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I am thinking about playing in a local escalation league with some friends and I am looking for just a fun army to play around with.

The two options I am thinking about right now is to either buy the IG Batallion Box and run with a gunline list (and add tanks and such as the league grows).

The other options which is more $$$ but looks pretty fun to me is this:

CCS
4x Grenade launchers/Flamers
Valkyrie w/rocket pods

Vet Squad
2x Meltaguns
1x Flamer
Shotguns
Chimera ML/HF

Vet Squad
2x Meltaguns
1x Flamer
Shotguns
Chimera ML/HF

I don't know about effectiveness, but this list just seems like it would be fun. Add some anti-horde and maybe a LRBT for the next level.

What do you guys think?

My advice will be kind of "cookie cutter", but:
Don't waste Vet's BS4 on flamers! (CCS incl.) Melta/Plasma is best, IMHO.
Don't Mix-n-match your special weapons! All Melta, GL, ect...
For the Same Pts, you could have a Vendetta.


Hope i've helped, or at least given some food for thought!

Well poop, just read through the escalation rules again. For 500 and 800 points there cannot be any vehicles with a total armor of 44, so the 46 of the Valkyrie/Vendetta puts that over the top. So I guess another Chimera for the command squad then and something to support.

Unless I just go gunline after all.

I also only need 1 troop choice at 500 points.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
So other than gunline, if I go mech what about:

CCS
Melta x4
Plasma Pistol & PW
Chimera w/ ML/HF

Veteran Squad
Melta x4
Shotguns
Plasma Pistol & PW
Chimera w/ ML/HF

Manticore

That clocks in right at 500 points.

Next round would be 800 points. I would not be able to take any more Heavy units, but could take one each of Fast or Elite with the same 44 armor restriction.

I have no real problem with your list. do you have two vet squads, or just one. hope its two. anyway. i would prefer a basic LRBT w/ lascannon over the Manticore or Valk. The AV 14 is tought o deal with at 500 points. One lucky first round shot at AV12 will realy put a hurt on your plans.

martin74 wrote:I have no real problem with your list. do you have two vet squads, or just one. hope its two. anyway. i would prefer a basic LRBT w/ lascannon over the Manticore or Valk. The AV 14 is tought o deal with at 500 points. One lucky first round shot at AV12 will realy put a hurt on your plans.

The problem is that the max AV of any vehicle at 500 and 800 points is 44. A LRBT clocks in at 50.

Im thinking the second list is a fairly decent start to a good mech list. I would suggest a few changes though. Firstly I would drop the power weapons and plasma pistols from the ccs and vet squad. You really don't want either unit to assault as they will be torn to shreds by pretty much anything. Secondly I would suggest going with lashings over shotguns for several reasons. Firstly the lashings give you the ability to do something at longer range in the chimera rather than be limited to the 12 inch range where you'll be firing the meltas anyways. I also personally find it a PITA to convert a bunch of shotguns when the in game performance is so mediocre but YMMV. With regard to the manticore I would suggest taking some hydra flak tanks instead. A lot of people underestimate them so they usually fare well for me. And at low tier games having a bunch of longer range twin linked autocannon shots never hurts.

Is there a model for the Hydra Flak Tanks? Didn't think I saw any on first glance.

Regretably there isn't a model for the Hydra I can say they are really easy to convert. You could go all GW stuff and put the Aegis defense line quad autocannons on top of a turretless chimera, or scratchbuild the flak turret out of plasticard. If you can afford the Forgeworld conversion kit that works too

d-usa wrote:Is there a model for the Hydra Flak Tanks? Didn't think I saw any on first glance.

As mentioned, they're not hard to pull off. Check my gallery.

Nice conversions,

I am also still thinking about just running a gunline, just defending whatever it is they are defending and waiting on (and hoping for) reinforcements. There is something to be said about the poor guard just holding on against the worst enemies of the imperium.

Just thought I'd mention that Vendettas have AV 12+12+10=44 not 46...

Side armor is counted twice, so 12 (front) + 12 (left) + 12 (right) + 10 (back) = 46. Which is bad, because I liked the flying list at 500 points.

ha ha so actually I should have said 36!!!

That does suck a bit, although vendettas are probably a bit OP at that point level (and anything AV14 definitely is!).

It does mean melta is much less useful at this point range - you'd be better off getting autocannons in everywhere possible. If you get the battalion set you get 3 heavy weapons bases. Just a thought...

That would be my thought with a gunline army. Get the batallion, 3 auto cannons and an autocannon Sentinel. That would take care of the ork player and any AV 10-12 running around.

Don't discount the Chimera at lower points.
Two heavy weapon systems, 5 fire points and at lower point
level games av 12 can be harder to get rid of than at higher point games.

alarmingrick wrote:Don't discount the Chimera at lower points.
Two heavy weapon systems, 5 fire points and at lower point
level games av 12 can be harder to get rid of than at higher point games.

This is the truth, Chimeras will be golden at that point level. I find autocannon + hullmounted HB quite effective, but ML & HF is also a good option.

Am I the only one to notice your Vets have four special weapons? *Tsk tsk tsk*

Here is your Hydra...

Even at 500pts, facing two ACs or MLs or a rampaging HQ with a AT option is not uncommon, and 2-3 Chimeras might not make it across the board to even get in Melta range.

If you want a Mech list AND a gunline list, do both...

CCS - 157pts
2x Plasma guns, LC, Bolter, Chimera

Vets - 192pts
3x Plasma guns, LC, Bolt Pistol, Chimera

Hydra - 75pts

Hydra - 75pts

499pts

If you drop the LCs down to ACs, and drop the bolter and BP, gives you 25pts. But I kinda like the LCs, even though at this level they are over-powered considering the AV values your facing. Consider them a long term answer. The Chimeras are Stock Multi-Laser/Heavy Bolter and fire on one target, your troops fire on another. The Hydras should also leave the hull Heavy Bolter for additional anti-troop firepower. Bamn, mech/gunline hybred.

This point on, add Vet squads in Chimeras, Vets in Vendettas (Forge World has those conversion kits too), or even LRBTs... but I think the plasma/LC vets in Chimeras are the better option. Throw an extra Hydra in there and you have alot of sources for long range AT, and the LCs have that BS 4 going for them. You can also squad up the Hydras and add in a Collosus or two (to get around those pesky cover saves) or even a Manticore or two... whatever floats your boat. The bigger artillery though might be harder to defend though when you have stuff like Marbro, Vanguard Vets, drop pod Dreads and the like at higher points. Just keep that in mind...

I'd be tempted to out tank your opponents at the 500 point level by dropping the special weapons and running a mech platoon instead. It will give you much more versatility in grabbing objectives.

CCS w. Chimera + 1 melta : 115pts
Platoon : (ccs/is/is) all three squads equipped with chimera : 310pts
Hydra : 75pts

Total: 500 pts

This puts 4 chimera and a hydra on the table to start with, which will pump out a lot of shots each turn that should chew through any other vehicles on the table as well as getting rid of the squishy troops.

Alternatively, you could have the start of a really nice foot slogging force for 500 points.

CCS w. Lascannon team : 70pts
CCS w. Melta bombs : 70pts
Veterans w. Lascannon team : 90pts
Infantry platoon :
- PCS w. 2 flamers
- IS1 w. Commissar
- IS2
- HWS w. 3 autocannons

total: 495pts

This gives you a nice blob to thrown at people if you really want to and a reasonable amount of AT firepower at this level. Eventually the one of the CCSs would get melta guns and a chimera/vendetta to go tank hunting or objective grabbing. Alternatively you could drop one of the lascannons on the CCS and add two power weapons to the blob