How Much Is Enough?

[Aothaine]

Hey everyone!

 

So I've been looking into building some Astra Militarum to fill out my armies. I'm currently looking at the following as the base of the army. What are your thoughts? Is this too much on tanks? Will I have enough to fill out the rest of the list with bodies for screens and obj capturing?

 

Supreme Command Detachment

 

[HQ] Tank Commander

- Tri Plasma, Lascannon, Augury Array

 

[HQ] Tank Commander

- Tri Plasma, Lascannon, Augury Array

 

[HQ] Tank Commander

- Tri Plasma, Lascannon, Augury Array

 

[LoW] Shadowsword

- Volcano Cannon, Heavy Bolter x5, Lascannon x4

 

In a 1750 point list it is leaving me with about 400 points to fill out the rest of the list with bodies. I know I want at least one psycher so I can give the Shadowsword the -1 to hit modifier, and one company commander with the command point farming relic/warlord trait.

 

Should I fill out the rest of the list with Infantry Squads with Mortars? 

 

I was also wanting to go with Valhallan as the doctrine to make the tanks a little bit more resilient to degradation. But I can see Cadian or even Tallarn being very useful and giving the army a little mobility. 

 

Am I putting too many points into those four vehicles? Thanks in advance for any comments and suggestions.

 

 

[Tirak]

So the first question you have to ask is what do you want to build and why?

 

Why are you investing so many points into Tank Commanders when compared to normal tanks?

 

Why are you kitting your tanks to the gills with expensive weaponry?

 

Why do you want to go Valhallen?

 

In my opinion, you're wasting your points on those tanks, kitted as they are, and the Shadowsword isn't going to do you any favors. The Guard favors redundancy over hero units, so a few units with good shooting is bad since it's prioritized and destroyed by the smaller more elite armies. Instead consider dropping all the TCs for normal 152 BC Russes, or 155pt Conqueror Russes. The Conq Russ with the Catachan Doctrine is the most cost effective tank in the guard roster at 24in and under.

 

Shadowswords in my opinion should be brought as part of a Supreme Command Detachment with things like Lord Commissars or Primaris Psykers in order to give you the Vostryoan bonus for the +1BS stratagem.

 

You need to remember if we fight quality vs quality we lose, so we have to bring good enough along with large numbers. 3+ BS is attractive, but you pay too many points for it. I suggest if you're new to guard, to practice building Brigades as your core, or Battalions, but not a Supreme Command Detachment, we just don't function on that level of quality.

[H311fi5h]

Plasma Russes aren't viable unfortunately (unless you know what you're up against). There is simply too much -1 to hit out there. Just get battle cannons and tripple heavy bolters for a well rounded and cost efficient setup.

Don't buy any sponsons for the Shadowsword. It's enough of a glass cannon as it comes. This may sound like a strange statement for a T8 26W vehicle, but a Castellan will most likely nuke it in a single round of shooting. So if you don't go first that's 600 point down the drain.

For Astra Militarum it is almost always best to buy just the most basic gear and get more units instead. There are exception like Scions where you definitely want to max out on special weapons, but generally speaking boys (or rather tanks) before toys is the way to go.

 

Here is a quick 1750 point list designed around your basic theme, but adjusted with the above mentioned things in mind:

 

 

++ Supreme Command Detachment +1CP (Imperium - Astra Militarum) [62 PL, 1055pts] ++

 

+ HQ +

 

Tank Commander [12 PL, 217pts]: Heavy Bolter, Heavy Bolters, Heavy Stubber

. Command Battle Tank: Battle Cannon

 

Tank Commander [12 PL, 217pts]: Heavy Bolter, Heavy Bolters, Heavy Stubber

. Command Battle Tank: Battle Cannon

 

Tank Commander [12 PL, 217pts]: Heavy Bolter, Heavy Bolters, Heavy Stubber

. Command Battle Tank: Battle Cannon

 

+ Lord of War +

 

Shadowsword [26 PL, 404pts]: Twin heavy bolter

 

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Imperium - Astra Militarum) [34 PL, 499pts] ++

 

+ HQ +

 

Company Commander [2 PL, 30pts]: Chainsword, Laspistol

 

Company Commander [2 PL, 30pts]: Chainsword, Laspistol

 

+ Troops +

 

Infantry Squad [3 PL, 40pts]: 9x Guardsman

. Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol

 

Infantry Squad [3 PL, 40pts]: 9x Guardsman

. Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol

 

Infantry Squad [3 PL, 40pts]: 9x Guardsman

. Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol

 

+ Fast Attack +

 

Hellhounds [6 PL, 110pts]

. Hellhound: Heavy Flamer, Turret-mounted Inferno Cannon

 

Hellhounds [6 PL, 110pts]

. Hellhound: Heavy Flamer, Turret-mounted Inferno Cannon

 

+ Heavy Support +

 

Heavy Weapons Squad [3 PL, 33pts]

. Heavy Weapon Team: Mortar

. Heavy Weapon Team: Mortar

. Heavy Weapon Team: Mortar

 

Heavy Weapons Squad [3 PL, 33pts]

. Heavy Weapon Team: Mortar

. Heavy Weapon Team: Mortar

. Heavy Weapon Team: Mortar

 

Heavy Weapons Squad [3 PL, 33pts]

. Heavy Weapon Team: Mortar

. Heavy Weapon Team: Mortar

. Heavy Weapon Team: Mortar

 

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Imperium - Astra Militarum) [13 PL, 196pts] ++

 

+ HQ +

 

Company Commander [2 PL, 30pts]: Chainsword, Laspistol

 

Primaris Psyker [2 PL, 46pts]: Force Stave

 

+ Troops +

 

Infantry Squad [3 PL, 40pts]: 9x Guardsman

. Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol

 

Infantry Squad [3 PL, 40pts]: 9x Guardsman

. Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol

 

Infantry Squad [3 PL, 40pts]: 9x Guardsman

. Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol

 

[tychobi]

Talarn for the hidden shadowsword.

 

Short answer is yes. Waayyyyyy too many upgrades. Cheap and cheerful for russes and shadowsword is optimal. Probably net you the points for a squadron of basalisks if you pare down as well. Inidirect fire is pure gold!