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You don't absolutely need the Void Shield Generator. However, some of the top tournament armies - Tau, Eldar, Necrons - are mass mid-strength shooting armies. The VSG is really good against these types of armies. But if you need to get something else for the army, feel free to drop the VSG.

If you're expecting a terrain heavy game putting the sentrystar behind some LOS blocking terrain in your backfield should do the trick with regard to first turn survivability.

It usually does, assuming there is adequate BLOS terrain. But I usually prefer not to rely on adequate terrain. I usually assume the worst-case scenarios, meaning bring your own terrain.

 jy2 wrote:
It usually does, assuming there is adequate BLOS terrain. But I usually prefer not to rely on adequate terrain. I usually assume the worst-case scenarios, meaning bring your own terrain.

True, but bringing your own terrain can be expensive.

Besides, with a majority toughness 7 and a Sv2+/3++ model at the front this unit is already rather durable, particularly if you stick it at the back of your deployment zone and thus outside the reach of most weapons on turn 1.

How to SentryStar:
• either try to go first, or bring Imotekh for a decent attempt to seize.
• deploy Pylons at back of table (behind LOS blocking terrain, if possible).
• stick Void Shield up close to deployment line as you can while still making sure Pylons are in protection bubble.
• spread Scarabs out where ever there might be open/vulnerable spots to make sure Drop Pods have nowhere to land.
• turn 1, Ghostwalk all 5 models into your opponent's face (make sure Imotekh is up front to tank all the shots).
• triple Focused Deathray his best stuff.

Hopefully you'll wipe him out, or at least severely cripple him.


And jy2,
Would taking only 2x shields be worth it, or is it a case of 3-or-nothing?

 skoffs wrote:
How to SentryStar:
• either try to go first, or bring Imotekh for a decent attempt to seize.
• deploy Pylons at back of table (behind LOS blocking terrain, if possible).
• stick Void Shield up close to deployment line as you can while still making sure Pylons are in protection bubble.
• spread Scarabs out where ever there might be open/vulnerable spots to make sure Drop Pods have nowhere to land.
• turn 1, Ghostwalk all 5 models into your opponent's face (make sure Imotekh is up front to tank all the shots).
• triple Focused Deathray his best stuff.

Hopefully you'll wipe him out, or at least severely cripple him.


And jy2,
Would taking only 2x shields be worth it, or is it a case of 3-or-nothing?

The other option is to run ADL + Comms and put the Pylonstar in reserves (when you need to do so in the case of Drop Pod Cents that is your hard counter). ADL is a great place to hide scarabs.

So how did your flayed ones get rending attacks? I'm puzzled at this as i can find anyway they can in either the necron codex or IA12. If it's possible i'd like to know so my flayed ones will see more action!

 Riddick40k wrote:
So how did your flayed ones get rending attacks? I'm puzzled at this as i can find anyway they can in either the necron codex or IA12. If it's possible i'd like to know so my flayed ones will see more action!

Oops! I made a mistake. They actually have Shred on the 1st turn of combat, not Rending.

But it didn't matter. I rolled enough 6's in combat to wreck the hammerhand anyways, so it's all good.

 Galorian wrote:

 jy2 wrote:
It usually does, assuming there is adequate BLOS terrain. But I usually prefer not to rely on adequate terrain. I usually assume the worst-case scenarios, meaning bring your own terrain.

True, but bringing your own terrain can be expensive.

Besides, with a majority toughness 7 and a Sv2+/3++ model at the front this unit is already rather durable, particularly if you stick it at the back of your deployment zone and thus outside the reach of most weapons on turn 1.

Which is why it isn't top priority to bring a VSG. You can still play without it. It just makes life easier against some of the better armies.

col_impact wrote:

The other option is to run ADL + Comms and put the Pylonstar in reserves (when you need to do so in the case of Drop Pod Cents that is your hard counter). ADL is a great place to hide scarabs.

That is an absolutely viable option as well.

 skoffs wrote:
How to SentryStar:
• either try to go first, or bring Imotekh for a decent attempt to seize.
• deploy Pylons at back of table (behind LOS blocking terrain, if possible).
• stick Void Shield up close to deployment line as you can while still making sure Pylons are in protection bubble.
• spread Scarabs out where ever there might be open/vulnerable spots to make sure Drop Pods have nowhere to land.
• turn 1, Ghostwalk all 5 models into your opponent's face (make sure Imotekh is up front to tank all the shots).
• triple Focused Deathray his best stuff.

Hopefully you'll wipe him out, or at least severely cripple him.


And jy2,
Would taking only 2x shields be worth it, or is it a case of 3-or-nothing?

You can take 2 shields. It's really a matter of how many points you've got to play with.

Just a few tactics against drop pod marines:

1. They're not really that scary, considering bolters will be wounding on 6's and usually, Imotekh should be able to tank the few AP 1/2 plasma/melta shots that are around. However, there are 2 units which are deadly - centurions and sternguards.

2. Try to deploy your star either behind BLOS terrain or in ruins.

3. In the case you go against a drop pod-heavy list, do this. Deploy your sentrystar far away from the objectives, probably in the opposite corner of your objectives (and behind BLOS terrain or in ruins). Then, if you survive the enemy alpha-strike, teleport away next turn. Now he's got probably half of his army out in the middle of nowhere and they'll be out of the action as they try to run back into position to get back into the fight. This is the "bait" strategy. Lure him away from your objectives and now you only have to deal with half of his army. However, make sure your star can survive his alpha-strike.

4. If playing against drop podding cents/sterns, this is the ultimate tactic against them. Deploy your VSG in the very corner of your deployment zone. Make sure to deploy your objectives away from it. Now deploy your sentrystar around the 12" radius from it. Try to fill up the inside space between the VSG and your star to prevent him from deepstriking inside. Now you are almost guaranteed to be protected by the VSG, which will essentially nullify the grav shots and the 2+ special sternguard ammo. Then next turn, your star should be able to wipe them out or teleport away. Keep in mind that the strategy here will be to abandon the VSG and the filler unit. But as long as the costs for the VSG and unit is cheaper than those of the enemy drop podding units, then it is a good tradeoff.

5. You could do as col_impact suggested and bring the Aegis + Comms instead and reserve your Sentrystar.