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First Army: Imperial Fist 2000pts

First off, Hi and Merry Christmas too you all. I’ve been a long term follower of the site and the forums but have only just signed up.

Similarly, I’ve been a long term follower of W40k, but haven’t played it since 1999! I’ve always enjoyed modelling and painting miniatures I’ve recently decided to actively start playing it again and so have bought the CSM and started compiling an army list.

I like Imperial Fist due to their fluff, and their colour, simple.

Here’s my first army list, I’d appreciate any advice, recommendations, constructive criticism please. I’m looking for an all round army, something that can be tweaked depending on the opposition.

HQ: 705pts

Generic Chapter Master
- Artificer Armour, Shield Eternal, Power First, Grav Pistol, Teleport Homer
- Attached to Honour Guard

Lysander
- Attached to Assault Terminators

Honour Guard x5
- Relic Blades x4, Thunder Hammer (Champion)
- Dedicated Transport: Drop Pod
- Accompanied by Generic Chapter Master

Troops: 530pts

Tactical Squad x 10
- Missile Launcher/ Flakk, Plasma Gun
- Dedicated Transport: Rhino + Storm Bolter

Tactical Squad x 10
- Missile Launcher/ Flakk, Plasma Gun
- Dedicated Transport: Rhino + Storm Bolter

Scout Squad x 5
- Missile Launcher /Flakk + Camo Cloaks

Elite: 655pts

Assault Terminator Squad x5
- Thunder Hammers/St.Shields x3, Lightning Claws x2.
- Accompanied by Lysander

Sternguard Squad x 10
- Plasma Pistol + Lightning Claw (Sergeant)
- Dedicated Transport: Rhino + Storm Bolter

Venerable Dreadnought
- Heavy Bolter + Missile Launcher/ Flakk

Heavy: 120pts

Predator
- Autocannon, 2xLascannon(sponsons), Storm Bolter

Tactics
My thinking is that I would Drop Pod the Chapter Master and Honour Guard at Turn 1, and using the Teleport Homer, Deep Strike Lysander and the Assault Terminators at Turn 2. This would give me two very strong close combat units to cause havoc amongst the enemy’s lines. The Sternguard, with special ammo would advance on the enemy providing fire support. Two Tactical Squads would move forward to secure objectives and provide further support. The Scout Squad is more for hanging back and securing any rear objectives. The Dreadnought and Predator would provide long range support. Anti-aircraft is covered by the 4 Flakk missile launchers. All tanks have additional Storm Bolter for redundancy.

Thoughts
I would have liked to have added another Heavy Support, but I suppose there is flexibility somewhere there. I’m also still debating the best/safest/cheapest way to deep strike Lysander and his Terminators into the thick of things…I want to avoid any mishaps with such an expensive unit.

I would either take the honour guard and chapter master, or Lysander and terminators, choose one and put them in a land raider crusader, they're great transport and fire support


Automatically Appended Next Post:
And don't take relic blades on the honour guard your better off with axes and power lances.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
And your chapter master can't take a grav gun he doesn't have three arms, lastly change the power fist for a burning blade

 Rupertrampton wrote:
I would either take the honour guard and chapter master, or Lysander and terminators, choose one and put them in a land raider crusader, they're great transport and fire support


Automatically Appended Next Post:
And don't take relic blades on the honour guard your better off with axes and power lances.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
And your chapter master can't take a grav gun he doesn't have three arms, lastly change the power fist for a burning blade

Agreed on the relic blades. Confused on the grav pistol comment re: 3 arms... what are you on about there?
Grav pistol on the CM is pretty useless though tbh. One shot at 12" isn't going to make your game.

I'd also drop the flak on the Tacs (one single AA shot each squad = meh). Maybe change it to Plasma Cannon/Plasma Gun instead.

Give your Scouts sniper rifles

Drop the Plasma pistol and LC on the sternguard sgt, give your sternguard some combi weapons

Make the venerable an Ironclad instead .. Heavy bolter arm isn't the best choice imo.

Thanks for the advice.

I still like the idea of having a two pronged assault with Lysander and the Chapter Master, so thanks for highlighting my oversight on the Burning Blade. I had misread that I could only pick one chapter relic for him. I’ve also removed the Relic Blade upgrade from the Honour Guard and stuck with Power Weapons as suggested, so have a few points to spare with this list.

Just tested swapping out the Chapter Master and Honour Guard for a Land Raider as suggested. It feels like a more balanced list and gives me enough spare points to add a Devastator Squad. I moved the AA Missile Launchers to the Devastator Squad and gave the Tactical Squads Plasma Cannons as suggested. Here’s the new list with the Land Raider:

HQ: 230pts

Lysander
- Attached to Assault Terminators

Troops: 510pts

Tactical Squad x 10
- Plasma Cannon, Plasma Gun
- Dedicated Transport: Rhino + Storm Bolter

Tactical Squad x 10
- Plasma Cannon, Plasma Gun
- Dedicated Transport: Rhino + Storm Bolter

Scout Squad x 5
- Missile Launcher /Flakk + Camo Cloaks

Elite: 905pts

Assault Terminator Squad x5
- Thunder Hammers/St.Shields x3, Lightning Claws x2.
- Accompanied by Lysander
- Dedicated Transport: Land Raider Redeemer + Storm Bolter

Sternguard Squad x 10
- All Boltguns (using Special Ammo) + Lightning Claw (Sergeant)
- Dedicated Transport: Rhino + Storm Bolter

Venerable Dreadnought
- Twin-Linked Lascannon + Missile Launcher/ Flakk

Heavy: 360pts

Devastator Squad x 9
- 4x Missile Launcher/ Flakk + Lightning Claw (Sergeant)

Predator
- Autocannon, 2xLascannon(sponsons), Storm Bolter

Are Sniper Rifles better than Bolters (with Bolter Drill) and a Missile Launcher for the Scouts? Sorry, don’t know much about them.

Anyone have any further comments on this list, any obvious omissions, oversights? Do you think the Devastator Squad for 240 points is the right thing to add? Or is there something more suited to the rest of this list, perhaps upgrade the Sternguard transport to a Stormraven?

I'm not sure what to think of the Fast options, they all seem quite lightweight for my liking.

2 arms two weapons, he had 3 weapons three arms

 Rupertrampton wrote:
2 arms two weapons, he had 3 weapons three arms

Generic Chapter Master
- Artificer Armour, Shield Eternal, Power First, Grav Pistol, Teleport Homer
- Attached to Honour Guard

I see 2 weapons.



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gw1983 wrote:


Venerable Dreadnought
- Twin-Linked Lascannon + Missile Launcher/ Flakk

Not sure why you're making this Dread Venerable tbh. Seems like a waste of points to me.

Devastator Squad x 9
- 4x Missile Launcher/ Flakk + Lightning Claw (Sergeant)

Your dev squad should never get into close combat. Lightning Claw is another waste of points on the sgt. Keep him barebones and put the points elsewhere.

Are Sniper Rifles better than Bolters (with Bolter Drill) and a Missile Launcher for the Scouts? Sorry, don’t know much about them.

With camo cloaks you're probably sticking your scouts into cover. Give them sniper rifles for the bonuses they give (picking your target on 6's, rending, etc) for 1 point each .. it's a bargain!

Anyone have any further comments on this list, any obvious omissions, oversights? Do you think the Devastator Squad for 240 points is the right thing to add? Or is there something more suited to the rest of this list, perhaps upgrade the Sternguard transport to a Stormraven?

I'm not sure what to think of the Fast options, they all seem quite lightweight for my liking.

Keep your sternguard in the Rhino, if you're not going to do a Drop Pod. The Stormraven would be a bad transport choice.

Fast options are probably not great for this kind of list either.

Dev squad is a great addition, especially since you gave them extra bodies. Put them in cover and fire away!

Rorschach9, thanks for your comments.

I’ve dropped the Lightning Claw from the Dev. Serg. (bad use of points, I can see that now) and I’ve given the Scouts Sniper Rifles as suggested. With these savings I’ve added a tenth member to the Dev. Squad and given the Sternguard some combi-weapons.

I’ve kept the Dreadnought Venerable, mainly for its improved BS skill and Venerable Special Rule. Again, I might be missing something here, but it sounds worthwhile in theory.

I’m not 100% on AA weaponry, am I relying purely on the Flakk Missile Launchers I have, or will other weapons (i.e. Predator) contribute something?

Power fist shield eternal grav pistol three weapons

 Rupertrampton wrote:
Power fist shield eternal grav pistol three weapons

Eh, forgot the part about the relics being swapped with a weapon.

Right then .. get rid of the grav pistol anyway. Either keep shield eternal and go with a melee weapon, or grab a storm shield and have both a melee and ranged weapon. Depends on what you want the Chapter Master to accomplish really.



Automatically Appended Next Post:

gw1983 wrote:


I’ve kept the Dreadnought Venerable, mainly for its improved BS skill and Venerable Special Rule. Again, I might be missing something here, but it sounds worthwhile in theory.

I’m not 100% on AA weaponry, am I relying purely on the Flakk Missile Launchers I have, or will other weapons (i.e. Predator) contribute something?

I'm just not sold on the slight benefit of Venerable. One re-roll of a penetrating hit with a good chance of still having an undesireable result (and still losing a HP), and a very slight increased chance to hit doesn't seem worth the points. I'd rather make it an Ironclad and drop pod it into the enemies front lines to cause havoc with heavy flamers for a couple turns.

The other weapons will contribute to AA .. but firing only as snapshots. While not a horrible thing, you do need to bring an aweful lot of relatively high STR shots to bear on a flier to kill it with only snapshots. Depending on what you think you'll be facing though, the 4 flakk launchers could be enough.

Sorry for the confusion surrounding the Chapter Master’s three weapons, my bad originally for misreading the options. If I were to field the two CC squads I would have him head up the Honour Guard with just the Shield Eternal and the Burning Blade. The other squad would be Lysander with Assault Terminators.

That’s another day’s list though. I’ve dropped the Chapter Master and Honour Guard from this list.

Rorschach9, I had intended to use the Dreadnought as a long range fire support for the above mentioned two CC squads. But since I’ve dropped one and now have the Dev. Squad for additional fire power I suppose I could switch the role of the Dreadnought to CC.

Just about have enough points to switch to an Ironclad with 2xHeavy Flamers and a Drop Pod.

Thanks.

If you're using your dread for long range fire support (which is feasible, absolutely), your best bet, points wise, is a standard dreadnought with TL Autocannons for both arms. Also known as the rifleman dreadnought.

Two Heavy 4, rending, twin linked weapons per turn with 48" range is better than a TL Las and Missiles .. cheaper too if I recall off the top of my head.

Another AC/Las sponson predator might be better though .. it's a tossup.

Yeah, for Long Range Fire Support I'd probably go with a second Predator instead.

I like the CC Dreadnought idea. I can Drop Pod him in at turn 1, whilst charging Lysander's Land Raider forward - plenty to occupy the enemy whilst my Rhinos advance into position.

I like the look of this list, thanks again.

Rorschach9 wrote:
(which is feasible, absolutely)

You called?

an Ironclad Dreadnought w/ HF in a Pod can be very helpful. An Ironclad Dreadnought known as the Rifleman Dreadnought is a Dread w/ Two Twinlinked Autocannons. Therefore not rending.

 Feasible wrote:

Rorschach9 wrote:
(which is feasible, absolutely)

You called?

an Ironclad Dreadnought w/ HF in a Pod can be very helpful. An Ironclad Dreadnought known as the Rifleman Dreadnought is a Dread w/ Two Twinlinked Autocannons. Therefore not rending.

Bah yes .. Assault Cannon/AutoCannon mix up (re: rending).

Though I don't know anyone that would take an Ironclad as a rifleman .. I didn't suggest that, that's for sure.

Ironclad can't be armed as a rifleman anyway.

I made a mistake

Thanks to all for the tips and advice, this gives me a good starting point for collecting and fielding my first army in 14 years! I’m going to post a query regarding the whole three weapon three arm confusion in the “40K you make da call” section, I guess that’s where it belongs. I need some further opinions on the rules regarding number of weapons per model.

Thanks for now.