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Hi I want to present my newest list (its repost please comment on that), after a lot of thinking this idea over and some playtests I created this one for upcoming tournament:

HQ1: Imotekh The Stormlord
HQ1a: Royal Court:
3x Harbinger of Despair
1x Harbinger of Storm
1x Harbinger of Eternity, Chronometron
HQ2: Nemessor Zandrekh
HQ2a: Royal Court:
2x Harbinger of Despair
2x Harbinger of Storm

Elite1: 5 Deathmarks + Transport1
Elite2: 5 Deathmarks + Transport2
Elite3: 5 Deathmarks + Transport3

Troops1: 5 Warriors + Transport4
Troops2: 5 Warriors + Transport5
Troops3: 5 Warriors + Transport6
Troops4: 5 Warriors + Transport7
Troops5: 5 Immortals

Fortification: Imperial Bastion, Comms Relay

I made some changes with regard to my previous lists, ditched barges- beacause they do not generate enough damage, when I dont have any other threat at the begining then they draw every S7-10 opponent fire, theyre not best bullet magnet and they die before get into range. When I have them in reserves it takes a lot of time until they finally get into range. Without them its pure air saturation, with night fighting and nemessor stealth increasing survivability of my flyers. I dont totally rely on damage that flyers' teslas do, beacause deathmarks with despairteks and warriors with some haywire shots I can output some real damage. Addition to this are imotekh ligtning. I think also that I can exchange immortals for 5 warriors and go for lightning field and nightmare shroud, since immortals in most games serve as nescessary unit on the table as well as comms service

I know that I dont have a lot of models at the begining of game, but bastion can be placed in the corner and behind it Imotekh with Cryptek or immortals, in case of manticore I can hide some infantry in ruins out of line of sight because barrage weapons can hit only highest floor. Ive outlived first turn in game with Dark Eldars, Imperial Guard with manticores and also with drop pod dark angels.

Biggest problem is Tau, with all that skyfire.


Whats your opinion on that?

Well, 7 scythes should do. As long as you survive the first turn so you don't get tabled, seems solid.

Drop Pod armies are now rare, even if I couldnt place bastion in the corner of board I would use any area terrain (gtg with Zandrekh's stealth provides 2+ cover save), ruins hopefully including any los blocker near the edge of board for shelter for my only unit on board in order to minimise units shooting at my unit of 5 Immortals with 2 crypteks (for more bodies), Imotekh and Zandrekh (2x guy with 2+/3+ 3w) with one re-roll from chronometron and 4+ reanimation protocols. I thnk they may outlive massed first turn shooting. Whats your opinion on that?

Do you guys have any ideas how to fight with tau?
Riptides with broadsides with commander + upgrades means tough matchup, when they deploy near the edge I wont be able to reach them with deathmarks and when I get close I gonna suffer a lot of murderous shooting when I disembark my deathmarks gonna suffer interceptor from rapetides.

I think you have enough scythes to survive the tau interceptor fire.

Keep the troops in the scythes until you are where you want to be, then just flame them out of existence. I mean the pathfinders/troops obviously.

Ignore the riptides - you don't have the tools to take them down, unless you send deathmarks after them.

Agreed on rapetide issue, they're not worth paying attention on them, with possible 3+ inv and 5 wounds its hard to kill even with deathmarks. On 2100 there will be 2-3 of them.

Yup its best to deal with troops quickly until I have any tools. Unit of broadsides with commander with ignore cover and tank hunter and skyfire and multi tracker can easily down two flyers. Worst thing here is that I have only 24" scythe movement + 6" disembarking + ~ 6" flamer it means that if opponent will deploy near the edge I wont be able to strike him in turn I arrive = I gonna suffer interceptor and 1 turn of shooting. Interceptor (S8 ap2 plate) can harm deathmarks disembarking from flyers in turn they arrive. Any thought on that?

its 1-0 list

I'd keep the deathmarks in the scythes until you can place them where you want them. Seems pointless to pay for scythes and then dump the Deathmarks out of range.

If you are concerned, maybe ditch a scythe and get a couple of veils instead.

yup but scythe is a big bargain flyer with tesla fo 100, and its more secure and accurate then deep striking, so its better to have scythe rather then cryptek with veil of darkness

Actually, not in this case - obviously. Not denying the scythe is a nice unit - but in this case it is the wrong tool for the job.

The specific concern is that the flyers can't drop the Deathmarks close enough when they come in T2 (hopefully). So, swapping to veils is more efficient because:

a) If you go second, you can deploy the D&D squad on the board T1, and hit the marked unit on T1 instead of 2.

b) In this list you'll save 70 points by converting to veiltek (because the despairtek is already paid for). That buys you the extra Despairtek (so all D&D squads have 2) plus 2 extra deathmarks. Do it for 2 squads and you have enough points to beef up the immortals to help prevent a T1 tabling.

Flyers can't drop 'em in T2, but with VoD there is probability I wont hit enemy at all.

But I feel your advice and going to test it.

VoD would be fine for immortals hiding behind the bastion, 5th deep strike on objective to claim it/contest it.

You'll hit the enemy fine..may not be quite as precise, but against Tau you should still get the effect you are looking for.

You Mark have inspired me with deep striking. But maybe not deepstriking deathmarks but... spyders.

I would like to present an upgraded list, can you guys compare it with my first list and told me which and why is better. Im adding to my list spyder deathstar in order to have better control of the board as well as additional unit which can be dropped near enemy lines and make some diversion. Vs. Tau spyders can work as bullet-magnet.

It goes like this:

HQ1: Imotekh The Stormlord
HQ1a: Royal Court:
2x Harbinger of Despair
1x Harbinger of Storm
1x Harbinger of Eternity, Chronometron
HQ2: Nemessor Zandrekh
HQ2a: Vargard Obyron
HQ2b: Royal Court:
2x Harbinger of Despair
2x Harbinger of Storm

Elite1: 5 Deathmarks + Transport1
Elite2: 5 Deathmarks + Transport2

Troops1: 5 Warriors + Transport3
Troops2: 5 Warriors + Transport4
Troops3: 5 Warriors + Transport5
Troops4: 5 Warriors + Transport6

Heavy Support: 3 Canoptek Spyders

Transport1: Night Scythe
Transport2: Night Scythe
Transport3: Night Scythe
Transport4: Night Scythe
Transport5: Night Scythe
Transport6: Night Scythe

Fortification: Imperial Bastion, Comms Relay


Spyder deathstar include Nemessor Zandrekh + Vargard Obyron + 3 Spyders, it has a lot of attacks, deep strike (very presciese with Obyrons ability), if close combat aint good for me I can escape from combat via Ghostwalk Mantle, I can escape from combat also only with characters I can leave tough spyders with some weak enemy and ds my characters in other place in order to assault another unit.

Interesting idea. A couple of points:

a) O only doesn't scatter if he lands within 6" of Z. If they are in the same unit, you'll scatter normally. To prevent this, put Z in a scythe, drop him off then teleport to him.

b) From memory I don't think that you can ghostwalk only characters out of a combat. However, given Spyders are MC, take them with you to repeat the HoW, Fear benefits.

You think it may be better than triple deathmark list?

Yes I know that its good to place Zandrekh in scythe, but sadly he can suffer then interceptor massed fire.

I think that you can ghostwalk only character out of combat, I know that this is possible beacause Alan Bajramovic USA rep on ETC played like this

I think you need to try it. Deepstriking 3 spyders into assaulting range of tau seems like a very risky proposition (because they don't get to shoot). Tau probably have enough shooting to kill them all (although if you place Oby/Zandy correctlly you should be able to tank a lot of shots.)

Deepstriking deathmarks seems less of a point investment and have a greater chance of success (because they are mainly there to shoot).

Somewhat off-topic here (sorry!), but why no love for annihilation barges? They're only 90 points and are pretty serviceable against mechs.

Yup i need to try it, sadly I have very small amount of spare time, and big tournament is so close...

@Kevcron- I know that barges are amazing but there's no place for them in my list dude. Theyre good against infantry, mechs, aircrafts, fmc... almost everything, unless its dakka-resistant like rapetide with 2+ t6 fnp 5w or its av13-14 vehicle (or wave serpent).

But I have nothing on a board at the begining of the game- accept potential barge, they gonna suffer against many enemies, whole enemy army gonna shoot at it, so I have to hide them, or keep near the board edge or keep them in reserves. With so small range I think they wont be so useful. I played with them against BA which killed them very quickly after they arrived from reserve, IG killed them too with manticore's and lascans (searchlights helped with nf), chaos daemons assauleted with screamers and dogs.

No love for barges in my list


Automatically Appended Next Post:
I forgot to write following thought: spyders gonna work as bullet magnet against tau, every shot fired at them means one shot less fired at my flyers, which can create possibility for my deathmarks to disembark succesfully near the broadsides and anihilate them.

Dont know if you guys know that abyssal stuff can instant death broadsides, its wording says that you have to always use ld value for wounding, not ID, and rulebook says that you always compare weapon strength and target toughness