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Librarian 65
Command squad, rhino, 2 storm shields, 2 meltas, 2 meltabombs, rhino 185
Tactical squad, melta, combi melta, rhino 125
Tactical squad, plasma gun, combi plas, meltabomb, rhino 135
Assault squad, veteran sergeant, power fist and combat shield, 2 flamers, Rhino 135
Stormtalon, syhammer & assault cannon 125
Predator, las sponsons 115
Predator, las sponsons 115

I know the assault squad isn't the most competitive choice, but it's there because I love the look of my pseudo-captain veteran sergeant. While it's not competitive, it's not BAD is it? The general idea would be to use the squad as for distraction and harassment, counter-charging and vehicle mushing.

List looks fun to play, but its quite one directional in that everything is gonna be tearing up the field to engage the enemy.

If you want a few distraction units, why not give the assault squad jump packs instead of the rhino and deep strike them into the game, preferably onto a objective held by squishy infantry. You could also drop pod you command squad as they are primarily AT and will probably meltapod a tank first turn somewhere on their backline.

What do you plan to do with the Preds? If you are going to hang back and bang away that's fine, but up close the second LC sponson is useless as you can rarely see the same unit from both sides unless its more than halfway down the pitch. Maybe save the points on one each and upgrade Tac's rhinos to razorbacks?

Also, where is the libby going? With the command squad? If so he might need something more than just his power amour unless you can tank hits onto your storm shield marines. I would also go level 2 to keep you in the Psychic fight and better chance of getting invisibility.

I imagine you are limited by minis available, but some of these might be worth considering if you have them.

 trephines wrote:
Librarian 65
Command squad, rhino, 2 storm shields, 2 meltas, 2 meltabombs, rhino 185
Tactical squad, melta, combi melta, rhino 125
Tactical squad, plasma gun, combi plas, meltabomb, rhino 135
Assault squad, veteran sergeant, power fist and combat shield, 2 flamers, Rhino 135
Stormtalon, syhammer & assault cannon 125
Predator, las sponsons 115
Predator, las sponsons 115

I know the assault squad isn't the most competitive choice, but it's there because I love the look of my pseudo-captain veteran sergeant. While it's not competitive, it's not BAD is it? The general idea would be to use the squad as for distraction and harassment, counter-charging and vehicle mushing.

I would defo put the Assault Squad in a drop pod. that way they can make use of their flamers turn 1 or drop on top of an objective.

Other than that Lapedus has it covered with what he says.

How about:

Librarian, ML 2 90
Command squad, rhino, 2 storm shields, 2 meltas, 2 meltabombs, rhino 185
Tactical squad, melta, combi melta, rhino 125
Tactical squad, plasma gun, combi plas, meltabomb, rhino 135
Stormtalon, syhammer & assault cannon 125
Devastator squad, 4 heavy bolters, 110
Predator, las sponsons 115
Predator, las sponsons 115

Failing that,
Librarian 65
Command squad, rhino, 2 storm shields, 2 meltas, 2 meltabombs, rhino 185
Tactical squad, melta, combi melta, rhino 125
Tactical squad, plasma gun, combi plas, meltabomb, rhino 135
Tactical squad, plasma gun, combi plas, meltabomb, rhino 135
Stormtalon, syhammer & assault cannon 125
Predator, las sponsons 115
Predator, las sponsons 115

 trephines wrote:
How about:

Librarian, ML 2 90
Command squad, rhino, 2 storm shields, 2 meltas, 2 meltabombs, rhino 185
Tactical squad, melta, combi melta, rhino 125
Tactical squad, plasma gun, combi plas, meltabomb, rhino 135
Stormtalon, syhammer & assault cannon 125
Devastator squad, 4 heavy bolters, 110
Predator, las sponsons 115
Predator, las sponsons 115

Failing that,
Librarian 65
Command squad, rhino, 2 storm shields, 2 meltas, 2 meltabombs, rhino 185
Tactical squad, melta, combi melta, rhino 125
Tactical squad, plasma gun, combi plas, meltabomb, rhino 135
Tactical squad, plasma gun, combi plas, meltabomb, rhino 135
Stormtalon, syhammer & assault cannon 125
Predator, las sponsons 115
Predator, las sponsons 115

Personally i prefer your second list.

It gives you 6 objective secured units including the troop rhinos.

These lists are now even more one dimensional, you seem to have removed your only deep striking threat and are trundling everything up the pitch - Tau or Eldar will have a field day. Also, 4x HB on the DEV are a waste imo.

How about;

Libby L2, combimelta, 100
Command squad, 3xmelta, Drop pod 155
TAC, melta, MM, meltabombs, rhino 130
TAC, plasma, meltabombs, rhino 125
DEV, 2xLC, 2xPC 140
Assault sqd, veteran sergeant, jumppacks, 2 flamers, meltabombs 110
Stormtalon, syhammer & assault cannon 125
Predator, las sponsons 115

1000pts

Gives your more flexibility, a tank popping alphastrike (libby with comm sqd) and some deep striking units to get in behind your opponent. You DEV squad now has more pop too. Depending on what minis you have, I find Dreads work well with IH lists as well.

Definitely the second list, more troops and has more armour, which suits iron hands chapter tactics.

How about this? Now it's got some more flexibility.

Librarian 65
Command squad, rhino, 2 storm shields, 2 meltas, drop pod 175
Dreadnought, multi melta and drop pod 135
Tactical squad, melta, combi melta, drop pod 125
Tactical squad, plasma gun, combi plas, rhino 130
Tactical squad, plasma gun, combi plas, rhino 130
Stormtalon, syhammer & assault cannon 125
Predator, las sponsons 115

Or

Librarian 65
Command squad, rhino, 2 storm shields, 2 meltas, drop pod 175
Dreadnought, multi melta and drop pod 135
Dreadnought, multi melta and drop pod 135
Tactical squad, melta, combi melta, drop pod 125
Tactical squad, plasma gun, rhino 120
Tactical squad, plasma gun, rhino 120
Stormtalon, syhammer & assault cannon 125

Mini-wise I'm only limited by the 2 rhinos, 10 bolter marines, plain librarian and 2 storm shield veterans I have. I could change the 2nd dreadnought in the 2nd list to a rifleman without a pod?

If you're going for Dreadnoughts, go with Ironclads; regular dreads die to krak grenades in CC and can't get assault grenade launchers. Also, they aren't very mobile once down so the rest of your force needs to be able to counter-balance that.

Also, IWND is a very good part of their CTs so maybe a stronger HQ wound be better; the Clan Raukaan relics are nice too. What about something like this:

Captain - bike, artificer armor, power fist, the gorgon's chain

Ironclad - pod, heavy flamer, melta
Ironclad - pod, heavy flamer, melta

Bike Squad (5) - grav x2, melta bombs
Tactical Squad (10) - pod, melta, combi-melta, melta bomb
Scout Squad (5) - land speeder storm w/heavy flamer

The idea is for the dreads to take something big down, soak up a lot of fire and maybe lock something up in CC. I don't expect that much from them once they've served their purpose. Ironclads would be just too expensive meaning I'd have to sacrifice using minis I already have and like aesthetically. Your list also completely misses out on AA?

I would go for a stronger hq but only for bigger games. The idea would be to keep the librarian on the cheap and hope to get a couple of psychic shrieks off and earn his points back. He's purely there to fill the hq slot and unlock the command squad.

The 2nd dreadnought is what I'm iffy about. I want to have an alpha strike element of my army that won't get blown to bits and have some units to hold objectives, do fire support. Could downgrade the melta tacticals to an assault squad with dual flamers or a power fist in the pod and make a dread venerable, and/ or swap the melta tacticals for a vindicator for a good couple of big turn 1 or 2 threats?

Was thinking keeping the dread, without a drop pod, making the melta dread venerable and giving it a PC and ML or dual autocannons? Either that or an autolas pred.

Ooor I could add in a Vindicator?

Personally I prefer the first list - steel rain is only any good if you go drop pod on everything, but I would doubt you have sufficient minis for that? most sane people don't

In the first list I would change out a TAC for and Assault unit, as they get a drop pod at no extra cost if they loose the jump packs, and you get to use the minis you like (the most important thing about playing 40K!!!).

The other thing would be the drop Dread - if you want him to make trouble, give him an ML instead of power fist and keep him out of CC as he will die if charged by pretty much anything short of snottlings (although... are they even in 40k anymore?) Either that or go for rifleman and sit him back on an objective - I find this the best setup for a basic dread and it tends to stay alive until the end of the game.

I'll be swapping out the melta tacs for a flamer assault squad in pod then.

How about dropping the 2nd dread and upgrading the libby to a terminator captain with betrayers bain (unlimited shot combi melta) and chainfist?

Spare points to be spent on more back-midfield dakka.

Some more lists:

Librarian, auspex and meltabomb 75
Command squad 2 storm shields, 2 meltas, drop pod 175
Ironclad dreadnought, drop pod, 170
Assault squad, drop pod, 2 flamers, melta bomb 100
Dreadnought, dual TL autocannons 120
Tactical squad, plasma gun, rhino 120
Tactical squad, plasma gun, rhino 120
Stormtalon, syhammer & assault cannon 125

(1010, need to shave off 10...)
Captain, storm shield and power fist 130
Command squad 2 storm shields, 2 meltas, drop pod 175
Ironclad dreadnought, drop pod, 170
Ironclad dreadnought, drop pod, 170
Tactical squad, plasma gun, rhino 120
Tactical squad, plasma gun, rhino 120
Stormtalon, syhammer & assault cannon 125

Captain, storm shield and power fist 130
Command squad 2 storm shields, 2 meltas, drop pod 175
Ironclad dreadnought, drop pod, 170
Ironclad dreadnought, drop pod, 170
Tactical squad, plasma gun, rhino 120
Tactical squad, plasma gun, rhino 120
Stormtalon, syhammer & assault cannon 125

10pts to spare:
Terminator captain, chainfist and betrayer's bane 160
Command squad 2 storm shields, 2 meltas, drop pod 175
Ironclad dreadnought, drop pod, 170
Tactical squad, meltagun and combimelta, drop pod, 125
Tactical squad, plasma gun, rhino 120
Tactical squad, plasma gun, rhino 120
Stormtalon, syhammer & assault cannon 125

Personally I prefer the first list.

Libby with the auspex to go with the Command meltapod is a nice touch, allows you to go after jinking skimmers and the like.

If you need to shave 10 points, lose meltabombs on the libby and make sure force weapon is force axe (better AP than other force weapons, plus if this unit is in CC with a vehicle you can try kraking it to death) and change the PG in one TAC to a MG/Flamer/MM/HB (if combat squading and leaving MM/HB to ObjecSec sit).

Frankly, most of your lists look quite playable. If I could point out one thing that bothers me, it would be the half tactical squads. Not only does the extra bodies help keep boots on objectives, but bolter fire needs mass to work.

Of the last 4 lists you posted, I like the first one the best. The low cost HQ is perfect for this point value, and it has a good mix of firepower and mobility. I’d probably drop the foot dread. Those points could be used to do things like get a HF on the ironclad, upgrade you assault sarge (vet/PW) and bolster your tactical squads. While I’d like to see full 10 man squads with a special and a heavy, that’s the Ultramarine talking. But you don’t have anyone to camp your home objective, so it can be nice to have a unit earmarked for that. If you do keep the half squads, it might be worth upgrading to razorbacks. Or take one to full in the rhino, and one half in a razor.

Okay then!

Essentially it boils down to between these three lists:

Librarian 65
Command squad, rhino, 2 storm shields, 2 meltas, drop pod 175
Dreadnought, multi melta and drop pod 135
Dreadnought, multi melta and drop pod 135
Tactical squad, melta, combi melta, drop pod 125
Tactical squad, plasma gun, rhino 120
Tactical squad, plasma gun, rhino 120
Stormtalon, syhammer & assault cannon 125

and:

Librarian, auspex 70
Command squad 2 storm shields, 2 meltas, drop pod 175
Ironclad dreadnought, drop pod, 170
Assault squad, drop pod, 2 flamers, 95
Dreadnought, multi melta, drop pod 135
Tactical squad, plasma gun, rhino 120
Tactical squad, plasma gun, rhino 120
Stormtalon, syhammer & assault cannon 125

Librarian, auspex and meltabomb 75
Command squad 2 storm shields, 2 meltas, company champion, drop pod 190
Ironclad dreadnought, drop pod, 170
Assault squad, drop pod, 2 flamers, power sword, melta bomb 115
Tactical squad, plasma gun, 5 additional marines, plasma cannon, rhino 205
Tactical squad, plasma gun, rhino 120
Stormtalon, syhammer & assault cannon 125
(5 points to spare)

The last list, puts more boots on the ground and has the right number of DP to make the most of them.

Unless you specifically plan on camping the PC on an objective though, I would swap it out for a non blast weapon that you will be able to snap fire when moving (ML/MM maybe). With the 5 spare points I would just give one of the TAC serg's meltabombs.

Oooooor, shave some of the toys (PS on the assault serg./PC to MM in the TAC unit/+5 spare) to upgrade you psyker to Level 2 for a bit more oomph in the psychic turn. You wont need the PS in the assault squad - meltabomb is there for AT, and they are pretty AI already.

I’d go with the last list.

I agree that the 10 man tac squad needs something they can snap fire, probably a LC.

The assault marines probably don’t need the melta bomb. 2/3 of your pods can rip open tanks, so unless you are facing a parking lot of AV14, you should be fine. Most tanks are AV10 on the rear armor, so mass krack grenades should be fine. If you have the points, upgrading the AM sarge to veteran would let him get a little more use out of the power sword.

I suspect your command squad is being dictated by the minis you want to use, but consider the apothocary. Or add more meltagunners as points allow.

Okay then, I'll go for more boys and less toys.

The command squad just has 2 storm shields so far. I don't see a huge reason to take an apothecary since it benefits Iron Hands CT alot less.

Librarian, auspex 70
Command squad 2 storm shields, 2 meltas, company champion, drop pod 190
Ironclad dreadnought, drop pod, 170
Assault squad, drop pod, 2 flamers, power sword, veteran sergeant 120
Tactical squad, plasma gun, 5 additional marines, missile launcher 205
Tactical squad, plasma gun, rhino 120
Stormtalon, syhammer & assault cannon 125

OR

Librarian, auspex, digital weapons 80
Command squad 2 storm shields, 2 meltas, power fist, drop pod 200
Ironclad dreadnought, drop pod, 170
Assault squad, drop pod, 2 flamers, 95
Tactical squad, plasma gun, 5 additional marines, missile launcher 205
Tactical squad, plasma gun, rhino 120
Stormtalon, syhammer & assault cannon 125

5 points to spare for either AM meltabombs or to upgrade the Tac missile launcher to a lascannon.

I like the first one better. Although at this level of tinkering, which model you think looks cooler starts to take precedence over where that last 5 points would serve you better.

I can see your point about the apothecary. There is a reasonable difference between a 5+ and a 6+ FNP though.

The stormshield and powerfist guy looks awesome, so he's staying in there.

Librarian, auspex 70
Command squad 2 storm shields, 2 meltas, power fist, drop pod 200
Ironclad dreadnought, drop pod, 170
Assault squad, drop pod, 2 flamers, meltabomb 100
Tactical squad, plasma gun, 5 additional marines, missile launcher 205
Tactical squad, combiplas, plasma gun, rhino 130
Stormtalon, syhammer & assault cannon 125

After second thoughts, since I've already got the bits, I'm going for another tactical squad, rather than an assault squad.

Librarian, auspex 70
Command squad 2 storm shields, 2 meltas, 2 meltabombs, drop pod 185
Ironclad dreadnought, drop pod, 170
Tactical squad, combimelta, meltagun, drop pod 130
Tactical squad, plasma gun, 5 additional marines, rhino, 190
Tactical squad, plasma gun, rhino 125
Stormtalon, syhammer & assault cannon 125

After a good long mulling over the lists so far, and what I want aesthetically and in response to most of your feedback, I've decided on this:

Librarian, auspex 70
Dreadnought, multi melta and drop pod 135
Dreadnought, multi melta and drop pod 135
Sternguard squad, drop pod 155
Tactical squad, plasma gun, rhino 120
Tactical squad, plasma gun, rhino 120
Tactical squad, plasma gun, rhino 120
Stormtalon, typhoon missile launcher & assault cannon 145

Any feedback?