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I'd really like to build a salamanders list. I love the fluff behind them and I'm a big fan of melta and flamer weaponry. My concern is, are they just not as tough as other chapter tactics? Namely ultramarine, crimson fists and iron hands.

In short, how can you make them fluffy AND as competitive as possible.

Salamander drop pods should still work fine. Load up on things that start fires, drop into point blank range, burn things.

You don’t need Vucan, but he helps. Just MCing the sarge’s combi weapon make them hit harder on the drop.

They are focused, bit fine at what they do.

I was thinking about Vulkan with a full compliment of sternguard including drop pods. I don't know how feasable that is.

Salamnders are equal to if not better than Smurfmarines and iron hands. Drop podding sallies are nasty

Oh really? So what about Vulkan? Surely he's a must in a drop pod list as he makes sternguard scoring?

One of my closest friends plays Salamanders and is a master with them.

Mostly a drop based list, great amounts of Melta and Flamer weapons with Vulkan added to taste.

He has lost only one game since the Marine dex dropped.

 Khaine's Wrath wrote:
Oh really? So what about Vulkan? Surely he's a must in a drop pod list as he makes sternguard scoring?

Wrong special character
Pedro makes sterngsaurd scoring, vulkan makes meltas re roll armor pens. Hes nice to have.

Oh OK. So I'm probably looking at 2 squads of sternguard in pods and maybe 3 tactical squads? With a stormtalon for AA

 ninjafiredragon wrote:

 Khaine's Wrath wrote:
Oh really? So what about Vulkan? Surely he's a must in a drop pod list as he makes sternguard scoring?

Wrong special character
Pedro makes sterngsaurd scoring, vulkan makes meltas re roll armor pens. Hes nice to have.

Actually, he gives them Master-Crafted.

Salamanders are incredibly competitive. When the codex first dropped, they were considered by many to be the most competitive. (Until people started running the Iron Hands InvinciChapterMaster.) With Vulkan in your lists, the chapter tactics are almost the same as they used to be (your dreads and skimmers lose twin-linked flamers, and the rare Forgeworld unit with multiple melta shots will only be able to re-roll a single miss) with the added advantage of being able to re-roll saves against flamers. (Which encompasses all the weapons described under the flamer heading in the BRB, which is a HUGE list.) The re-rolling saves doesn't come into play all the time, but when it does, it REALLY helps.

Here's a tactical article I wrote on the chapter. I strongly recommend running them in pods. If you'd like any advice on anything in specific, I'm more than happy to field questions via PM.

Double multi-melta speeders become a very nice unit if vulkan is in the army.

Yep, despite what Martel says, Salamander chapter tactics give the most deadly alpha-strike capabilities out of all the Marine armies.

Vulkan also grants master-crafted to your entire combi-meltas, not just the melta half.

Could people take a look at the bottom list here and let me know what your thoughts are?

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/593425.page

Salamanders are all about a brutal drop pod alpha strike with flamers and meltas all up in yo grill. Flamers make hordes vanish and meltas pop vehicles like champs and put easy wounds on MCs. The resistance against flamers is a bit situational and the MCd thunderhammers don't offer that much but it's overall a list that hits like a ton of bricks in the early game.

One of the better builds along with Ultrasmurf gravstar, Iron Hands smash bros and mech wall, and the White Scars biker swarm.

Dual heavy flamer SG is nasty for camping infantry squads.

So you approve of dual heavy flamers on sternguard?

If you are going drop salamander then don't forget the assault squad with dual flamer for 95 points. Easy way to get your drop pod count up and get flamers on the cheap.

 Khaine's Wrath wrote:
So you approve of dual heavy flamers on sternguard?

How I kitted out my 10 man squad. No combis just two heavy flamers in a pod. Combis feel too expensive on sternguard, If I am going to throw a unit away I can almost get two tactical squads in pods with combi melta, and melta for an extra 55 points. Of which 35 is the additional pod. And that is for 10 marine bodies versus 5 that if they survive are also scoring.

No you take the sternguard for their ammo and that synergizes pretty well with a heavy flamer.

I know that putting combi meltas on sternguard can be quite pricy points wise. But I love the load out of 10 man sternguard with 2 heavy Flamers and 3 stock marines and 5 combi meltas. Combat squaded.

At 1500 points you would be looking at 7 pods. So with 4 pod alpha strike your able to both pop a strong tank or put the hurt on a Mc or kill it. And kill hordes or whatever comes out of the transport with the heavy Flamers. And that would be with a single pod.

I do think that after the alpha strike the 5 man sternguard with just bolters won't be first to get killed. As there would be tac squads with weapons left and dreadnoughts or assault squads with vulken. The sternguard with 2 heavy Flamers will most likely die thou.

Target priority can be quite hard to decide on when everyone is within 6" to the enemy. And you got 30+ marines plus dreadnoughts comin down first turn.