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I'm considering the following heavy support choices as a kind of TAC foundation to Marine armies and I wanted feedback.

#1 Stalker with storm bolter
#2 Hunter with storm bolter
#3 Whirlwind

Total cost: 220 points

So for less than a single Land Raider, I have three choices that should provide a reasonable AA screen and a respectable means to kill ADL camping infantry.

Best of all, none of it needs support and each unit is cheap enough that I don't cry if I lose one.

I am noticing a distinct lack of thunderfire cannons in your list.

You should probably add at least 1.

 Leth wrote:
I am noticing a distinct lack of thunderfire cannons in your list.

You should probably add at least 1.

To add to this:

It's not that what you have is a bad selection. They get the job done, for not a lot of points. It's the opportunity cost of not taking any of the other HS picks. And there are some nice ones out there; the TFC is just one of the more heavily advocated ones.

What do you think the rest of your list is going to look like? You have some nice AA and a dash of anti-infantry with the three tanks you picked, but can you cover all you other bases without using any more HS picks? It's not impossible, and a lot of lists can do it.

what Chaper Tactics do you use?

Also, how do you propose to deal with vehicles of the non-flyer variety?

 minigun762 wrote:
I'm considering the following heavy support choices as a kind of TAC foundation to Marine armies and I wanted feedback.

#1 Stalker with storm bolter
#2 Hunter with storm bolter
#3 Whirlwind

Total cost: 220 points

So for less than a single Land Raider, I have three choices that should provide a reasonable AA screen and a respectable means to kill ADL camping infantry.

Best of all, none of it needs support and each unit is cheap enough that I don't cry if I lose one.

I really prefer the stalker over the hunter, its much more flexible IMO.

Whirlwind is always fantastic, and I personally think that the stalker plays better as a companion to the whirlwind than the hunter.

If I'm not taking 3 TFC's, I have a stormraven, or 2 TFC's and the forge world landraider with a TFC on it. I oddly don't have much for heavy support beyond those. If I was to make another purchase, it would be 3 of the hunter tanks, but I own 3 stormtalons as well and a firestorm redoubt, so that won't happen.

I've never played with TFC so maybe I'm missing the significance.
I trust a 5" blast over 3" because you can't space your units 2.5" away so you'll always clip multiple models.
Yes you get multiple shots but that's still only 4 models covered if they space well.

As far as CT, this was supposed to be a Chapter neutral build where it was always appropriate and useful.

 minigun762 wrote:
I've never played with TFC so maybe I'm missing the significance.
I trust a 5" blast over 3" because you can't space your units 2.5" away so you'll always clip multiple models.
Yes you get multiple shots but that's still only 4 models covered if they space well.

As far as CT, this was supposed to be a Chapter neutral build where it was always appropriate and useful.

You will scatter often, so its easy to clip more than 1 with a TMC. Historically I've found it pretty easy to get about 6 under all 4 templates.

What makes the TFC so good is that its barrage. You can hit things out of LoS, you cause pinning, and you can snipe special weapons.

 labmouse42 wrote:

 minigun762 wrote:
I've never played with TFC so maybe I'm missing the significance.
I trust a 5" blast over 3" because you can't space your units 2.5" away so you'll always clip multiple models.
Yes you get multiple shots but that's still only 4 models covered if they space well.

As far as CT, this was supposed to be a Chapter neutral build where it was always appropriate and useful.

You will scatter often, so its easy to clip more than 1 with a TMC. Historically I've found it pretty easy to get about 6 under all 4 templates.

What makes the TFC so good is that its barrage. You can hit things out of LoS, you cause pinning, and you can snipe special weapons.

Isn't a WW barrage as well?

What do you know? It is! Learn something new every day.

TFC is point for point more power and utility, with the same risk of missing as a WW. Total misses can screw over both units, both can achieve clips, but only the TFC has a third mode and can really get multiple, devastating hits whereas the best a WW can do is a single direct hit template.

If you could squadron the WW it would be a far different story.

Don't forget the Tech Marine as well, as that's a bolstered terrain piece you get with the TFC.