750pt Word Bearers Zone Mortalis

[annymouse]

Hi all, I have a Zone Mortalis game coming at the end of May and I've been working on a few ideas for it. At present I have two routes I can take, one focused around a Mhara Gal and the other around Zardu and a few Gal Vorbak. Right now I've got a list for the Mhara Gal that goes something like this:

 

++ HQ ++ 210pts

 

Centurion - Chaplain, Burning Lore, artificer, refractor, power weapon

 

Centurion - artificer

 

++ Elites ++ 305pts

 

Mhara Gal - warpfire and tainted power claw and bolt spitter

 

++ Troops ++ 235pts

 

Breacher squad - 10x Breachers, las cutter (vanilla sergent)

 

I'm not sure about it. I was toying with just taking two stock Centurions and trying to split the breacher squad into two Tactical or a Tactical and Support squad but I'm not sure if that would be any better. It's possible the Mhara Gal is better at 1k points where there's more bodies to take advantage of his distraction.

 

Definitely looking for any C & C here, even if it's just to go back to the drawing board.

[Slips]

The Mhara Gal should do just fine. Just dont forget that template weapons in ZM gain Shred or +1S if they already have Shred. Meaning your dreads Plasma Cannon is S8 Ap2 Shred.

 

Additionally, he can walk through 1" thick walls and surfaces meaning he can "SURPRISE!" / "OH YEAH!" your opponent through locked doors in ZM.

 

Chaplains already come with a Power Weapon for free so if you paid the points for one, you've got 10pts free in your list; I'd use it to get Artificer Armor on your Breacher Sarge.

 

Next, Burning Lore. While it could be useful, its only ever going to net you two powers at most; one power + Primaris from the discipline. For its cost, I'd ditch it and get more gear into the rest of your list which is likely to help you out much more.

 

For its cost, you could: Give your Centurion a Power Weapon, give the Breacher Sarge who now has Artificer Armor a Power Weapon and then give the Breacher Squad either another Lascutter (useful vs Doors or any Dread) or two Flamers who now gain Shred.

 

This would net you 3 Artificer Armored Bodies to tank any Ap3 Shooting for your Squad, 3 Power Axe equipped models and either 2 Shred Flamers or two S9 Ap2 Hits at I1 hitting on 5s (unless auto hit).

[annymouse]

Thank you so much for your response. I didn't know a Chaplain came with a power weapon! Awesome. Also I think Burning lore would probably be bad anyway since the mhara gal doesn't like psykers.

 

The only thing I'm concerned about is with this list I really only have two units that could definitely get focused. I looked into trying to fit a Tactical squad and a Support squad instead but I really have to make the Centurions vanilla.

[Slips]

A thing in the Breachers Favor, however, is that they get to re-roll failed Armor Saves vs Templates and Ap3 or better templates are rather rare in ZM mostly found on the Leviathan w/ Grav Flux or the Mahra Gal.

 

You are more likely to run into Shredding Flamers which breachers will be much more resilient against than regular marines.

 

Also, Breachers have Defensive Grenades which helps against charges and have a 5++ Invulnerable in CC which makes them that much more resilient.

 

Additionally, ZM has optional rules that make everyone without Void-Hardened or Hardened Armor, 2+ Save or Av13 subject to Rending; something that the Breachers once again have over regular 3+ Save Marines.

 

If You found ~15 Pts, you could upgrade the naked Centurion to a Delegatus (who gives a weapon Master-Crafted for free) and unlock the Zone Mortalis Rite of War which boosts the Invulnerable Save of Breachers in Base to Base contact by +1 meaning a 4++ in CC and a 5++ vs shooting.

 

However, I dont know if the list would be legal at that point under Word Bearer rules; I'd have to reread them to make sure.

 

Having two units isnt much of an Issue in ZM since you can usually funnel stuff your way to have an advantage if necessary; the only real concern is mobility which the Mahra Gal has in favor over other units by not being forced to open doors if confronted by any and, should a rooms wall adjoin another, he could walk right through it anyways.

 

Essentially: you trade mobility for resilience in this case and the Mahra Gal is perfectly suited to run interception in ZM; just make sure he doesnt get bogged down and you should be fine.

[annymouse]

Thank you so much this is really helpful. I'll mess around with the points today and post a cleaned up list. Thanks again!

[annymouse]

Heya thought I'd bump this. I haven't been able to rework the list completely but I've been toying with the idea of trying to fit an apothecary into the breacher squad. I'd have to trim from the squad (in terms of weapons or men) and possibly the hqs, but would that be worth it?

[Slips]

Hmmm.

 

I'm 50/50 on this idea; it'll certainly help with the units durability no doubt and possibly give you a 2nd source for a 2+ Armor Save.

 

You COULD replace the Mahra Gal with a Regular Contemptor Dread with a Chainfist & Plasma Blaster & Plasma Cannon which should net you ~60 ish points to play with without sacrificing anything else. Additionally, with this loadout on the dread, you'd be able to use the Mahra Gal model anyways since they'd have the same gear or close enough.

[T0MMY]

I'd be tempted to drop the vanilla centurion, especially if you're going to take a Delegatus (15 points and free master-crafted for one weapon is ace, although if you're not taking veterans as troop choices not as many benefits...)

 

You could then take an apoc or maybe add a couple of bodies to your breachers. I'm concerned by the small number of marines!!

[Slips]

I'd be tempted to drop the vanilla centurion, especially if you're going to take a Delegatus (15 points and free master-crafted for one weapon is ace, although if you're not taking veterans as troop choices not as many benefits...)

 

You could then take an apoc or maybe add a couple of bodies to your breachers. I'm concerned by the small number of marines!!

The Vanilla Centurion would be the one upgraded to Delegatus in this case; what with the restrictions of Charismatic Leadership.

 

However, the Delegatus doesnt just make Vets Troops, he opens up Rites of War for use without a Praetor; his own unique RoW making vets troops. Since any RoW would be open due to the Delegatus, the Zone Mortalis RoW could then be taken to give the Breachers +1 to their invulnerable saves when in b2b to make them more resilient.

[T0MMY]

Ah gotcha. Pretty cool Old Deli Sandwich.

[annymouse]

Yeah i really like the idea of 5 up invulns on all my guys, they can be almost as tough as cataphracti. I agree with you though Tommy, the lack of bodies is a bit worrysome, especially since i heard theyre allowing someone to play 40k mechanicum which means a lot of firepower to soak up if they spam rad carbines :(

 

The list I've been working with now thanks to the suggestions is this:

 

++ HQ ++ 180pts

 

Legion Centurion - Artificer, Power Weapon, Refractor Shield, Melta Bombs

 

Legion Delegatus - Artificer, Power Weapon (master crafted)

 

++ Elites ++ 305

 

Mhara Gal - Warpfire Plasma Cannon and Claw with bolt spitter

 

++ Troops ++ 265

 

Breachers - 2x flamers, breacher sergent with power weapon and artificer armor

 

The delegatus is taking the ZM RoW.

 

I'm also worried about infiltrators, something which an apothecary with augury scanner would help with.

 

The idea of taking a contemptor instead is a tempting one (ha) but my friend and I really want to see how it performs in ZM

[annymouse]

Oh i guess maybe the master crafted weapon doesn't apply to the power weapon so I can probably give the breacher sarge some melta bombs and the delagatus a refractor shield or just give a power fist and melta to sarge and delegatus