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My first list, based on what I own (AoBR, SM megaforce and some odd bits) and what I think looks cool. How competitive is this?

Company Master
Lightening claw
Combi-plasma
Meltabombs
140

Dreadnaught
Heavy flamer
Assault cannon
Extra armour
Venerable
Drop pod
215

Dreadnaught
Plasma cannon
Extra armour
Venerable
160

Deathwing squad
Assault cannon
245

3x tact squad (10 men)
Plasma gun
Sarg has
Meltabombs
Plasma pistol
Power fist
3 x 225

Heavy weapons for tac squads
Plasma cannon 15
Heavy bolter 10
Missile launcher 10

Land raider crusader
Extra armour
Pintle storm bolter
270

Total 1740

A 2000pt list would include a tooled up command squad (and when funds allow, maybe lazbacks for the tact squads instead of command squad).
Any ideas on where I can shave points for a 1500pt list? Just lose the LR or a dreadnaught and drop pod.

Not very competitive.

Try giving the pod to a tactical squad.

What would make this more competitive? I quite like the idea of having a lot of troops on the table rather than getting a powerful IC.

Would you put the tact squad in the pod so it will be a scoring unit for capturing positions? I liked the idea of dropping the dreadnaught in the back line and smashing up some heavy weapons in close combat, or would the tact squad do just as good job?

In future I think I'll make the termies a close combat squad when I can afford to replace them. I do have another 10 man tact squad, should I just take them for now or perhaps a vet squad instead?

I can answer this is two directions.
Looking forward.

Your list needs to work together. If you put a tactical squad in the raider and one in a drop pod and let's say reserve the other, this means you have target saturation of loads of ap2 sort of targets. Then you can move all your models 6'' and shoot, providing a reasonable variety of fire.
Range is an issue here, there are longer ranged guns for the dreads and CML would be nice and cheap for the termies(read the DA FAQ.)

Where to go from here? Well I would go for lasbacks for your troops, dropping them down to 5 man squads. This will fit well with the heavy armour moving 6'' theme.

Else it sounds like you want big troop numbers then you will have to get transportation which will mean rhinos. So 3 rhinos later you'll need units that can keep up, protect and support them. I guess in the codex that is where the ravenwing should come in, and also you could take command/vet squads in rhinos, neither do you own.

Looking backward.

The best/cheapest way for DA to run tactical squads is 5 men in a razorback. You can take 3 5 man squads with meltas in a lasback. To support this you want something that moves slowly and can shoot and maybe can protect them in cc. Deathwing and dreads fit this well, given the slowness CMLs, TLlascannon and plasma cannons are going to be good ideas so the enemy can not run away. The landraider doesn't really have a place here but maybe vindis would be good or some preds to sit back and give covering fire.

So lasbacks please, you can magnetise to swap to rhinos if you want. You definitely need transportation for your troops in any case.

I'm starting to think that I should have picked a vanilla marine army instead of DA. Oh well. Thanks for the advice, I definitly think the lasbacks are the way forward and then I can try running the rhinos as well. It seems that LR has been gimped since the last time I played (2nd ed) and everyone needs a million tanks. Meh.

ConsumeTea wrote:I'm starting to think that I should have picked a vanilla marine army instead of DA. Oh well. Thanks for the advice, I definitly think the lasbacks are the way forward and then I can try running the rhinos as well. It seems that LR has been gimped since the last time I played (2nd ed) and everyone needs a million tanks. Meh.

Just by the SM codex or whatever and play them as which ever faction you want. Just because they are painted in dark angles green do not automatically make them Dark Angles, I play mine as either vanilla or DA depending on which mood I am in.

ConsumeTea wrote:I'm starting to think that I should have picked a vanilla marine army instead of DA. Oh well. Thanks for the advice, I definitly think the lasbacks are the way forward and then I can try running the rhinos as well. It seems that LR has been gimped since the last time I played (2nd ed) and everyone needs a million tanks. Meh.

Yeah you can just repaint/call them whatever chapter you want, just use the codex:space marine rules. The best way to run DA is to do either Deathwing or a Deathwing/Ravenwing combo

DA codex is a little expensive and restrictive. It just means you have to squeeze every bit out of your list.

If you wanted to make a deathwing list you'll find it easier.