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I have created a pod army list with Vulkan and I'm not very confident in the list. Could you all offer any advise (keeping the pods) that could make this list better.

HQ: Vulkan He'stan

10 Tac Marines w/meltagun, plasma cannon, powerfist, and drop pod

10 Tac Marines w/flamer, plasma cannon, powerfist, and drop pod

10 Sternguard w/ 10 combi-meltas and drop pod

10 Sternguard w/ drop pod

1 Dreadnought w/multi-melta and drop pod

This is a 1500 point list...I have an extra 75 points to spare.

I am worried that 20 sternguard is just to much of a points investment. What do you all think?

Looks good. Thank god for 12 man Drop pods.

Sternguard are always a good investment. Even more so if you take Pedro Kantor, but obviously, he doesn't fit in a Salamanders list.

The only major change I'd reccomend is giving each squad 5 combi flamers, instead of 10 to one squad. 5 should be enough for most things. A lot of those 10 will be redundant if they're all in one squad.

with 75 points left you've got two option. You can flesh out the Sternguard Squads more, with 1 Heavy Flamer and one Meltagun in each squad, powerfists/weapons and some combi-flamers/meltas. Or you can take a MM/HF Landspeeder, which fits in since both it's weapons are affected by Vulkean, and it can Deep Strike, just like your pods.

The_HoFF wrote:10 Tac Marines w/meltagun, plasma cannon, powerfist, and drop pod
10 Tac Marines w/flamer, plasma cannon, powerfist, and drop pod

Since the Heavy weps can't fire when the DP lands, and it's likely that you'll want to move the next turn, meaning the heavy wep can't shoot, paying for a PlasCan is a little silly, IMHO. I'd just take a free MM or ML. I mean it's a Sally list, so the order of the day is meltas, no?

The_HoFF wrote:10 Sternguard w/ 10 combi-meltas and drop pod
10 Sternguard w/ drop pod I am worried that 20 sternguard is just to much of a points investment. What do you all think?

Yes, points sink-sorta, in that you've only two scoring units. So, I'd go an additional Tactical instead. Now you've enough points for a cheaper unit ... Hmm. Perhaps a pair of MM/HF speeders, model ownership permitting?

I too run an army led by "Vulkan." I think that you have a good start with your list. I have been using razorbacks with my tactical squads and have been getting my teeth kicked in by armies that use drop pods. What the drop pod does that a razorback does not is disrupt!. When you land that drop pod in your enemies deployment zone you get up in his face and force him to deal with some BS that comes out guns-a-blazin! His first turn or two is now spent trying to react rather than execute his plan. He could ignore the drop pod and it's payload, but that's almost even better for you.

I have modified my mech list into a 1/2 mech 1/2 drop list as follows. I haven't used this list yet, so your mileage may vary
2000 pts
190 vulkan

200 5 assault terminaters
250 landraider w/ multimelta and heavy flamer
305 10 sterngaurd with 2x heavy flamer, 2x combi melta, powerfist
35 drop pod
115 dreadnought w/ multimelta
35 drop pod

70 landspeeder w/ multimelta and heavy flamer
70 landspeeder w/ multimelta and heavy flamer
65 landspeeder storm w/ multimelta

195 full tac squad w/ flamer, multimelta, powerfist
35 drop pod
195 full tac squad w/ flamer, missile launcher, powerfist
40 razorback w/ twin heavy bolter
200 10 scout squad, sarge w/ combi flamer and powerfist, missile launcher, 4 boltpistol/combatblade, 4 sniper rifles, 5 camo cloaks

(not sure if i can give only half the scout squad camo cloaks or if it's all or nothing.)

The idea is that the dreadnought and sterngaurd drop the first turn, right in the enemy's face. The nice thing about the drop pod is that I don't have to decide if i'm going to combat squad the squad inside until it hits the table and they deploy. The heavy flamers are assault weapons, that means that I can fire them the turn they disembark. I can take on hoard, armour, or whatever. I don't even have to split them up at all If I don't want to. I don't expect them to live very long though, but that's ok, as they're not a scoring unit anyway. Same for the dreadnought. Come down and make a ruckus! This draws the enemy's fire away from my landspeeders and scouts while I move into position. The half squad of scouts with snipers sits on my home objective while the squad of Tactical Marines lends support. They could b combated to ride in the razorback or not, depending to the need. The speeders go tank hunting and the storm goes after other objectives or lootas/devistators/havocs to tie them up. With only 3 drop pods I only have one unit in reserves, and that's a scoring unit: a Tactical squad. They come later to where-ever I need them. The landraider packed full of assault termis is just downright nasty. I use 4 thunderhammer/stormsheilds and one twin lightning claw. This army also maximizes Vulkans special powers as every unit benefits somehow!

check out my painting progress here: http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/297421.page

Good luck and happy hunting!

At least you've got plenty of Drop Pods however the flaw with the list is the Pods themselves. You lack mobility and armour protection and when you land the heavy weap and power fist is useless in the squad.

You have a single Dreadnought too which is easy to target prioritise.

I'd invest those remaining 75 points in combi weapons for the Sternguard but Pedro would be better as you're not using Vulkan to his most - you have 12 meltas 10 which are combi and a single flamer plus Vulkans own. Not using Vulkan to the most if he allows twin-linked and master crafted on stuff.

Well my idea was to drop the two units of sternguard down with the dreadnought and Vulkan. Vulkan and the dreadnought will predominately be used for counter attack purposes if and when the sternguard get assaulted. With 10 combi-meltas in a sternguard squad splitting into combat squads before they fire is brutal. In the first turn I have the potential to destroy three tanks (including the dreadnoughts MM). If I play against a horde type army then I have 40 hellfire bolt rounds coming there way and not to mention Vulkans heavy flamer.
After the first wave arrives then I have two tactical squads which will be coming down. There job is to drop on objectives and split into combat squads giving me 4 scoring units. The plasma cannons are great I have had then blow up in my face and I've killed over 150 pts with 1 shot. To me its worth the risk.
I think the landspeeder would be good but I also agree with mercer I need more flamers and meltas.

I'm pretty sure the Sternguard will do damage and the chances are high for the Dreadnought but in a Guard list you're wrecking 3 vehicles out of 12; not good. No need to assault, can just shoot up those Sternguard squads as they're in units of 5 pop the Dread with melta and assault the Sternguard what's left. Vulkan probably will be dead or hanging in on assault.

I don't see the single dred as a problem since you are going to provide your opponent with a target rich environment. My only problem with the list is the lack of a CC counter attack in the form of TH/SS terminators. I play Vulkan regularly and my list rarely has less that 10 Assault Terminators and when there are less than 10 they are always in a LRR or LRC. I think you may find yourself doing very well early in the game but petering out near the end, this army has a very downward sloping power curve. But I definitely like where you are going with it, just bear the lists weaknesses in mind when you play and you should be able to adapt and use the list perfectly fine.

I dont see much of a problem but drop the Plasma weapons, I had a bad experiance with "Gets Hot followed by Explodes" in a big game once.