State of the Game: Militarum Tempestus

[Aothaine]

Are there any Militarum Tempestus players still? If so, I was curious what the state of the game was like for them. Can they still be competitive run as a solo faction? Or are they mainly used for suicide plasma command squads?

 

Just curious. Thanks in advance!

[GrinNfool]

Ya I run MT, don't own guard otherwise, aside from a 3 tank commander group I run every so often.  I don't run them often monodex though, mostly because the list of what they can bring is extremely limited, so the rule of 3 really hurts them, since their general cost point cost is so low.  Trying to flesh out a good army with just 3 command squads, and order givers is rough.  Aside from that they have 2 other problems mondex.  They can struggle a bit to hold the line due to lack of a good supporting cast, and I think if the if Taurox prime wasn't so terribly over costed I would still consider running them monodex more though.

 

It depends what you are calling competitive, if you are saying tournament winning then probably not no.  If you just mean can they compete and win as many games as they lose then ya if not a little better.  Hard to lose all the time when you can bring as much plasma as Scions can.  They don't perform bad monodex, just you are quite limited in what you can do and bring.  Obvioulsy double batt at least, using a Lord com for the 4th hq, which isn't bad I've had him do some crazy things.  One game he finished a 2 wound carni shooting (emps benediction) charged and killed a half health tyranid prime in combat, then shot and charged another 5 health carni, almost killing it (1 wound left).  A true hero of the imperium.  Your "main line" so to speak probably consists of a volleygun squad or 2, and some 10 man squads with flamers/gls/meltas shoved in gatling tauroxes.  Missile tauroxes have to be screened for and our main source of AV apart from command squads.  I generally run a valk as well just for the mobility, have won games just because I put a squad in the way somewhere buying another round of shooting.

 

Having said all that, I generally don't run my scions monodex because there is no compelling reason to, other than I just want to (which is why I do it when I do it).  Why would you when you can get the best part of scions for 591 points?  (18 plasma guns 3 plasma pistols, 3 temp primes with com rods and can DS all of that)  Running them monodoex doesn't let you expand on that in any real meaningful way that couldn't be done as good or better via my other armies.  Since you can do that they just make amazing allies though, and consistently one of the best performing parts of my army.  I generally run them with my admech or DW.  My wife steals them for her sisters too (which actually is a really nice combination)  My most common configuration that runs them as the main army (~1350 pts) brings 2 warglaives and 2 hellverins to cover 2 things the scions can't do well.  Long range shooting, and a scary fast melee threat (distraction carni).  It usually keeps the enemy from shooting at my 3-4 tauroxes long enough for them to get some work done.  Like that combo specifically because it feels thematic, the markings on the armigers and on the scions are the same style.

Edited August 23, 2019 by GrinNfool

[Aothaine]

Having said all that, I generally don't run my scions monodex because there is no compelling reason to, other than I just want to (which is why I do it when I do it).  Why would you when you can get the best part of scions for 591 points?  (18 plasma guns 3 plasma pistols, 3 temp primes with com rods and can DS all of that)  Running them monodoex doesn't let you expand on that in any real meaningful way that couldn't be done as good or better via my other armies.  Since you can do that they just make amazing allies though, and consistently one of the best performing parts of my army.  I generally run them with my admech or DW.  My wife steals them for her sisters too (which actually is a really nice combination)  My most common configuration that runs them as the main army (~1350 pts) brings 2 warglaives and 2 hellverins to cover 2 things the scions can't do well.  Long range shooting, and a scary fast melee threat (distraction carni).  It usually keeps the enemy from shooting at my 3-4 tauroxes long enough for them to get some work done.  Like that combo specifically because it feels thematic, the markings on the armigers and on the scions are the same style.

 

Very well said. Thank you for your input! :D

[TEMPESTOR 6773]

I play pure scions and I built them in 7th when you could take them in an all mounted detachment for an almost long range recce style force.

I find that there a real glass hammer force who pack a serious amount of firepower and mobility but literally die immediately if they take any form of return fire and close combat is a complete non starter. I keep my scions mounted in my tauroxs and only get them out when there in range to rapid fire with FRFSRF and the stormtroopers doctrine and they usually wipe or seriously cripple any MEQ unit.

[CaptainMarsh]

I have a now 2500 pure MT army and I have a ton of fun using them. I wouldn't call them top tier competitive but theyre fun to use and play with and I have an excellent record of them this edition. Grin hit all the major points on the head.

[Expendable_Aquanaut]

I'd have to agree with pretty much everything here as well. The one thing that I will add is that although close combat is usually a terrible idea, remember that unlike the rest of the squad, each tempestor hits on a 3. If I ever have a few points left over I'll run a power maul or power fist on as many as I can. Everyone loves to charge scions and with a couple of overwatch plasma hits sometimes a power weapon is enough to keep them in the game. On the other side of things it can actually be useful to intentionally charge that power weapon into someone holding an objective late game. I've knocked out some primaris marines in the backfield with a cheeky power fist hit enough times for me to keep trying the same thing. Couple this with the drop force vigilus detachment for a plus one to hit on that first turn of combat. All your dudes hitting on 3s even with a power fist? Pretty decent.

 

That said, I find scions to be decently competitive but the plasma spam has some hard counters in any minus one to hit army traits. Losing the stormtrooper doctrine to that kind of shenanigans is pretty painful too. Seems like poor design to allow one doctrine to completely cancel another armys special rule. But that's a conversation for another thread!

 

The new BSF psyker might be an interesting take for an all scion army as well. Especially as an hq choice, which we lack great options for, a primaris psyker with the plus one bs power could really benefit scions. Not a game breaker but could be nice for a big squad dropping out of a valk or something.

[DarthWaffle]

Howdy, I'm getting back into 40k AM after big hiatus from 5th edition and considering running Tempestus core. 

 

Can someone explain the rule of 3 and how that affects AM? I've seen it mentioned a few times but I'm not really getting it. It just limited my tournament list to no more than 3 detachments, correct? 

Edited August 27, 2019 by DarthWaffle

[GrinNfool]

Howdy, I'm getting back into 40k AM after big hiatus from 5th edition and considering running Tempestus core. 

 

Can someone explain the rule of 3 and how that affects AM? I've seen it mentioned a few times but I'm not really getting it. It just limited my tournament list to no more than 3 detachments, correct? 

Not quite, you can't have more than 3 of any unit except troop choices, and dedicated transport choices, so for MT thats Taurox Primes and basic scion squads, everything else is limited.  Doesn't hurt AM much if at all, but MT have a very limited roster, so makes it harder for them.  You can run about a solid 750-1250 w/o much of a problem though.

[TEMPESTOR 6773]

If your willing to use commissar yarrick you can have some rather effective hot shot volleygun fire from tempestus command squads especially against orks

[NatBrannigan]

Literally never though of using Yarrick in a mono Scion force... And that's a model I use pretty much every game!

[STTAB]

The Valkyrie Grav Chute nerf stung scions, they were briefly very effective after Vigilus. If you go full combo of Doctrine, vigilus warlord trait and Yarrick you can have plasma hitting 1.33 times for every shot fired, rerolling all wounds (order, vehichles and monsters)

 

I now run a tight battalion of;

Vigilus drop force-683 points

Yarrick

Prime- Drop Force Commander, Auto Reliquary relic, command rod

 

3x5 man Scion squads- 2 plasma, 2 HSLG, Plasma pistol

1 MT Command Squad- 4 plasma

 

2x Valkyrie- Rocket pods

 

The single Prime can do 4 orders for the 4 infantry squads with the relic and stratagem.

 

Competent screening really shuts the drop force down so you need screen clearers and it need to be paired with other anti armour, armoured threats to mess with target priority and to have contingency. I like a Vostroyan battalion with;

 

Emperors fist- 795 points

Relic battle cannon Tank Commander

Plasma Tank Commander

Company commander,

 

3 infantry w/plasma gun

 

2x Astropath- laspistols

Platoon Commander

 

Mortar squad

 

Vulture w/Gatling

 

1478 points for a pretty good core. For the next tournament I’ve paired it with Blood Angels battalion and an assassin since there will be all knight lists and Alatioc Flyers there. Hopefully the Alatioc flyers get nerfed in Big FAQ 4 and I can go mono guard.

 

Even if you pay for the drop force, you don’t have to put your scions in Valks. You can put them in reserve and go on the offensive with your flyers , plasma tank commander, Yarrick and guard squads and make a castle in the centre of the board and use the valks to hover and charge T2.