Scariest Ultramarines lists - How would you beat it?

[Captain Idaho]

Wow my friend is taking on the scariest Ultramarines list I ever did see. It's going to be at the tournament I'm attending next week *gulp*.

 

So this topic is going to have 2 parts - show us a list that you know of/encountered that's mean as hell and the next part is talk about how to beat them.

 

So here's the list I know of and am terrified of:

 

Spearhead Detachment

 

Techmarine

Ancient

 

5x 5-man Hellblasters

 

2x Repulsors with Lascannon

 

Auxiliary Superheavy Detachment

 

Guilliman

I have little idea how to beat this. Except maybe go first and shoot dead as many Hellblasters as quickly as possible. Edited January 15, 2018 by Captain Idaho

[Prot]

Idaho,

 

Obviously this is just my opinion, but your friend's list looks almost exactly like my tournament style Primaris list... until Astra came out. This list is, again in my opinion, going to have issues with Astra.

 

He will be outranged, and unable to handle the armour. He will find he's unable to reciprocate the long range, indirect fire on his infantry. And he will be unable to handle long ranged super heavy. Astra like to put 2+ saves on super heavy tanks. He'll be unable to contest any ObSec units. He may be able to kill them, but IG won't care.

 

His list can't separate. It's going to rely on Guilliman too much. The moment the tanks want to take off, he'll have to Advance Guilliman, and that's when the Astra command special weapons squads will drop.

 

If he gets first turn, his best bet will be charging up the middle, and taking the brunt of it.  (call me crazy I actually prefer Landraiders for more las, at a distance and that 2+ save is like a 5 up invuln. Add Tiggy and it's minus 1 to hit, PLUS you can keep the Techmarine INSIDE of something. In that list mine always got picked off if I was forced into the scenario I unfolded above.)

 

For marines? I think the best counter will be the traditional Guilliman list vs. the inferior (in my opinion) Primaris army. Where you would be able to cherry pick Centurions, Devs, Preds (if you like) Razorbacks, the flyers, etc. Cheap Obsec in Scouts (no one likes hunting obsec scouts down).

 

Then again if this tournament is a flat out 'kill mission' type of tourney it's a good thing for him. 

 

Aside from you, he will struggle with hordes. There's still a few too many of them, and now Nurgle horde will be out there too. This is what surprises me about his list, because it forced me to break mine up. (the lack of range, and antihorde). I also despise having zero psychic defense against 3 up/re-rolling 1's Magnus, and double moves, and Invuln breaking. 

 

That's just my general thinking based on my meta. We also play (and ITC wise) with generous LoS breaking terrain in mid table. So it depends on how that will be handled too. 

 

So yea, I think it's honestly countered with a more traditional Guilliman list if you're an Ultramarines player. You aren't confined to the Primaris anchor units, or leaving ObSec behind.

[Seahawk]

What's the "traditional" Guilliman list? I built one myself I think is pretty awesome, but what do I know eh.

 

 

A scary list I once faced is Mechanicus, which had Cawl, 6 dunecrawlers (half with neutron lasers), some snipers, and a couple screening units. Deploys in a corner and shoots with all the rerolls and low dice requirements.

[Captain Idaho]

Proty; oh that's not my friend's list, I meant it was the one he faced.

 

It certainly looks like a Marine/Elites killer. Hoping to avoid it in the tournament draw as it's total paper rock scissors me - designed to hurt Marines.

 

I too picked up on it being hampered by Astra Millitarum, Daemon hordes perhaps and maybe even Orks and Tyranud Hordes. I just hope it comes up against a couple of them. :)

 

Seahawk; yes that's another scary list I suspect I'd struggle against.

[Prot]

 

 

A scary list I once faced is Mechanicus, which had Cawl, 6 dunecrawlers (half with neutron lasers), some snipers, and a couple screening units. Deploys in a corner and shoots with all the rerolls and low dice requirements.

 

When I started my Admech force it was with that list in mind for tournament play. I never made it that far. As much as I liked the background of the army, I found on the table top it actually played a LOT like Ultramarines (you have a strong shooty core, relying on Auras).

 

Our club scene, and tournament scene always uses dense terrain with LoS blocking terrain in the middle. This forces AdMech to move... they don't move well. In any game where they have to scramble to objectives, it's really really tough for them to do without getting clobbered or stuck in CC.

 

But the army is extremely well suited for anti-marine match ups. However the Neutron laser is everything they have for armour (pretty much at over 24"). I found Astra again are the kryptonite here.

 

 

 

Like you are saying Idaho, that guy's Ultra army would probably also have issues with the Ork guys I play are extremely frustrating. It always boggles me how many people think Orks are bad.

[Ishagu]

That's similar to the lists I run on a regular basis. It struggles with alpha strike from reserve and horde armies.

 

I started taking Scouts just to form bubbles around my army to prevent reserve units dropping close.