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I'm running a mech Space Marines list (yes I know its's not 5th anymore) with some lasbacks and a Redeemer. I despise flyers - ours seem too pricey and fragile. But I also hate that our AA tanks don't have interceptor - points seem wasted if the enemy has no flyers. I know two Stalkers are only 150 points, but they take up two heavy slots. Is that enough AA? What should I do? Keep in mind, I'd prefer to keep things mechanized.

2 stalkers, or a Hunter and a Stalker. Let the enemy shoot at a cheap AA unit, so they don't shoot at your good units. Add a quad gun in there to saturate the AA.

If you play forgeworld then you have plentiful options.

If not don't forget that skyfire also lets you fire at skimmers at full BS. The hunter can also go 2x4 shots mode which somewhat reduces the negatives.

There is also the fortifications which now include firestorm redoubt (excellent AA), ADL, and bastion.

Land Radier Helios. Survivable and if you dont face someone with flyers, it can still take out other armor without an issue. If you really want to piss off a flyer player and be fairly killy against someone else, try 3 Mortis Contemptors (with whatever weapons, I like twin Kheres Assault Cannon even with the short range) and three Helios Land Raiders. Yeah its over a thousand points for the 6 but does have 6 Twin linked LCs, 3 missile launchers, and 6 Kheres Assault cannons, all with at least front armor 13 and three of them with 5++ to all shooting.

Mech Marines really want the support units in Heavy Support like Devastators, Tri-Las Predators and Thunderfire Cannons for killing scoring units dug down you can't reach and shaving wounds off Riptides, MC's and popping vehicles.

I'm not a huge fan of the Stalker/Hunter at all - the Talon I believe is a far better choice. Allow me to repost this previous post of mine:

Is paying 55 points more for a BS5 TL ASC with 360 arc shenanigans and BS5 3 shot AC that can destroy tanks, gun down infantry and tackle flyers (better, might I add) over a unit that can't do anything effective to ground targets and requires your opponent to ignore its existence for the turn with its meagre AV11 sides and for you to score 1/10 level lucky scenario worth it? For a unit that can only be shot down by an incredibly rare set of units before it strikes, to which end 90% of the time it will without interference?

 ansacs wrote:

If not don't forget that skyfire also lets you fire at skimmers at full BS. The hunter can also go 2x4 shots mode which somewhat reduces the negatives.

Basically. 70 odd points is a steal for this thing.

You could also try flakk missiles in a rhino. But I think the autocannon spam on a rhino chasis is the answer

The Stalker/Hunter does mostly nothing first turn(unless the opponent has skimmers), then might do something second or third turn.

This is the same reason I don't use Hydras in my Guard lists.

Frankly is the opponent has a skimmer heavy army, they are not likely to have many Flyers. And then you have Marines and Guard, who might have flyers but are not as likely to have skimmers(that you can shoot down with any basic guns as well).

Thge only one that is half worth it is the stalker; and that is because when firing at 2 separate targets you run into 2 conflicting rules where you can roll off via TMIR and might get 2 sets of BS2 shots on ground targets.

 Kommissar Kel wrote:
The Stalker/Hunter does mostly nothing first turn(unless the opponent has skimmers), then might do something second or third turn.

4 TL shots snapshots is 1.22 hits
8 snapshots is 1.333 hits
1 BS4 autocannon is 1.333 hits

Look at the cost of a naked predator(which comes with a BS4 autocannon in the turret)

consider the value you get by having skyfire against a flyer or skimmer


seems a pretty good deal.

The Stalker is actually pretty effective against a lot of annoying units. Get enough and you can even HP out helldrakes and wave serpents.