Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

A friend of mine wants to start an ork army, and as such is waiting for the new 40k Starter set, for obvious reasons. However, he has no desire to play marines. With this is mind, I offered to go in $30 for each box, and take the marines.

My question now is, is there a viable, semi competative list that can be made with the contents? I am willing to buy all the vehicles ill need if there is. However, I do want to try to use the contents. Not only is the price right on them, those are problably some of my favorite marine models (at least the termies and Dread anyway).

I was thinking of a drop pod army, esp with the new kit being released. I know that there is a new marines codex just around the corner, but, that aside, any ideas?

If you are trying to use all the models from the box set you are going to have a bit of a problem.

Termies and dreads are both elite choices.
So you will either have to

1. Take one of the termie squads and use them as an hq command squad (which means the character has to be in termie armor). However this option will probably disappear in the new rules.

2. Take the heed the wisdom of the ancients as a trait so you can take dreadnaughts as heavy support. This option will also probably go away.

3. Play Dark Angels and use belial so you can field terminators as troops.

The box set contents do sound perfect for the start for a drop pod list. I would really suggest waiting until the new book hits to see if there is another special character that lets you take termies as troops.

Unfortunatly, I did realise that this would probably be better in the army list forum after I posted here.

However, as it is here...

I do plan on waiting for the new codex. It would be fairly dumb of me to base an entire army off a codex that has very little time left, especially since it is known to change alot. That being said, it doesnt hurt to use it as food for thought.

As for all the models, I realised it wouldn't be possible to use it all. The points for using more than 1 terminator squad with the 2-3 dreads I'd like two would be fairly high.

I don't have to use everything (as for $30 dollars from me, even just the tactical and dread is a deal), and was thinking if nothing else that I could just use the dread and the tac squad.

I just have afew questions now though,
What weapon upgrades would I give the tac sqauds? Would Melta work at the range Im dropping in?
and Finally, when is the new SM codex set to release?

Croak wrote:If you are trying to use all the models from the box set you are going to have a bit of a problem.

Termies and dreads are both elite choices.

Since you are allowed three elite choices, how is this a problem?

whitedragon wrote:

Croak wrote:If you are trying to use all the models from the box set you are going to have a bit of a problem.

Termies and dreads are both elite choices.

Since you are allowed three elite choices, how is this a problem?

The op said he was going to go in $30 for each box. Which I'm assuming means at least 2 boxes. So he ends up with 2 squads of termies and 2 dreadnaughts. Which ends up being 4 elite choices. That is as long as they restrict termies to a 5 man squad like the new blood angels and dark angels.

For special weapons I would either go tank busting (melta) or troop killing (flamer). Flamers didn't used to be popular but they are becoming more so these days. This also depends on how you are equipping your dreadnaughts. You can go anti infantry assault cannon heavy flamer or an anti-tank weapon with a heavy flamer. If you drop the dread I highly recommend the heavy flamer.

I think marines is in the September time frame.

Croak wrote:
The op said he was going to go in $30 for each box. Which I'm assuming means at least 2 boxes. So he ends up with 2 squads of termies and 2 dreadnaughts. Which ends up being 4 elite choices. That is as long as they restrict termies to a 5 man squad like the new blood angels and dark angels.

For special weapons I would either go tank busting (melta) or troop killing (flamer). Flamers didn't used to be popular but they are becoming more so these days. This also depends on how you are equipping your dreadnaughts. You can go anti infantry assault cannon heavy flamer or an anti-tank weapon with a heavy flamer. If you drop the dread I highly recommend the heavy flamer.

I think marines is in the September time frame.

I was actually thinking 3 boxes is more likely. Either way, I think I'll probably use the dreads more so than the terminators. How would something along the lines of meltagun/multimelta in the 4 tac squads and 3 assualt/heavy flamer dreads for anti infantry. I would probably then work in a 4 man termie command squad with assault cannon(s) and a librarian with Fury of the Ancients.

If, come the next marine codex, that list is still creatable, would it work? Also, since I have actually never come across a DP marine player, do the lists usually work well, or are they more of a "for fun" army?

Drop pods work fairly well, althought they suffer from "Reserves" syndrom. Assuming you have 7 units in reserve, you'll probably get 3 or 4 on turn 2, and then 2 more on turn 3, and 1 or 2 more on turn 4. Having your army dribble in is pretty annoying. When DPs get the aunits they need whent hey need them, they'll generally win. If they get hosed by the dice, they tend to suffer.

I'm thinking that you'd have to use DA or Lysander.

3 Tactical Squads
3 Terminator Squads
3 Dreadnoughts

Decent 1500 pt army for $90.

God damn.

edit: trade for some real guns for the marines and dreadnoughts and you're at 1750.

MarvinGayeIsMyDaddy wrote:I'm thinking that you'd have to use DA or Lysander.

3 Tactical Squads
3 Terminator Squads
3 Dreadnoughts

Decent 1500 pt army for $90.

God damn.

edit: trade for some real guns for the marines and dreadnoughts and you're at 1750.

I'm assuming that the marines will be the standard bp/cc vet, ml, flamer, but what about the termies and the dread? I'd guess that the dread would be the standard GW ac/dcw, and the termies will be a power weapon commander with 1 assault cannon. Does anyone know this for sure or is it completely unknown at this point?

The Dread has a MM and the Termies have (i believe) a heavy flamer.

So yeah, you're definitely going to need to trade for real weapons.

Not that much of a problem - probably get some FW parts for that - dreadnaught arms were fairly inexpensive.

The Assault cannon may be abit harder, especially since GW ended their bitz order (at least on the US sight). Any suggestions?

Well the Dark Angels veteran sprue comes with a terminator assault cannon.

Find a buddy who plays Dark Angels and coerce him into buying a couple of those.

You could check ebay for Dread arms.