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I'm really not a fan of SM in general, but I love there flyer models and have been hankering to play a flyer heavy army. I play Eldar and Necrons normally, and though they have great/good flyers, they have way too much greatness going on on the ground to want to spam their flyers. I know SM are beloved, but let's face it, before the gladius strike force free razor spam shenanigans, and the skyhammer annihilation cheese, they weren't really blowing peoples hair back. I always try to play competitive-ish to hardcore competitive builds because I hate spending money on models that are only fluffy in effectiveness. I genuinely think the IH tactics are straight up insane from a competitive perspective, universal 6+ FnP and IWND for all characters and vehicles is just great and probably the best to synergize with flyers, since, clearly, no other tactics even apply to them lol. This list puts out incredible dakka and is asymmetrical enough that many tier 1 lists may not even be able to interact with it well. It is extremely vulnerable to turn 1 tabling, though the 4+ FnP jinkable bike command squads should mitigate against that somewhat, scouts in cover don't hurt either. I went with divination libbies for HQ's rather than smashfuckers because, frankly I don't see wanting to take my grav bikes near combat, guide is exactly what they want, and they're a whole lot cheaper. Last I heard including a naked comms relay was admissible, I might be wrong on that, but as you will see, the list pretty much hinges on 2+ reserve rolls lol.


Combined Arms Detachment

HQ – Librarian (Level 2 Divination) w/ Bike
Elites – Command Squad w/ Bikes, Apothecary & 4x Grav Guns

Troops – 5x Scout Squad w/ Heavy Bolter
Troops – 5x Scout Squad w/ Heavy Bolter

Fast Attack – Stormtalon Gunship w/ TL-Assault Cannon & Skyhammer Missiles
Fast Attack – Stormtalon Gunship w/ TL-Assault Cannon & Skyhammer Missiles
Fast Attack – Stormtalon Gunship w/ TL-Assault Cannon & Skyhammer Missiles

Heavy Support – Fire Raptor Gunship w/ TL-Avenger Bolt Cannon & 2x Quad Heavy Bolters

Fortification – Comms Relay

Combined Arms Detachment

HQ – Librarian (Level 2 Divination) w/ Bike
Elites – Command Squad w/ Bikes, Apothecary & 4x Grav Guns

Troops – 5x Scout Squad w/ Heavy Bolter
Troops – 5x Scout Squad w/ Heavy Bolter

Fast Attack – Stormhawk Interceptor w/ TL-Assault Cannons, Las-Talon & Skyhammer Missiles
Fast Attack – Stormhawk Interceptor w/ TL-Assault Cannons, Las-Talon & Skyhammer Missiles
Fast Attack – Stormhawk Interceptor w/ TL-Assault Cannons, Las-Talon & Skyhammer Missiles

If you get lucky and everything comes on turn 2, yeah, it's going to perform. Sure it has a few weaknesses, and you do need to be concerned with that first turn, though what is on the table has survivability, heck you can even have the scouts go to ground in cover turn 1 for some 2+ goodness, doesn't look there fire power will end up being hugely significant. I haven't played or played against many flyer heavy lists like this, so can't speak to experience.

I'd run Death from the skies if I were you, having the flyers in the air superiority detachment gives you a +2 modifier for your reserves provided you have a wing leader in reserve. I think the ability to get ignores cover on the talons is just too brutal to pass up

You realize combat is inevitable with the command squads though right? A knight or other bikes/jump pack units will catch you. I think you are way better off taking 2 Raptor wings for auto coming in turn 2.

 Torus wrote:
I'd run Death from the skies if I were you, having the flyers in the air superiority detachment gives you a +2 modifier for your reserves provided you have a wing leader in reserve. I think the ability to get ignores cover on the talons is just too brutal to pass up

Would be great, but all the TO's near me have followed ITC and banned the book.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Spacewolverine wrote:
You realize combat is inevitable with the command squads though right? A knight or other bikes/jump pack units will catch you. I think you are way better off taking 2 Raptor wings for auto coming in turn 2.

Fine points you're making, the points cost of changing those things around does change the list around pretty significantly. I basically started with the flyers I wanted to bring to the table then looked at the points left over and made it work, hence the less expensive libbies over kitted out CM's etc.

peteralmo wrote:

 Torus wrote:
I'd run Death from the skies if I were you, having the flyers in the air superiority detachment gives you a +2 modifier for your reserves provided you have a wing leader in reserve. I think the ability to get ignores cover on the talons is just too brutal to pass up

Would be great, but all the TO's near me have followed ITC and banned the book.

Ugh, well that's me triggered

Well, I'd disagree with a knight or bikes catching up with mounted command squads, as you'd be able to kite them (I'd be more concerned with warp spiders or high strength high ROF taking them out) but wolverine is right with the raptor wings, and at least saves you some points on the comes relay.

The raptor wing coming in guaranteed is nice, but the speeders are so flimsy and once it's killed, the formation looses some of it's luster, but I agree it's a strong suggestion