IF 1,000 points for an old returning player

[Focke]

I've been out of 40k for about 10 years, but a little while ago some friends and I started back up. We are playing a bit of an escalation league, and it is more for fun than hard core competitive. All the same we are moving into 1,000 points soon, and I expect the games to be a bit more serious than they were at 500 or 750. So this is what I'm planning on running. Are there any major flaws in my list? My opponents are Necrons, Chaos Marines, Eldar, Gene Steeler Cult, Orks, Deamons, and Custodes.

 

Primaris Captain w/Heavy Bolt Pistol, Master Crafted Power Sword (Burning Blade), Relic Shield

Indomitable

105pts

 

Primaris Lieutenant w/ Neo Volkite Pistol, Master Crafted Power Sword, Storm Shield

Hero of the Chapter (Hand of Dorn)

90pts

 

Assault Intercessor Squad

4x Assault Intercessors

Assault Intercessor Sgt w/ Plasma Pistol, Power Fist

110pts

 

Heavy Intercessor Squad

4x Heavy Intercessors w/Executor Bolt Rifle

Heavy Intercessor w/Executor Heavy Bolter

150pts

 

Intercessor Squad 1

4x Intercessors w/Auto Bolt Rifle

Sgt w/Chainsword

100pts

 

Intercessor Squad 2

4x Intercessors w/Bolt Rifle (x1 grenade launcher)

Sgt w/Chainsword

105pts

 

Intercessor Squad 3

4x Intercessors w/Bolt Rifle (x1 grenade launcher)

Sgt w/Chainsword

105pts

 

Outrider Squad

3x Outriders

150pts

 

Eliminator Squad

3x Eliminators w/Las Fusil

90pts

 

[Karhedron]

Your 3 squads of Intercessors look a bit repetitive to me. Whilst I appreciate the value of warm bodies 5 Troops at 1000 points seems like too many boys and not enough toys. Your army lacks hitting power to deal with tougher targets.

 

I would be tempted to drop 2 of the Intercessor squads and replace them with a squad of 5 Bladeguard Veterans. They will give you something beefier to contest midfield objectives. The remaining points would allow you to upgrade one of the remaining Intercessor squads to Infiltrators. Infiltrators have similar capabilities to Intercessors but can deploy to the midfield, prevent enemy Reserves coming on and can bring a Helix Adept for added durability.

[Focke]

Thanks for the reply. Overall hitting power is a concern I have. Especially against the Custodes. But would dropping so many bolters make me vulnerable to the more horde like Orks, cult, and daemons?

[Brother Kraskor]

I agree with Karhedron's comments re: Troops. More than I'd even use in a 2k list let alone 1k! Space Marine strengths lie in our Elites and you've not taken any. I'd want to fit a Redemptor dreadnought in there personally! Tough, and loads of dakka for both tanks and infantry. Also, IF have a great relic that removes the need for a Lieutenant, the Eye of Hypnoth. At the moment you've got Burning Blade but nothing really strong to support the Captain in melee so it's not playing to your strengths. Regular Bolt Rifles aren't a great choice anymore because anything Marine ignores AP-1, so either go Stalkers for AP-2 or Auto for AP0. I also think you Heavy Intercessors can play a better role advancing up the field to take more hotly-contested objectives.

 

Here's an alternative I've thrown together that keeps the essence of your list, see what you think:

 

 

Primaris Captain (105) Warlord (Rites of War), MC power sword & Relic shield, Eye of Hypnoth

 

5 Heavy Intercessors (150) Hellstorm bolt rifles, 1x Hellstorm Heavy bolter

5 Intercessors (100) Stalker Bolt Rifles

5 Intercessors (100) Stalker Bolt Rifles

 

Redemptor (195) MacroPlasma Incinerator, Onslaught Gatling Cannon, Rocket Pod, 2x Storm Bolters

3 Bladeguard Veterans (110) Neo-volkite pistol

 

3 Outriders (150)

 

3 Eliminators (90) Las-fusils

 

1000pts, 6CP

 

General idea is that your regular Intercessors, which are squisher than the Heavies, take the longrange Stalker weapons and hold your objectives. Eliminators can also fulfil this longrange role. Your Heavies, Bladeguard, Dread, and Captain all march into the centre. That is a big nasty blob of anti-horde infantry (Heavies), anti-heavy infantry (Bladeguard), anti-tank (Dreadnought) goodness with re-rolls of 1 to hit and wound thanks to the Captain. It can stay at range or get close and personal. And the whole blob is Objective Secured - if need be you could leave the Heavies behind on a midboard objective and push even deeper with the rest. Outriders provide flexibility and are great screen clearance.

 

Edit: On reflection this is a bit direct. It was not my intention to come across as harsh, just looking to help a fellow son of Dorn! 

Edited April 24, 2022 by Brother Kraskor

[Focke]

No offence taken what so ever. Thanks for explaining the why for the changes as well. Until very recently it had been at least 10 years since my last game of 40K, and knowing what was good in 5th and 6th ed won't translate. I'll probably go with something other than the redemptor. To be honest I'm not a big fan of the design. Give me my old box on stubby legs deads any day. But the tip about the bolter types is helpful. I hadn't really noticed AP -1 not being useful. But then I don't play against much power armor or other marines. We're mostly a bunch of old grognards getting back into 40k, and I'm the only loyalist space marine player (if you don't count the Custodes). But the point is well taken. Exactly the sort of thing I wanted to know. I just wish I'd asked here before putting together and painting 20 Intercessors. But that's on me.

 

And glory to Dorn! I played CF from RT to midway through 3rd ed. Switched to BT near the end of 3rd until I drifted away from the game around when 7th ed was coming out. So with coming back it seamed time to finally play IF.

[Focke]

How about aggressors? Would a unit of aggressors work as a substitute for the dread? And if so should I go with the flamestorm, or boltstorm?

[Focke]

Double post Edited April 24, 2022 by Focke

[Brother Kraskor]

Ah CF, the project every hobbyist knows they have to do one day. I am itching to pull the trigger on them! 

 

To be fair, one thing IF do well is bolters, so your 20 Intercessors may not be a total loss! However I think you might want to run two squads of ten in that case. You can always combat squad them if the mission calls for it, but having them as a ten-man means when you use the Rapid Fire & Bolter Drill stratagems it's going to be deadly. Also the Clearance Protocols stratagem for ten grenades! Also I totally missed this but your Las Fusils are going to be disgusting against Vehicles on Turn 1 at Damage 4, you could double-down on that and get another unit. 

 

If you're not going up against many marines (chaos included) then I might have been unfair on Bolt Rifles. But really I feel like they just half-do the jobs of the Stalkers and the ABRs. if you've got 20 Intercessors you can perform both jobs well by specialising. 

 

Aggressors good thinking, nice dakka and counter-charge unit, tough too, definitely 100% go Boltstorm with IF as they get exploding 6s. 

 

Let me have a rethink and I'll come up with something to try and maximise the Bolter goodness. I think having a Chaplain for the +1 to hit and wound litanies on a ten-man ABR Intercessor unit using Rapid Fire and Bolter Drill will just melt anything. 

 

Edit: Ok, how about this:

 

Primaris Captain (90) Warlord (Architect of War), Master-Crafted Stalker Bolt Rifle, Master-crafted power sword, Eye of Hypnoth

Primaris Chaplain (110) Master of Sanctity, Hero of the Chapter (Wise Orator), Recitation of Focus, Catechism of Fire

 

10 Intercessors (200) Auto Bolt Rifles

10 Intercessors (200) Stalker Bolt Rifles

 

3 Outriders (150)

Attack Bike (60) Multi-melta

 

3 Eliminators (90) Las Fusils

3 Eliminators (90) Las Fusils

 

995pts, 5CP

 

The idea is sit back and blast away with holy bolters & las fusils. Captain gives re-rolls of 1 to hit and wound, and provided your units are in cover (make sure they are!) he gives an extra +1 to their armour save. Combined with the new Armour of Contempt rule (all marines ignore one point of AP), your regular marines will have a 1+ save ignoring the first AP, they will be mega tough to shift. 

 

Outriders & Attack bike are your fast-moving hitters. 

 

Choose whether you need to melt a horde or heavy infantry, and buff either the Stalkers or Autos with the Chaplain litanies, then pop Rapid Fire and Bolter Drill stratagems and watch them melt! Remember to target enemy Vehicles turn 1 especially with Las Fusils as they are +1D as well as +1AP in Devastator doctrine.

Edited April 25, 2022 by Brother Kraskor

[Focke]

Alright. I rearmed some models, bought a couple of new things, and got agreement that I can run bolt rifles as stalker bolters. Here is my new list. Luckily I hadn't assembled my heavy intercessors yet.

 

Primaris Captain w/Rites of War, The Eye of Hypnoth, Master-crafted power sword, Relic Shield

105pts

 

Heavy Intercessor x5 w/Hellstorm Bolt Rifles

140pts

 

Assault Intercessor Squad x10

190pts

 

Intercessor Squad x5 w/Stalker Bolt Rifles

100pts

 

Aggressor x3 w/Boltstorm Gauntlets

135pts

 

Outriders x3

150pts

 

Eliminator x3 w/Las Fusil

90pts

 

Eliminator x3 w/Las Fusil

90pts

 

I would prefer to take auto bolt rifles instead of assault intercessors, but I didn't know where to cut the 10 points. I am however magnetizing their arms to be assault or auto bolters.

Edited April 26, 2022 by Focke

[Brother Kraskor]

Nicely balanced, plenty of options in the toolkit, play some games and see how you go! Those Eliminators will absolutely wreck vehicles turn 1, make sure they get the Captain re-rolls, plenty of dakka in the bag and some nice counter-charge options with Aggressors and Outriders. 

 

Regarding running bolt rifles as stalkers, I think few opponents should have a problem with this. It's not like you're proxying rifle-carrying marines as chainsword marines, it is literally the tiniest detailing on the rifle itself. I have always personally assembled the models with options like that (Hellblasters, Heavy intercessors etc) with the coolest-looking version of the weapon, and then just be very clear with my opponent what exactly they've got. So provided your opponents are happy (and in my opinion they really ought to be!) I think it gives you room to experiment. 

Edited April 28, 2022 by Brother Kraskor