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You take THREE identical Skyhammer Annihilation Forces, each with:

2 × 5-man Assault Squads with jump packs, 2 flamers, melta bombs
1 × 5-man Devastator Squad with 4 grav cannons and a pod
1 × 5-man Devastator Squad with 4 multi meltas and a pod

Comes to 1800 so you add 50 points somehow.

Then you paint them up as Star Phantoms.

So all that pain comes down on the first turn and is twin-linked when it arrives. Just make sure your opponent puts everthing on the table first

That looks fun!

Here's some counters:

- Any list with Coteaz.
- Anti alpha Necrons (deathmarks)
- This Firebase Cadre List: [1830]
- - Three Identical derachments of:
- - 2×3 Broadsides (TLHYMP, TLSMS, EWO)
- - 1× Riptide (IonAccel, TLSMS, EWO)

Thunderknightstar also owns it as 2+ rerollable jink laughs off alphastrike then assaults your whole army. Likewise screamer or dog star laughs off your alpha then kills you.

I would consider adding some characters in to give you assault punch and some bullet soaks for interceptor. A NSF with Draigo and a Libby or grandmaster and an AD of DAs for Belial would add real assault punch.

Or get a CAD of UMs so Tiggy can hand out ignores cover et al. Perhaps also diversifying your firepower. You'll rarely want or need 20 grav shots at 1 target adding in a combi and the extra bodies allows you to combat squad and put 13 grav shots into 1 target and 10 into another.

Also UM tactics is flat better on the skyhammer. You still get twin linked on the turn you arrive but still have a tactical and assault doctrine for later turns.

What comes in on turn 1? Just the 6 assault squads?
Followed on turn 2 by the devs?

The problem with that list of yours is that it lacks the variety necessary to adapt.

You know what else can probably beat your alpha strike? the Gladius formation. Turn 1, your assault marines can't hurt rhinos. They die. Turn 2, your devestator marines can take out three transports and their occupants. But you're outnumbered, and your opponent has greater speed.

Oh, and demons, who ignore your grav and have either started using summoning shenanigans or have gotten themselves some ridiculous invulnerable saves.

Everything comes turn 1.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also ASMs can very much hurt the Rhinos they all have krak grenades. Surround the transport kill auto wipe squad as they can't get out...

An inquisitor with servo skulls for your last 50 points. Hide him behind something in your deployment zone.

Or maybe buy combi gravs for your Devastators sergeants.

I would say that the ultramarine doctrines beat star phantoms, no? Turn 2 you can reroll 1s with the tactical doctrine.

Gladius would be screwed by this list in a big big big way IMO.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
6 dead rhinos or razorbacks turn 1. Pinned marines without overwatch getting assaulted by buffed assault marines. If gladius marines win assault, they get wiped out by turn 2 whithering fussilade of grav.

Against Gladius Assault wrap the Razors/rhinos so you wreck then kill as they can't disembark. Then the Grav and melta is free to go after different targets. Yeah Gladius is one of the competitive lists this has a really good matchup against.

Oh, I'll never actually play this. It's just a paper exercise is designing the most pure alpha strike list I could think of. I have to admit that I was especially pleased that I got to "use" the Star Phantoms chapter tactic, which you never actually see on a real table. However, as I was writing it I was thinking to myself that I might be tempted by a DOUBLE Skyhammer with a CAD to add some flexibility and psychic support.

Back on topic, I actually think adding the Inquisitor with servo skulls is a hilarious and terrific way to spend the last 50 points:

Entire army lines up against one Imperial Inquisitor, laughing it's ass off. Inquisitor calls down the heavens.