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So, I've been on Dakka way back and I'm getting back into 40K again and want to try out something new. Played SM, DA, DE, BT, and INQ in the past.

Here's my first pass at putting together a 2000 point army (only have about 1/2 of it now and want to pick up the next few items). Please take a look and give what suggestions you have. This only ends up at 1840, so there's a bit more to get in there.

Command Squad
2 sniper rifles
Officer of the Fleet
Astropath
Camo cloaks
Bodyguard
Chimera

Platoon Squad
Command Section
2 sniper rifles
Chimera

Squads (x3)
Lascannon
Flamer

Vet Squad 1
3 melta guns
Chimera

Vet Squad 2
3 melta guns
(Rides in Vendetta 1)

Vet Squad 3
3 melta guns
(Rides in Vendetta 2)

Vet Squad 4
3 melta guns
(Rides in Valkarie)

Fast Attack
Vendetta
Vendetta
Valkarie w/ missile pods

Heavy Support
Leman Russ, hull heavy bolter
Leman Russ, hull heavy bolter
Leman Russ Demolisher, hull heavy bolter

At first I wanted to go with full mechanized, but after considering the standard missions and the fact that 1/3 of the time I'll only start with my HQ squad and two squads of vets, I decided to put together at least one platoon to get a decent amount of models on the table to start those missions. Tempted to fill up some more of those lingering points with another squad in that platoon. Wondering how others feel about the platoon or adding to the platoon.

The two advisors are just to help out in that kind of a situation as well, plus I'm looking forward to making those characters.

Not sure if I should add sponsons onto the Russes or give any of the vehicles heavy stubbers (or other upgrades). The stubbers seem useful, but I'd like to know what others' experience has been with them.

Finally, just as a side note, I like to keep somewhere around 5% of my points in silly fluff pieces and odd wargear (such as advisors and will probably add a couple other oddities).

Thanks,
TLG

Uggh, another Melta-vet Spam list.

I thought by looking at your CCS and the beginning of your Platoon section that this would be a different list.

Why the 2 empty slots in your CCS? take the snipers out of your PCS and give them to your CCS: you now have 4 BS3 sniper rifles.

Then Take the 3 Flamers out of yout Platoon squads and add them to your PCS along with a Heavy Flamer(you have 150 points to play with after all) or a medic.

Finally you might as well add Plasma guns to your Platoon Squads; sure they are 66% likely to bite it if you roll a 1 but it is worth the risk to have 3 T-L plasmas firing on enemy transports along with the 3 lascannons.

4 units of Melta vets may be a little much; just how much heavy armor are you expecting to see? If you are that worried about transports you have 2 vendettas and a Platoon full of lascannons for bring it down; along with the 2 Leman russes which will annihilate most transports turn 1...

Sniper rifles are kinda meh. 3+ to hit is ok but 4+ to wound and with leaderships pretty high most will pass the pinning test.

A lascannon with 48" range and a flamer with 8" range, they just don't go together do they? If you move you cannot fire the lascannon and you won't get that flamer into range anyway. I would change the flamer to a plasma gun if you want to hang back.

Change the hull bolters on the tanks to heavy flamers. You want auto hit and if you get close to infantry they get no cover!

First off, thanks for the suggestions and insights. I’ve taken a number of them into account below and tried to explain my thinking on the ones that I didn’t. Let me know if you think I’m off base. Also, I didn’t realize just how many IG are full of vet squads with 3 meltaguns. I can see why, but I do want to get away from that mold somewhat.
This list fills in the extra points to bring it up to 2000

Command Squad
2 sniper rifles
Officer of the Fleet
Astropath
Camo cloaks (probably modeled as a camo netting tent or some such)
Bodyguard
Chimera w/ hull heavy bolter.
The plan for this squad is to essentially just sit back to give orders and stay alive (for the effects it will have on reserves). I gave them a couple of sniper rifles just for the modeling and the possibility that they’ll have a positive effect somewhere. I figure that by sitting in cover with camo cloaks, they should survive at least long enough to have the effect that I need. I’m considering changing those sniper rifles to flamers so that they can go try to do some cleanup/reinforcing once their primary objective is complete, but the PCS is already on that purpose. My reason for 2 instead of 4 is because I want a couple ablative wounds in there. Maybe 4 really would be better or adding a heavy weapon or some such.


Platoon Squad
Command Section
3 flamers
Chimera w/ hull heavy flamer
Liked the suggestions here.

Squad 1
Commisar
Autocannon
Grenade Launcher
I like the ability that the commissar will give them if I decide to blob these together. I know that the special weapons I have for these units are a bit random, but I just wanted to mix it up a little.

Squad 2
Autocannon
Grenade Launcher

Squad 3
Autocannon
Flamer
Yeah, the flamer and autocannon don’t really mix, but I’m guessing that these will be close to the front line and the flamer could do some good there when things get close.

Squad 4
Autocannon
Plasma Gun

Heavy Weapon Squad
Lascannon (x3)
This squad is a difficult call. I like the devastation that they’d be able to put out while under orders, but that does make them quite vulnerable. I’m hoping to keep them a little further back and accept that if something is targeting them, my other units will be taking less fire. Plus, it would be a great firebase for games when we’d only start with an HQ and two troops.

Vet Squad 1
Lascannon
Grenade launcher (x2)
Chimera w/ hull heavy flamer
I decided to mix up the chimera vet squad first up. Since they have BS 4 and may end up sitting around for a turn or so (depending on the enemy/mission), they could make some good use of a lascannon, probably more than meltaguns like the squads in vendettas.

Vet Squad 2
3 melta guns
(Rides in Vendetta 1)

Vet Squad 3
3 melta guns
(Rides in Vendetta 2)

Vet Squad 4
3 plasma guns
Demolition charge
(Rides in Valkarie)
Once again, just trying to mix it up a little here. I really like the idea of the demolition charge squad and they should be able to fulfill close to the same role as the other vets, but with a huge advantage against MEQs.

Fast Attack
Vendetta
Vendetta
Valkarie w/ missile pods

Heavy Support
Leman Russ, hull heavy bolter, heavy bolter sponsons
Leman Russ Demolisher, hull heavy bolter, heavy bolter sponsons
Hydra
For the heavy support, I decided to throw in the sponsons and try out the Hydra (debating between it and a Griffon mortar… or keeping it and dropping a Russ for 2 Griffons).

Oddly, I feel almost like I “have” to take at least one or two Russes.

So there it is.
Improvement?
Other thoughts?

My advice, assuming I'm reading the rulebook correctly, is to have the HWS as 2x LasCannon & 1x Missile Launcher. I admit the Missile Launcher is a less effective weapon, but with this you can allocate wounds throughout the squad (being non-identical models). This means more heavy weapons firing later into the game, and less morale tests required.

Also, if this will be near your HQ then consider using the regimental standard (adds fluff, and re-roll morale tests for nearby units).

Until those heavy squads get hit with Shuricannons, assault Cannons, Krak missiles, Plasma weapons, Autocannons, Acid Spray, brainleech worms, ripper tentacles, Flash hooks, stranglethorn cannon, lascannon, venom cannon, impaler cannon, starcannon, etc, etc etc. generally any Str 6 or higher weapon will paste a heavy weapons team outright.

Moral of the story: don't take Heavy Weapons squads.

The Last Griffon wrote:First off, thanks for the suggestions and insights. I’ve taken a number of them into account below and tried to explain my thinking on the ones that I didn’t. Let me know if you think I’m off base. Also, I didn’t realize just how many IG are full of vet squads with 3 meltaguns. I can see why, but I do want to get away from that mold somewhat.
This list fills in the extra points to bring it up to 2000

Command Squad
2 sniper rifles
Officer of the Fleet
Astropath
Camo cloaks (probably modeled as a camo netting tent or some such)
Bodyguard
Chimera w/ hull heavy bolter.
The plan for this squad is to essentially just sit back to give orders and stay alive (for the effects it will have on reserves). I gave them a couple of sniper rifles just for the modeling and the possibility that they’ll have a positive effect somewhere. I figure that by sitting in cover with camo cloaks, they should survive at least long enough to have the effect that I need. I’m considering changing those sniper rifles to flamers so that they can go try to do some cleanup/reinforcing once their primary objective is complete, but the PCS is already on that purpose. My reason for 2 instead of 4 is because I want a couple ablative wounds in there. Maybe 4 really would be better or adding a heavy weapon or some such.


Squad 3
Autocannon
Flamer
Yeah, the flamer and autocannon don’t really mix, but I’m guessing that these will be close to the front line and the flamer could do some good there when things get close.


Vet Squad 1
Lascannon
Grenade launcher (x2)
Chimera w/ hull heavy flamer
I decided to mix up the chimera vet squad first up. Since they have BS 4 and may end up sitting around for a turn or so (depending on the enemy/mission), they could make some good use of a lascannon, probably more than meltaguns like the squads in vendettas.

Vet Squad 2
3 melta guns
(Rides in Vendetta 1)

Vet Squad 3
3 melta guns
(Rides in Vendetta 2)

Vet Squad 4
3 plasma guns
Demolition charge
(Rides in Valkarie)
Once again, just trying to mix it up a little here. I really like the idea of the demolition charge squad and they should be able to fulfill close to the same role as the other vets, but with a huge advantage against MEQs.

Fast Attack
Vendetta
Vendetta
Valkarie w/ missile pods

Heavy Support
Leman Russ, hull heavy bolter, heavy bolter sponsons
Leman Russ Demolisher, hull heavy bolter, heavy bolter sponsons

Ok I've only re-posted what I think has issues.

The CCS is still seriously messed up. I've tried sniper rifles, and trust me, they fail. If you really want to hang back then get a heavy weapon at least, but remember you cannot move and shoot with a heavy weap but that applies to sniper rifles. Camo cloaks? WTF? You're inside a transport bud you don't need the cloaks because you're not in cover.

As you said flamer and autocannon do not mix. Anyone who comes close is going to make sure they can assault you.

Vets with the lascannon and grenade launcher aren't too good because they cannot move and shoot and the grenade needs a 5+ to penetrate armour 10! Best thing to do if you want range is just throw in multiple plasma guns. You will start 12" in the board with each deployment, so that's 36" range with the plasma frmo the start.

Unless playing against heavy armour, the valkyries might be better over vendettas. See you drop your meltas and they wreck a vehicle, so what is the vendetta going to do? If you took a valkyrie you could drop multiple missile pods on the survivors heads.

Vets with plasma guns cannot charge with rapid fire weapons. So you bail out the valkyrie, but either fire plasma OR demos. Waste of either if you cannot use one per turn. So I would get meltas so you can assault afterwards and goes with the entire anti tank range. You could give the plasma squad carapace armour for that bit better 4+ armour save for those gets hot! rolls.

Heavy flamers work better on guard tanks for reasons already mentioned. The demolisher is anti vehicle and tough troops, terminators laugh off heavy bolter shots.