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Hi guys,

I'm only just getting back into the hobby and this is a list I've been working on for the last couple of days so comments and advice more than welcome! I know that there's a lack of heavy support, but I'm hoping that with tactics this is something I can overcome.

Baal Strike Force
HQ
Astorath, Redeemer of the Lost (Warlord)

Sanguinary Priest, no upgrades

Elites
Death Company
5 marines armed with Chainswords and Bolt Pistols
3 marines armed with Power Swords and Infernus Pistols
Jump packs

Furioso Dreadnought
Power Fists with Heavy Flamer and Meltagun
Magna-grapple

Terminator Assault Squad x5
All armed with Thunder Hammers and Storm Shields

Troops
Tactical Squad
7 marines armed with Bolters
1 marine armed with Heavy Flamer
1 marine armed with Flamer
Sergeant armed with Chainsword and Hand Flamer
Drop Pod

Tactical Squad
7 marines armed with Bolters
1 marine armed with Heavy Flamer
1 marine armed with Flamer
Sergeant armed with Chainsword and Hand Flamer
Drop Pod

Fast Attack
Assault Squad
2 armed with Chainswords and Bolt Pistols
2 armed with Meltaguns
Sergeant armed with Combi-Melta, Melta Bombs
Drop Pod

Assault Squad
2 armed with Chainswords and Bolt Pistols
2 armed with Meltaguns
Sergeant armed with Combi-Melta, Melta Bombs
Drop Pod

Heavy Support
Predator
Lascannon turret
Twin-linked Lascannon sponsons
Overcharged engines

Stormraven
Twin-linked Multi-melta
Twin-linked Lascannon

Total points: 1849

Tactics:
I've split my army into the forward line and then support squads that are providing fire support and/ or seizing objectives.

Forward Line
Astorath joins the DC to take out high value targets, enemy warlord/ characters. My intention would be to use the Chainsword/ Bolt Pistol marines to screen the others and soften up enemy units, allowing the others to mop up. I'll be looking to use cover to my advantage and move them up the table as quickly as possible. With the Strike Force bonuses and Astaroth's buffs this unit should be able to take out most targets and deal quite a bit of damage while having a bit of durability.

The Hamminators and Furioso will start in the Stormraven and be moved up the table quickly with the Stormraven using it's heavy weapons to soften up the enemy. These two units will be used to take out MC, vehicles or well armoured units, acting together to take out units. The Stormraven will then fall back to provide anti-flier and heavy support where needed and the Furioso could be detached to support the DC if it was needed.

Support Squads

The two tactical squads will be used to secure objectives, take out infantry squads and provide medium range support to the forward line. Depending on the opposing force the options is there for them to split into combat squads depending on the situation. The Flamer weapons will help to take out blobs and clear them off of objectives and keep them at bay.

The assault squads will use their melta weapons to take out well armoured infantry/ mech and if necessary, tie units up in combat to keep them pinned in place. The Sanguinary Priest will be accompanying one of these squads using his buff to make them that bit more effective.

The Predator will lurk towards the back of the field giving long range support were needed and targeting tanks. I've given it Overcharged Engines to help it get about quicker so it's more responsive.

In the first couple of lists I wrote I had the Priest with a Jump Pack and accompanying a second squad of DC but this meant I couldn't have any assault troops and I was worried the list was just a little too small and would be taken apart too easily. I've kept him in there because the buffs he has would really help an assault squad, even armed the way I've done them, but I'm conscious that he's not as good a fit with this list as I'd like. I do love the new model though...

Any helpful advice, hints or guidance more than welcome!

Can anyone help?

Looks good to me, would suggest getting a bolt pistol for your priest so that if he finds himself in combat he gets an extra attack

This might be a daft question (what with me being new back to the game) but if he's holding the Blood Chalice and has a Chainsword, can he also have a Bolt Pistol?

Short answer: Yes.
Long answer: Yes, and for that single point it's totally worth it.

Brill, thanks! Would you still say to go with the Priest or replace him and use the points elsewhere?

Could drop the pred and the priest, add in a lvl 2 termy lib, a pod for the dread and a couple of fists for the DC

I don't see the point of Infernus Pistols.
They are really expensive and since tanks aren't the optimal target for Death Company, you'll have wasted potential there.

I guess my thinking was twofold: for me they're quite fluffy & I also thought they'd be good for having a pop at troops with a 2+ save. How would you arm them?

Would you mind me asking what's the reasoning behind putting Assault Squads in drop pod? Just give them jump packs, they can still deep strike.

Three Infernus pistols give you three shots at most.
They have short range and I would keep them back so that you don't lose your swords to Overwatch.
Giving them to different models might solve this but it's still three shots max.

For those points, you might get a single Power Fist and something more. This gives you 4 chances with AP2 on the first round, nearly guaranteed and two attacks on any following rounds.
So the Fist gives you more chances for cheaper.
Technically shooting is better than striking at I1 but the other advantages of PF are so great that I consider it being the superior choice.

My own Death Company includes eight men with Jump Packs.
A single Thunder Hammer and Power Sword. The simple amount of attacks from DC ensures that most targets will die. Another Sword can't really hurt tough... except the enemy.

Warren0110 - you mentioned a termy lib, what role would it play? I just wonder how if it would be able to get off it's powers successfully. Why drop the pred? Won't that leave me badly short of long range heavy support?

Natpri771 - I guess part of putting them in a pod for me was survivability, they won't risk being mowed down as they jump up the board and with the units being smaller they won't be taken apart too quickly. They'll also let me be more in control of where they end up in one piece. That being said, it's not something I'm precious about.

Soomemafia - would you say take out the Infernus Pistols, replace with bolt pistols and use the points for Power Fists?

I would propably do that, yes.
It's pretty efficent and leaves you with some extra points.

seems good.

EDIT: Wall of text that it would take another millenea to correct. My bad

I'm guessing from the list you used to be a good player and you last played in 5th Ed. Please correct me if I'm wrong. Looking at the list it has a solid start so I'll look at some of the specifics:

Astorath is OK, Dante in general is far better. But Astorath is cheap for what he does in a DC squad.

Priest wants a bolt pistol. 1 point for an extra point you're getting an extra attack AND a S4 Ap5 shot! Best 1 point you'll ever spend.

Furioso isn't a great buy. Spammed in DPs they can be effective but they are too easy to kill otherwise. Also having 600 points wrapped up in 1 unit that sits in reserve with no reserve manipulation is a big risk. Against Tau it'll get intercepted off the board the turn it arrives. I would drop the Dread.

Hammernators are OK and the Priest makes them tougher so I would put him here. Though they don't really suit the SR. They have no ranged weapons so they DS out and just have to stand there and take it. Or you hover the SR giving up your 200 point flyer to get them into assault. The SR should always take the Assault Cannon as it is a far better AT gun in these Hull Point times and better against infantry too.

Flamey death from the tac squads is good. Melta death from the AMs is also solid. I would suggest getting a 5th Drop Pod even if just an empty one so you get 3 squads in turn 1 rather than 2. Gives you a little alphastrike and a bigger distraction which gives your DC a chance to get in.

Pred is good but needs a buddy. Use the Furioso points to get a second Pred. Over charged engines are great here and an auto include so good choice there.

Hope this helps.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oh yes and as others have said infernus pistols aren't worth it on the DC so I'd swap them out for the other upgrades I've suggested.

You are right FlingitNow, the 5th edition is the last one I played! I'd like to think I was a decent player, I got some decent results so no complaints! I just have to hope that I can get more in the 7th edition!

Thanks for the feedback, I have some questions if that's ok!

Would you still put the Hamminators in the Raven even if I drop the dreadnought? Will definitely put the priest with them now, I'll keep him lurking at the back!

I'll have a look at a second Pred, I kinda like the thought of them roaming the back of the board together!

On the basis of other feedback I'm going to drop the Infernus pistols and replace them with a couple of fists, it sounds like this is a better use points.

Hammernators are not what they used to be. There is ALOT more firepower around these days. They are still the best Terminators but terminators over all are fairly lacklustre. Delivering them by SR is not a terrible idea the issue being you either have to DS which is problematic or you have to hover the SR to get them out. The former you can get away with if you've got target saturation, the later should only be used if getting that squad into assault puts you into an unassailable lead in the game.

Hammernators are still T4 W1 dudes that cost 40+/model. Crazy.

The two most important questions when giving list advice - Who are you playing ? What missions are you playing ?

You can't really build a list without the answer to both. At the moment you have a bit of everything, which may be fine if your meta is similar, but will not do so well against more focused or competitive lists.

Your list is also fairly static after deployment from Pods, which is a big problem if playing Maelstrom Missions, and to a lesser extent Eternal War

From playing, I have found a Jump Pack Librarian with the BA primaris power is amazing. d3 attacks? Yes. The shield spell for a 5++? Yes. Everything else is cake. Stick him with your DC and watch awesome happen.

Given that the DC want to get close to the enemy, the other close range sanguinius powers are not trivial. Especially fear the darkness.

Never leave home without giving the Death Company at least one Thunder Hammer. Otherwise, a model with a 2+ armor save can challenge Astorath and be immune to your power swords. Learned that the hard way a while back; always have a mook with an AP 2 weapon.

Thanks for all the advice guys, I'm having a look at the list again, particularly the way I've armed the DC.

I'm cheap. I use power fists.

What's your normal loadout?

10 DC w/jump packs, 2 power fists with a Sanguinius Level 2 jump libby.

I'm not convinced on librarians with BA, how do you find it?

Librarians so far have been great. They provide psychic defense and a versatile (although random) array of abilities. Sanguinius is all close-up stuff, so being with DC is great for that libby!

Do you find if you face psyker heavy armies he's still as effective?