Alpha Legion, Coils of the poisoned Hydra list.

[The laughing raven]

Hello all, have just got back into playing 30/40k and have decided to start an Alpha legion list, old die hard Tzeentchian from whfb till it became the shambles that is Aos...

Deciding to stay clear of psykery this time.

 

Have had a good read through the crusade book list and have decided to go for a 2000pt coils list and wondering what people thoughts are. Have decided to make it a detachment still loyal to the Imperium (for now...) that has been doing observations on the death guard legion and there Chen weapon usage.

 

Here's the list that I am now half way through collecting.

 

Praetor; combo weapon, paragon blade, iron halo, pow drag, ven spheres, art armour, Coils Row. 170

Master of signals, 95

Navigator digi lasers, 55 (thought it would make a good story as to why the have been separated or still able to travel the stars).

 

3 x 10 tactical marine squads, vox & vexilla, additional cow, serg mb and pow drag. 3x 200

 

10 x legion destroyers, ven spheres, 2x missile launchers, serg AA, pow dag, phosphide bomb, 350 (may add jump packs to this unit)

2 x quad launchers with incendiary and shatter shells, 150 ( can these get a phosphex shell from a later book?)

Reward of treason; 5x Grave wardens, heavy flames with chess, serg pow dagger

 

10 Heavy suport squad, missile launchers, flakk, hardened armour, serg Aug scanner 365

 

Total 2000pts

 

Thinking that flakk missiles and navi could be swapped to give destroyers jump packs, next thousand points will bring a big 20 man breacher squad with grav weapons for mobile fort duty and possibly a proteus for the explorator augury to really muck enemy reserves.

 

Initial idea is to set up a my "fort" being 1 taco squad, the quads and the Mos, with either second tac squad or heavy supp squad depending on opponent and size of board.

The destroyers, grave wardens and one tac squad make my infiltrated fist set up as close up as can be for first turn chem bombardment.

The last tac squad would then either join this group or set up as body Gaurds to the heavy support squad if they are not part of the Fort. Will have to just make use of infiltrate for now but would like to get a transport for every unit to make use of the counter attack option or admantium will. Not keen on being to much of a one trick pony!

[Newtoncain]

Put AA on every SGT you have and maybe the MoS too.  IIRC you need a siege breaker or warsmith to get phosphex for quads (could be wrong).

[The laughing raven]

I'm not sure if a navigator is definitely allowed by legion lists, so could swap aa for him although I was thinking his points might be better used on jump packs for the destroyers and swap the flakk missiles for aa, although this does leave me with no anti air power...

 

also, why does everyone always feel the need to add in special characters to every list, or is dynat just the term used for alpha legion praetors?

[The laughing raven]

also, why does everyone always feel the need to add in special characters to every list, or is dynat just the term used for alpha legion praetors?

[Caillum]

Dynat is a spectacular character for the Alpha Legion, so he's popular. Autilon Skorr is as well. Special Characters are a big part of the Horus Heresy, especially Primarchs, which is probably why you see them a lot.

 

Some other points:

- the Navigator is fair game for any 30k army.

- a Siege Breaker is required for phosphex canister shot on Quad Launchers, so you could grab one and put him in the HSS for free Tank Hunters.

- where's the Praetor going?

- Artificer armour on the characters is a great suggestion. Putting sergeants up front to catch non-AP2 bullets is a fantastic survival boost for a unit.

- speaking of sergeants... You've gone for power daggers, so why not boost them to include power fists too? They'll have 4 S8 AP2 Unwieldy attacks on the charge, or 4 S3 AP3 Rending attacks at Initiative 4...

- Grave Wardens are awesome. Good choice! But don't bother giving one a heavy flamer - they have improved their Death Clouds to be Poisoned (3+), so all 5 can wreck face with templates. And you get to keep the extra assault grenade launcher too this way.

- flakk missiles aren't cheap. I'd drop them and hope for the best. You can always Snap Shoot them at flyers.

- BREACHERS! So much yes! I have 3x10 (with Land Raiders to follow) for my Coils list. Definitely worth swapping a Tac Squad for them later.

- Destroyers are very cool, but they do cost a lot... Rule of Cool though. :)

[The laughing raven]

I think the End times in wfb has completely put me off using spec characters, always thought it was a little cheaty to rely on these when you should be able to tailor a character and make your own model. also it seems every army has them, would happily use alpharius but only in a 3000pt plus army i think as it would upset my story fluff.

 

what other perks would a siegebreaker bring and do you feel they are as useful as MoS as we can only have one consul with coils of the hydra?

 

the praetor is mobile and will swap depending on which group looks like it needs him the most, he is a support figure rather than close combat beat stick, although iof needed can tear a strip from most if needed, as i feel this is more apt for alphas :)

 

does arti armour make that much difference?

 

was thinking to just keep the tacs as cheap and cheerful as poss and mainly there to hold objectives, was thinking the unwieldy would be rather impeding, or can you not target champs in combat like wfb?

 

def will drop the flamer then and add the extra launcher, really like their rules! same as breachers, have a 15 man squad made already but wanted to get a coils list with the dirty weapons squads :0

 

do augury scanners allow snap shots or full bs on flyers or is it just deep strikers?

 

Destroyers seem a lot of fun and really add that 30k feel, shame they are so expensive but i like the idea of them and the grave wardens chem weaponing an area :) has anyone else found this a good combo?

[Caillum]

I would argue that the Siege Breaker has become one of the best Consuls around since the latest update:

- it can be a Compulsory HQ, so works well with a Primarch.

- it has no wargear restrictions and comes with a Nuncio-vox.

- 'Art of Destruction' means Tank Hunters and Wrecker for him and a heavy-weapon toting unit of choice.

- it unlocks phosphex canister shot for Quad Launchers, and they are possibly the best anti-infantry unit in the game now.

- phosphex bombs!

 

The only thing that isn't amazing is the ability to swap Medusa shells for phosphex shells. It's not worth it - Strength 10 and Barrage are too good to pass up.

 

As Slips mentioned in the Breacher Tactica, rad phage only affects multi-wound models, but rad grenades help with a combo charge. Hopefully Destroyers get a price reduction in the Age of Darkness Army List book...

[The laughing raven]

I take it that is a very strong yes to swap to seigebreaker from MoS then? was thinking the orbital barrage and then the +1bs to mortars or devs would be rather horrendous for opponents, but the idea of phosphex blast over the table for my grave wardens to appear from behind.

 

would you reckon putting him with the ML's then or up front with the GW's?

[The laughing raven]

so having tried to rewrite a 2000pt list with a breacher unit and a siege breaker in, I am running out of points for fun toys to add in so have crept the total to 2500 which is the limit my local store allows for games.

 

Praetor; Coils, combimelta, paragon blade, iron halo, Mb, pow dag, ven sp digi lasers. 190

 

Siege breaker ; thunder hammer, comb I plasma, boarding shield, phosphex bomb, Aa, 165

 

Navigator 50

 

15 Breachers, vox & vex, 3 grav guns, serg thunder hammer Mbs Aa, breaching charge pow Dag. 395

 

2 x 10 tac marines, extra cccw, vex & vox, Mbs, pow dag; 200 x 2: 400

 

10 Destroyers, 2 ML, ven spheres, jump packs, serg, Aa, phosphex bomb, pow axe 430

5 grave wardens

 

2 quad launchers, phosphex and shatter 180

 

10 hey support Missile, hardened armour serge augury scanner and aa 315

5 heavy bolsters hardened armour serg augury scanner 175.

 

I know that the tac sergeants could take power firsts and artificer armour but if they are all added would have to sacrifice the heavy bolster squad, do people think it is a worthy swap.

 

Also would the boarding shields counts as def grenades just protect him from the extra cc a from charging and is a refractor field better if he is guarding the heavy squads.

And lastly do jump pack cause an issue with infiltrate or coils. And can I just start a game with my lone nonchalant navigator striding from the mists to single handedly throw down the gauntlet to the opponents deploying army?

[Caillum]

I would drop the heavy bolter squad for sure - not worth it outside of Imperial Fists and Dark Angels. AA, fist + dagger dude! This many of us suggesting it can't be a coincidence! :)

 

Taking a boarding shield on the Siege Breaker is a great idea, as yes - his defensive grenades will protect the squad he's in.

 

Jump packs are a good thing for Coils lists, as they grant the bearer Deep Strike, one of the optional requirements. I considered a squad of Assault Marines as one of my Troops choices for a while there.

 

Coils is specific about what needs to Deep Strike/Infiltrate/take a DT - Infantry squads, not models. Rapier are fine. Independent Characters are fine, ie; the Navigator. But I don't know where he'll go, as he can't join your Infiltrating units until the 1st Turn.

 

Finally, you've given your Breacher Sergeant a thunder hammer and a power dagger - save the 5 points, as he doesn't gain an extra attack from it.

[The laughing raven]

I can see the perk to it, had just been thinking surely a heavy supp squad would bring more to the game (15 s5 ap4 ranged attacks with anti deep striking attack and 18" denied infiltration area or 4 s8 cc) (Also I have a squad made and didn't want to waste the models) would a tac support squad maybe be of more use than two sergeants being tooled up, when they are back line holders, where I plan to just use fury of legion on anything that approaches their camped objective point?

 

Had been ummimg over the boarding shield as was unsure whether that would benefit the unit in full, having found out the ven spheres only give bearer a bonus, was unsure if this covered the full squad, glad that it does as had already converted the chaplain from BaC to have one with combi weapon, before really reading up on the options ;)

 

Was unsure on jump packs the idea of augury scanner units getting to over watch them on arrival kind of puts me off on what could be a very expensive kamaikazi jump, had contemplated swapping the packs for ven spheres and infiltrate with the grave wardens and breacher squads and use those points to tool up the tac Serbs instead of dropping the heavy bolters?

 

The Navigator, is more a Fluff thing, was given one of the inquisitor novels in the late 80's that had one as a character and thought it would be rather cool to have the only person the enemy could see was the Navigator, would prob have him move over to by where I set the quads which will have one of the tac squads held back as body Gaurds and join him to them, to give them some close up support if anything gets close with the minds eye attack and also stop any demons from wanting to appear to near, but mainly he's a little bit of fluff fun for 50pts that I would like to make a conversion of.

 

Will drop the breacher Serbs pow dag and make the destroyer serg a pow fist instead of axe with those 5pts, had been thinking maybe the faster knife may work better if I play non marine armies as a back up where the s8 was unnecessary?

[The laughing raven]

okay so after some play testing I have rejiggled the list a lot, so now we have;

 

 

Praetor (as above) 190pts

Siegebreaker (as above + mb's&vsphs) 170pts

 

 

10x Breachers, vox&vex, 2x spec weapons (prob meltas, gratiton if defending) serg;th ham, combi melta, aa, brech ch. 330pts

 

 

10x tac marines, vox&vex, extra ccw, serg mbs, aa, pow fist &dag, combi weapon. 235pts

 

10x tac marines, vox&vex, extra ccw, serg mbs, aa, pow fist &dag, combi weapon. 235pts

 

Quad launcher phosphex & shatter 90 pts

 

10x Grave wardens, serg pow dag, 375pts

 

10 hvy supp, multi-meltas, hardened armour, serg, sug scanner, aa 375pts

 

so praetor stays with the breachers who are joined by the grave wardens as the assulting force the two tac squads divide the board and the quads and multi meltas infiltrate to within range and scorch things with the seigebraeker in the meltas for countering chargers and giving tabnkhunter.

 

think this covers most of the suggestions people have made, any new pointers appreciated :)

[Resonance]

If you are playing a coils list. Can I suggest swapping out the heavy support marines for a squad of iron Havocs. They are like HS marines on steroids

[The laughing raven]

would lose the Grave wardens that way and to be honest I would not give them up for anything else, infiltrating termies that have two poisoned blast attacks that ignore cover are just too good to swap unless i have missed something really good with havocs?

[Skinrider]

I would argue that the Siege Breaker has become one of the best Consuls around since the latest update:

- it can be a Compulsory HQ, so works well with a Primarch.

- it has no wargear restrictions and comes with a Nuncio-vox.

- 'Art of Destruction' means Tank Hunters and Wrecker for him and a heavy-weapon toting unit of choice.

- it unlocks phosphex canister shot for Quad Launchers, and they are possibly the best anti-infantry unit in the game now.

- phosphex bombs!

 

The only thing that isn't amazing is the ability to swap Medusa shells for phosphex shells. It's not worth it - Strength 10 and Barrage are too good to pass up.

 

As Slips mentioned in the Breacher Tactica, rad phage only affects multi-wound models, but rad grenades help with a combo charge. Hopefully Destroyers get a price reduction in the Age of Darkness Army List book...

I'm new to 30k so sorry if I'm asking stupid questions.

 

But where are these new rules on the Siege Breaker? in the Crusade Army List it doesn't mention that, and the FW Errata (updated June) don't mention this. Also ...what are these "quad launcher"? I don't find them in the CAL book

 

Should I be using a different book?

[infyrana]

Skinrider, I believe most were in the older red book LA:Crusade Army List regarding the Siege Breaker (HQ viable, no wargear restrictions, comes with vox, can get phosphex bombs etc).  Regarding the Quad Launcher, a fast google search revealed that it was added in Book VI Retribution alongside Leviathans and Cortus Contemptors etc etc.

 

With so many changes and additions, it's a good idea to keep up to date with the newer books and the sticky threads (what books etc) in the AoD section here.

 

Hope that helps, GL!

[The laughing raven]

So have had some awesome results, two absolute thrashings for two 40k space marines armies (ultras/dark angels) followed by two complete hammerings at the hand of mechanicum (*12 kataphron destroyer thingies with grav cannons in a 2000pt list)

only real damage done in return was when my breachers managed to sneak into combat and finally took them all out.....

damage was already done by then as only the breachers were left alive by then....

[The laughing raven]

so new list for against admech opponents (hopefully wont face 12 graviton destroyers again, but....)

 

Praetor, usual load +jump pack 210pts

 

10 Assault squad, serg pow sword mb, aa, plas pistol, 285pts

10 breachers, vox&vex, 2 specs, serg th, aa,mb,br, proteus, hvy bolter, 540pts.

10 tac squad, extra ccw, serg aa, pow fist+dag, mb, combi +rhino, 270pts

 

10 destroyers 2x ML, Mb, ven, serg pow aa, pow fist, phosphex1, 455pts.

 

2x Scorpius with dozer blades 240pts.

 

2000pts total

 

would blitz forward using scout on the tanks and jump packs then dismount call in barrages before charging in to avoid retaliation fire, in theory that is....