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I've made a goal to assemble and paint the entire 1850 point army that I'm bringing to a local tournament event in July. I'll be bringing my counts-as-drop pods, scratchbuilt Drill Tanks once I can find a decent set of tracks (any recommendations?) to attach.


Pedro Kantor

10x Sternguard
- 2x Combi-Flamer, 6x Combi-Melta, 1x Combi-Plas
- PW/Bolter Sergeant
-Drop Pod w/ Locator Beacon

10x Sternguard
- 2x Combi-Flamer, 6x Combi-Melta, 1x Combi-Plas
- PF/Bolter Sergeant
-Drop Pod

10x Sternguard
- 2x Combi-Flamer, 6x Combi-Melta, 1x Combi-Plas
- PF/Bolter Sergeant
-Drop Pod

10x Scout Squad
- 8x Sniper Rifle, 1x Heavy Bolter
- Sergeant Tellion

5x Scout Squad
- 4x BP/CCW, Camo Cloaks
- PF/BP Sergeant

Landspeeder Storm
- Multi-melta

Vindicator

Vindicator


Total 1850


Every infantry unit is scoring and if combat squaded, I'd have 9 scoring units, 5 otherwise. The CC Scouts go in the Storm to either deep strike (off the pod's locator beacon) or outflank and hit a light infantry transport, assaulting the contents or perform drive-by's to supplement the Sternie's shooting. The foot scouts hole up in cover, preferrably on a backfield objective, but otherwise attempt to slim down infantry units or at least keep them pinned. If Tellion's not taking out hidden power fists and the like, he'll be giving a nice -6 on the heavy bolter's Hellfire scatter.

The vindi's each take a board side, while the first-turn pods drop near the largest threat and either melta or dakka it to death. I thought about adding dozer blades to the Vindi's as I've got rotten luck with dangerous terrain tests, but decided to go with a combi-plas in each sternguard squad instead, just in case I've used up my meltas and need some light anti-armor.

My opinion is that it's a very trim list, relying heavily on the Sternguard to do most of the work. While they're essentially tac marines, cheap combi-weapons give them a bit more flexibilty to get multiple jobs done. Unfortunately, they're going to go down to shooting just like marines, so I'll have to put a hurting where it counts the most in the first round or two to see things through.

The real question: is it competitive?

Recommendations?

Pretty much part for the course with Pedro, though I'm not convinced I like the pods. Those Sternguard are expensive and they are no more durable than standard Space Marines. I think I would rather take AC/LC Predators than Vindicators in this list to be honest, and I would find a way to add a second Land Speeder or ditch the one you have. Single Speeders are easy kill points.

Take 2x Heavy Flamers in the Sternguard units instead of Combi-Flamers. They will serve you much better and can be fired more than once.

agree with above post, I also would cut down on the number of combi weapons in those squad. You will def be eating a few marines on the way in so might as well make them bolter marines. Also by placing half your army in drop pods you allow half your army on the field getting shot at by everything the enemy has. I would think about putting the sternguard in razorbacks or rhinos instead.

I also agree with the above replies. I would also recommend that you give the first Sterngard sergeant a Lightning Claw instead of a normal power weapon. As configured, he won't get an extra attack with his PW. If you give him a LC instead, he still won't get an extra attack but he will be able to re-roll to wound in assault.

All good advice, I appreciate it and sorry it took me so long to reply.

My main issue with AC/Las Preds (Combi-pred) is that there's no TL and a low number of shots, meaning that you have to spam them. I like the pair of vindicators as a heavy choice for it's versatility and heavy hitting, s10, large blast

I imagine that Rifleman Dreads would do a better job with the same number of shots, albeit twin linked, at only 5 points more. Adding a MotF to the list would let me take them as Heavy, but I'd likely have to sacrifice a few men from one of the SG squads to get him to fit. Not a bad trade off since he effectively adds another powerfist to the squad and I can squeeze in another drop pod if I need to throw down an empty. That said, I agree that throwing down the sternies in drop pods is risky (which is part of the appeal of this list) and would probably be better served putting them in rhinos, making vindis a little more effective by granting them cover during the advance.

The storm is in there primarily as a transport for the five man scout team and an extra multi-melta. Given that it's only 65 points, I think it's a pretty good investment as an upgrade for the scouts and anything it takes out will likely return it's value. I'd love to field two of them, but I only have the one. I'm not seeing how taking more than one would make a difference besides adding another target and doing so would require me to remove something else from the list. Dropping the speeder would likely require re-tooling the squad it carries - what do you think? Snipers instead?

In regards to the plethora of melta, I wanted to make sure that if the sternies were shooting, that a single melta wouldn't be wasted, but I guess 6 in each squad is a little much. Ideally, they'd fire all their combi-meltas turn 1 - combat squadding would give 6x 3x meltas - or half turn 1 and the other half as opportunity presents itself, so there would be a few bolter marines in there but I'm happy to drop them down to 4 per squad, which saves about 30 points.

Heavy flamers are awesome when the sternies are in rhinos, which it looks like would be a better transport anyway. I only have two of them, so one each in two squads, backed up by a single combi-flamer.

Billboard, thanks for the LC recommendation - I didn't want to take away a bolter from the squad just for +1 A and the re-roll to wound will make a difference as long as he hits. Plus, they cost the same.