I may have made a terrible mistake.

[Master Antaeus]

I have accepted the challenge of a friend in England to go to Warhammer World to play against his Sons of Horus army (led by Horus). Since a primarch can only be used at 2000+ points, I suspect that the points value will be an old-school 'Ardboyz 2500. To this end, I have begun building an army that is both challenging to play and will be humiliating to lose to. Enter: 808th Merican Fusiliers using militarum tempestus rules.

In any event, I brazenly accepted his challenge and told him I'd be bringing a 40k army to add insult to injury. Perhaps you have some idea where this is going.

I have begun taking pics and developing my army here: http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/315252-808th-merican-fusiliers-large-pics/

Now the mistake:

The other day, I saw a HH game for the first time. It was Death Guard led by Mortarion and... ! I'm in trouble. Whole squads of meltaguns? Whole squads of missile launchers? I need to tighten this thing up fast.

I know he loves infantry backed by exotic and destructive tanks, so the object here is to bring a list that absolutely ejaculates bullets all over the opponent backed by a brutal amount of anti-tank firepower to round it out. The disparate parts of this list that I have played amount to a list with savage speed and torrential firepower that crumples around turn 3 or 4 if my opponent has an casualty-producing units left. Against armies like massed lootas or mech eldar, I tend to reserve all but the two knights so I don't have to rely on terrain to protect me while I close the distance. It's not in my character to specifically tailor a list to an opponent, so I built around the gatling gun theme to make a well-rounded TAC list.

Here's the list I'm working with.

Inquisitorial Detachment

Ordo Malleus Inquisitor (Warlord)

TDA, Psyker, Psycannon

Combined Arms Detachment

Command Squad

4 meltas, bolt pistol

(2 of these)

Scions squad (8 men)

2 plasmaguns, bolt pistol

Taurox Prime with gatling cannon and camo netting

(4 of these)

Scion Squad (6 men) Distant objective grabbers.

2 flamers

Taurox Prime (non-dedicated) with gatling cannon and camo netting

Vulture

TL punisher

Oathsworn Detachment

Knight Paladin

Icarus Autocannon

Knight Warden (don't own this yet, so it could be turned into a Paladin)

Icarus Autocannon

Skitarii Maniple

Vanguard (10 man) monster/vehicle hunters

2 Arc Rifles, Arc Maul

Rangers (5 man) objective squatters. Can help the Knight Warden locate a skyfire nexus in the event of excessive aircraft.

1 Arquebus, Arkhan's Divinator

[Slave to Darkness]

Good luck. your dead :P

[HenricusTyranicus]

A suggestion I might make....take some standard guard for tanks. Take the Steel Host detachment. One Tank commander, so at least two Russes, and two more Russ units, plus a unit of Hydras. All tanks within 12 inches of the Commander get preferred enemy. Now make them all Leman Russ Executioners. 20 plasma blasts a turn rerolling ones to wound with a very low chance of gets hot? Nice. Honestly tougher than the knights in my opinion.  

[Master Antaeus]

Tempting, except I don't currently have the LRs, and I do have one of the knights.  It's a lot of constraints to be working under, but the army has to be able to travel which means it can't take up too much space.

[WarriorFish]

First off don't suspect anything - find out what the points value/rules are to be used ;) The 30k game is built differently so there's going to be some mismatches in how your armies play as you have sadly noticed too late. I second taking some Guard so you can get some heavy armour and weaponry in, Russ tanks to deliver some Marine popping large blasts would go a very long way and let's not forget that all the power armour is fine pickings for many Guard units. Did Banewolf tanks exist back then? Maybe time to give the old crusties a taste of some modern ways of war...

[CaptainHelion]

WarriorFish is quite right there. 30k is not the same beast as 40k in terms of meta. Now, I haven't played a 30k list (with or against), and I could be very off about things, so grain of salt, YMMV, etc.

One of the biggest things to keep in mind are that they do NOT have ATSKNF. The Legion Astartes rule allows them to always try and regroup, and they can get rerolls for their leadership fairly easily, but it's not the same. No guaranteed regroup, no immunity to sweeping advances. Not sure how useful that'll be overall, but good to keep in mind.

The other is that the squads are, by and large lethal but specific. Tactical squad, for example, have phenomenal killing power, between Fury of the Legion and the potential size of the squad. But, outside of the options for the Sergeant, the squad only has the option of swapping or buying a chainsword each. Plus, if they go above 10, they can't take Rhinos as dedicated transports. Tactical Support squads have to ALL have the same weapon, each of which has to be paid for, which gets expensive very quick, and means each squad has no flexibility.

[CyderPirate]

Just thought I'd weigh-in with some extra intel:

 

SoH excel in outflanking and deep striking. If the big man himself is making an appearance, load up on AP2 weapons to take out his bodyguard of Justarin terminators (4+ invulnerable save, extra options for special/heavy weapons). The usual tactic is for Horus and his mob to appear in the middle of your army and just proceed to wreck face.

 

As the others have pointed out, 30k lists are expensive and lack in flexibility, but they pack a helluva punch.

 

On the subject of ATSKNF - if he has Vexillas in his units, try and snipe them out, they grant re-rolls for morale checks. Also be careful of 2+ armour saves lurking in power armour units:  sergeants can take artificer armour in 30K.

[Reyner]

Watch out for Volkites. Turns non-MEQs to ash splendidly :P 

[Olis]

Watch out for Volkites. Turns non-MEQs to ash splendidly

The MDRC endorses this warning. ^_^

If he brings any sort of sizeable Volkite presence, expect a good portion of any unit with a 5+ or worse save to disintegrate from the Deflagrate special rule.

[march10k]

I would go flier-pure with nothing but melta stormtroopers in rocket pod valkyries, starting with the air cav formation, and then adding in any FW fliers you might have on hand....  As you're playing a nonstandard game of 30k vs 40k, you can safely ignore "if you have nothing on the table, you auto-lose" ...right?

[Lunar Centurion]

Try to use LOTS of flyers, most Legion lists are bad at killing them. Use the Valkyries to mow down infantry, and give your dudes anti-tank gear. Or be that guy and do an objective game.

Or do Guard tank company (Tanks=Troops) I forget which book that's in though, but just sit a Russ on an objective and back it up with some normal dudes and try to keep it for as long as possible, but basically... you're screwed. Good luck, and the models look great!

[HenricusTyranicus]

Playing to objectives is not being "That guy". It's usually the only rational response to OP cheese "That guy" brings. 

[WarriorFish]

First time I've heard of going for objectives being called "that guy" :lol: It's a core part of the game, even if killing everything is always a win condition!

[SW1]

What you have to remember is that small squads cost a daft amount of points so if he goes for lots of small units there won't be that many models. If he goes for the points effective list it'll be fewer squads but more models (the bigger the unit the lower the effective points per model become). So if you spam msu as bubble wrap to heavier hitting units he'll be waisting shots getting through those units.

 

Edit: just realised he's taking Horus. Not sure what the effective counter would be. :(

[Reyner]

Best anti Primarch gear is to bring the D. Stomp the heretic with a knight or shadowsword him :)

[march10k]

Best anti Primarch gear is to bring the D. Stomp the heretic with a knight or shadowsword him

[HenricusTyranicus]

Now bring a psyker for sanctuary, then a couple techpriests and servitors. And then so many conscripts they will never get into close combat though all the bodies they must butcher. 

[march10k]

Now bring a psyker for sanctuary, then a couple techpriests and servitors. And then so many conscripts they will never get into close combat though all the bodies they must butcher. 

And another psycher for prescience on the lascannons...and six wyverns!

[Master Antaeus]

I do have a knight that I'll be bringing, hopefully 2.  Even if he brings terminators, I have enough bullets to make them fail saves, but if he pods, I'm in trouble.  I'm not sure what points we're bringing, but I think I have the moral high ground, so I'm going to push for Maelstrom and then come in with surgical strikes to show the space marines how it's done.

[HenricusTyranicus]

Long as you're bringing that inquisitor, just bring Coteaz. That free, limitless interceptor for the whole unit can make him very sorry for trying Alpha strike podding. 

[Reyner]

Do you have any idea what your friend is bringing along (other than Horus)? Reaver Attack Squads with jump packs and chain axes will tear your Scions to bits.

[GodEmperorOfMankind]

I'd say spam fliers and target his Sicarians/Dreads (if he has any) HH forces don't have as many counters to fliers as 40k

[Emicus]

Best anti Primarch gear is to bring the D. Stomp the heretic with a knight or shadowsword him

​Now that's absolute filth march10k, I hereby declare you honorary Cheesemaster for the month.

[march10k]

What? Nothing wrong with giving your fully-kitted shadowsword a 4++ for 75 points...is there?

[WarriorFish]

The rules are there to be used, even if you may not agree with everything that GW allows you should at the very least be aware of them. You may encounter them one day, or perhaps have need of them yourself...