Astartes Players -- Your Current List

[L30n1d4s]

I thought I'd start a topic here where Astartes players of all stripes and types could share their current list and provide some analysis of how it has been doing for them.

 

Specifically, what units have been your All Stars, what units have been Solid Performers, what units have Underperformed, and any changes you are considering making to your army:

 

I'll start with my own here:

 

<<ARMY LIST>>

(Dark Angels Vanguard Spearhead)

 

-Azrael 

-Phobos Captain

-TDA Chaplain ("Blade Driven Deep" enhancement)

-Phobos Lieutenant ("Ghostweave Cloak" enhancement)

 

-6 Dev Centurions (Gravcannon/CMLs)

-3 Dev Centurions (TLLC/CMLs)

-10 Hellblasters 

-5 Deathwing Knights (Swords)

-5 Incursors 

-5 Incursors 

-5 Scouts (ML/Sniper/CCWs)

-Invictor Tactical Warsuit (Autocannon)

-Predator Destructor 

-Predator Destructor 

 

<<ALL STARS>>

So far, the Grav Centurions, Hellblasters, Predators, Incursors, and DW Knights have consistently been top performers for me. They all do very reliable damage, the DW Knights and Centurions are quite tough (especially against shooting, with -1 to hit and free Cover from Vanguard Spearhead), and they give me the firepower to deal with a pretty broad spectrum of targets (I am weakest against armies with lots of T9+ Monsters, it seems). The TDA Chaplain also has excelled, Infiltrating my DW Knights and making them both more Lethal (+1 to wound in combat) and more durable (4+++ FNP against MWs).

 

<<SOLID UNITS>>

The Scouts have also been decent (almost always dying in the first turn or two, but zoning out enemy infiltrators and delaying my opponent's melee units from getting upfield), the TLLC Centurions and Invictor have been decent supporting shooting/melee as well, and the Phobos Captain (a recent addition to the list) has done his job of giving me a 0CP Sticky Objective per turn (thanks to Rites of Battle) and also a free redeploy of 3 infantry squads. Finally, Azrael has been solid, giving me +1CP per turn and also 4++/Sustained Hits to my Hellblasters (as well as a little extra shooty/melee combat power himself), but he hasn't overwhelmed me with being amazing.

 

<<UNDERPERFORMING UNITS>>

The only unit that has really underperformed is the Phobos Lieutenant. In theory, his ability to Deep Strike, shoot, move a free D6", and still charge means I could grab hard to reach Objectives or tie up enemy shooting units, but I have never had a game yet where he truly has made a difference (usually deep strikes turn 2 and immediately dies after that).

 

<<POTENTIAL LIST CHANGES>>

I'm considering two options, both of which have me dropping Azrael, the Phobos Lieutenant, and the Scouts (this nets me back 250 points).

 

Option A is replacing them with two more Invictors, which I see as "budget" Dreadnoughts that can add extra firepower, fight very respectably in combat, and Scout 8" pregame to help with board control (and since they are Phobos keyword, I can put two of them back into Reserves a turn with the "Guerrilla Tactics" strat).

 

Option B is to take another squad of DW Knights, who have been amazing for me since I added them to my army, and would provide another very strong counter-assault unit to my shooty focused army (which sometimes struggles keeping aggressive enemy units off my firing line/contesting Objectives mid-board).

 

Overall, I am generally quite happy with my list, but still need to get in many more reps and improve my own ability to play it, I think.

Edited November 11 by L30n1d4s
Title

[AutumnEffect]

I tend to play smaller, 1k point games because that's all I have time for and I kinda enjoy it more than full 2K
 

Kor’Sarro Khan – Warlord
Lieutenant with Neo-Volkite Pistol, Master-Crafted Power Weapon & Storm Shield
6 Bladeguard with Neo-Volkite Pistol
Impulsor with Ironhail Heavy Stubber, 2 Storm Bolters and Shield Dome

 

5 Intercessors with 1 Grenade Launcher and Chainsword on the Serg.

5 Intercessors with 1 Grenade Launcher and Chainsword on the Serg.

5 Scouts with Boltguns

 

6 Eradicators with 2 Multi-Meltas
Repulsor with Heavy Bolters and Heavy Onslaught Gatling Cannon

 

1,000 points.

 

I play them as Firestorm though I'm tempted to try some other detachments.

 

It lives or dies on the Kor'Sarro Bladeguard blob. With the Lieutenant in the squad they can yo-yo in and out of combat and get the benefit of Lance from Kor'Sarro every turn. 
Sometimes you can't make enough 4+ Invuln and they just die though.

 

Everything else is pretty standard and obvious. Intercessors and Scouts for objective play and the Repulsor+Eradicators to kill Big Things and distract while the Bladeguard move up.

Edited November 12 by AutumnEffect

[Dr. Clock]

I have... 3 different marine armies: Storm Lords, Salamanders and Deathwatch.

 

I won't put all 3 lists in here - instead I'll just call out some of my experiential 'learnings':

 

<<All STARS>>

 

Vindicator - needs no introduction

 

Vulkan He'Stan - I do, in fact, stan

 

Judiciar - Just good clean fun

 

Inceptors - Do what needs done

 

Thunder Hammer Deathwatch - big slams

 

<<SOLID>>

 

Honestly pretty much everything? 'Most or surprisingly solid' is thus:

 

Scouts - action monkeys are best monkeys

 

Thunderstrikes - survive longer than you'd think, and kill FLY dead

 

Razorback / Devastators - fun to point and click (esp. with Vulkan / Firestorm)

 

Sternguard with Blade Driven Deep Librarian (Combi-weapons + Heavy Bolters)... (my Deathwatch vanity unit to keep a boltery shooting mob and still have them all on 4++ - then Oath whatever infantry they can see and watch it die. Infiltrate is just to get the drop on main enemy infantry concentration, and hopefully scooch up to a flank objective by turn 3)

 

Reivers - honestly never stopped taking them since 8th, and they are easily as good as Scouts for action monkey stuff... Phobos Lt. makes them almost good for janky assault push... they'd be decent hitters with just a single AP on the knives!

 

Terminators - love a good rock unit. Solid without being flashy.

 

<<UNDERPERFORMERS>>

 

Outriders - awkward action monkeys and move blockers, and nothing else. As scion of the Khan, I want these to smash and ALSO grab. Comparison to even Chaos bikers is depressing.

 

Assault Intercessors - Almost solid. Don't know what the solution is, though... At 70 pts they're probably solid?

 

Bladeguard - equal measure indispensible and underperforming... S6 would make them solid honestly.

 

Vanguard veterans - literally what? I take 2x5 in Deathwatch and they sometimes do stuff... I just want like a single actual thunder hammer per unit, please... Also maybe don't raise points on basic marines based on a Blood Angels combo that is also gone now?

 

(Extra Credit - Corvus Blackstar - I want my second lascannon shot back)

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[jpwyrm]

Here's the latest iteration of my list :

 

Kayvaan Shrike 

Lieutenant : Fire Discipline

Techmarine 

 

3x Centurion Assault Squad, flamers

10x Hellblaster Squad

3x Inceptor Squad, Bolters

5x Infiltrator Squad

5x Scout Squad

10x Vanguard Veteran Squad with fusion pistols

Redemptor Dreadnought

Stormraven Gunship

Vindicator

Vindicator

 

All Stars:

 

-Vindicators: They can demolish anything if the dice are on your side. They're always durable. Sometimes they do both and outshine everyone in the list

 

- Redemptor: so much resiliency! He attracts a lot of firepower it's incredible! And now with the techmarine nearby, I can keep him up even longer!

 

- Hellblasters + Lt. Point on target to delete. Not so durable but they'll get rid of pretty much anything that is Oathed in Devastator Doctrine.

 

Solid

 

- Scouts doing scout thing.

 

- Vanguard vets + Shrike. Now with the full 10 fusion pistols! They can put a dent in a lot of units and reach wherever they need to safely thanks to Lone Op. Solid disruption unit.

 

- Assault Centurions: tanky for their points, they eat overwatch for days and will mulch most MSU thanks to their twin linked small arms weapons. If a vehicle is left unattended, they'll just have fun punching through it.

 

Underperforming :

 

- Stormraven : too expensive for what it does. I just love playing a flying transport but it's not the best point investment for sure...

[DemonGSides]

Trade that Redemptor in for a brutalis to stick in that storm raven and hot drop him in the backline. It will not work most of the time, but the one time it does.... Ooo it's gonna feel good. 

[L30n1d4s]

These are all great, appreciate you all sharing, I'm learning a lot just seeing things that worked for others' lists!

[jpwyrm]

On 11/12/2024 at 2:55 PM, DemonGSides said:

Trade that Redemptor in for a brutalis to stick in that storm raven and hot drop him in the backline. It will not work most of the time, but the one time it does.... Ooo it's gonna feel good. 

I have thought about the Brutalis and if I ever want to do the "Starcraft Med-evac" combo, I'll be using a Brutalis for it. As of now, I'm keeping the Redemptor, he's been too useful to pass up!

[jpwyrm]

On 11/11/2024 at 12:37 PM, L30n1d4s said:

<<POTENTIAL LIST CHANGES>>

I'm considering two options, both of which have me dropping Azrael, the Phobos Lieutenant, and the Scouts (this nets me back 250 points).

 

Option A is replacing them with two more Invictors, which I see as "budget" Dreadnoughts that can add extra firepower, fight very respectably in combat, and Scout 8" pregame to help with board control (and since they are Phobos keyword, I can put two of them back into Reserves a turn with the "Guerrilla Tactics" strat).

 

Option B is to take another squad of DW Knights, who have been amazing for me since I added them to my army, and would provide another very strong counter-assault unit to my shooty focused army (which sometimes struggles keeping aggressive enemy units off my firing line/contesting Objectives mid-board).

 

Overall, I am generally quite happy with my list, but still need to get in many more reps and improve my own ability to play it, I think.

 

I would go with Option A. I'm partial to the Invictor because I like the model, but your points are all valid and in a list like yours, I have a feeling you can get a lot out of them, even if you don't use every trick they've got in all your games.

Have you considered including a Hailstrike and/or Hammerstrike to your list? A lot of weapons in your army are only -1, with the option of an additionnal -1 from SfS for the Centurions. With cover and Armor of Contemps mechanics, I find adding extra AP is very usefull against hard to shift targets like Deathwing Knights, Custodes, Terminators...

[Karhedron]

On 11/12/2024 at 3:33 PM, Dr. Clock said:

Assault Intercessors - Almost solid. Don't know what the solution is, though... At 70 pts they're probably solid?

 

Assault Intercessors are cheap Battleline and OC2. Their real value though comes as a Captain delivery mechanism. Charge a unit on an Objective for full rerolls to Wound and trigger the Captain's "Finest Hour" ability. He now gets 9 attacks with an MCPW and full rerolls to wound allow you fish for Devastating Wounds. It is a cheap combo that will reliably put 4 MWs on any target before you start resolving normal damage.

 

Lots of Detachments can boost this with Enhancements. For example, Blood Angels can take "Rage Fuelled Warrior" to give him a one-off Sustained Hits 3 in melee. Combine this with with OOM for a truly ridiculous damage output. You will typically average 14 Hits with this guy, which works out to about 8 MWs against anything. Space Wolves can Take the Black Death enhancement for Anti-vehicle 4+ and anti-Monster 4+ which again will rack up about 8 MWs on average against monsters and vehicles. Other Detachments often have melee buffing Enhancements and then you can add Stratagems (free or cheap thanks to Rites of Battle) for even more damage.

[dice4thedicegod]

I took this to a rtt (only time I’ve played it).  Just leaned into durability.

Stormlance detachment 

 

3x deathwing knights + terminator chaplain

3x redemptor dread (all with little gatlings, 2 with big gatlings)

 

the lion

 

Atv (mobile utility unit)

 

ancient(to sit on home objective with 4+++)

 

 

went 2-1.  
 

In general, the deathwing knights are the workhorses and are very maneuverable with permanent advance and charge, plus with the chaplains they are a threat to even the toughest vehicles/monsters (I was using power weapons) and he gives them permanent 4+++ against mortal wounds .  

 

The Gatling redemptors are great for whittling down tricky units on the opponents side.  Normally I’d oath of moment a key target and launch 40 to 56 Gatling shots at it.   
 

the lion was very underwhelming.  I’m sure I’d have felt differently against knights or leman russes but he bounced off a lot of invulnerable saves while I failed a bunch of 3++ (so it might have partially been rolls).  His final game, which I won, saw him get charged by rotigus while they were both at full health.  He scratched rotigus while fighting first, then rotigus killed him… even with a save reroll.

 

ATV seems great value at 60 points. Fast, durable, bit of firepower.

 

the game I lost was to a good deathguard player who managed to win the midboard battle of attrition.  -1 damage reduction doesn’t matter against oodles of chip damage and I wasn’t rolling 4 ups that well.  Close though, think it was 76 to 67.
 

 

[HeadlessCross]

For Loyalist Scum, I've been doing Dark Angels ever since the Firestorm detachment has taken direct and indirect nerfs. 

 

Azrael

Apothecary Biologis w/ Fire Discipline

Gravis Captain w/ Fist and Artificer Armor

Terminator Chaplain w/ Shield and Honor Vehement

Combi-Weapon Lieutenant

 

×5 Assault Intercessors w/ Power Fist

×5 Assault Intercessors w/ Power Fist

×5 Jump Intercessors w/ Hand Flamer and Power Fist

×5 Jump Intercessors w/ Hand Flamer and Power Fist

×6 Eradicators w/ 2 Multi-Melta

×6 Inner Circle Companions

×5 Deathwing Knights w/ Maces and Flail

×5 Deathwing Knights w/ Maces and Flail

×5 Deathwing Knights w/ Power and Relic Weapons

×5 Scouts w/ 3 Shotguns, Missile Launcher, Sniper Rifle

 

Plan is simple. 11 units to activate gives a lot of room for controlling objectives. People are often surprised I decided to run a Gravis Captain with the normal Biologis + Eradicator route. They're the ultimate target for a free Strat so they can keep moving and shooting instead of potentially getting bogged down. I've switched this back and forth though via losing the Scouts and using Aggressors for 10 units to play with instead. Chaplain is self explanatory as him + Power Weapon Knights outperform any unit for the price. Don't think it's much different from other Dark Angels Gladius lists outside that, though. 

Edited Saturday at 12:36 AM by HeadlessCross
Forgot to list a couple equipments

[Moonstalker]

I'll share my list, but I don't know how helpful it'll be - I have yet to get in a game of 10th.

 

Gladius Task Force

Captain with neo-volkite pistol and power fist, warlord

Lieutenant with plasma pistol, power fist, and fire discipline

 

5 Assault Intercessors, sergeant with hand flamer and thunder hammer

5 Assault Intercessors, sergeant with hand flamer and thunder hammer

5 Intercessors with one AGL, sergeant with power fist

5 Intercessors with one AGL, sergeant with power fist

 

4 Company Heroes

5 Assault Intercessors with Jump Packs, sergeant with plasma pistol and power fist

5 Infiltrators with one helix gauntlet

5 Sternguard with one heavy bolter, sergeant with power weapon

10 Hellblasters, sergeant with plasma pistol

5 Devastators with four lascannons, sergeant with plasma pistol and power weapon

5 Devastators with four grav-cannons, sergeant with plasma pistol and power weapon

5 terminators with one cyclone missile launcher and one chain fist, sergeant with power weapon

 

Land Raider

Predator Destructor with lascannon sponsons

Predator Destructor with lascannon sponsons

 

After the recent points changes it comes out to 2010 points so I may have to swap the jump pack intercessors for something else - probably infernus marines, cause they're the right price and I have them on hand.  I'm sure most of it is fairly lackluster, the only real power combo in there is putting the Lt with the Hellblasters in the Land Raider to go delete something.  Infiltrators hold the back line against deep strikes and outflanks while I flood the board with power armor.  I couldn't quite get to 100 marines on the table, but 66 is pretty good.  Organized as legions were in HH, that's 10 tacticals, 10 despoilers, 10 tactical support, 10 heavy support, 5 jump pack and 5 scouts, 10 veterans, a command squad with 2 HQs, and an armor platoon with a predator section and a land raider.

 

I am certain that improvement could be found in dropping the Company Heroes and sticking the captain with assault intercessors instead, dropping one of the intercessor groups, picking up more killing power (like Aggressors, or swapping Predators for Gladiators).  But then it wouldn't be the anachronism that it is, a force entirely composed of shiny new Primaris marines fighting with legionary tactics.

[The Praetorian of Inwit]

You guys actually play games  I had one game of 10th back in January with a now ex-friend. 

[DemonGSides]

20 hours ago, The Praetorian of Inwit said:

You guys actually play games  I had one game of 10th back in January with a now ex-friend. 

 

Yeah I try to play at least one a month.

 

10th is pretty quick compared to more recent editions. I'm not sure exactly what makes it quicker (Removal of psychic phase seems like an obvious culprit but none of us played psyker heavy in the past so it feels like it can't be just that), especially considering how similar 9th and 10th were, but I think the reduction of strategems definitely helps, as well as a general tightening of the screws everywhere.

 

Still grumbly about army list building being less choice driven, but making a list can be REAL QUICK when an unexpected chance to play has sprouted up, so that's nice. 

Edited Tuesday at 05:18 PM by DemonGSides

[HeadlessCross]

21 hours ago, The Praetorian of Inwit said:

You guys actually play games  I had one game of 10th back in January with a now ex-friend. 

I try to get in at minimum two games a month, but now with school I doubt I'll have time for even that. If you're looking for gaming groups, this forum and other forums (DakkaDakka, Reddit, etc.) are a fantastic resource. 

[Forté]

I've been playing various different sized games ranging from 700 to 1500 points, and even a couple of team games with around 6000 points on each side (mixture of armies though). So I won't put lists as I'm still playing with the list.

 

What I have settled on is the Firestorm detachment. This is mainly because i find it encourages me to really push into those close ranges and actually move aggressively, which is quite fun.

 

++ All Stars ++

• Gravis Captain with Flamestorm Aggressors in a Land Raider Redeemer. Overwatch and other Firestorm stuff makes these nasty.

 

• 3× Boltstorm Inceptors. Just the threat of the 3" deep strike with those bolters and +1S is enough to keep the opponent thinking. Watch out for torrent weapons though.

 

• Chaplain with Jump Pack with 10× Jump Ints (PF & 3× PP). Mortal wounds and fast movement. Excellent for counter attacking.

 

• Vindicator (or 2... maybe 3). I love them. My regular ops hate them. Especially when pushed in their face and still shooting that massive canon (with Assault and +1S within 12", thank you Firestorm). They have to be dealt with because they can make a mess of troops and vehicles.

 

 

++ Solid Performers ++

• Techmarine. Mainly for putting the buff on a vehicle and then getting his own close combat buffs when a vehicle has been destroyed near him. Wish they were Gravis though.

 

• Ballistus. Yes, I push this forward with everything else. Has done plenty of damage for me and held up squads.

 

• Infiltrators. After having a character sneak on to a corner that I hadn't screened properly, these have really helped protect the rear. Terrible damage output though.

 

• Eradicators. Against vehicles and monsters. Don't waste them on small targets.

 

• Scouts. Yes, I gave 2 shotguns but I wasn't set on Firestorm at that point. Cheap access to a missile launcher and with deployment tricks. Well worth the points.

 

 

++ Underperformers ++

• Hellblasters. Just haven't impressed me.

 

• Biologis. Just overpriced now for what it brings.

 

• Anything in Terminator Armour. Slow to die but just doesn't do enough damage to justify the points. The Gravis stuff just does things better for cheaper.

 

• Infernus. Without any AP they just don't get through.

 

• Sternguard. Not fussed. Standard Ints seem more useful.

 

 

++ Just don't ++

• Desolation. Bought them when the codex was on pre order then huge nerf. Never touch them... ever.

 

 

[DemonGSides]

2 minutes ago, Forté said:

Hellblasters. Just haven't impressed me.

 

This surprises me. In Firestorm they seem prime; they want to be advanced and shoot, they want the +1S, they get to fire even if they die in response to the enemy. I love em.

 

3 minutes ago, Forté said:

Biologis. Just overpriced now for what it brings.

 

Depends on how you're using him and if you bring the enhancements.  In Firestorm he loses a little utilization but adding Lethals onto your Eradicators is generally considered to be one of the stronger combos in SM right now; being able to skip over the to wound roll with the somewhat Strength anemic melta stat line is awesome.  Give him forged in battle and watch as your enemies heavies get melted.

 

I still like him with aggressors as well, but obviously not flamethrower guys where he's totally wasted. Give them a captain and laugh on Immolation Protocols.

 

7 minutes ago, Forté said:

Anything in Terminator Armour. Slow to die but just doesn't do enough damage to justify the points. The Gravis stuff just does things better for cheaper.

 

Detatchment/faction makes the biggest change here. Terminators are great in non Vanilla SM armies right now it feels like, but standard termies are kinda "big whoop".

 

 

You're totally right on Desolation Marines. And I hope it stays that way forever. God Awful models with 0 identity. 

[Moonstalker]

If I ever field Desolation Marines, they will be like my Devastators: Intercessors with Horus Heresy heavy weapons bits.  They'd have to come down in points first, though.

[HeadlessCross]

4 hours ago, Moonstalker said:

If I ever field Desolation Marines, they will be like my Devastators: Intercessors with Horus Heresy heavy weapons bits.  They'd have to come down in points first, though.

GW forgets that usually one hit with the nerfhammer is fine. They always double down for whatever reason. 

 

I'd maybe pay 160ish for a squad, but 200 is just WAY goo much. 

[Forté]

21 hours ago, DemonGSides said:

This surprises me. In Firestorm they seem prime; they want to be advanced and shoot, they want the +1S, they get to fire even if they die in response to the enemy. I love em.

I've just not had them even make their points back in any game so far so they've dropped down the pecking order for me. Probably hasn't helped that I've usually rolled badly on the "For the Chapter!" roll.

 

 

I find Eradicators rarely need lethal hits with all the built in rerolls, and the Biologis doesn't pack enough punch to give a squad of Eradicators his OC buff ability. 70 points for Lethal Hits is too much. I'd rather pick up a squad of scouts for that.

 

With the Bolter Aggressors, I can definitely understand his worth. Unless in a Land Raider, and then the Captain wins that choice.

 

 

As for Terminators... I've loved them since the original Space Hulk in the 90's. The current minis are excellent and tower over the originals. I just wish they had more punch in Vanilla than they currently do. Having no AP at all on the Storm Bolter is ridiculous for what is meant to be the epitome of veteran equipment. Even a basic Bolt Rifle is more reliable.

 

Why would a Vet choose a Storm Bolter over any other weapon available to 1st company? Sternguard Bolt Rifle, Grav Pistol, Inferno Pistol, etc. Pretty much all have a better punch.

 

And yeah... the non-codex variant playing with the cool toys.

[Moonstalker]

7 hours ago, Forté said:

I've just not had them even make their points back in any game so far so they've dropped down the pecking order for me. Probably hasn't helped that I've usually rolled badly on the "For the Chapter!" roll.

 

 

I find Eradicators rarely need lethal hits with all the built in rerolls, and the Biologis doesn't pack enough punch to give a squad of Eradicators his OC buff ability. 70 points for Lethal Hits is too much. I'd rather pick up a squad of scouts for that.

 

With the Bolter Aggressors, I can definitely understand his worth. Unless in a Land Raider, and then the Captain wins that choice.

 

 

As for Terminators... I've loved them since the original Space Hulk in the 90's. The current minis are excellent and tower over the originals. I just wish they had more punch in Vanilla than they currently do. Having no AP at all on the Storm Bolter is ridiculous for what is meant to be the epitome of veteran equipment. Even a basic Bolt Rifle is more reliable.

 

Why would a Vet choose a Storm Bolter over any other weapon available to 1st company? Sternguard Bolt Rifle, Grav Pistol, Inferno Pistol, etc. Pretty much all have a better punch.

 

And yeah... the non-codex variant playing with the cool toys.

 

Just today I was working on my second squad of the new terminators, and they really are some fine models.  But one thing that I really liked about Space Wolves in previous editions was how customizable their terminators were, specifically when it came to their ranged weapons.  A squad of terminators piling out of a Land Raider and rapid firing combi-plasmas was some pretty gruesome damage output.  I wish they still had that, and even that more marines had that.  But I won't hate on storm bolters, just cause they're so iconic.  A point of AP and sustained hits sounds pretty cool to me.