White Scars Zone Mortalis

[Kharash test dummy]

Hello, I've been planning to get in to Zone Mortalis for a while and have decided to make things hard for myself by picking a Legion known for enjoying wide open spaces and fast vehicles!  But White Scars were my first Chapter back in the late 80s and I'm not about to change now...

 

So, this is the list I've put together for 1000 points (with an optional 500 points below).

 

See what you think, but my aim here is to create a force which is flexible, can get around the board quickly and most of all is fun. (Winning really is secondary).

 

And the idea is that the Recon marines and Falcons Claws will get up the board fast to claim objectives while using the Vox to guide in the Terminators, further down the board.

 

 

So I have...

 

HQ

Delegatus with power glaive and artificer armour   (Zone Mortalis ROW, to allow those terminators to deep strike)

100 points

 

TROOPS

5 Tartaros Terminators, 3 with power sword and combi-melta, 1 with heavy flamer and power fist, sergeant with power glaive

226 points

 

10 Breachers with 2 grav guns

230

 

5 Recon marines with sniper rifles, camo cloaks and vox

160

 

HEAVY

6 Autocannons 

160

 

FAST

6 Falcons Claws with hawk and melta bomb

121

 

997 points

 

 

Most of that is done and painted, but I have plans for another 500 points, made up of...

 

 

ELITES

 

Contemptor with two power fists with grav guns 

205

 

Apothecary with augury scanner + Apothecary with power sword

105

 

TROOPS

9 Tactical Support marines with Volkite Chargers, including sergeant with artificer and power fist

185

 

495

 

 

 

Using that as a base, are there any (fun) units or models you might add?  And how do you think I should play it on the battlefield?

[Lautrec the Embraced]

First of all, if you like this army then by all means go ahead with it and don't mind my suggestions.

- I may be biased here as I don't myself enjoy Recon squads but I feel like they are in an odd situation here, they cost a lot, their firepower is meagre at best, hopefully they can do a lucky shot at apoth or sarge. And for me at least it'd feel weird to drop Termis onto a sniper squad, as if something's been misplaced.

If you need that Vox you could consider Veteran Squad or Seeker Squad. Veterans can be given Scout USR akin to Recon squad and can pack some nasty combis along with an 'ok' melee provided you sprinkled in a few axes or swords.
Seekers retain precision shot, can cosplay as a sniper Recon squad really and their firepower is way meaner than Recon's one - beside Scorpius rounds you can also use Tempest ammo with Blast

- Maybe a Chainfist on terminator squad? Even a damaged Dreadnought might pose an insurmountable obstacle if only 1/5 has a mere Fist.

- My sources, dubious as they may be, suggest that 6-man HSS with Autocannons cost more than 160.

Are you going to use autocannon's range of 48"? If not, I'd say they are pretty mediocre unless facing light vehicles. An argument could be made that a support squad with plasmas for example offers the same firepower against AV (at least at close ranges but isn't moving good for WS?) and it's Ap2. Costs slightly more though.

- Normally  I'll advise a refractor for the warlord but since you've provided him with a I5 Ap2 maybe it's fine, he'll handle sarges but beware other centurions with a fist or an axe

Overall it looks pretty interesting and unconventional though I woludn't exactly say it 'can get around the board quickly' - 3 units tend to remain stationary I'd wager

[Kharash test dummy]

Thanks, that’s really useful feedback.

 

There are definitely a couple of units that are there more because I like the models than because I think they’ll be the most effective use of the points (autocannons being the best example of that!) so I’ll stick with the recon and heavy support squads, but good point on the Seeker squad being an alternative to consider for the same role.

 

And the chainfist is a good idea (although I’d hoped the combi meltas might also be effective against dreadnoughts).

 

Refractor field also a good idea, thanks.

 

Unless I’ve misunderstood badly, I think the autocannons are 135 for the squad and an extra 25 for the the autocannon upgrade though?

 

Also, just realised I made a mistake on the cost of the terminator squad so I’ve had to exchange one of those grav guns for a flamer to find the extra points. Two grav guns was probably overkill anyway though!

[Lautrec the Embraced]

Although 135+25 pts for a regular size 5-man HSS with Autocannons is correct, you wrote '6 Autocannons', hence the comment.

 

Combi-meltas are sure good enough against a dread but still - it's 3 shots, only 2 should be hitting, and if it survives it can hurt the squad as you have 4 guys doing nothing and just hope for the Fist to hit and wound. Chainfist pretty much makes penetrating all but certain, so I'd deem it a good way to mop up whatever received the melta salvo.

[Kharash test dummy]

Ah didn’t spot that. I meant five so that was a slip - oops!

 

And good point on the meltas, thanks.

[The Scorpion]

I'd try to squeeze the Ebon Keshig instead of regular termies, because if not in Zone Mortalis, where else will will you field the Kharash?

They don't fit well with Chogorian Brotherhood, and cannot take Dedicated Transports. On ZM however, this is not an issue.

Alternatively, you can paint them white and use them as a retinue for Qin Xa, another terminator unit that has a hard time finding a place in a fast-moving army.

 

List wise, I think that if you have a Delegatus you don't need the RoW for deepstriking the termies and vice-versa.

As for the Recon Marines, wouldn't shotguns be better for close range than snipers & camo? ZM has scarce line of sight.