Tournaments are back and the Cadian brigade rolls forward!

[sairence]

So, Ireland is also finally starting up tournaments again and with the new book I'm most likely bringing this or a variation of it. Back to the basics, with a single Cadian brigade.

 

We have the Gatekeeper cannon for reliable long range damage, 2 squads of Whiteshields to clog up the centre 6 infantry squads and 3 Sentinels to either reinforce that or overload the flanks with bodies supported by some more heavy guns with the Demolisher TCs and one FP Manticore. As a little extra I'm trying out the Psychic ball of doom in their party bus, that had a succesful showing in a tournament a little while ago. Need to get some practise in when to commit and proper positioning for them. The psykers can also make the Whiteshields fearless. The Scions are there for some secondaries.

 

Speaking off, this list obviously gives up all the secondaries in the world, but I found that that's pretty much inevitable with Guard. Hopefully it can make up for it by outlasting my opponents and dumpstering them in primaries.

 

And as cherry on top, I think it turned out to be a pretty fluffy list in the end.

 

Strategem-wise ingame:

Shocktroopers for the Tank Commanders

Psychic Conclave for the brain boys

Reroll for the shots on the Manticore if needed, otherwise damage on the Demolishers

Overlapping Fields of Fire if the opportunity presents itself. Hasn't happened all that often in my recent games, simply because of terrain density.

Cadia Stands/Take Cover if it might make a big difference somewhere

 

If anyone has some thoughts on what to improve I'm all ears. Not entirely convinced on the plasma-sponsons yet, but I'm also unsure what to replace them with.

 

I tried editing out all points values, hope I didn't miss any!

 

 

++ Brigade Detachment 0CP (Imperium - Astra Militarum) [117 PL, 8CP, 1,999pts] ++

 

+ Configuration [12CP] +

 

Battle Size [12CP]: 3. Strike Force (101-200 Total PL / 1001-2000 Points) [12CP]

 

Detachment Command Cost

 

Regimental Doctrine: Regiment: Cadian

 

+ Stratagems [-3CP] +

 

Imperial Commander's Armoury [-1CP]: 1 additional Heirloom of Conquest [-1CP]

 

Tank Ace [-1CP]

 

Whiteshields [-1CP]

 

+ Agents of the Imperium [4 PL, -1CP, 60pts] +

 

Inquisitor [4 PL, -1CP]: 2) Psychic Fortitude, 6) Castigation, Blackshroud, Boltgun, Chainsword, Frag & Krak grenades, Malleus - Psychic Mastery, Ordo Malleus, Stratagem: Arbiter of the Emperor's Will [-1CP]

. Psyker: Smite

 

+ HQ [41 PL, 710pts] +

 

Company Commander [2 PL]: Chainsword, Frag grenades, Laspistol, Relic (Cadia): Relic of Lost Cadia, Warlord, WT: Grand Strategist

 

Primaris Psyker [3 PL]: Force Stave, Laspistol, Nightshroud, Psychic Barrier

 

Tank Commander [12 PL]: Battle Cannon, Heavy Bolter, Relic (Cadia): Gatekeeper, Stat Damage (Leman Russ Commander)

. 2 Plasma Cannons : 2x Plasma cannon

 

Tank Commander [12 PL]: Heavy Bolter, Stat Damage (Leman Russ Commander), Turret-mounted Demolisher Siege Cannon

 

Tank Commander [12 PL]: Heavy Bolter, Stat Damage (Leman Russ Commander), Turret-mounted Demolisher Siege Cannon

 

+ Troops [37 PL, 695pts] +

 

Conscripts [5 PL: Whiteshields

. 20x Conscript: 20x Lasgun

 

Conscripts [5 PL: Whiteshields

. 20x Conscript: 20x Lasgun

 

Infantry Squad [3 PL]

. 8x Guardsman: 8x Lasgun

. Guardsman w/ Vox-caster: Lasgun, Vox-caster

. Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol

 

Infantry Squad [3 PL]

. 8x Guardsman: 8x Lasgun

. Guardsman w/ Vox-caster: Lasgun, Vox-caster

. Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol

 

Infantry Squad [3 PL]

. 8x Guardsman: 8x Lasgun

. Guardsman w/ Vox-caster: Lasgun, Vox-caster

. Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol

 

Infantry Squad [3 PL]

. 8x Guardsman: 8x Lasgun

. Guardsman w/ Vox-caster: Lasgun, Vox-caster

. Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol

 

Infantry Squad [3 PL]

. 8x Guardsman: 8x Lasgun

. Guardsman w/ Vox-caster: Lasgun, Vox-caster

. Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol

 

Infantry Squad [3 PL]

. 8x Guardsman: 8x Lasgun

. Guardsman w/ Vox-caster: Lasgun, Vox-caster

. Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol

 

Militarum Tempestus Scions [3 PL]

. 4x Scion: 4x Frag & Krak grenades, 4x Hot-shot Lasgun

. Tempestor: Chainsword, Frag & Krak grenades, Plasma pistol

 

Militarum Tempestus Scions [3 Pl]

. 4x Scion: 4x Frag & Krak grenades, 4x Hot-shot Lasgun

. Tempestor: Chainsword, Frag & Krak grenades, Plasma pistol

 

Militarum Tempestus Scions [3 PL]

. 4x Scion: 4x Frag & Krak grenades, 4x Hot-shot Lasgun

. Tempestor: Chainsword, Frag & Krak grenades, Plasma pistol

 

+ Elites [7 PL, 109pts] +

 

Astropath [2 PL]: Psychic Maelstrom, Telepathica Stave

 

Platoon Commander [2 PL]: Chainsword, Frag grenades, Laspistol

 

Platoon Commander [2 PL]: Chainsword, Frag grenades, Laspistol

 

Wyrdvane Psykers [1 PL]: Mental Fortitude

. 3x Wyrdvane Psyker: 3x Laspistol, 3x Wyrdvane Stave

 

+ Fast Attack [9 PL, 105pts] +

 

Scout Sentinels [3 PL]

. Scout Sentinel [3 PL]: Multi-laser

 

Scout Sentinels [3 PL]

. Scout Sentinel [3 PL]: Multi-laser

 

Scout Sentinels [3 PL]

. Scout Sentinel [3 PL]: Multi-laser

 

+ Heavy Support [14 PL, 245pts] +

 

Heavy Weapons Squad [3 PL]

. Heavy Weapon Team: Lasgun, Mortar

. Heavy Weapon Team: Lasgun, Mortar

. Heavy Weapon Team: Lasgun, Mortar

 

Heavy Weapons Squad [3 PL]

. Heavy Weapon Team: Lasgun, Mortar

. Heavy Weapon Team: Lasgun, Mortar

. Heavy Weapon Team: Lasgun, Mortar

 

Manticore [8 PL]: Full Payload, Heavy Bolter, Stat Damage (HS), 4x Storm Eagle Rockets

 

+ Dedicated Transport [5 PL] +

 

Chimera [5 PL]: Heavy Flamer, 2x Lasgun Arrays, Multi-laser, Stat Damage (Chimera)

 

++ Total: [117 PL, 8CP, 1,999pts] ++

Edited November 4, 2021 by sairence

[Diagramdude]

I'm very curious to hear how the magic school bus does. I've been wanting to try them out but don't own anything that could really pass a wyrdvane. Might be a little light on firepower if they counter your demolisher TCs, hopefully you run away with the primary points by the time that matters. 

[sairence]

Between 3 TCs and one Manticore it should be manageable unless it's a serious skew list. The party bus, according the guy from Texas, can dish out 10-15 MWs on a good turn, which can also take chunks out of anything coming too close.

 

The rest will have to be handled by tagging and bodyblocking.

 

The previous version of this had Pask and and unit of Crusaders instead of the party bus and much less bodies. Pask was underperfoming and the crusaders needed to move out too soon due to lack of bodies and rarely got the engagements they needed.

[Diagramdude]

Yeah the magic bus is nice tech against stuff that wants to tag your tanks. Are wyrdvanes short enough to hide behind a Chimera and be out of LOS?

[sairence]

Yeah the magic bus is nice tech against stuff that wants to tag your tanks. Are wyrdvanes short enough to hide behind a Chimera and be out of LOS?

Just checked that...the top of their staff finishes at about the same height as the Chimeras portholes. If you're it doesn't stick out.

[Diagramdude]

That’s cool, and if you have an extra tank order you can full throttle the chimera after the psychic phase to close off enemy LOS until the next phase. I’ve wanted to try out psychic conclave but wyrdvanes are so ridiculously fragile, this could help them maybe survive one turn outside the bus

[sairence]

Made a few slight changes after some games and the new rules.

 

The plasmasponsons, 1 PC, 1 squad of Scions are out.

A second FP Manticore is in, plus a Lascannon on the Gatekeeper-TC. Also threw a Forcesword at the Inquisitor...might switch that out again for a second HF on the Chimera, if I get that model painted up in time.

 

I realised I was lacking some firepower early in the game, when everything was still hiding away, while the third Scion was more of a backup than a necessity. And with the change to orders I can get away with one officer less I think. Having the 2nd Manticore will also make it easier to treat the Demo-TCs as pure counter-units and just hold them back for a turn.

 

The setup would probably be both Conscripts and maybe one IS on one flank to roadblock whichever side the opponent deploys on more heavily,l and wants to push, while the remaining squads push forward on the other to overwhelm it with obsec. I've been doing well on more or less completely taking over the objectives on one side, was usually just missing that little bit of extra damage to clear the way.

 

The magic bus did alright in it first outing, but definitely needs practise. I got the lads out and between them they almost wiped out some BT Eradicators...the 5+++ really saved their butts against my MWs. The Chimera sadly got stuck between some terrain and some marines, so didn't get more than one turn out of it and couldn't use it to keep the wizards save.

Edited November 15, 2021 by sairence

[Diagramdude]

Maybe 1 FP manticore and use the Gifted Commander trait? Deploy one demo aggressively and one defensively. If you go first, redeploy safe demo into a perfect firing spot, if you go second, redeploy aggressive demo to safety.

[sairence]

So, tournament is done and it worked well enough. I got two convincing wins against Emperors Children + Belakor and against Death Guard, an 86-87 loss against Dark Angels that could have swung my way on the roll of a dice, an alright loss against Craftworlds and a complete blowout loss against Harlequins.

 

Overall things performed as expected. There was a bit of a lack of firepower and the party bus, while fun to use, was quite swingy and an additional drain on CP in a list that already eats them rapidly. In the EC game I ended up spending 9CP turn 1.

Edited November 30, 2021 by sairence

[sairence]

So I've ended up settling on something else again...by dropping an infantry squad I can fit in a tripple HF Eradicator Russ with track guard. Close combat tank confirmed. :P

[sairence]

Next tournament done. It was a 3-round 20 player one. I faced Deathguard, Ultramarines and Custodes. Lost by 4 points against DG and won the other two games, landing me 4th place at the top of the 2-1 bracket.

 

The addition of the Melta-sponsons was definitely helpful for adding extra damage, although seeing as I faced damage reduction, transhuman and invun saves across the board not as much as I would have liked. Lascannons continue to roll an insufferable amount of 2s for me.

 

I need to get a bit smarter with my Sentinels in judging when it is necessary to throw them forward turn 1.

 

The extra Russ was kinda funny to use, but didn't have much of an impact. I only fought against armies that don't care about heavy flamers and he only really got stuck in once to hold up some Custodes. So he'll be out again. Will likely replace him with a Mortarteam for the HS and then we'll see what else.

 

Not sure if the CP for the Whiteshields upgrade is really needed. They're usually dead by turn 2 or don't need to move, move, move any further.

 

I'm pretty pleased with the result and the list worked pretty well on most accounts. :D

[Diagramdude]

I think Whiteshields is still a must, because you don’t KNOW exactly when you may need to move move move them, and when you do end up needing to, you really can’t afford to fail the coin flip especially since move move move is one of the restricted orders.

 

I think at least one mortar team is an auto-include for Cadians, with full rerolls to hit and Concentrated Fire they are great vs hordes of course but 3d6 S4 with +1 to hit reroll all then +1 wound reroll 1s from relic of lost cadia can force a significant amount of saves on t5-7 targets, some of which only have a 4+ save like harlequin.

[sairence]

After two tournaments now I'm actually dropping the Whiteshield-upgrade again.

 

Yes, it's nice to reliably get them all the way to my opponents deployment zone turn 1 if I go first, but I'm paying 1Cp for the privilege in an army that is REALLY CP hungry and on two units that will be mostly dead and/or sitting pretty on an objective by turn 2 either way. All the while I have 5-6 other squads that can do it much more flexibily the thanks to the Voxcasters.

 

What I've come to now is that what this army really needs is at least one blob of Bullgryns. Something durable that can countercharge and tie something up for a turn, when it comes in a bit too close. The infantry can do it, but it drives the attrition through the roof and leaves me short later in the game.

 

Not sure yet how I'll squeeze them in...potentially will drop one of the Conscripts to free up points.

Edited December 16, 2021 by sairence

[greatcrusade08]

Interesting to see your experiences sairence, nothing much to add other than im watching, and learning so please dont stop posting 

[sairence]

Cheers.