands, Iron Warriors, World Eaters? Did I say Iron Hands? they can bring stuff that makes your tanks regen HP and if you take their special RoW they can have vehicles that are put into reserve get outflank and anything that can take a rhino can take a Land Raider as a DC. The bonuses to the Tank shocking cool and fluffy, but on the tabletop are just OK. Iron Hands special character Castrmen Orth  makes it so any ramming attacks that any of your tanks do give +1 to vehicle damage. Ferrus also gives any vehicle in your army IWND if you take him becuase you want to take a Primarch. (who doesn't)?

[Kossaka]

But in all seriousness, the Alpha Legion stuff has been some of the best stuff that they have done in a very long time with all the subtle iconography that is worked into their stuff. So I can understand the appeal of the Alpha Legion.

You could run Iron Hands "cough cough alpha legion cough cough" I.E paint them alpha legion and use alpha legion stuff but run them as Iron Hands.

[Aias]

With so many points spent on Legion Vexilla, have you thought about giving one of the Predaotrs the Command Tank upgrade? It gives a 24" bubble for less points.

Only issue I can see is that the 30k LR Phobos only holds 10 men, IIRC, so cannot take the full Command Squad, meaning the Praetor and Alpharius are running on their lonesome.

Banestrike Rounds I find are terrible. The reduced range not really worth it.

Predaotr Squadrons I love, but when running them as counts as, I find that they're better run cheap as chips with just the main weapon. Sure, a full squadron with HB's puts out a lot of dakka (18 HB shots, 12 AC shots), but their strength is an AV 13 wall IMHO. In this list, that advantage is lost thanks to Infiltrate/scout and the unwieldiness of having a squadron that is not fast being able to get full line of sight beetween advancing Rhinos is a bit of a pain.

My favourite Load for a Predator Squadron used to be 2Predator Destructors, 1Predator Executioner Command Tank, but that is not as preferential now that command tank has lost the intercept rule. I've not really run them as anything else yet, as I tend to prefer Fire Raptors for AL (better Line of Sight, Flyer defences, TL'd MEQ Slaughtering Main gun and a pair of split fire 4 shot tl'd autocannons - essentially it costs 210, compared to 225 - the offset being trading 12 s7 ap4 shots for 7 tl s6 ap3 and 8 tl'd split firing s7 ap4 shots. Combine with flyer defences, the only downside is that it doesn't get the first turn to shoot. I think Fire Raptors are better, and enjoy using Proteus Land Raiders to provide the reroll.

I do actually have command tanks on both Predator squadrons already, so there's that, and I hadn't considered the reduced range on the Banestrike rounds. Probably pull them off, as well as the Vexillia and make some points for other units. I don't have to have Scout or Infiltrate since I'm using Armoured Spearhead instead of Coils of the Hydra. I will take your advice about the Land Raiders and thoughts on the Fire Raptor to heart, though. Eventually I'll have the money to get them, lol.

But in all seriousness, the Alpha Legion stuff has been some of the best stuff that they have done in a very long time with all the subtle iconography that is worked into their stuff. So I can understand the appeal of the Alpha Legion.

You could run Iron Hands "cough cough alpha legion cough cough" I.E paint them alpha legion and use alpha legion stuff but run them as Iron Hands.

I have seriously considered it, but I just like the Alpha Legion too much to do so. Now, when I'm playing 40k, I have no qualms about running them with whatever Chapter Tactics I'd like. For example, I'm using Red Hunters this weekend, and once the pair of Predator Executioners I literally just ordered come in, I'll likely use Iron Hands. Alpharius will probably be the first thing cut from this particular list, actually, but for now he stays.