Suggestions for AM Backup

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

Back to the question at hand. Since you fluff is an anti eldar raider regiment you have 2 main options. Now, the eldar move very fast, the only AM regiments that can move fast enough to catch them are airmobile regiments. Airmobile regiments will often fight Eldar. But when Eldar attack a planet there is another type of regiment that they often fight. Instead of veterans in fast movie and heavy hitting valkyries they will be confronted by a planets PDF. This is a force of conscripts, usually relying on numbers and artillery for its killing power rather than tanks or aircraft. I would suggest you go with a footslogging PDF list out of the two for two reasons. 1. People will hate you if you come to the table with 3-4 flyers. 2. a footslogging list plays to the strengths of the guard better. You get massive table control with it, which should offset the low numbers of space marines.

I agree with this, for the most part. Don't be afraid to use mech vets and tanks, as some PDF's will have that, so I'd go composite and say at most 1-2 mech vet squads and 1-2 mid sized platoons of foot sloggers, backed up by whatever armor or artillery you want to bring.

 

While yes, people will tend to be upset by the preponderance of flyers, when they sit back and look at the list and understand that it takes flyers instead of other things, they'll feel better about seeing 3-4 flyers on the table when there are no tanks on the table and that you lack hard hitting templates. At least that's been my experience, having played Elysians quite a bit.

 

Pretty soon I'll have a whopping 5 IG flyers (1 Vendetta, 2 Valkyries, and 2 Vultures) in my collection to really have some flexible flyer options. Granted I won't field more than 3 flyers outside of Apoc, or more than 1-2 with sufficient ground vehicles. That's mostly a courtesy thing.

[ElectricPaladin]

Okay, so...

 

I know it's not optimal, but I think I'm going to focus on tanks, probably using the Armored Battle Group rules from Forgeworld. I really like the idea that Ossuary's PDF focuses on tanks because it's the best way to keep squishy mortals away from poisoned Dark Eldar. Dark Eldar vehicles are pretty squishy, so hydras and leman russes all stand decent chances of popping them open, and big ol' pie-plates of doubling-out fury will do terrible things to mobs of Eldar out in the open. And, like I said, I think it makes more sense than the standard Militarum "send in more men - the dirty xenos will drown in all the blood!"

 

Also? It's cheaper for me. It turns out you can get leman russes pretty cheap on eBay if you don't mind having to refurbish them!

 

My first detachment will involve a command tank (vanquisher), an armored fist infantry squad in an autocannon-turret chimera, and a second leman russ squadron (which will start with a single model - a standard russ). My future purchases will be another couple of russes to fill out the squadron and then a hydra...

[duz_]

well be expecting a wip thread then!

[WarriorFish]

It turns out you can get leman russes pretty cheap on eBay if you don't mind having to refurbish them!

Recovering models to give them the attention they deserve is doing the Emperor's work Looking forward to your army WIP topic ;)

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

Okay, so...

 

I know it's not optimal, but I think I'm going to focus on tanks, probably using the Armored Battle Group rules from Forgeworld. I really like the idea that Ossuary's PDF focuses on tanks because it's the best way to keep squishy mortals away from poisoned Dark Eldar. Dark Eldar vehicles are pretty squishy, so hydras and leman russes all stand decent chances of popping them open, and big ol' pie-plates of doubling-out fury will do terrible things to mobs of Eldar out in the open. And, like I said, I think it makes more sense than the standard Militarum "send in more men - the dirty xenos will drown in all the blood!"

 

Also? It's cheaper for me. It turns out you can get leman russes pretty cheap on eBay if you don't mind having to refurbish them!

 

My first detachment will involve a command tank (vanquisher), an armored fist infantry squad in an autocannon-turret chimera, and a second leman russ squadron (which will start with a single model - a standard russ). My future purchases will be another couple of russes to fill out the squadron and then a hydra...

I think you'll be quite pleased with this. The Hydra will be deadly to the Dark Eldar vehicles, since they're skimmers, thus subject to skyfire, and the hydra from the ABG list ignores jink saves. You'll be happy with that. As for focusing on tanks, that's fine, you'll still have Marine infantry to do the heavy lifting, but remember a vet squad or 2 might not hurt you either, and provide you with some flexibility. Also, a Company command squad can be a valuable addition as well, by taking a Master of ordnance you get to drop a S9 AP2 pie plate every turn at unlimited range, it's inaccurate (always scatters, 2d6 inches on a hit in the direction of the little arrow, and 3d6 inches on an arrow) but still every little bit counts.