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Hey all!

I should start by saying that this thread has nothing to do with orks, but it sounded like a cool title.

I play a somewhat mechanized Salamanders army and I've found that I always get the crapkicked out of me long before my transports do their job. Just last night, I played a 1000pt game using the list the I'll post here, I lost the first turn and deployed my army as best I could, taking advantage of what little terrain was on the board. Turn one of Blood Angels shooting and I've got one destroyed rhino and one immobilized rhino. Turn 2 saw my razorback annihilated, THANKFULLY, my Sternguard were unharmed, and did their job. Killing one whole squad of scouts...

So in essence, my question is, what (if anything) can I do to stop my transports facepalming at the start of the game?

And here's my basic 1000pt list:

HQ:
Vulkan He'stan  [190]

Elites:
Terminator Assault Squad  [200]
   5 Terminators   
   All w/THSS

Sternguard Veteran Squad [200]
   5 Sternguard Veterans
   Razorback w/ TL Lascannon

Troops:
Tactical Squad  [205]
   9 Marines + Sergeant
   Flamer
   Multi Melta
   Rhino

Tactical Squad  [205]
   9 Marines + Sergeant
   Flamer
   Multi Melta
   Rhino

Put 'em in a drop pod.

Yes. Pods are more suited to infantry based lists, which is what yours is.

If you want to go mechanized then you need more vehicles for target saturation purposes. Bringing 3 vehicles means you opponent probably has enough heavy weapons to neutralize them. You would probably want to change the list considerably if you want to run vehicles.

I would have to say that taking 5 Termies with TH/SS in 100pts is a little cheesy, but its all up to you. The one thing that benefits from Vulcan the most is MM+HF armed land speeders. And since you're lacking anti tank weapons MM armed bikes or speeders are probably your best bet.

Heh... And I thought it was just my mates who keep telling me that I play cheesey armies...

So, perhaps replace the terminator squad with a devastator squad. I know land speeders and attack bikes are more cometitive options, but I'm hoping to keep this army nice and fluffy. 

Modified list:

HQ:
Vulkan He'stan  [190]

Elites:
Sternguard Veteran Squad [200]
   5 Sternguard Veterans
   Razorback w/ TL Lascannon

Troops:
Tactical Squad  [205]
   9 Marines + Sergeant
   Flamer
   Multi Melta
   Rhino

Tactical Squad  [205]
   9 Marines + Sergeant
   Flamer
   Multi Melta
   Rhino

Heavy Support:
Devastator Squad [200]
   4 Marines + Sergeant
   2x Missile Launchers
   Meltabombs
   Razorback w/ TL Lascannon 

I'd throw the devastator squad into one of the rhinos, and have one of the tac combat squads inthe devastors razorback.

Thoughts?

In 1,0000 points, it occurs to me that when playing a Mechanised list, you will either win by lots, or lose by lots, as your opponent has either invested in a decent amount of Anti-Tank, or is about to get driven over.

Try dropping all Tanks and just walking. Power Armour is better than a Rhino in most situations I reckon, especially since you can now run.

But hey, I'm a NooB at 40k, so feel free to ignore me!

So I worked out that dropping all the transports nets me 220 points. With which I could perhaps add 5 more members to each of veteran and devastator squads, as well as a third missile launcher. I'm just the slightest bit concerned that footslogging marines are going to get mauled, seeing as I mostly play against MEQ and Guard

If you're getting the snot kicked out of you, how is your list cheesy?

honestly, I think that if you dropped vulkan and the terminators for a thousand points, you could take more units, which is generally the betteway to do it.

Agree with willystyle, 1000pts is probably too low for expensive units like vulcan and termies. On top of that, vulcan only has 2 melta's left to affect.

More units means less of a problem if 2 rhino's get immobilized.

Billie_Joe wrote:I would have to say that taking 5 Termies with TH/SS in 100pts is a little cheesy, but its all up to you. The one thing that benefits from Vulcan the most is MM+HF armed land speeders. And since you're lacking anti tank weapons MM armed bikes or speeders are probably your best bet.

TH terminators in 1000 points with no land raider is not cheesy, it's just 200 points wasted on a unit that will only catch your enemies with your opponent's permission.

Monkee wrote:Heh... And I thought it was just my mates who keep telling me that I play cheesey armies...

So, perhaps replace the terminator squad with a devastator squad. I know land speeders and attack bikes are more cometitive options, but I'm hoping to keep this army nice and fluffy. 

Modified list:

HQ:
Vulkan He'stan  [190]

Elites:
Sternguard Veteran Squad [200]
   5 Sternguard Veterans
   Razorback w/ TL Lascannon

Troops:
Tactical Squad  [205]
   9 Marines + Sergeant
   Flamer
   Multi Melta
   Rhino

Tactical Squad  [205]
   9 Marines + Sergeant
   Flamer
   Multi Melta
   Rhino

Heavy Support:
Devastator Squad [200]
   4 Marines + Sergeant
   2x Missile Launchers
   Meltabombs
   Razorback w/ TL Lascannon 

I'd throw the devastator squad into one of the rhinos, and have one of the tac combat squads inthe devastors razorback.

Thoughts?

Why not just buy the rhino for the devs and the razorback for the tacs? That way you don't have to waste a turn of shooting shuffling transports around.

Good point... Thanks for the help, I'll report on how I fare in future!