SM Scout allies for Scion force

[Brendaen]

I'm running ideas through my brain for my Scion force. My issue is that I'm not a big fan of the Taurox Prime. I have one Valkyrie and was thinking of deep striking the majority of my Scions, but I'm worried about mishaps.

 

My thought was to take detachment of SM scouts in Land Speeder Storms with Homing beacons/locators . For the HQ I was going to use a Terminator Librarian to deep strike in with a unit of Scions. Maybe even some Scout Bikers with grenade launchers and locators.

 

Chapter tactics? Maybe Crimson Fists?

 

I could fill in some the Scion gaps with SM vehicles (Vindicator, Whirlwind, etc...)

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

I'd use Space Wolves, because that's what I have, but that would not get me the locator beacons, since my scouts don't get them. But it sounds like a solid idea you have there. 

 

I'd say Raven Guard would be very complementary to the fast play style favored by us Stormtrooper players. All the models in your detachment would get scout, so you get a free move, getting those vidicators into position to do damage quickly, and all models that are not bulky or very bulky (which means vehicles), get stealth on the first turn (unless they FAQ'd that). 

 

That's a lot of potential to bring the hurt very fast. not to mention you'd have the ability to outflank because of the scouts rule. That means You could hold some other stuff in reserves and bring it out where the opponent least expects it.

 

It's your call, If you wanted vehicle support though, I'd recommend a Guard detachment for allies, since you could get a ton more vehicles out of a dual CAD set up. 

[WarriorFish]

It could work, but seems like a lot of effort just for more accurate deep striking? Your Scouts would need to be on the table already and also where you'd want to drop in, so it might not be that useful so I'd be looking at their strength as allies first and treating it as a useful addition.

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

That's why I was considering Ravenwing as allies, because their teleport homers are a "gee-wiz" thing. Yes it's useful, but I primarily wanted them for their ability to scoot and shoot. I would use them as a mobile objective capping force, or to leap frog around my stormies to swoop in and assault things, since they have hit and run. Since they also have scout, they can get further up the board and start doing damage. In addition if you take them in a CAD with Sammael(which is the only way if you ask me) they're your troops choice. Min squad it, or go all out like I plan to and put a couple 6 man squads with land speeders and attack bikes, with a command squad and the bolter banner to really pump out those shots (4 per bike, because of relentless). That lets them shoot well outside their numbers. Not to mention the CS has TL plasma talons (18 inch PG's). Take a Nephilim for maxed anti-infantry ability. 

 

That's my eval of Ravenwing as allies. Problem is you have to take a CAD, but done right a CAD can cost very little and offers you room to expand for larger games.

[Brendaen]

I've got a small Space Wolf force as well, but I want locator beacons.

 

Thought about Ravenwing as well, but it doesn't fit what I want (200 point character and Space Marines).

 

As for vehicles, I'm an Armored Company guy, so I have plenty of IG tanks. The problem: still no locators.

 

I figure with scouts, I will have more points for more Scions.

 

My 2000 point list:

 

Commissar Lord - power sword/ carapace - will ride in Valkyrie for leadership boost.

 

10 man Scion unit with plasma that will sit on an object in my zone with Librarian

 

10 man Scion unit with plasma that will ride in Valkyrie

 

Two 7 man Scion units with Meltas - Deep striking

 

6 man Scion unit with either Meltas or Volleyguns - Deep striking

 

Valkyrie with pods

 

Ravenguard detachment:

 

Librarian with Auspex and Locator - will be with 1st Scion unit for leadership and Prescense

 

Two Scout squads with bolters and Veteran Sgt with locator riding in heavy flamer LS Storms

 

5 man Scout squad with bolters, missile launcher and veteran sgt with locator

 

5 man scout biker unit with cluster mines, grenade launchers, and veteran Sgt with locator and combigrav

 

2 Stormtalons - missiles (can they escort the Valkyrie?)

 

Hunter for more anti air

 

Vindicator for it threat prescense and taking the heat off other units

 

Whirlwind for some long range support and flushing out units in cover

 

 

That's 8 scoring units and 4 locators on the board to help get support where needed.

[Brendaen]

If only the AM had access to some sort of locator beacon system, then my problem would be solved.

 

I figure, with Scouts, they are as close to stormtroopers that I can get. I really want to stay away from power armored troops. I can call the SM Librarian an Inquisitor to explain why he's there and I have some extra AM pilot bits to use as pilots for the Storm Talons.

 

I like the feel of the above force. No real CC units, but I've played IG for the majority of the 10 years I've been playing 40k, so I've learned to get around that.

[GreenPlasma]

Ravenwing grenade launcher also applies -1T to enemy models, which is going to help your S3 weapons put down more targets and let S8 Krak put down T5 targets in one shot.

 

It's a great weapon to support the Scion force.

[Altasmurf]

Both stormies and guard have access to the auger array which allows precise deep strike. I understand that you don't like the taurox, but by not using them you pretty much limiting your options for tactics. I do wonder what your issue with them is though. The thing about scouts is that the scouts themselves don't really add much to the list. You would probably be better off using drop pod marines and putting a beacon on the pod. The marines will accomplish more and the pod will allow accurate deepstrike. Really at 2000 points your opponent should be able to reliable kill at least 2 of you 4 beacons so he would really be dictating where your drop is coming from.

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

Altasmurf mentioned the auger array, which I believe the Chimera can take. You said you're an armored company guy, you should have Chimeras, and now you have a deep strike beacon.

 

I guess though, if you're going for a pure Stormtrooper list, you can't get Chimeras. And you hate the Taurox Prime. I don't know why, it's fast and packs a mean punch. If you're dead set on the scouts, that's fine, play test it and if it works, great, if not, you learned a lesson. The problem that the C:SM units have is they aren't as synergy based as the DA are. DA offers a variety of ways to debuff your opponent to make their allies hit harder. 

 

It's your army though, we just don't see what scouts bring to table, other than being thematically similar to Stromtroopers.

[Brendaen]

Auger Array... Now I feel like a bonehead. Not sure how I missed that. For some reason I thought it worked like an Auspex Surveyor on a Salamander Command vehicle. Too bad the FW IA Armored Company doesn't have access to those. I'd love to equip my Thunderer with one.

 

Well, that's my answer. I can euip my Mech-Veterans with those to help bring in the Scion units more accurately and I don't have to worry about building a SM army at all.

 

I realize that the Taurox Prime has its redeeming qualities, but I have always loved my Chimeras. I have two bare bones Tauroxes that I use when I'm low on points with my Mech-Veteran lists.

 

I also Invision the Scions as more of a Special Forces type of force rappelling out of aircraft or parachuting (deep striking) onto the battlefield.

 

That's for all the comments, I appreciate them...

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

No problem. Just curious, what is it about the Taurox you don't like? Is it the model, or is it the rules?

 

I too envision the Stormtroopers as a Special Operations Force (I think of mine as the Imperium's 75th Ranger Regiment, which is classified as Special Operations Light Infantry). Light infantry is somewhat of a misnomer, since in modern terms it deals with how they get to the fight. Light infantry carry everything they need on their back, and have no heavy vehicles. As opposed to Mechanized infantry. Modern examples of light infantry are the 75th Rangers, 101st Airborne, 82nd Airborne, and 10th Mountain. 

 

As for rappelling out of the aircraft, it's a matter of definition, a harness is required to rappel (either improvised like a swiss seat, or purpose made), which is cumbersome for fast delivery. They'd really be fastroping which requires no harness (sliding down the rope like a fire pole), which is the faster method of battlefield delivery, or static line jumping (grav-chuting), or I imagine deep striking being like a Free fall jump. Then there's the tried and true Air Assault, jumping from the bid 2-6 feet off the ground, and getting ready to lay the hate. 

 

That theme is why I use the Taurox and Valkyries and Vendettas. I have no tanks (in this force). I have played Air Assault lists before, but those were space wolves, and it almost required the list to be 2500 points in order to get the proper stuff in the list. With guard I can do it at lower point levels, and it's not as mean. My Air Drop Assault Wolves were all but unbeatable, I could just get right to work and kill all of my opponent's shiny toys and then just eat charges, and wreck him because I could throw out more attacks. 

 

Stormtroopers are a bit more tactical than that and require more finesse, which I like. 

[Brendaen]

I meant fast roping.

 

I think the Taurox Prime is too expensive (points wise) for what it brings to my force. I wasn't a big fan of the model until I did a conversion to put wheels on it instead of those ugly tracks.

 

You can see my conversions in this thread:

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/306427-the-67th-division-3rd-armored-company/

 

I will eventually get a 2nd Valkyrie to use to deliver my Scions onto the battlefield.

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

I hadn't seen them as a 6x6, only as a 4x4. That's nice. That's fair, it is a bit pricey, with the prime clocking in at 80 points base, it's a pretty expensive transport, considering SM rhinos are 35 points a pop. 

 

I don't mind it though, It's what I've got so I'll use it. I need a few more of them, like 4 or so...

[captain sox]

Hello!

I too run a Scion Army (I say army instead of force because I have a lot of 'em) and basically I am running them with my Deathwing and or Imperial Knights. I really like the Taurox Prime. It's fast and can have the Augur array, which allows my face melters and tank killers to arrive where I need them. To me, the Valk serves no purpose as a transport due to the Deep Striking ability of the Scions. It doesn't really serve a role as anything (it's not really going to shoot down other flyers, and really rocket pods would be my only weapon choice in them), except to make the army more fluffy. That's just my opinion

If you're looking for something to zoom and shoot, the Taurox is pretty good at that, with the Gatling Cannon and Volley Gun. For longer range, use the Missile Launchers, they can still move and shoot em. My main weakness would be with flyers, and as I play more games, people will start bringing out more to counter my deep strike / killy army. So I'll try and use my Nephilim's down the road.

Give the Taurox another look, even if you hate the model. Field 3, 4 or 5 and see how they do (depending on point size of game).