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I noticed there was one for Iron hands and wanted to make one for Salamanders given a lot of the iron hands tricks don't really work for us!
I've been scouring the codex for something a little more set in stone, or most efficient means of 'melta spam' but it all seems rather meh.

So, as I pointed out in another thread:

Vulkan + 5x Legion of The Damned w/Melta, Multi-Melta, Combi-Melta should be a nice efficient way of delivering melta. Slow and Purposeful on the LoTD makes that multi-melta full BS when they deep strike. Squad runs 145 pts.

It also looks like we can load up a Sternguard Squad with Combi-Meltas, which in turn give us re-rolls to hit with the Special ammunition (in conjunction with Vulkans ability). It's pricey, but works.

More specific to the Chapter tactic, a 5 man assault squad w/ 2x flamer in a pod is only 95 points. So this is another efficient way of using our abilities.

OH GOD! You're right about vulkan's master crafting of combi-meltas.

AW YISS!

I'm still working with the idea with running Rhinos again. Yeah, yeah - I'll get a lot of hate for mentioning the idea of Rhino Rush again, I'll commit later on it later when I get more games in. I'd 100% agree that Rhino Rush is dead when you run straight mech, but the combination of Pods AND Rhinos would be key. I think the reason I "want" to try the hybrid build would be for late game mobility. Against Jet bike armies and Jet packs, our late game objective control sometimes struggles when you only have 9 pods, etc.

Anyway, I'm liking my Legion with Combi-Gravs. The other weapons are Melta/MM. But you get all 3 shots with the Grav and with a decent BS it's almost 5 wounds on a Riptide the turn they drop that can't get cover saves against. 3 melta shots is good, but as everyone says in 6th, the more shots you take, the better.

Also, on a note with LOTD, since they come in Turn2, Drop podding in Tacticals Turn1 all across the board is a decent strat. The Turn2 with LotD AND Sternguard at the same time could be devastating, but I'd only do that if I ran Aegis/Comms. The Tacts would drop on objectives and hide in Ruins/Bolstered by TFC/MotF and the Turn2 punch after the enemy mobilizes some. If he sits on objectives Turn 1 and 2, his late game might struggle getting late game objectives.

I was tossing this idea around in my head as a sort of 'Vulkan strikeforce'...by air.

Vulkan

Tac Squad (10) - Flamer, Combi-flamer, Thunderhammer
Tac Squad (10) - Flamer, Combi-flamer, Thunderhammer
Scouts (5) - Cloaks, Sniper Rifles

Hammernators (5)

3x Storm Talons - Skyhammer missiles
3x Storm Ravens - Lascannon on turret, Multimelta in the nose

Total is 1850

Sallies allow the flamers to function as better anti-horde, and Vulkan gives the stormravens a better shot with the MM. The CT can let the tacs either MC their hammers or combis, though the hammers are only there because I love hammers.

The scouts make the list legal and give an extra scoring unit. Everything else flies, and the talons fly escort for the ravens.

All in all, pretty hilarious. Granted, the list could be done with Iron Hands to make the ravens more durable, but I love Sallies too much.

I just received my codex in the mail yesterday and I must say that I am very pleased with the new codex. One question I have though... The book states under Vulkan's entry that all models with melta (multi/combi etc) have the master crafted special rule. This does not seem to be considered a "chapter tactic" so would this include all other melta in the army (dreds, speeders etc)? This is a little different than how it was worded in the old codex.

strengthofthedragon2 wrote:
I just received my codex in the mail yesterday and I must say that I am very pleased with the new codex. One question I have though... The book states under Vulkan's entry that all models with melta (multi/combi etc) have the master crafted special rule. This does not seem to be considered a "chapter tactic" so would this include all other melta in the army (dreds, speeders etc)? This is a little different than how it was worded in the old codex.

It is a bit different than before since they are master crafted vs. Twin Linked, but Vulkan's ability would still apply to all melta weapons in his detachment.

Sternies in a Dp with 2x heavy flamers and combi melta/flamers. And vulkan may not deep strike I think. Not sure.

 Largeblastmarker wrote:
Sternies in a Dp with 2x heavy flamers and combi melta/flamers. And vulkan may not deep strike I think. Not sure.

He can in a Drop Pod -- other than that, you are correct, he would not be able to.

Personally I like the idea of a Storm Raven with melta and a Squad of Hammernators backing drop pod Vets with heavy flamers and meltas. Maybe unit of LoTD with melta instead. Not much scoring but alot of flames. Maybe bikes with flamers or melta and a Captain on Bike for mounted assault?

 NickTheButcher wrote:
So, as I pointed out in another thread:

Vulkan + 5x Legion of The Damned w/Melta, Multi-Melta, Combi-Melta should be a nice efficient way of delivering melta. Slow and Purposeful on the LoTD makes that multi-melta full BS when they deep strike. Squad runs 145 pts.

It also looks like we can load up a Sternguard Squad with Combi-Meltas, which in turn give us re-rolls to hit with the Special ammunition (in conjunction with Vulkans ability). It's pricey, but works.

More specific to the Chapter tactic, a 5 man assault squad w/ 2x flamer in a pod is only 95 points. So this is another efficient way of using our abilities.

It's not thaaat pricey. You only need to take 4 combi's for an entire unit of 5's rerolls as the sergeant gets his for free added to his regular bolt gun on account of being infantry/character.
Running centurion devs the sergeant also benefits from master crafted letting him have a master crafted grav cannon + amp. 1 missed to hit, full rerolls to wound up to 5 shots.

BronzeJon wrote:OH GOD! You're right about vulkan's master crafting of combi-meltas.

AW YISS!

NickTheButcher wrote:So, as I pointed out in another thread:

Vulkan + 5x Legion of The Damned w/Melta, Multi-Melta, Combi-Melta should be a nice efficient way of delivering melta. Slow and Purposeful on the LoTD makes that multi-melta full BS when they deep strike. Squad runs 145 pts.

It also looks like we can load up a Sternguard Squad with Combi-Meltas, which in turn give us re-rolls to hit with the Special ammunition (in conjunction with Vulkans ability). It's pricey, but works.

More specific to the Chapter tactic, a 5 man assault squad w/ 2x flamer in a pod is only 95 points. So this is another efficient way of using our abilities.

Did everyone else see this? Is this correct? Vulkan master crafts the melta weapon (combi-meltas seem to count...) and since its a master crafted weapon you get to reroll a miss even if using special ammo? That seems like an extremely powerful (and unintentional) boon. Think it will get faq-ed into non-existence or is it already not viable. I already somewhat liked pods and sternguard and vulkans and such...If that sticks... I may have to rethink my color scheme

Until it gets FAQ'd that's awesome. Although really pricey at 365 pts. Like stated already I like the look of LotD with melta/mm/CM. I also like melta/flamer command squads on bikes or in drop pods.

Yeah, I don't have the income to get an army potentially to get it faq'd as unusable, nor to relly simply on what people seem to be heading towards, drop podding melta spam.

I'm a little iffy about setting up stern and Lotd through fear they are going to be FAQ'd D:

 Sasa0mg wrote:
Yeah, I don't have the income to get an army potentially to get it faq'd as unusable, nor to relly simply on what people seem to be heading towards, drop podding melta spam.

I'm a little iffy about setting up stern and Lotd through fear they are going to be FAQ'd D:

I don't see LoTD getting FAQ'd, there's really no grey area there.

However, concerns about Combi-Meltas with Vulkan -- I can see it getting FAQ'd. Luckily from 5th, I already have a bunch of Combi-Melta models since they are used widely throughout a Salamander army as it is.

Even if they are FAQed, having 3 melta shots in a single Deep-Striking unit with scatter reroll - one of which can get the 12" melta range on the drop - makes for a REALLY useful unit. Blood Angels have been doing it for years with just 2 in an Assault squad with 6" melta range. If rerolls are FAQed out for the LotD, all it'll mean is dropping from a highly-competitive tournament level type unit to "just" a really good one.

Sternguard will also be useful even if the reroll for special ammo is FAQed away - given the specification in the same Codex that Bolter Drill definitively doesn't apply, I doubt it will be.

While I agree those things are a bit risky to base a new army around them... most salamanders enthusiasts will already have it set up. Since comb is got more expensive its really more of an incentive to still take them now. And even if master craft fails to modify special issue ammo in the future.. melta stern guard should be no worse than before.. just a tad pricier.

Now the real question... how does one divide up their 3 elite slots between stern guard and lotd? 2 SG cause they're on fire right now? Or two lotd cause they're really good but still cheaper smaller units? I guess it may depend more on the rest of the list... if you're using pods for heavy alpha strike and all that.

It's more point effective for Salamanders to drop in assault marines with 2 melta guns for about 100pts then it is to deck out and send in stern guard. For the price of 1 stern you can throw out 2 assault marine units that trade there packs for pods for free and still take in 2 meltaguns and a combin for the serg if you so wish to send the points in.

 Sasa0mg wrote:
It's more point effective for Salamanders to drop in assault marines with 2 melta guns for about 100pts then it is to deck out and send in stern guard. For the price of 1 stern you can throw out 2 assault marine units that trade there packs for pods for free and still take in 2 meltaguns and a combin for the serg if you so wish to send the points in.

Don't have my codex handy, but I don't think assault marines get melta. From memory they have access to Flamer and Pasma -- in which case it's flamer all day err-day.

Correct, they don't get melta, that's a BA thing. Nor do they get grav, and plasma is only available to them as the pistol.

You can still put a meltagun and multimelta in a tac squad, with perhaps combimelta on the Sarge, as a cheap alternative to either. The problem is the multimelta can only snapshot on arrival, though at least it gets a reroll. :p