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.

This ends up being pretty difficult to pull off and you have to make a few tough choices. I think I've settled on the way I am going to run it with. Running gladius many many times now (I've never actually lost with my IH Gladius) I feel just about the only thing the army lacks is the ability to 1 shot t5 multiple wound models. True there is invis - true there are invo saves and RP and such but being able to drop the hammer when you need to wins games. So 3 POTMS vindis I think will be a crucial addition to the gladius.

Gladius strike force
demi 1
Captain w power weapon
5x Tactical squad plasma - combi plas - las plas razor
5x Tactical squad plasma - combi plas - las plas razor
5x Tactical squad plasma - combi plas - las plas razor
5x Assault squad - las plas razor
5x Devastator squad - 2x HB - TLAC razor

demi 2
Chaplain
5x Tactical squad - melta - TLAC razor
5x Tactical squad - melta - TLAC razor
5x Tactical squad - melta - TLAC razor
5x Assault squad - las plas razor
5x Devastator Squad - 2x HB - TLHB razor

10th comapny task force
5x scout LSS
5x scout LSS
5x scout

Medusa strike force
1 tech marine
vindicator
vindicator
vindicator

Honor Ancients
Dreadnought - assault cannon

Whats Dakka think?

It looks to me like the entire medusa strike force is built with the intent of solving a problem it A) probably won't actually be able to deal with, or B) is much more easily taken care of with grav.

The only 2 major T5 multiple wound models types that are competitively relevant are Thunderwolves and marine bikes(outside of chaos armies who will have a ton of defensive buffs or just don't care if stuff dies). The thing is, thunderwolves in general are very low model count and have very good invul saves so blast templates require a good bit of luck to kill them.

Space marine bikes go down much easier in general but since you can't use the triple demo thing you're still hitting 3+ jink or 2+ reroll jink and for the bike and the wolves they'll deploy/move in such a way that a blast won't realistically be able to hit all of them, so you're looking at between 2-4 hits per vindi per turn with good scatter.

Of course all of this is pointless if they don't have t5 multi wound models so wraithknights/riptides/stormsurges will laugh at you as they erase your formation.

In the end the medusa strike force will fail often enough at it's job, while being relatively unhelpful against other targets that it's just not worth it's points. You could do exactly the same amount of damage by putting the captain in cataphractii armor, grabbing another captain in cataphractii armor putting them both in the dev squads, in pods, giving them 3 grav cannons and a melta and have it be cheaper, more reliable, and more flexible than triple vindi. Put one of the assault squads in a pod with double flamer combi-flamer as well so you can bring both grav squads in turn one. For any leftover points you have, dozer blades, a culexus assasin, or actually useful guns on the tac squads will help (plasma is dogsh**)

TL: DR Drop pod SNP grav>triple demo for pretty much everything, even T5 multiwound models, also plasma is so 5th ed.

20 grav shots in a pod is great. Here's what It cost me though. 35x4 for the gravs 120 for the cap and I lose a razor backs firepower. 330 point suicide squad that's not even ignoring cover. No doubt in my mind this will take something out almost every time you drop it but still - it gets wiped in return with minimal effort. 3 vindis showing front armor with razors covering their sides is MUCH harder to bring down (plus they are 3 separate targets) and each time they fire they have the potential to wipe entire squads. Scatter bikes can't even hurt you and you ignore shaken and stunned with the formation.

On the topic of plasma I really don't see your point. Plasma has superior range and mobility and as tacs are always moving there is little reason to ever give them an 18" salvo weapon. On top of that - they are also superior vs everything t5 or less that doesn't have a 2+ save(if they do have a 2+ save they are equal) (bikes - marines - warpsipders - wraiths - crisis suits - ect) Basically the only things that plasma is weaker against is riptides and wraithknights and AV 14. Riptides should just be ignored anyways and wraithknights die to lascannons and plasma coordinated fire anyways (it's not really a weakness) these things tend to not die no mater what you shoot at them - av 14 is practically non existent. If we are talking about biker grav then you are right - the additional shot and always range 18" makes it better than plasma - still though - not by much. Don't discount the AP 2 ability to 1 shot light armor and explode things so you can drop templates on heavily grouped units they are carrying - a vindis dream.

Thank you for your comment though - I appreciate your advice. Maybe you face a lot more WK than I do in your meta. If I face one - it's one WK and I usually have no problem killing it - OR the game is so lost that I can't bother to shoot it anyways.

I think valid on the Medusa Formation. How about a skyhammer annihilation force. 2 Devs with 4 grav cannons and 2 assault marines should be tailor made to eliminate the storm surges, wrraithknights and be able to put a serious dent in any bikers.