Building a drop army

[shaun03]

I pick up taros FW book and it has rules for a drop army. I am leaning towards this as side project.

 

Unsure if I going to use Elysin or jungle fighters form army. Other than price is much of different in units?

 

The plan is build 1 platoon with with 2sq and stick them in Valkyries and command sq in vendettas.

Add other fliers for Extra fire power and sq of vets. With 3 ventor outflanking. Possiblly adding storm troopers/ sicions or what ever the :cuss there called,

 

Has anyone use drop army set up? I normally play BA in 40k and alpha in 30/40k so this will be first guard in long time.

 

How effective is dropping in all those Valkyries/vendettas does like play like SM drop pod army? It's a lot bigger foot print but it's mobile so it's not like area denial with drop pods.

 

Is there issues with setting up fireing lines with all those aircraft on the board, I would think the board with get crowed.

 

Other tau interceptor list which be :cuss show to face is there many hard counters to this type of list?

 

Support would be limited to what's in the book, is other units from IG codex that can be added to list?

 

How do storm trooper fair in CC there special rule lets them assault when they arrive in drop army,

[duz_]

Reece from frontline gaming runs a list similar to that.

 

If you check out their website there should be a few battle reps with it and his list should be in the tactics page if not hidden a couple of months back on the front page

[greycat]

Storm troopers are pretty rubbish when they assault str 3 and only 2 attacks. I would definitely use their shooting instead. Especially because orders cause their hotshot guns to fire an extra shot now as well.

 

The airdrop army is pretty fun but it is a big project and its not necessarily the most competitive guard list you can make. It works well in maelstrom games due to having multiple units and they mobility to get where it is needed. Despite this the army is very fragile once deployed. Guard units will pop quickly and you need to be very surgical in playing.

[shaun03]

Ok cool I'll check out that site

 

Storm troopers didn't look like CC power houses but I spoiled with death co in BA list, so wasn't sure if there was way to make them useful.

 

I idea of building a thinking man list is what drew me to this, not overly concerned with competitive list, that's what my BA are for,

 

Vet squads are they worth extra points? Would it be better off making all squads vet squads and dropping them in that way?

 

After quickly thumbing the codex, still little unsure on if special charters can be added to list.

[greycat]

Veterans are definitely good especially because they can carry 3 special weapons each and will fit inside a valkyrie. Vendettas can carry small units of scions.

 

You can definitely make a winning list and if you play well and tactically you can pull off wins. It is a thinking mans army.

 

Special characters dont really add anything to the list you are looking at.

 

Do you have a points limit you are working towards?

[rorhammer]

I would say Yarrick would at least be a suitable option for a character seeing as he is more usable on the front lines than other characters and can issue two orders a turn.

 

Vets are cheaper, Scions are more reliable because of MtC but have limited range in comparison. 

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

One thing to consider with Elysians, is that they use the old stormies. If you're playing against marines, you can get those stormies where you want them, rapid fire the hell out of them (standing a pretty good chance of killing a ton of them with special weapons and hotshots) and then you eat the charge from the marines the next turn, after rapid fire AP3 overwatch, and then you can wreck what's left in CC. Never Charge stormies into CC, but they can do a ton once they end up there. The basic 5th ed stormie has a hotshot pistol and a combat knife (CCW), which means that they get 1 extra attack base, so a 5 man unit is putting out 11 attacks in CC. Now that's only for Elysians and Armored Battle Group stormtroopers, as they're using the old 5th edition rules for stormtroopers.

 

The Militarum Tempestus are basically just deep striking grenadiers with move through cover and hotshots. They're not as useful as the old Stormies, but that's to be expected since 7th edition is all about simplifying play (supposedly).

 

Just remember that a drop regiment, while fun to play, is very limited in the fact that there's really only a handful of ways to play it. Lot's of flyers, lower strength weapons, less anti vehicle, virtually no artillery, and high mobility. Drop regiments move fast for the first couple of turns, but then they end up foot slogging unless you hover your valkyries. Elysians can take Valkyries as dedicated transports, which means that you can take them with your vets, and cap objectives with hovering valks. It's a dirty tactic, and not well received in friendly games, and generally inadvisable in competitive play as hovering opens you up to more shooting and assaults.

 

Hovering Valks are basically skimmers, which means skyfire can target them at full BS, and so can ground troops. If you take them the way I do, and use nothing but Rocket pods, multilasers, and occasionally, the heavy bolter sponsons (only if they come with MT/Elysians, as it's 10pts cheaper as an upgrade), you lose the templates with the jink.

 

It can be fun, it's not terribly competitive, but that's ok, because you said you're not planning on playing it competitively.

[Kilofix]

Remember that you can also DS without Flyers.

 

It's very cheap Melta / Plasma.

 

And don't forget about Drop Sentinels.

 

And Turrets.

[shaun03]

Point wise probably should put that in first post, looking 1850 than jumping to 2250. Most 40k matches are are 1850-2000 in my area.

 

Vets look like the stronger option, and adding few support sqs for DS demo charge age flames for horde control. And obj holding no one wants to charge that many D3 flamers.

 

Drop sentinels look useful use them in smiler fasion as meltacide in BA list.

 

Turrets never gave them thought to be honest, perhaps I give them chance.

 

Are reading more on the SC there really isn't one that stands out and like gray cat said non fit the list.

 

What is better option between rattling and sniper sqs, I know the squats have higher BS but other than that is there a reason to take one over the other?

 

For HQ option command sq or commasar? Which one offer more tactical flexibility?

 

Does anyone know which FW book the rules for D-99 list are in and are they current and update?

[Kilofix]

IA Volume 4 Anphelion 2nd Edition has the latest D-99.

 

But IA Vol 3 has the other Elysian list that isn't D-99.

[duz_]

Not wanting to hijack but on the topic:

 

Can you find all the imperial flyers in those books to or do you need aeronautica?

Which flyers are in that book because I've been curious about the D99 and flyers too.

 

(I'm guessing DKoK are another separate one again.)

[Kilofix]

Not all the Imperial Flyers - just the flyers that D-99 can take: the Valkyrie, Sky Talon and Vulture.

 

The Avenger, Lightning and Thunderbolt are NOT described. Those are in IA 1.

 

DKoK are in IA1, IA12 and SoV (IA 5-7).

 

 

Edit:

 

If all you want to play is D-99 then you just need IA 4. You won't need AM Codex nor the other IAs.

 

Also Elysian - Regiment 181 is also in IA 8, and its Elysian - Regiment 23 that was in IA 3.

 

 

Phew, that's a mouthful of IA.

[greycat]

For your HQ you could choose either. Points will be needed and a commissar is a cheap hq and provides some leadership bonus's to a unit.

 

The command squad on the other hand has the ability to give orders once on the ground and can take 4 special weapons. It is a more expensive unit but does give more possibilities.

 

Personally I would take the command squad for the extra special weapon slots and orders.

 

I assume by sqs you actually mean special weapon squad? If so then ratlings are far superior. They have better BS, infiltrate, stealth and can shoot then run. If you dont like ratlings themselves just use snipers as a standin. The only downside is they are str and T 2 but they have a good cover save so it doesnt matter too much.

 

Another point is that you need to take a platoon to take special weapon squads so if you are taking veterans then it may not be worth taking a platoon at all.

 

Veterans can take all the thing a special weapon squad can. I would probably equip each veteran squad with carapace armour and possibly all with demolitions.

 

You should also keep in mind that if you are going for a bound list your fast attack slots will fill fast and you may have to take units of valkyries or vendettas. This reduces the effectiveness of the units.

[shaun03]

Thanks for info on IA books, got to figure out if worth doing D-99 list style or just making my own list up. Is any perks to fielding it? Collection wise it would fit seen how sheild of Baal has BA and IG fighting bugs.

 

rattling seem like better choice, is it normally a issue if you field normal guard as stand in?

 

Good point in having to take plt to get specail weapon squads and heavy weapon squads as well. That's 2 squads and command sq min just to add few extras not sure if I going to be able to fit that in 1850, I don't think I would give them rides just have them DS in.

 

I though about pimping out vets with carapace and demo, but they getting point heavy quick and looking like glass cannons.

 

Command sq with more special weapons is what I am leaning too, the lone commasar is back up if need cut points.

 

I am little confused on fast attack slot filling up, each unit gets Valkyries or vendettas as DT. Unless I read the IA book wrong, I know codex doesn't give them option. Or I am wrong?

 

After some research on my end, it looks like D-99 style list would suit my project needs.

Specialist squads that take up elites are what I was looking for as far as style of list. But it brings me to tactical question,, well few new ones anyhow.

 

Vets with shotguns worth it? D-99 gets boost BS and WS and stubborn, and there vets only get 1 specail weapon heavy weapon team and 1 heavy flamer, clearly set up for bug hunt.

 

Is shotgun vs lasgun even worth debating or is just personal preference?

 

Weapon options for Valkyries they come with higher BS so las cannons look more temping, what's the deal with rocket pods.

 

Door gunners other than rule of cool is worth extra points?

 

I know pask(?) in tank with punisher cannon is common I see it a lot in my area, which got me believe that vulture with punisher cannon would be usefully as well BS 5 factoring straffing run.

[greycat]

Ah ok, the fadt attack slots filling up is indeed a regular guard codex issue. I was not sure if you were running IA or just a normal guard army.

 

I havent had any issues fielding snipers as a stand in for ratlings. I just let my opponent know before the game starts. Personally I disliked ratlings as both the model is old and they dont fit the theme of my army. A sniper unit is very much in my theme.

 

Yea a platoon just seems like a waste of points when veterans and storm troopers are just better and can be equipped with special weapons. You are paying the same points for a special weapon so why would you give something to a bs3 when you can have bs4. The only time i would suggest the platoon is if you want a long range unit on an objective on your side of the table.

 

I would probably give the veterans carapace regardless of what else they get. Ap5 is way too prevalent and essentially the vets would only get saves in close combat if they just have flak armour. I know what you mean though by points adding up fast. Have you drawn up a draft list yet?

 

Yea the command squad definitely provides more options and benefits, you just need to be careful to place them in the right area when they are deployed.

[shaun03]

Yeah I am going to run IA list for most part.

 

I am sitting down to day with IA 4 and working on D-99 list. There limited options just vets for troops but have few unique units for elites. So they don't have access to a lot of stuff in AM codex which is fine with me.

[shaun03]

Finished reading IA 4.

 

Was able to come up with first draft of list and posted in army list section.

 

Points add up fast, kinda of afraid of glass cannon list, going to take some getting use to. The elites section was toughest choices to make rule of cool has sniper teams and DS meltas squad, but flamers and Demo chargers are hard to pass up. So 1850 was tight fit.

 

From the modeling stand point at first they were going to be tied in with my BA army, but after reading IA 4 and all that shady :cuss that went down, i might spin them off to fit with my alpha legion agents in 40k.

 

It wasn't stated in IA book but can they use orders, take sky sheild and things like that?

[M@verik115]

Airborne guard armies are not the most competitive (understatement), but are fun as can be.

 

Some things you need to keep in mind though:

1) They are expensive to build money wise.
2) They lack heavy fire to deal with tougher targets.
3) Splitting them to grab objectives can either win you the game or make you lose horribly.

4) Very difficult to play unless you are a seriously tactful old fart. 

 

It can be a very rewarding army to game with, but I wouldn't recommend it even for the more intermediate players.
Its a veteran's army and you will need a lot of experience to know how to use it appropriately on the board. 

If you do go ahead with it, bear in mind you will lose a lot until you learn it properly. 

[shaun03]

My goal is use this as more themed and fun army. Leaving my BA as competitve list.

 

The learning curve shouldn't be to bad.