Defend the castle!

[Focslain]

So I'm looking for some advice as to force for quick games.

 

I have someone that plays Tyranids, he has the following that I've seen.

 

Flyrant
broodlord
Genestealers x12
large squad of hormaguants
large squad of termaguants
6ish warriors
3 carinfexi

 

We're looking at 1K forces

 

What I'd like to do is do a force of infantry supported by artillery. My basic list is:

 

'Loyal 32'
Company commander x2
3x 10 man infantry squads

 

1-2 basilisks

 

2 wyverns

 

basic list is ~525 pts

 

I found in my cleaning a box of loose guardsmen, enough to get the 32 possibly twice over. I have heavy weapon sprues quite a few special weapons from my marines.

 

And to add to the adhoc force I have a plan to convert some old broken battlesuits into sentinels.

 

With this in mind what are some suggestions on a list to face the tyranid force above?

[WarriorFish]

Generally the plan against nids is the same as it has always been: shoot the big ones Flyrants are particularly troublesome but if you direct your fire power against it you can bring it down. The trick will be keeping them away from your heavy guns; plenty of infantry to hold the line and handle the smaller beasties. Flamers and grenade launchers can do this cheaply, don't be afraid to move up a bit to put more distance between you and get to killing faster. This lets your bigger guns have more time to count against his big models.

 

Sentinels could be useful to aid in holding them back, especially with heavy flamers. Otherwise numbers are your friend, so cheap and cheerful wins the day. The more you have, the more you can shoot and hold them back. The rest is good deployment and use of Stratagems etc as ever.

[War Angel]

Your defending, take some imperial fist, also, guard are awesome, take more

I’m sorry, I just had a surgery, I have no idea if you were looking for other factions or not.

[Focslain]

Your defending, take some imperial fist, also, guard are awesome, take more

I’m sorry, I just had a surgery, I have no idea if you were looking for other factions or not.

 

Like to keep this small list mono-faction. But it's all good. Hope you heal up fast.

 

I'll see how many bodies are actually in that box I found. I also realized I have some smaller artillery pieces from Victorian miniatures. So could make some thudd guns. 

 

As for special weapons should I plan for placement in infantry squads or go for special weapon squads? 

[WarriorFish]

Special weapons squads are ok, the issue is more that it's 6 Guardsmen with lots of special weapons - more of a threat than an Infantry Squad but easier to remove unless you can protect them (e.g. Chimera). As you'll want a fair number of Infantry anyway sprinkling the special weapons there usually suffices :)

[War Angel]

Your defending a castle, so you don’t have to worry about taking ground, I would put the heavy weapons in infantry squads.

[Focslain]

FYI: I tend to play with the title of my threads, in this case I'm kind of thinking of going a little medieval with the style of the army. So lots of men at arms (basic guardsmen) and siege weapons (the artillery). With the nids playing the part of a monster horde.

 

Also I just secured a few fortifications from my FLGS this afternoon. So building a castle I am. 

[War Angel]

What’s the castle going to look like?

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

Wyverns and mortars are going to be your best threats against hordes, basilisks are good threats against big multi-wound monsters. Too bad platoons went away, that would make spamming heavy weapons squads for mortars easy. Grenades aren't great this edition, but don't forget them. Grenade launchers and heavy bolters in your infantry squads will probably also be helpful, especially if they're going to be sitting still, and cadian regimental tactics will be helpful for that too, making your men a bit more accurate rerolling 1's to hit.

Edited May 24, 2020 by Ulrik_Ironfist

[Focslain]

What’s the castle going to look like?

 

I have a fort plan with the following:

 

Front and center is a Firestorm Redoubt, flanked on both ends by the trench walls and those ended in a bunker.  Second line is a set of trenches with the emplacements book ended with a pair of bastions. Third line is a void generator and a landing pad behind that.

 

I have all but one bastion it seems now.

 

Wyverns and mortars are going to be your best threats against hordes, basilisks are good threats against big multi-wound monsters. Too bad platoons went away, that would make spamming heavy weapons squads for mortars easy. Grenades aren't great this edition, but don't forget them. Grenade launchers and heavy bolters in your infantry squads will probably also be helpful, especially if they're going to be sitting still, and cadian regimental tactics will be helpful for that too, making your men a bit more accurate rerolling 1's to hit.

 

I tend to use grenade launchers in my original guard squads. I'll make a few HB pairings, I rarely used those and have a ton in reserve. 

 

Think a good core of two wvyerns and two basilisks would work, or too much for 1K?

[Ulrik_Ironfist]

 

What’s the castle going to look like?

 

I have a fort plan with the following:

 

Front and center is a Firestorm Redoubt, flanked on both ends by the trench walls and those ended in a bunker.  Second line is a set of trenches with the emplacements book ended with a pair of bastions. Third line is a void generator and a landing pad behind that.

 

I have all but one bastion it seems now.

See, you said castle, and I was thinking walls... You need some vertical extent there, make those damned bugs climb...

 

 

Wyverns and mortars are going to be your best threats against hordes, basilisks are good threats against big multi-wound monsters. Too bad platoons went away, that would make spamming heavy weapons squads for mortars easy. Grenades aren't great this edition, but don't forget them. Grenade launchers and heavy bolters in your infantry squads will probably also be helpful, especially if they're going to be sitting still, and cadian regimental tactics will be helpful for that too, making your men a bit more accurate rerolling 1's to hit.

 

I tend to use grenade launchers in my original guard squads. I'll make a few HB pairings, I rarely used those and have a ton in reserve. 

 

Think a good core of two wvyerns and two basilisks would work, or too much for 1K?

 

Considering how cheap guard squads are, you could easily get more wyverns and basilisks in the list. I quick built one for cadian doctrine, with creed, kell, a command squad, 2 wyverns, 2 basilisks, a mortar squad, and 6 GL/HB/Vox squads. All under 1k. That's a battalion list. I think you'll have enough needed to counter whatever your opponent brings. YOu may want to take conscripts to screen your gunline. I'm assuming you'll be waiting for him to come to you.

 

That's not how I play, I favor more aggressive strategies.

 

[Focslain]

 

 

What’s the castle going to look like?

 

I have a fort plan with the following:

 

Front and center is a Firestorm Redoubt, flanked on both ends by the trench walls and those ended in a bunker.  Second line is a set of trenches with the emplacements book ended with a pair of bastions. Third line is a void generator and a landing pad behind that.

 

I have all but one bastion it seems now.

See, you said castle, and I was thinking walls... You need some vertical extent there, make those damned bugs climb...

 

 

Considering the amount of city terrain I have that is an option. At least that will keep me safe from the big grounders.

 

 

 

Wyverns and mortars are going to be your best threats against hordes, basilisks are good threats against big multi-wound monsters. Too bad platoons went away, that would make spamming heavy weapons squads for mortars easy. Grenades aren't great this edition, but don't forget them. Grenade launchers and heavy bolters in your infantry squads will probably also be helpful, especially if they're going to be sitting still, and cadian regimental tactics will be helpful for that too, making your men a bit more accurate rerolling 1's to hit.

 

I tend to use grenade launchers in my original guard squads. I'll make a few HB pairings, I rarely used those and have a ton in reserve. 

 

Think a good core of two wvyerns and two basilisks would work, or too much for 1K?

 

Considering how cheap guard squads are, you could easily get more wyverns and basilisks in the list. I quick built one for cadian doctrine, with creed, kell, a command squad, 2 wyverns, 2 basilisks, a mortar squad, and 6 GL/HB/Vox squads. All under 1k. That's a battalion list. I think you'll have enough needed to counter whatever your opponent brings. YOu may want to take conscripts to screen your gunline. I'm assuming you'll be waiting for him to come to you.

 

That's not how I play, I favor more aggressive strategies.

 

 

 

I'm more of a tank commander myself, I've done a few with a battalion before, but I'd prefer tanks and more tanks.

 

This was an exercise in getting an infantry heavy list with a theme that can hold my attention.

 

The idea of an old fashioned siege defense force seems neat and also goes along with another project I've almost finished.

 

So the quick list you dropped is one HQ short a battalion. Not that CC are expensive. I added that and dropped the command squad. That placed it at 972 pts.

 

What I'm thinking is to also grab a primaris pysker (mage) for some defense and attach it to the tanks so that I can make it their own spearhead and custom up the doctrines, get the catachan loading rule and something else.

 

Actually I'm going to have to make an inquiry or two for the mage, got an idea that will meet my anime reference requirement nicely.