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Alright, so, I'm working up my first 1850 point army list and I'm looking for some help in filling out the list, figuring out point costs of some units, comments, and criticisms. I believe I am sitting around 1250 points currently, but that is without points allocated for a HQ choice in my Battle Demi-Company, Dreadnought in my Battle Demi-Company, or my Librarius Conclave. I'm not 100% familiar with all of the options, so there may be areas that I have not chosen the best option, any and all suggestions will be considered. For example, I have chosen Rhinos to Transport my Tactical Squads, but Land Raiders or other Transport may be a better option. I'm also not 100% on the difference between a Transport and a Dedicated Transport. I know this list is kind of bare bones at the moment, but that's why I'm coming to you!

Sternhammer Strike Force

Core
Battle Demi-Company

1 Captain/Chaplain ?

3 Tactical 10-Man (140 points)
[Rhino] (35points)
Melta Gun, Combi-Melta

1 Assault 5-Man (85 points)
[Jump Packs] (15 points)
Flamer, Combat Shield, Melta Bombs

1 Centurion Devastator 3-Man (250 points)
[Drop Pod] (35 points)
Missile Launcher, Twin-Linked Lascannon
Sergeant - Missile Launcher, Twin-Linked Lascannon, Omniscope

1 Dreadnought ?
[Drop Pod]

Command
Librarius Conclave ?

1 Librarian ?

1 Librarian ?

1 Librarian ?

Auxiliary
Skyhammer Annihilation Force

2 Assault 5-Man (85 points)
[Jump Packs] (15 points)
Flamer, Combat Shield, Melta Bombs

2 Devastator 5-Man (70 points)
[Drop Pod] (35 points)
2 Grav-Cannon, 2 Heavy Bolter

Thanks for your consideration!

First, Welcome to Dakka and the Space Marines.

Some units can select a transport as a dedicated transport. If they do, only they may start in it, but it does not take up a separate slot in the detachment/formation. They also can’t take every transport as an option. For example tactical squads can select from a rhino/razorback/drop pod. No Land Raiders for them. Now you can also take transports on their own. There are a few that are in formations, but most of the time if you want a “loose” transport, you need to use a Combined Arms Detachment. If you take them on their own, anyone who can fit can start embarked in them. (note, these are general statements, and there are exceptions, particularly when you talk about allies)

Onto the list:

Chaplains are good budget HQs. Stick them in a assault squad, and go smash things. Captains need a lot of gear to get going, but can be potentially devastating. For your list, I’d just run a chaplain with a jump pack. Another option would be to go with a tanky captain to soak wounds for the cents.

Tac squads are fine. I like the heavy weapon with them (would go MM for full melta) but that’s my old school Ultramarine talking.

You can take 2 flamers in a 5 man assault squad, and I would recommend doing so. I’d also go with a vet sarge with a power axe.

The Dev Cents have a problem. While you can fit them into a pod (and that can be quite nasty) they can’t buy one as a dedicated transport. The the Battle Demi-co doesn’t have any options that let you take a loose one for them to use. If you want to drop them from orbit, you probably need to pick up a CAD, and take a HQ + 2 troop tax, so you have the FA slot to take the pod. And grav cents are the ones you really want to be dropping on people anyway. Frankly, with the LC/ML combo, you can probably fins some ruins somewhere and just sit back and shoot.

If you are going to drop pod a dread, ironclads work very well. Venerable dreads also work well here. I’d go with either the assault cannon or the multimelta. Keep the power fist, and get the heavy flamer if you have the spare 10 points.

The command selection is optional, so you don’t need to take one if you don’t want to. Generally the second ML is worth the points. What else is very situational.

I’d not mix weapons in the skyhammer dev squads, unless you are going full 10 man squads to combat squad out.

Thanks for the input so far. I have filled out and revised my list with some of your suggestions. Let's start at the top. For the Core, Battle Demi-Company, I've outfitted my Chaplain to jump in with my BDC Assault Squad as sort of a counter attack unit. My 3 Tactical Squads (which I threw the Multi Meltas on) will move forward taking objectives and providing the front lines of my force. The Dev Cents and Venerable Dread will provide long range firepower for taking out heavy targets. For the Command, I've stuck with the Librarius Conclave for now, because of the Imperial Fists access to the formation and the Bones of Ozrak. I think this could provide great support, and protect me from Psykers in enemy armies. This is probably the first thing to go if I decide to change the formation up. Dropping the Conclave (and the 5 left over points currently) would provide 300 points that could be used to flesh out any other glaring weaknesses you guys see. For the Auxillary, the Skyhammer Annihilation Force is pretty standard, but I'm anxious to see how they do when brought in.

So, as it stands I have 5 extra points, which could just get thrown on as a Dozer Blade for one of the Rhinos. As I mentioned before, Dropping the Librarius Conclave would leave me with 300 points that could be used to bring in an additional Auxillary formation or unit. One option would be a unit of 3 Thunderfire Cannons. Another would be to bring in additional Cent Devs or Dreads.

I'm still not 100% sure if I'm outfitting my Devs, Cent Devs, and Venerable Dread appropriately. Do I have enough anti-air? Have I paired my weapons correctly based on range? Is there a better option if I drop the Conclave?

*Edited and Updated List*
Sternhammer Strike Force (1850 points)
*Edited and Updated List*

Core
Battle Demi-Company (1125 points)

1 Chaplain (90)
[Jump Pack] (15)
Angel of Sacrifice (15)
Bolt Pistol, Crozius

3 Tactical 10-Man (140)
[Rhino] (35)
Multi Melta, Melta Gun, Combi-Melta

1 Assault 5-Man (70)
[Jump Packs] (15)
Flamer, Flamer, Melta Bombs (15)
Veteran Sergeant (10)

1 Centurion Devastator 3-Man (165)
Missile Launcher, Twin-Linked Lascannon, Omniscope (85)

1 Dreadnought (100)
Twin Link Auto Cannon, Twin Link Auto Cannon (20)

Command
Librarius Conclave (295 points)

1 Librarian (65)
Master Level 2 (25)
Bones of Ozrak (25)

1 Librarian (65)
Master Level 2 (25)

1 Librarian (65)
Master Level 2 (25)

Auxiliary
Skyhammer Annihilation Force (430 points)

2 Assault 5-Man (70)
[Jump Packs] (15)
Flamer, Flamer, Melta Bombs (15)
Veteran Sergeant (10)

2 Devastator 5-Man (70)
[Drop Pod] (35)
Grav Cannon, Grav Cannon

Thanks Again!

Looks pretty good.

Your chaplain wants a bolt pistol, not a bolt gun.

If you are going to go with a rifleman dread (paired TLAC) I’d not bother with the venerable upgrade. With everything TL’d, you don’t need the BS5 so much, the WS is a waste without a ‘fist, and the re-rolling damage, while nice, is not worth the points alone.

Any spare points could be spent gearing up your assault marine sarges.

Right now your list is very balanced. Good mix of types of firepower and utility. No AA, but that’s not always an issue. Just focus on the ground game and objectives. While you could swap a lot of things around, it’s basically going to be lateral shifts. So mostly to taste, or to deal with your local meta.

That's actually great insight in changing the Venerable Dread to a normal Dread. That saves me 25 points, and with the 5 extra I already had, I can upgrade all 3 of my Assault Squads to have Veteran Sergeants.

This still leaves me the option to drop the Librarius Conclave (depending on who/what I'm playing against) and bringing another 295 point formation. I could even drop the Dread for another 120 points, which really opens up the flexibility.

Any ideas on what I should/could bring with around 415 points? Is there another Command or Auxillary Formation I should be looking at? Is there maybe one that benefits from the Chapter Tactics (Bolter Drill, Tank Hunter, etc)?

Thanks!

One nice thing about the sternhammer (rather then the gladius) is that you have a lot of low cost options you can mix and match in. Need more AV? Add some Devs. Hordes bothering you? tack on some TFCs. At this point I’d push some plastic around and see how it feels. It’s one thing to give generic army advice based on a theoretical meta, but if your FLGS skews towards horde armies, a lot of that advice becomes moot.

Some things I might do in your shoes with ~300 points:

Add a Raptorwing formation. 2 talons and a speeder should be about that. If you are worried about AA, this is your quick and easy answer.

A pair of Vindis. Because you need to respect the pie plate.

A 4xLC dev squad, and a TFC (plus change). A little AV, and a little anti-troop.

Flesh out the Dev squads in the skyhammer so they can combat squad out and pull their dirty tricks on more targets.

More dreads. While they may be a little on the “meh” side rules wise, they are iconic and fun.

Eventually I’d look into a 1st company TF, although that would require a bit of a re-work. But bolter drill + special ammo is made of win. You’d probably have to drop both the conclave and the skyhammer to make it work though.