2000 pt NL Terror list (now with more AT!)

[depthcharge12]

So I know the frater has still been searching for the holy grail in terms of keeping the NLs nasty in assault without compromising anti tank support. Thus, I propose this list - it's a bit lighter on the infantry grinders, but won't make it feel like the whole army can get destroyed by Scorpii or bombardments.

 

1997 points total - Night Lords Terror Rite of War

 

HQ

 

Praetor (185)

+ Chainglaive, Jump Pack, Refractor field, void shield harness

 

Praevian (127)

+ Power Fist, Artificer Armor, Refractor Field, Bolter

 

2 Castellax - Praevian Squad (240)

+ Tank Hunters, 2 Darkfire lances, 2 targeting arrays

 

 

Troops

 

10 Terror Marines 275

+ 10 volkite chargers, Headsman w/Chainglaive/AA/Melta Bombs

 

10 Terror Marines 275

+ 10 volkite chargers, Headsman w/Chainglaive/AA/Melta Bombs

 

10 Terror Marines 275

+ 10 volkite chargers, Headsman w/Chainglaive/AA/Melta Bombs

 

 

Fast Attack

 

10 Night Raptors (300)

+ 3 Chainglaives, 2 Power Axes

 

Xiphon Interceptor (215)

+ Ground Tracking Auguries

 

3 Legion Outriders (165)

+ 3 TL plasma guns

 

 

Heavy Support

 

Venator Tank Destroyer (190)

 

 

Ok, so let's state the obvious. The three terror squads are dang near identical to any other list. Easy peasy: they infiltrate up, unleash CHOOM hell, and assault second turn. They'd make a good harassment unit against the ubiquitous rapier platforms and support squads. Headsman is loaded for bear - you sink quite a bit of points into these guys, so it'd make sense to give them some form of usefulness.

 

 

Alright, now the Night Raptors. I'd kill to make these a squad of 15 guys, but then they'd create a larger footprint, soak up more points, and inevitably draw the attention of every S8 AP3 blast weapon out there. The Praetor is there to give his bubble of safety to the squad, and with proper placement and cover, they should remain largely intact. Getting night fighting can only help them. I threw some axes in there for a more reliable form of AP2, and also because giving your guys all Chainglaives, they don't get the extra attack in cc for two weapons. I may just wind up taking out one of the weapons just to give my praetor a paragon blade. These guys are meant to eat up terminator squads through large volume of attacks and potential AP2 from rending.

 

 

The Praevian and his escort of two Castellax are meant to be a bullet sponge and general all round tanky unit. They can destroy armor early on, and kill TEQ units with shooting and assault. A distraction carnifex unit if you will.

 

 

The outriders are...a bit squishier than I'd like. I wanted to get a plasma squad that could inevitably blast away all those legion unique units with 2+ saves. I would've taken a unit of 5 plasma support marines, but I wouldn't have the points for a rhino to lug them around. This list struggles with TEQs, so these guys are a QRF to respond to something like that. Not enough really to blow away a terminator squad, but enough to whittle them down to be jumped by other squads (very night lord-y ;)).

 

 

The Xiphon is my answer to having only one heavy support slot. I need the Venator for an early priority/early game tank kill - things like a Spartan, Contemptor, Sicaran, or heaven forbid, a Typhon. The Xiphon is there to clean up any remaining armor or possible enemy flyers. In a pinch, it can also snipe TEQs with its BS5 AP2 weapons.

 

 

The Venator, as mentioned above, is for priority armor targets. This list hinges on mobility and sniping certain units in order to break down the enemy army early on. The Venator needs to kill something like a Spartan that might be carrying a TEQ deathstar in order to make that unit footslog. Once that happens, those units are likely slow and ponderous, and can be picked off by various units before getting assaulted.

 

 

This list is definitely not for the meek of heart. It can vary wildly from tabling an opponent in a few turns, to fighting an uphill battle for the majority of the game. Various factors include first turn and night fighting - getting first turn is always the best in order to alpha strike and pick apart enemy units in the case of this army. Night fighting can vastly help this army by boosting cover saves and allowing for that sick bonus of +1 Initiative and run movements. If the Venator gets merc'd early on, you'll need to rely on the Castellax until the Xiphon gets in in order to kill vital armor units.

 

 

So what do you pack of murderers, skinners, and scoundrels think? :D

[Slips]

I'd almost want to Swap the Venator for a LasVindicator and with the (I think) sufficient points resulting, swap the Outriders out for a Second Xiphon. You might also have enough left over points for a Paragon Blade.

 

Otherwise, as is, I think its pretty solid.

[SkimaskMohawk]

Drop the praetor and make him a chaplain instead to save points. Since he comes with power weapon I assume the glaive is a free upgrade, but I could be wrong depending on the wording. If you make him warlord he becomes Master of the Legion automatically to unlock RoWs. Use that and the dropped outriders to get another xiphon

[Slips]

Drop the praetor and make him a chaplain instead to save points. Since he comes with power weapon I assume the glaive is a free upgrade, but I could be wrong depending on the wording. If you make him warlord he becomes Master of the Legion automatically to unlock RoWs. Use that and the dropped outriders to get another xiphon

Wouldnt be able to use Terror Assault if he wasnt a Preator. And being Warlord does not confer MotL

[SkimaskMohawk]

My bad on forgetting you only get 1 Consul for Terror Assault; don't make him one and get an even cheaper character as a result.

 

As for Warlord conferring MotL, it does, actually.

 

From LA:CAL "If the army's Warlord (see the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook), they have the Master of the Legion Special Rule" (pg.15)

[Slips]

My bad on forgetting you only get 1 Consul for Terror Assault; don't make him one and get an even cheaper character as a result.

 

As for Warlord conferring MotL, it does, actually.

 

From LA:CAL "If the army's Warlord (see the Warhammer 40,000 rulebook), they have the Master of the Legion Special Rule" (pg.15)

Then that completely invalidates the Preator Entry alongside the Delegatus Entry the latter which was created specifically for you to take a RoW with a Consul.

 

Also, with 7th eds "Anyone can be a Warlord", you could make a Squad Sergeant Warlord and thus confer Master of the Legion to him - completely nonsensical.

 

Add onto that, your quote is located in the Preators Entry. Also, reading it in context, "If the Army's Warlord, They have the Master of the Legion Special Rule[.] (should be a comma here - typo in that case, gives the Section completely different meaning), They may also roll twice[...]"

 

So to me that means: Model Is Warlord? Y/N, Model Has Master Of The Legion? Y/N, If Y, to both, may roll twice for Warlord Traits. 

 

Thats the Intent of the Rule. A VERY VERY VERY small and tiny (see: practically unnoticeable) typo breaks that and means that you could BS RAW vs RAI for MotL. The Fact that its on the Preator Page and not before/after, hell, even in the Special Rules Section for Legiones Astartes leads to the Conclusion that the Master of the Legion rule explination paragraph is exclusive to the Preator (and by extension models with the MotL rule) and not intended (in any logical sense taking into consideration the Context for the Rule) to be "IF you're warlord you auto gain MotL".

[SkimaskMohawk]

The sentence doesn't really change regardless of potentially typo'd commas or not. If it read "If the army's Warlord, they have Master of the Legion Special Rule, they may roll twice..." then the permission is still the same; the warlord gets MotL and a bonus trait role. If there was an and instead of the first comma, then it would function how you say it does.

 

I agree that it breaks the point of a Delegatus (unless you want his exclusive RoW), but as upsetting as it may be that's how it works for now.

 

The sad fact is, unlike law, there is no universal test of intent we can apply to our rules to solve any conundrum. As such, we have to trust that the rules are written as intended and if not, that they will be changed in the future to reflect the true intent.

 

Back OT: it is technically (the best kind) legal to take a generic centurion as your warlord and shave points, even if its just to make a mobile void dome and little else

[Slips]

Actually, intent for the way Master of the Legion is supposed to work is actually given by the existance of the Delegatus: why create a specific, special consul subtype designed to be able to take RoWs and be technically given MotL if, by making any random joe in your army warlord he gains MotL?

 

If they indeed intended for you to make literally any HQ/Warlord you chose gain MotL, then why the existance of the Delegatus? His own special RoW means nothing since they could have released it on its own without attaching it to him if the above was indeed the case.

 

OT: not much to add beyond the suggestions already present; maybe a Command Rhino if you could find the points for more reliable reserve rolls?

[depthcharge12]

I must agree that only models listed with the Master of the Legion may take rites of war.

 

As for taking a Delagatus, I considered it, but I think he may be too squishy. Now I know I didn't quite load up my praetor fully, but under the NL rules, the army takes a morale check if the warlord kicks the bucket.

 

As that could severely hamper the army, I'd think it would be in the best interest to keep the praetor.

[Slips]

I must agree that only models listed with the Master of the Legion may take rites of war.

 

As for taking a Delagatus, I considered it, but I think he may be too squishy. Now I know I didn't quite load up my praetor fully, but under the NL rules, the army takes a morale check if the warlord kicks the bucket.

 

As that could severely hamper the army, I'd think it would be in the best interest to keep the praetor.

You can always take the Warp Shunt Field if you really need to put everything on your side to keeping him alive if you need to.

 

That 3++ vs Shooting and being able to reflect some damage back might be something that helps. Though it might also kill models in a unit and put you out of Charge Range :p

[depthcharge12]

I was considering that, but I'm hoping that all the cover saves from night fighting and from the shadows will help.

 

The shield is there to help protect the other raptors in his squad too as well as preventing any bolters from hurting them when they charge in :D

[Slips]

I was considering that, but I'm hoping that all the cover saves from night fighting and from the shadows will help.

The shield is there to help protect the other raptors in his squad too as well as preventing any bolters from hurting them when they charge in

Which is why the VSH is probably one of the better relics of the bunch.

Though beware anything that can cause it to Explode. Had it happen to me once when a Magos Inferno Pistol'd my Librarian who had it, made it explode and kill him out of CC :(

[Brother Sergeant Scarus]

Just a quick thing - this list seems to be 2247 points, is it meant to say 2250 in the topic?

I just noticed because it seemed like there was so much stuff in there! :)

That aside it looks like a lot of fun to play.