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So I'm thinking about moving in a new direction with my Space Marines, and I think this could be a fun little project to do a bit of conversion and modeling on, and with the Ravenwing Boxes I could maybe do it with a relatively small monetary investment...

So here goes:


HQ:
Kosarro Khan; Moondrakkan
Space Marine Librarian; Null Zone, The Avenger; Space Marine Bike
Command Squad; Space Marine Bikes, 4 Plasma Guns, 2 Melta Bombs
Troops:
Space Marine Bike Squad; 4 SM Bikers, 2 Meltas; MM Attack Bike; Sgt with Powerfist (X2)
Space Marine Bike Squad; 4 SM Bikers, 2 Flamers; HB Attack Bike; Sgt with Powerfist

Elites:
Assault Terminator Squad; TH/SS; Dedicated Land Raider with XA and MM

Fast Attack:

3 MM/HF Land Speeders

__________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

So I'm thinking that I'll be taking advantage of Khan's outflanking ability quite a bit with this list, particularly with the Bikers. I'm loving the idea of the Land Raider full of Terminators coming in on the side as well, ready to unleash a lot of Anti-Tank Dakka or open a can of Terminator-Flavored whoop ass.

I was thinking I'd either Deep Strike the Speeders or use them to screen my bikes if I'm not outflanking them.

Khan will run with the Command Squad, and the Librarian will join whatever squad seems best as the mission dictates though I'm feeling that adding The Avenger to the Dakka squad with the flamers and heavy bolter would be synergistically appropriate. Is synergistically even a word?

Basically, I'll be running a Kill Points denial strategy in the missions that call for it, maybe trading a unit here and there if I can make it worth it. I'm pretty confident in my ability to shift units off of objectives in the late turns with outflanking bike units that will be hitting pretty hard.

I had a couple of thoughts on things I could change already. Would some predators or Vindicators be better in the place of the Land Speeders? Would Dropping the Power Fists in the Melta Squads and adding some Combi-Meltas instead be a better idea? I could then throw some more wargear on the command Squad(I'm thinking Storm Shields) or maybe squeeze in another bike. I'll be attempting to be competitive with this so please C&C the gak out of this list.

Thanks in advance, Dakka!

You should probably use the CMD squad as a special weapons squad. Load up on 4X special weapons. I think 4X flamers or 4X Plasma guns would be great seeing how you already have melta squads.

pdawg517 wrote:You should probably use the CMD squad as a special weapons squad. Load up on 4X special weapons. I think 4X flamers or 4X Plasma guns would be great seeing how you already have melta squads.

That's actually a great idea. It's also great synergy with the Apothecary and the Gets Hot! wounds...

Come get some, Trygon!

I'm not really a fan of only taking 3 small troop units at 2k, honestly I'd want at least 4 if I was running MSU, or 3 full squads combat squadding if I wasn't.

Agree with the Above, if you are taking a command squad, load them with Plasmaguns, it gets pricey but is devestating to heavy infantry, that said I'm not a fan of command squads in general.

Outflanking is risky, as stuff wont always come in where/when you want it, and if you get your termies in on the wrong side thats a quarter of your army thats taking 2+ turns to get to the action.

del'Vhar wrote:I'm not really a fan of only taking 3 small troop units at 2k, honestly I'd want at least 4 if I was running MSU, or 3 full squads combat squadding if I wasn't.

Agree with the Above, if you are taking a command squad, load them with Plasmaguns, it gets pricey but is devestating to heavy infantry, that said I'm not a fan of command squads in general.

Outflanking is risky, as stuff wont always come in where/when you want it, and if you get your termies in on the wrong side thats a quarter of your army thats taking 2+ turns to get to the action.

Not saying I'm 100% behind this idea, but what would you think about this?


HQ:
Kosarro Khan; Moondrakkan
Space Marine Librarian; Null Zone, The Avenger; Space Marine Bike
Command Squad; Space Marine Bikes, 2 Thunder Hammers

Troops:
Space Marine Bike Squad; 7 SM Bikers, 2 Meltas; MM Attack Bike; Sgt with Powerfist (X2)
Space Marine Bike Squad; 7 SM Bikers, 2 Flamers; HB Attack Bike; Sgt with Powerfist

Fast Attack:

3 MM/HF Land Speeders

Heavy Support:

Either 3 Dakka Predators or
2 Vindicators with Siege Shield

________________________________________________________________________

And would someone explain Combat Squads with bikes to me? How do you do it if there aren't 10 models in the unit?

IMO, if you are going to go Bikes, then ditch the termies.

In an 1850 list I can put out 3 maxed out bike squads w/ double melta and MM attack bike, 7 MM/HF speeders, a captain w/ relic blade and SS and cmd squad w/ 4X flamers.

I would ditch the HS options. They are not fast enough to keep with the bikers and still fire.

I'm not sure I want them to keep up though.

The 3 DakkaPreds could screen the hell out of the rest of my army.

Not being argumentative toward your advice, just telling you what I was thinking...

But also remember, if you move past 18" you get a 3+ cover save. You don't really need those screens.

Combat squads with bikes works the same as for Tacticals, except you count the attack bike as 2 models, so 1 squad gets 5 bikes and the other gets 3+Attack bike IIRC.

I like the idea of Vindicators with Siege Shield, though as mentioned they are kinda slow compared to the rest of your army, but they hit hard and will take some pressure of your speeders in alot of cases.

If you are going with the second list, you might want to consider taking a normal captain instead of Khan, without the termies outflanking probably wont be as effective, and Khan is sorta overpriced otherwise.

Okay, I'm going to go back and think about this for a while.

Thanks for the ideas, guys. This was helpful.

Also have a think about Khan's furious charge - if you pimp out your cmd squad with some power weapns, even a company champ - you get I5 and S5 on the charge - thats tasty

Heh, yeah I noticed that! I think that Plasma has broader applications but it still kind of seems that dedicated CC units would still beat them down... Unless maybe I gave them Storm Shields.

@Monster Rain's recent list:

Khan: is outflanking that important to you?
Libby is ok.
Command Squad: special weapons... if you are gonna see combat with them... or want them to actually live the stormshields and claws.... Fist/hammers should be 0-1 with them.

Bikers...decent... I just don't think there is enough for 2000. Bikers are not 'THAT' durable to rely on 18 of them for scoring purposes....or even front line duty. Reserves keeps them safe for only so long.

Speeders are ok...there are pros and cons to having them all in one FoC or spreading them out.

For Hvy support... I'd recommend AC/LC preds or Mortis Dreads in Elites.
Bikers really don't need the Dakka Preds.
Vindis are ok, but in my experience with them....they are hit or miss...the similar operational range to bikers is both welcomed and detested...it's just not always wise to approach with a vindi shooting behind you....and bikers need to approach close on numerous occasions.

What's a Mortis Dread?

A dread with 2 of the same ranged weapon.
Essentially a dread with 2 TL-Autocannons

Just one question, how is this even remotly close to a 2k lsit??

tedurur wrote:Just one question, how is this even remotly close to a 2k lsit??

I didn't post the point values just because I'm not certain of the rules concerning them, but i assure you it's exactly 2000 points.

Sanctjud wrote:A dread with 2 of the same ranged weapon.
Essentially a dread with 2 TL-Autocannons

I've got 2 Dreads with TLLC/ML. Would that work?

/shrug.
Go for it, but the Mortis Dread I'm talking about is the most cost effective transport popper in the SM Codex IMO, but YMMV.

Yeah, I just... I dunno.

I feel like spamming Autocannons on Dreads is just a little too... I dunno... Internettish.

I appreciate that they're good, but I find that the TLLC/ML dreads have more versatility. They can kill heavy Infantry models that laugh at Autocannons like Plague Marines and Blood Angels with Priests and stuff as well as beat down a tank or two with a decent chance of success.

As you said though, mileage may vary.

After a bit of thought...

HQ:
Khan; Moondrakkan
Chaplain; Bike
Command Squad; 4 LCs, 4 SS, Space Marine Bikes

Troops:
Space Marine Bike Squad; 4 Bikers, 1 Melta one Flamer, MM Attack Bike, Sgt with Powerfist (X5)
Scout Squad; 2 Shotguns and 2 BP/CCW; Sgt with Combi-Melta and Powerfist

Fast Attack:

Land Speeder Storm; Heavy Flamer