30k Hobby Chat

[Mogsam]

It's the only way to start a 30k army!

[LameBeard]

Or 3 squads of 20? Leave some more troop slots free?Those sergeants be upset at demotion? All this from the man who doesn’t even have a single legal tactical squad yet ...

[Gorgoff]

So..... Is 60 (6 squads of 10) Tactical Marines a good way to start the core of a 30k army?

 

Because I realized I just built up 6 squads of 10

Put them in Rhinos with Multi Meltas and they should do fine.

Which legion, brother?

[Gederas]

Or 3 squads of 20? Leave some more troop slots free?Those sergeants be upset at demotion? All this from the man who doesn’t even have a single legal tactical squad yet ...

Unsure if I can do that as I have 6 Vexila across those 60

 

So..... Is 60 (6 squads of 10) Tactical Marines a good way to start the core of a 30k army?

 

Because I realized I just built up 6 squads of 10

Put them in Rhinos with Multi Meltas and they should do fine.

Which legion, brother?

The only Legion for me: I Legion

 

For context: It's the three Mark IV and Mark III squads from Betrayal at Calth and Burning of Prospero.

 

Also, I'm assuming Sergeants can take weapon upgrades on normal Tactical squads in 30k correct? As I've seen otherwise bog-standard tacticals with a Sergeant rocking a Combi-Plasma+power Sword

 

Still waiting on my rule book and Red Book for all the Adeptus Genericus unit rules :lol:

Edited March 4, 2021 by Gederas

[SkimaskMohawk]

Yea you can get all sorts of things; plasma pistol, combi weapons, power weapons, powerfists. Only things you cant get on them is double lightning claws or a thunder hammer.

[infyrana]

For context: It's the three Mark IV and Mark III squads from Betrayal at Calth and Burning of Prospero.

 

Also, I'm assuming Sergeants can take weapon upgrades on normal Tactical squads in 30k correct? As I've seen otherwise bog-standard tacticals with a Sergeant rocking a Combi-Plasma+power Sword

60 is a great start of course!  I would always recommend magnetising a good number of them at the wrists and arms / wrists for the Sgts.  This way you can keep your options open if you wish to change up the firepower of your collection.  Nothing worse than having 60 marines all boltered up and then wanting a squad of every heavy weapon and tactical support squads full of plasma or volkite etc.

 

With all my older pure resin models I fixed their weaponry as it's easier (the older weapons came without hands etc), so a bolter squad of 20, 15 assault w/JP's, 10 TacSupp w/Volkite plus a breacher unit of 20.  The rest are in plastic and have the hands on the weapons, giving two nice round surfaces for magnets, so I made sure to magnetise all the wrists (tacts, vets, support or heavies etc).  I've enough shoulderpads now, so I magnetise the Sgt's at the arms for far more options.

[LameBeard]

For context: It's the three Mark IV and Mark III squads from Betrayal at Calth and Burning of Prospero.

 

Also, I'm assuming Sergeants can take weapon upgrades on normal Tactical squads in 30k correct? As I've seen otherwise bog-standard tacticals with a Sergeant rocking a Combi-Plasma+power Sword

 

Still waiting on my rule book and Red Book for all the Adeptus Genericus unit rules :lol:

I was going to check the options for you in my red books (I had a memory about that the thunder hammer not being available for tacticals) and found my iPhone has deleted them. Apparently a known issue with iOS update. Really hope I have them backed up somewhere ... Edited March 4, 2021 by LameBeard

[Gederas]

Sorry about the late response, I had to do stuff and then went to work after posting that response :lol:

 

I don't tend to magnetize my minis outside of my AT Titans (and any actual Titans if I get any :lol:), so that's a bit of a moot recommendation. That and I also like going fluffy, even if it might not be the best. So most of my Dark Angels will be equipped with Plasma and Swords (unless the squad is built for a specific purpose).

 

For other basic Power Armoured Marines I have a Plasma and Melta support squad (5-Men each), a 5-Man Mark IV Missile Launcher Squad, 20 Mark II Tactical Marines and a 20-strong squad of Mark II Assault Marines.

[sarabando]

Yes yes it is. A good core of tactical marines really makes a legion army look like a legion more so that the buy everything cool lists

[Marshal Vespasian]

So..... Is 60 (6 squads of 10) Tactical Marines a good way to start the core of a 30k army?

 

Because I realized I just built up 6 squads of 10

Its what I'll finalize.... Sometime soon. Kinda turned of painting in general r/n

Magnetize like half those dudes and you got tac support covered as well.

Edited March 5, 2021 by Marshal Vespasian

[Gorgoff]

As a side note, I think it is way more managable to use 15 men squads instead of full 20 men squads. Handling that many models in one unit means that you always struggle to position those miniatures on the table. That's why I don't do that anymore.

Obviously ten men squads in Rhinos are way easier to handle and it still looks like a legion, if you field several of those squads.

I'd wait until your rulebook arrives because your characters (read: sergeants as well) can take some of the special equipment and if you really field several squads of tactical marines you could equip some of their sergeants with some DA stuff.

Generally speaking I had good results with ten men tactical squads in a rhino equipped with a multimelter, dozerblade and some kind of combi-weapon on their sarge. Plasma or melter; both work fine.

[sarabando]

As a side note, I think it is way more managable to use 15 men squads instead of full 20 men squads. Handling that many models in one unit means that you always struggle to position those miniatures on the table. That's why I don't do that anymore.

Obviously ten men squads in Rhinos are way easier to handle and it still looks like a legion, if you field several of those squads.

I'd wait until your rulebook arrives because your characters (read: sergeants as well) can take some of the special equipment and if you really field several squads of tactical marines you could equip some of their sergeants with some DA stuff.

Generally speaking I had good results with ten men tactical squads in a rhino equipped with a multimelter, dozerblade and some kind of combi-weapon on their sarge. Plasma or melter; both work fine.

Movement trays my dude :D

[Dark Legionnare]

 

As a side note, I think it is way more managable to use 15 men squads instead of full 20 men squads. Handling that many models in one unit means that you always struggle to position those miniatures on the table. That's why I don't do that anymore.

Obviously ten men squads in Rhinos are way easier to handle and it still looks like a legion, if you field several of those squads.

I'd wait until your rulebook arrives because your characters (read: sergeants as well) can take some of the special equipment and if you really field several squads of tactical marines you could equip some of their sergeants with some DA stuff.

Generally speaking I had good results with ten men tactical squads in a rhino equipped with a multimelter, dozerblade and some kind of combi-weapon on their sarge. Plasma or melter; both work fine.

Movement trays my dude :D

 

Yeah, but in 30k, where the pie-plates of doom still exist, where they're not the laughing-stock they are in 9th ed 40k.

 

Unless they make "perfect-2" coherency trays, if so, I'm on board.

[Chaeron]

Just to echo what others have said, I love having large units of Tacticals if only for the narrative and aesthetic value!

 

I’ve moved from 20-strong to 15-strong squads over the years, and like to build my lists around a RoW that accommodates mass foot-slogging when I do use units of that size.

 

I think part of the allure of modes like Centurion is because it’s the core of the Heresy - and it’s very cool to see those forces grow from just troops too.

[Gederas]

As a side note, I think it is way more managable to use 15 men squads instead of full 20 men squads. Handling that many models in one unit means that you always struggle to position those miniatures on the table. That's why I don't do that anymore.

Obviously ten men squads in Rhinos are way easier to handle and it still looks like a legion, if you field several of those squads.

I'd wait until your rulebook arrives because your characters (read: sergeants as well) can take some of the special equipment and if you really field several squads of tactical marines you could equip some of their sergeants with some DA stuff.

Generally speaking I had good results with ten men tactical squads in a rhino equipped with a multimelter, dozerblade and some kind of combi-weapon on their sarge. Plasma or melter; both work fine.

Movement trays my dude

Yeah, but in 30k, where the pie-plates of doom still exist, where they're not the laughing-stock they are in 9th ed 40k.

 

Unless they make "perfect-2" coherency trays, if so, I'm on board.

As soon as I saw the movement trays comment I thought to myself "Laughs in Medusa Siege Gun"

 

Just to echo what others have said, I love having large units of Tacticals if only for the narrative and aesthetic value!

 

I’ve moved from 20-strong to 15-strong squads over the years, and like to build my lists around a RoW that accommodates mass foot-slogging when I do use units of that size.

 

I think part of the allure of modes like Centurion is because it’s the core of the Heresy - and it’s very cool to see those forces grow from just troops too.

Dark Angels have a Rite of War (Storm of War) that gets benefits for running squads of Tactical and Assault Marines in 20-man squads, hence why I'm planning on building units to that

Edited March 6, 2021 by Gederas

[Hfran Morkai]

Anvillus pods back in stock! Go go go people!

 

Sadly I'm going to have to wait a while as I've just spent far too much on Malevolence.

[Dark Legionnare]

Anvillus pods back in stock! Go go go people!

 

Sadly I'm going to have to wait a while as I've just spent far too much on Malevolence.

Still no damn sicaran!

 

*insert man yells at clouds here*

[Hfran Morkai]

So having 20 of the first 22 HH books I'm almost done with Horus Rising (I think I last read it in 2010) and I forgot just how good it is.

 

Horus is an admirable character, despite knowing he betrays the Emperor you can't help but be swayed by his charisma.

 

I can't wait to read more as I've only done about 8 books total and skipped some.

[Reyner]

So Horus Heresy is starting to pick up again at my local store and we're hoping to play once lockdown ends. I'm going to restart my Ultramarines going for the 4th Chapter Calth boys but without Remus Ventanus (I know shameful of me really) as I want to use a normal Praetor as I kitbashed a cool one. I'm using the Pride of the Legion Rite of War and want a squad of terminators to defend my home objective - would this be a waste or are they actually quite good at it? I'm giving them a Reaper so they can contribute a little before something comes to get them.

 

The rest of my force is two veteran squads in rhinos, Suzerains in a land raider, Scorpius, master of signals and a Deredeo with about 100 points left over. Was thinking of a couple of Rapiers for some dakka that the MoS can sit with.

[Dark Legionnare]

So Horus Heresy is starting to pick up again at my local store and we're hoping to play once lockdown ends. I'm going to restart my Ultramarines going for the 4th Chapter Calth boys but without Remus Ventanus (I know shameful of me really) as I want to use a normal Praetor as I kitbashed a cool one. I'm using the Pride of the Legion Rite of War and want a squad of terminators to defend my home objective - would this be a waste or are they actually quite good at it? I'm giving them a Reaper so they can contribute a little before something comes to get them.

The rest of my force is two veteran squads in rhinos, Suzerains in a land raider, Scorpius, master of signals and a Deredeo with about 100 points left over. Was thinking of a couple of Rapiers for some dakka that the MoS can sit with.

The bane of termies is plasma and a ranged Ap1/2 anti-tank. So, them sitting in the backfield will likely protect them from the former, so it doesn't seem like a bad idea there. That said, it seems best, both thematically and gameplay-wise, when termies are used aggressively.

 

The vets as back/midfield grabbers would make more sense given their cheaper transport options to get them there.

 

Termies need an expensive bus, or warlord trait to DS, so diverting a heavy flyer, land raider, or spartan to drop them off near a point, rather than optimally hitting the opponent seems like a waste? Just some two cents.

[Reyner]

Yeah that makes sense as fluffy as a Master of Signals is I am a little bit tempted to swap him for a Warmonger so I can be aggressive with the Terminator Squad.

[Gorgoff]

 

So Horus Heresy is starting to pick up again at my local store and we're hoping to play once lockdown ends. I'm going to restart my Ultramarines going for the 4th Chapter Calth boys but without Remus Ventanus (I know shameful of me really) as I want to use a normal Praetor as I kitbashed a cool one. I'm using the Pride of the Legion Rite of War and want a squad of terminators to defend my home objective - would this be a waste or are they actually quite good at it? I'm giving them a Reaper so they can contribute a little before something comes to get them.

The rest of my force is two veteran squads in rhinos, Suzerains in a land raider, Scorpius, master of signals and a Deredeo with about 100 points left over. Was thinking of a couple of Rapiers for some dakka that the MoS can sit with.

Termies need an expensive bus, or warlord trait to DS, 

Dreadclaw.

5 Terminators mit combi-meltas, Poweraxes and one Chainfist on the sarge works like a charme for me.

Combi-Plasmaguns work fine as well.

 

I wouldn't use them as objective sitter.

First an foremost you don't always have only one obejctive or objectives at all so you really shouldn't plan your army around one mission in mind.

Second I would prefer to use veterans for that task.

Terminators are good at killing things and often die after that themselves. If they survive they can grab an objective, obviously, but I wouldn't count on that.

[SkimaskMohawk]

Eh termies make for fine backfield objective holders. They're durable enough not to get shifted by quads, a decent enough bully to fight disruption units that pop out of termites or pods and are extremely points efficient.

 

The problem most people have is having few subjective scoring units, so terminators automatically get to be "mid board objective guys" .

[Gorgoff]

Eh termies make for fine backfield objective holders. They're durable enough not to get shifted by quads, a decent enough bully to fight disruption units that pop out of termites or pods and are extremely points efficient.

 

The problem most people have is having few subjective scoring units, so terminators automatically get to be "mid board objective guys" .

If you have Terminators to spare they are indeed great for holding an objective in the backfield.

But since I am one of the people you're speaking of I have to use other units for that.

 

How many scoring units you bring in a 2k army?

[Reyner]

Cheers guys this is helpful I was just planning around a basic game of like 3 objectives to cap - kinda like an intro game instead of just murdering each other. I have 4 scoring units in my list so far but I am still farting about with it.

 

Current list has 

 

2 Vet squads in Rhinos 

Terminators (subject to change or find points for a Dread Claw OR Warmonger)
Invictarus Suzerains in a Land Raider

Edited March 10, 2021 by Reyner