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We are doing a campaign at my FLGS. Lists will range between 1500 and 2000, depending on scenario.

I play Storm Giants, with Iron Hands Tactics. I'm trying to play a bit fluffy, but min-maxed pretty hard, as I've depicted them as efficient and calculatingly lethal.


First of Medusa Strike Force

Battle Demi Company

Captain- cataphractii armor
Command Squad- 5 Storm Shields, 5 Grav guns, Apothecary, Drop Pod

Tactical (5)- Rhino, Grav-Cannon
Tactical (5)- Rhino, Grav-Cannon
Tactical (5)- Rhino, Grav-Cannon

Land Speeder- heavy bolter

Devastators (5)- Rhino, 4x Grav-Cannon

Librarius Conclave

3 x Librarians- Mastery level 2

Honored Ancient
Dreadnought- Multi-Melta, Drop pod


I think at 1500 points, with most of this being Ob. Sec. that this list is pretty scary. My meta is lots of marines, eldar, chaos (??), and IG w/ tons of vehicles, hence the plethora of grav. A flyer would really wreck my day in some cases, but we don't see many of those below 1750.

1. What do I change in this list?
2. What do I add at 1750? (I really want a ton of vehicles, so the armored strike force from Codex: Space Marines (3 vindicators??) maybe
3. What do I add at 1850++?

Thanks!

It is good, although I suggest take Droppod for the Devastator squad. Then ride your Captain with them, it would be deadly until you run into Tau Riptide.

Thanks!

I've added the drop pod. It means I have 3, so the devs and command can come down turn 1.

I want the Captain in the command squad, unless there is a way I can get relentless somewhat reliably elsewhere.

To be fair, I guess that is giving me significantly more shots at relentless.

Should i make the dev squad 10 guys to combat squad them and have 2 grav / squad?

I like the drop pod compared to the standard bikes. Sure you lose a tough and 12" movement, but you get unerring deepstrike. Plus, if you put a second chapter master with Gorgons chain, AA, JP and TH, he will tie up a second unit and you can daisy chain assaults.

The Dev Squad would be great, but at this point just take all drop pods. instead of rhinos. It would just fit better and you avoid piece mealing.

A few things quick...

The command squad can't give equipment to the apothecary... even though GW's FAQ image said you could, the corrected it in the comments. So, you get those points back lol.

I don't think a grav cannon is the best choice for the tacticals. The only reason people started doing that was because of the White Scars scout-grav-alpha strike-lists... I think that whatever your tacticals are shooting at, it is probably something that bolters can hurt, so I'd say the grav doesn't pair well. I always find the cheaper plas / combi-plas or melta/combi-melta is best when scuffling over objectives.

The cataphractii armor is cool for granting slow and purposeful to the grav squad, but if that's the goal, put him with grav cannon devs for the amps.. that's what makes them really really good. I'd just do that, switch the cmd squad to a suicide melta squad, and gear up the tacticals with plasma/combi-plas.

YMMV though.

Obviously, when you gear up for larger games, if you're looking to build a deathstar, then everything goes on bikes... but if not, then I dont' really think the conclave gives you much. I'd drop them honestly (at least in this case) to get some more drop pod support if you're gonna rain grav turn 1... maybe a pair of ironclads in pods or something?

I mentioned this over on this thread http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/703363.page but the FoM Strike Force doesn't really offer your guys much if you're running a Battle Demi-Co. I suppose it gives your Dreadnought PotMS so he can still shoot if stunned, and your Command Squad/Librarian Conclave gets a FNP bonus, and the Command Squad/Speeder/Dread get Obj. Sec. they wouldn't otherwise. But if you're considering running an ATF from C:SM, you should definitely do that as your Core choice for the FoM instead, much cheaper and less tax units.

Another option at the 1500 pts level, (and playing tax units like the Land Speeder, barebones Tacticals) you could run a CAD, which'd allow you to take Centurion Devastators in a pod, and you could take a Mortis Dread using FW rules as well which'd let you hit fliers. You could still take the Conclave as a Formation Detachment to go with the Command Squad if you still run that, or just a single Librarian as an HQ choice to go in the pod with the Grav Centurions.

I've always hated the Cataphractii conferring Slow & Purposeful, it just seems like rules lawyering to me, it's not like his presence stabilizes the Power Armor marines somehow (I guess they walk slower, but regular squads could do that!) I would prefer Centurions or Bikers for Relentless grav. Grav-only seems like an odd choice for anti-vehicle stuff, I would probably try to run some Lascannons somewhere especially if you have other sources for Grav-cannon besides your Devs.

Another thing you could consider is the Skyhammer Annihilation Force, gives you two Devastator squads that get Relentless the turn they come in, though the Assault Marines might not be what you're looking for.

Great points!

Thanks!

So, I don't have bikes assembled yet, and as i paint in parts, and slowly, it is going to take some time.

I like the feel of this, but agree that the captain should go with the devs!

I'll readjust the points for the apothecary, but really like the 3+/++/+++ on the command squad.

On the tacticals, do I go plasma, since it is an all around strong choice? (plasma gun)

I really want to field the skyhammer, but at 1500, in the fist of medusa i can't fit it, unless I rework some stuff!

I also really want the Ob. Sec, since it seems to be sparse in my meta.

Could I do something like:

Sky hammer
Demi-Company

what woudl that look like, keep in mind I love grav, whether it is super effective or not.

@ 1500 you could do this (not the best, or most optimal or stereotypical list, but uses the cataphractii captain with devs in a pod that you mentioned, some grav, and both formations)

Medusa Strike Force

Battle Demi Company

Captain - cataphractii terminator armor, auspex, thunderhammer/storm shield
Dev Squad (6) - pod, grav cannon x4, cherub
Bike Squad (3) - grav x2
Tac Squad (5) - rhino/pod, melta, combi-melta
Tac Squad (5) - rhino/pod, melta, combi-melta
Tac Squad (5) - rhino/pod, flamera, combi-flamer

Skyhammer Annihilation Force

Assault Squad (5) - jump packs, melta bombs, eviscerator
Assault Squad (5) - jump packs, melta bombs, eviscerator
Dev Squad (10) - pod, heavy bolter x2
Dev Squad (10) - pod, multimelta x4, cherub



While I DO think the strongest way to go is command bike squad smash face death star, in a competitive scene, this is fluffy and not too harsh.