Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

I have included 2 lists, one for when I will be dealing with flyers and one for when I am not versing flyers. I opted against an entirely drop pod army as I am a little confused as to how the new rules about having massed amounts of drop pods work. Without any further ado.

@@@LIST FOR DEALING WITH FLYERS@@@

###HQ###

Vulkan He'stan (obviously) 190 points

###ELITES###

Sternguard Squad->9 guys,2 heavy flamers + 4 combimeltas + rhino 303 points

Dreadnought->multimelta,powerfist + heavy flamer + drop pod w/ deathwind 160 points

Dreadnought_>multimelta,powerfist + heavy flamer + drop pod w/ deathwind 160 points

###TROOPS###

Tactical squad->flamer,multimelta and combimelta + rhino 200 points

Tactical squad->flamer,multimelta and combimelta + rhino 200 points

Tactical squad->flamer,multimelta and combimelta + rhino 200 points

###FAST ATTACK###

Attack bike->multimelta 55 points

###HEAVY SUPPORT###

Vindicator->siege shield 135 points

Vindicator->siege shield 135 points

Devastator Squad->10 guys, 4 missile launchers + flakk missiles 240 points
___________________________________________________________________________________
TOTAL POINTS 1978 points (I will spend the remaining points on minor upgrades)

@@@LIST FOR WITHOUT FLYER SUPPORT@@@

###HQ###

Vulkan He'stan (obviously) 190 points

###ELITES###

Sternguard Squad->9 guys,2 heavy flamers + 4 combimeltas + rhino 303 points

Dreadnought->multimelta,powerfist + heavy flamer + drop pod w/ deathwind 160 points

Dreadnought_>multimelta,powerfist + heavy flamer + drop pod w/ deathwind 160 points

###TROOPS###

Tactical squad->flamer,multimelta and combimelta + rhino 200 points

Tactical squad->flamer,multimelta and combimelta + rhino 200 points

Tactical squad->flamer,multimelta and combimelta + rhino 200 points

###FAST ATTACK###

Attack bike->multimelta 55 points

Attack Bike->multimelta 55 points

###HEAVY SUPPORT###

Vindicator->Seige shield 135 points

Vindicator->seige shield 135 points

Devastator Squad->10 guys, 4 missile launchers 200 points
___________________________________________________________________________________
TOTAL POINTS 1993 points (will probs use the extra 5 for melta bombs on a sarge or something of the like)

Any feedback or suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

It’s OK to go full drop. The only problem is building and painting all the pods.

Most vehicles work better with less gear. Deathwinds are a trap choice IMHO. You can’t fire them the turn you land, and they have a very short range on an immobile platform. I wouldn’t take them if they were free, and they cost a chunk of points. The siege shield on the Vindi’s is iconic and looks cool, but it not worth what you pay to remove a 1-6 chance of immobilization.

If you are running a hybrid drop list, I’d go with 3 pods, so you can plant two down on the first turn. Your sternguard really want to be in one. I might drop one of the dreads (for points) and run a dread/sterns/tac in 3 pods. Use the points you save from the dread to buy some multi-role AA so you just need one list.

You could probably shave a c-melta or two off your sternguard. You want them shooting at troops, so how many TL melta shots are you going to need to crack a tank open? 2-3 is probably safe. There is something to be said for finding another place for Vulcan and running 10 man so you can combat squad, but 9+HQ is a viable choice.

If you scratch one dread and shave some upgrades, That gives you around 200 points to invest in some AA firepower. This could be as simple as an ADL and a quadgun, or a stormtalon (or two if a few more point were available) But I’d much rather see AA elements that can do other things, rather then mono-task flack missiles.

Thanks for the feedback.

What weapon configuration would you suggest for stormtalon/s if I were to take them?

I'm a fan of the skyhammers. Points are low, good bang for your buck. But a good argument can be made for anything besides the HBs.

With your suggestion in mind I have composed a new list. I am not sure what spend the last few hundred points on. Would you be able to help?

###HQ###

Vulkan He'stan 190 points

###ELITES###

Sternguard Squad->9 guys,2 heavy flamers + 2 combimeltas + drop pod 283 points

Dreadnought->multimelta,powerfist + heavy flamer + drop pod 160 points



###TROOPS###

Tactical squad->flamer,multimelta and combimelta + rhino 200 points

Tactical squad->flamer,multimelta and combimelta + rhino 200 points

Tactical squad->flamer,multimelta and combimelta + drop pod 200 points

###FAST ATTACK###

Attack bike->multimelta 55 points

Storm Talon->Skyhammer missile launcher 125 points

Storm Talon->Skyhammer missile launcher 125 points

###HEAVY SUPPORT###

Vindicator-> 125 points

Vindicator-> 125 points


___________________________________________________________________________________
TOTAL POINTS 1788 points

What do you want? Who do you play? What do you fear?

What you have there is a pretty sold 1,750 list (a little over, but close) So where you go from there is really a matter of preference. And knowing what you are likely to face across the table.

For some general advice for what I’d do.

Add a sniper scout squad w/camo cloaks. These guys can camp your home objective, freeing your rhinos to charge forward.

Boost your bikes. Either add another MM attack bike, or switch to a normal bike squad (with the attack bike in it) One lone bike is not hard to pick off and kill. Bulking out the squad ensures they live to hit their target. Or just eat a ton of firepower that would otherwise be removing other units.

Thanks for the suggestion. I took a squad of snipers as the idea of having to hold an objective in or near my deployment had completely slipped my mind. I decided to make a 3 bike attack bike squad as I frequently verse tau and vehicle heavy marines and the concept of turbo boosting multimeltas with jink saves should at very least scare them.

Here is the full list


@@@New, New list@@@

###HQ###

Vulkan He'stan 190 points

###ELITES###

Sternguard Squad->9 guys,2 heavy flamers + 2 combimeltas + drop pod 283 points

Dreadnought->multimelta,powerfist + heavy flamer + drop pod 160 points



###TROOPS###

Tactical squad->flamer,multimelta and combimelta + rhino 200 points

Tactical squad->flamer,multimelta and combimelta + rhino 200 points

Tactical squad->flamer,multimelta and combimelta + drop pod 200 points

Scout squad->6 guys, camo cloaks ,5 snipers + missile launcher 98 points

###FAST ATTACK###

Attack bike squad->3 attack bikes, 3 multimeltas 165 points

Storm Talon->Skyhammer missile launcher 125 points

Storm Talon->Skyhammer missile launcher 125 points

###HEAVY SUPPORT###

Vindicator-> 125 points

Vindicator-> 125 points


___________________________________________________________________________________
TOTAL POINTS 1996 points

I like it. I prefer HBs on my scouts, but the ML works. Nice well rounded TAC list, looks like it would be fun to play.

I'm not sure if you actually mean "9 total sternguard" or 9+sarge. From the points I'd guess the former. You're so close I can taste the Combat squads. I would go ahead and find some points to add that 10th man at which point you can combat squad, shoot your Heavy Flamers at tasty troop choices while your combi melta squad shoots at tasty tankses. Other than that the list looks awesome! Keep rockin those Sallies!

 bocatt wrote:
I'm not sure if you actually mean "9 total sternguard" or 9+sarge. From the points I'd guess the former. You're so close I can taste the Combat squads. I would go ahead and find some points to add that 10th man at which point you can combat squad, shoot your Heavy Flamers at tasty troop choices while your combi melta squad shoots at tasty tankses. Other than that the list looks awesome! Keep rockin those Sallies!

I think loosing the ability to combat squad is worth the benefit of having Vulcan dropped at point blank range. It’s an obvious trade off, but worth it IMHO.

 Nevelon wrote:

 bocatt wrote:
I'm not sure if you actually mean "9 total sternguard" or 9+sarge. From the points I'd guess the former. You're so close I can taste the Combat squads. I would go ahead and find some points to add that 10th man at which point you can combat squad, shoot your Heavy Flamers at tasty troop choices while your combi melta squad shoots at tasty tankses. Other than that the list looks awesome! Keep rockin those Sallies!

I think loosing the ability to combat squad is worth the benefit of having Vulcan dropped at point blank range. It’s an obvious trade off, but worth it IMHO.

I'm not sure what benefits Vulkan directly brings to a unit of Sternguard, but if it's nothing or very little, I would drop the multi melta tactical marine from that pod and put Vulkan in there. That Multi melta is a heavy weapon and won't be very effective on the drop when it's most needed and being able to Combat squad Tactical versus Sternguard is an obvious choice. Also having that character in a Tactical marine squad makes a pretty lame troops choice into a reasonable all around fighting machine. Sternguard have no such problems as they put out so much damage by themselves already so they don't really need a character with them.

At that point you would also have no problem cutting that tactical squad down to a minimum 5 man (except to add ablative wounds) and you could maybe add something else to this list that it might need.

I've played drop-pod Salamanders for most of 6th edition and here are some things I typically like to do with Vulkan and co.

* Keep in mind all your characters (including sergeants) get a FREE master-crafted weapon. I like to give the tac squad sergeants a combi-plasma because you will most likely avoid 'gets hot!' and it's a little better at longer range when closing the gap in the rhino sometimes; something to consider.

* 5-man Sternguard w/heavy flamer x2, combi-plasma on the sergeant, and vulkan in pod (NOT coming in on turn 1) - this is a wonderful infantry buster once you smash open a transport, or have enemy infantry blobs that move into cover beyond turn 1. You can also throw extra points into beefing this squad up.

* 10-man Sternguard w/8 cobi-melta in a pod - combat squad them on turn 1 and say goodbye to 2 castled-up vehicles... then if Vulkan's pod comes in next turn? Yup... good combo (but then again, I usually play all pods, null deploy for what it's worth).

* In the previous codex, it was nice that Chapter Tactics affected the Dreadnoughts, but it doesn't now.. so that kinda stinks. Dropping in a dread just doesn't prove effective now-adays. You could upgrade it to an Ironclad, but even then it's easily immobilized or out-moved in the current meta.

* I like the mult-melta's in the tac squads. Turn 1 you can rush them all up, snap shot with re-rolls, sure. But on turn 2, if they are spread out pretty well, and the rhinos sit still, you then have 3-4 multi-meltas firing full-threat and all kinds of angles... it can be more effective than you first think. Just a thought, I'd keep em.

* If the tac squads are in pods, I'd put all melta on them so you can effectively shoot all your weapons at the same target (back-up tank buster squad if the sternguard fail in opening turn)

* I don't like extra weapons on the scout squad, they pretty much suck at shooting so you shouldn't rely on their heavy weapons. I wouldn't waste the points.

* Side note, I'd drop the dread and a vidicator for 2 Thunderfire Cannons - they are just nasty in the meta now-adays.

Hope some of this helps!