The Unofficial Alpha Legionaire's Tactical Primer

[Factionman]

Are bikes fluffy for AL?

I have had a great idea for a tactic. On the first turn, charge both my bikes and raptors at the same unit, preferrably the most dangerous unit that the enemy has and then fight a CC with them. Hopefully they will still be standing by the end of it and the raptors can Hit and Run, leaving the bikes. Opponents turn, bikes prove fairly difficult to kill and hopefully withstand another round. Second turn, raptors are now backed up by marines, do same tactic as first turn except with marines instead of bikes, also, regular marines/ cultists support the bikers.

However, I don't want to take bikes unless they fit with the AL style of play. Do they?

[SquirrelKing]

Anything and everything fits with the AL style of play.

 

Just because something cannot infiltrate doesn't mean it's not AL fluffy.

 

So yeah! Use bikes, no problem! :)

 

But for your strategy, there are a few small problems to consider. Using Bikes in an effective CC way is expensive (300-400 pts). Raptors have the same "problem" (200-300 pts) so using them together will mean having a very large chunk of your army assaulting the same unit.

 

And I don't hink hit and run would be a good idea here: there is a good chance that whatever "most dangerous unit" can take care of the bikes on their own (that is if they survived the initial assault, of course!). So what might happen is that you would lose precious bikes for no reason.

 

It's not a bad strategy, it might just need some fine tuning, as in maybe redefining what unit would do what....

 

Anyways, that just my opinion! :D

[Factionman]

I guess so...

(bikes can infiltrate can't they)

 

If that strategy doesn't sound right, I don't know what to do. I've got 500 points to fill up and have got no idea how to do it.

Terminators might not be too effective, daemons are unreliable, bikes and raptors are too expensive, obliterators, could be quite good, however unfluffy, more marines is a possibillity but quite boring, tanks are unfluffy and would draw FAR too much attention as it would be the only tank in the whole army, more havocs, possibly, a chosen squad would be good, however usually too expensive to be effective, possessed also unfluffy. I don't know...

 

I might just make a really tooled up 8 man chosen squad for 500 points, lol. :D

[SquirrelKing]

You have to remember: Nothing is unfluffy for AL. Execpt maybe possessed and daemons. But even possessed can be stretched as you could just say they were mechanically augmented or have better equipement (i.e. they are an elite crack squad of marines that have personnally modified chainswords-->d.talons)

 

Oblits are a seperate cult, like raptors. I see no problem in "calling in" some obliterator support.

 

There is also no problems with them using tanks: the AL have been planning a uprising on a planet and have slowly built up a tank force for when they siege the main cities of that planet.

 

You see? Nothing is unfluffy! :)

 

But for what you could put in for 500 pts, look at where your weaknesses are and fill those up. That's what I would do!

 

And no, bikes can't infiltrate! :D

[Factionman]

Damn, oh well, never mind about the bikes then.

 

As for my weaknesses, I need a really hard hitting unit for close combat. All I have is marines, cultists, havocs and two moderately tooled up HQs. I need something that can take on big nasties in combat, Terminators/ Nobs/ Tyranids things.

I think either bloodletters or terminators is the way to go, but both are unreliable.

[Akrim]

Bloodletters are certainly better in assault than Terminators.

They can assault after being summoned, Terminators cannot.

Bloodletters can only be summoned by Cultists tho, which can get pretty dicey.

 

Using Bikers and Raptors is an art of using cover terrain, one which I have yet to master. So they're not entirely "reliable" either.

[SquirrelKing]

Ok, CC nastyness....

 

I see a few options:

 

1) Bloodletters with cultist delivery system: these guys are probably the better "bang for your buck" CC squad. The only problem is when and how they come in. You never know when they will actually arrive plus I'm not sure you can summon them if your cultists are in CC or broken. This complicates matters.

 

2) Raptors are a fast and expensive unit that can be fit to any battlefield role. A squad of 6-8 with Aspiring champ and power fist is a basic but good unit for CC. You can add stuff as you see fit to make them more effective: plasma pistols (dangerous but effective), flamers (assault softener), melta guns (heavy armor/tank killing). Plus infiltrate or furious charge can make them do what you want them to, only better!

 

3) Bikes are a nice fast and tough way to support your other CC elements. Even thought they can't infiltrate, they have the ability to be where you want them to be in no time. Their ability to use their twin-linked bolters (or plasma guns if you want) can make a very nice dent in an assault phase target. Also, their high toughness makes them harder to kill but when they do die, it's the cost equivalent of two marines... The option to give them melta guns can also make them effecient in high armour/tank busting. Furious charge can be used to upgrade their CC potential as well.

 

4) Terminators are a nice hard unit that can be very effective even at their most basic. 2+/5+ saves make them able to withstand potentially anything. Also, like bikes, their twin-linked bolters can add some very needed fire support. The fact that they come with power weapons makes them deadly in CC. The option to upgrade to power/chain fists makes it possible for them to destroy anything 40k has to offer. Deep strike is a relatively random way of getting farther upfield but can permit you to better decide where they would fit in at that particular moment in time.

 

Now there are other things you could do or use, but IMO (apart from basic BP&CCW marines) these would be the best for the effect they can have on a game.

 

Hope this helps!

[Pravus_Orexis]

if we're talking CC bang for your buck I still say you can't beat standard Alpha Legionnaires with BP/CCW and infiltrate. I usually give mine meltas, but I'm going to experiment with flamers. For cost and ease of delivery I think these beat all the other options hands down. And therein lies the rub for the Alpha Legion player. With your basic troops being so brilliant, its really hard to justify the inclusion of the snazz units.

 

As for fluff justification for big stuff - I use a pair of daemonically possessed dreadnoughts rationalising that it was easier for the Alpha Legion to use a daemon that was physically bound to a real space object than having to rely on breaching the fabric of reality to utilise their power in the midst of battle.

[Factionman]

Thanks for the help.

I have already got two nine man marine squads with BP/CCW and two flamers, I think I will expand all of my four marine squads though so each has 11 marines.

This will leave me 372 points to spend. I will buy 8 bloodletters (despite their randomness) and have the cultists bring them in. This is 208 and leaves me 164 points to spend. I will then add four terminators to my Lords retinue, 157 points.

This will hopefully give me some variation and hard hitting units to compliment the bog standard units.

 

(btw, whats IMO?)

[Someguy]

IMO

In My Opinion

 

Not to bad of a list btw

[Akrim]

A new list I wrote up, 1500pts Alpha Legion

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Demon Prince

(D.Strength,Stature,Flight,Mutation,Essence, Spiky Bitz, frags, Furious Charge, great weapon, MoCU) - 169pts

 

Lieutenant

(w/ Dark Blade, infiltrate, D.Flight, Spiky Bitz, b.pistol, frags, MoCU) - 112pts

 

Chaos Marines x10

(w/2 plasmas/7 bolters, MoCU, infiltrate)

(Asp.Champ w/ power weapon, D.Strength, b.pistol) -208pts

 

Chaos Marines x10

(w/melta, flamer, 7 bolt pistols, MoCU, infiltrate)

(Asp.Champ w/power fist, spiky bitz, D.Visage, b.pistol) -216pts

 

Chaos Marines x6

(w/lascannon, plasma, MoCU, infiltrate) -121pts

 

Raptors x7

(w/ flamer, melta, 4 b.pistols, furious charge, infiltrate, MoCU)

(Asp.Champ w/power weapon, d.strength, meltabombs, b.pistol) -287pts

 

Chaos Havocs x6

(w/ 3 autocannons, 1 missile launcher, 4 bolters, MoCU, infiltrate) -176pts

 

Obliterators x3

-210pts

 

total: 45 Models.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

Im basically trying to incorporate the most deadly elements (in my mind) of the Alpha Legion. A little HQ heavy, but VERY DEADLY and assassin-like which is the style im looking for, this will of course be in support of the assault troops.

 

Any critique?

[Factionman]

I'm a bit of a newb but ill say something anyway...

The list looks good, fairly balanced. Not many troops but like you said, HQ heavy. Not much more I would recommend.

If I was you, though, I would swp the D. strength on the Asp. champs to a power fist, but thats just my preference.

[Akrim]

Thats pretty valid actually, even for a "noob" :D. Since it's a bolter-shooty squad anyway, they likely wont be doing much assault charging. I think Ill change it.

 

The list is deceptively shooty for the numbers; 3 Oblits, 10 shooty marines, Havocs...

Im a little nervous about putting 281pts into the DP & Lt, but man those guys could hold their own by themselves (5 attacks each, DP striking on S8 at I6!

 

I've got to focus on keeping my Raptors covered and out of sight, I struggle to keep them alive at the best of times.

[Factionman]

Well, last night I played my first two games using AL. I got slaughtered. It totally ended my winning streak with my Imperial Guard.

It was really embarrassing...

I think i need to change my strategy, so I'm gonna pack as many raptors and chosen with daemonic flight into my list as possible.

The problem was that I was either getting shot to bits before I could assault or I was getting charged, so I think if I can charge first trun with rptors I'll be fine.

[Akrim]

Whats your list look like there Factionman?

I don't think maxing out Raptors and Flying chosen is the way to go, its just too expensive. Tell us what you're using and we can maybe help ya fix it up.

 

On an unrelated note, I played a Blood Angels army in a 1750pt Recon mission last nite, Alpha level, so no infiltrate for me. I used a Cultist heavy army and really put the boots to the Angels. End of the game I had only lost about 25 Cultists (his army was almost dead to a man!). Never underestimate Assassin Cultists on the charge...the Bloodletters they summoned didn't really do much (killed 3 Assault Marines) the Cultists did the rest.

 

Dayum, now I gotta rethink what Im taking to the big tourney comin up... ::cuss:

[DonIzz]

Um, I have a question..

 

What about the missions where we can't infiltrate? Are we at a huge disadvantage when we play Alpha level missions?

Kinda ironic that the level that shares our name doesn't let us do what we're best at...

I mean what do you do when you can't infiltrate? Of course when you play AL you don't waste that many points on infiltrate, but you loose the mobility that you have in the other games and that is worth a lot more than 1pt. a model!

I thought about getting a couple of Dirge Caster to help my cultists take the shots and keep moving, but then you've wasted 15 points in the other games!

In my revised list LINK I considered this, but ended up using the 15 points on a daemonette..

 

So what do you think?

How do you manage those battles where Alpha sticks it to Alpha?

[GilgaladMightyElf]

A great tactic with alpha legion that has always worked for me is deploying my defiler in one corner. As its the only thing i deploy at the same time as my opponent, they see that and spread out. That then allows me to attack the one flank with the rest of my army and its easy to take out a substansial amount of their army out with most of mine.

 

Seen as all i put down is something that most people are afraid of gives me a big psychological advantage as its the only thing they can see and they try to minimize its effectiveness by spreading out which plays into my hands!!

 

 

This is the list i've been using recently and had great success with:

 

Extinction Angels

 

HQ: Lieutenant: MoCU, Lightning Claws, infiltrate, speed, frags - 101pts

 

ELITE: 2 Obliterators - 140pts

 

TROOPS: 8 CSM - 2 plasma guns, bolters, MoCU, infiltrate incl Aspiring champ with powerfist - 176pts

 

8 CSM - 2 plasma guns, bolters, MoCU, infiltrate incl Aspiring champ with powerfist, - 176pts

 

8 CSM - 2 melta guns, CCWs, MoCU, infiltrate incl Aspiring champ with powerfist, mutation - 186pts

 

6 CSM - Lascannon, Plasma gun, MoCU, infiltrate -121pts

 

HEAVY SUPPORT: 8 Havocs - 4 heavy bolters, MoCU, infiltrate - 188pts

 

8 Havocs - 4 Autocannons, infiltrate MoCU, and tank hunters - 232pts

 

Defiler with indirect - 175pts

 

 

Yeah i don't use cultists and daemons but it doesn't fit the background to my chapter and i haven't got around to continuing the background and spending time making suitable conversions for such cultists and daemons.

[Akrim]

@DonIzz

 

My last 4 games by chance have been Alpha level and have been 2W-2L.

While it is a disadvantage if you play marine heavy (you auto-lose 30-40 pts on un-used infiltration skills) it is minor. With Cultists the disavantage is lessened because infiltrate is free for them and they still get their second vet.skill free.

 

Still, without infiltrate the Alpha Legion can be a powerful infantry army, with Cultists you can fill the board with troops and use them to throw demons into combat (and Cultists are good in assault and cheap!). With a Marine-heavy Alpha Legion, you're still using CSM, one of the best troops in the game. Dig in and shoot it out if you're shooty or work your way up through cover if your assaulty.

 

Alpha-level missions are full six turns so take your time, use cover and launch your assaults when the moment is right.

[DonIzz]

It's probably a good idea to take non-infiltrating units anyways (tanks, bikes etc.) as they offer some other tactical options, make sure a lucky opponent can't infiltrate in your deployment zone, and don't suffer from Alph missions.

 

@Gilgalad:

 

As factionman told Akrim: Isn't it a bad idea (waste of points) to put an AC in a shooty squad? For the cost of the ACs you could have extra marines.

This could help you turn the 2 squads into three for more flexibility/ bigger guns.

 

Love you Havoc configs and the cheap lieutnant.

 

Just a rules question:

 

Does a Character with speed get to deploy in escalation games?

[GilgaladMightyElf]

@Gilgalad:

 

As factionman told Akrim: Isn't it a bad idea (waste of points) to put an AC in a shooty squad? For the cost of the ACs you could have extra marines.

This could help you turn the 2 squads into three for more flexibility/ bigger guns.

 

Love you Havoc configs and the cheap lieutnant.

 

Just a rules question:

 

Does a Character with speed get to deploy in escalation games?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

from my experience, my plasma squads ALWAYS end up in combat, be it my opponents intention or mine. when you're operating at 12", there is quite a high chance that you could end up in combat and you want the extra hitting power of the champion to deal with any nasties or to just maul normal stuff. i could get another 3 marines without them but i don't think it'd be worth it.

 

and yes, a character with speed does start on the table with escalation. the rulebook/codex doesn't mention it and pete haines confirmed in on GW forums. isn't that great?!

[Master Jeridian]

It moves as Cavalry/ Beasts, so shouldn't it not deploy in Escalation?

[GilgaladMightyElf]

It moves as Cavalry/ Beasts, so shouldn't it not deploy in Escalation?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

exactly.

 

not sure you meant that double negative there....its strange, i always thought that it didn't because of that until i actually looked at the rules. In the description it says 'may move as cavalry', not it is cavalry and then in the summary at the back of the rulebook it doesn't mention speed at all. flight and steed yes, but not speed. then on GW forums pete haines said that they do deploy in escalation. so my army just got a whole lot nastier to play against!!

[Akrim]

@DonIzz:

ditto what Gilgalad said, especially if you're infiltrating squads, my bolter squads ALWAYS seem to end up in assault because they're a big threat and difficult to dig out of cover. Better to have a champ in there to give them some hth capability. Otherwise your bolter marines will be dragged down and killed in hth.

 

@Gilgilad:

I would make your Havoc squads smaller (6 is a good number).

Ultimately you want to have your Havocs long range in heavy cover. All those extra marines do is sit around, wasted points and more wasted points on vet skills.

My Havocs are six and they rarely/never take wounds.

 

@Escalation question,

a demonic speed equipped character may deploy in Escalation, but I believe monstrous creatures can't, so if he has demonic stature thats a no go.

[GilgaladMightyElf]

@Gilgilad:

I would make your Havoc squads smaller (6 is a good number).

Ultimately you want to have your Havocs long range in heavy cover. All those extra marines do is sit around, wasted points and more wasted points on vet skills.

My Havocs are six and they rarely/never take wounds.

 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

 

dunno mine always get shot at quite a bit and the extra bodies help out a lot.

[Akrim]

Well I could see your H.Bolter Havocs taking hits since the range is shorter, but as for the the autocannons I usually anchor them in the heaviest cover in the corner of the board, waiting for some Rhinos or Dreads to waltz through their line of fire. I don't think my Havocs have ever taken small arms fire...

 

when you infiltrate them, you dont put them in a forward position do you? The only time I would do that is if my opponent left his flank bare with a good piece of cover.

 

But hey to each their own (I just think that tank hunter unit is incredibly expensive!)

 

I like the rest of your list tho, pretty solid.