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Hey Guys,

I'm working on both my Imperial Militia and Solar Auxilia lists. Currently, I'm focusing on figuring out my Imperial Militia. Below is my first attempt at a list. Let me know what you might change/add/remove. I'm a longtime Guard player turning a new leaf into 30k.

I have 25 points left over I'm looking at figuring what to do with as well.


Force Commander-
2x Needle Pistols, Iron Halo, Cyber-Familiar (Cyber Mastiff), Survivors of the Dark Age, Warrior Elite, Planetary Overlord

Discipline Master

Discipline Master

Medicae Detachment- 4x Orderlies

Grenadier Squad -9x Grenadiers, Advanced Weaponry, Lasrifles, Sarge with 2x Hand Flamers, Rhino (Multi-Melta)

Grenadiers - 17x Grenadiers, Advanced Weaponry, Lasrifles, 2x Plasma guns, Sarge

Grenadiers - 17x Grenadiers, Advanced Weaponry, Lasrifles, 2x Plasma guns, Sarge

Fire Support Squad - 5x Lascannons

Fire Support Squad - 5x Autocannons

Leman Russ Demolisher

Leman Russ Demolisher

ADL - Quad Gun

Orderlies would go with anything on foot, Discipline Masters with the Fire Support Squads. Grenadiers do a slow move up, rhino grenadiers sweep around to take points.

why 2 pistols on the commander? Also, the mastiff is a neat idea, though you'll probably have to explain what it is a few times

Beyond that, the list is decent. Personally I would swap the plasma for rotor cannons (they get S: 4 with advance weaponry, and unlike plasma guns will basically be in range if the lasrifles are in range). I would consider laslocks for the dudes in rhinos as having the 30" guns for the dudes in cars is slightly wasteful compared to the close range S: 5 (or just take bolters on 'em). I wouldn't put discipline masters in the fire support squads as they shouldn't be taking to many casualties throughout the game (+ your taking warrior elite, so DMs are a lot less vital to begin with).

Thanks much!

The Dual Pistols is more rule of cool than functional(Using a Converted Creed with a Cyber Mastiff model from the old Adeptus Arbites set).

I'll swap out the lasrifles on the rhino squad for Laslocks and look into doing some Rotor Cannons or something along those lines. I have conversions I did for Heavy Hellguns for my Stormtroopers (I'm using old metal storm trooper models as my grenadiers. I've collected quite a few over the years.)

Anything you would add in the place with the extra points? Especially if I take of the DM's.

So my updated list thus far would be as below:

Force Commander-
2x Needle Pistols, Iron Halo, Cyber-Familiar (Cyber Mastiff), Survivors of the Dark Age, Warrior Elite, Planetary Overlord

Medicae Detachment- 4x Orderlies

Grenadier Squad -9x Grenadiers, Advanced Weaponry, Lasrifles, Sarge with 2x Hand Flamers, Rhino (Multi-Melta)

Grenadiers - 17x Grenadiers, Advanced Weaponry, Lasrifles, 2x Rotor Cannons, Sarge

Grenadiers - 17x Grenadiers, Advanced Weaponry, Lasrifles, 2x Rotor Cannon, Sarge

Fire Support Squad - 5x Lascannons

Fire Support Squad - 5x Autocannons

Leman Russ Demolisher

Leman Russ Demolisher

ADL - Quad Gun

My next question is the Rotor Cannons are Salvo, aren't they? I'd imagine I wouldn't be moving up much with those squads, would that be correct?

Also, I think I'm up to an additional 100 points or so left over, any ideas?

That's up to you - with a planetary overlord giving you ap3 autocannons (good for chewing up mechanicus units) - an extra fire team isnt a bad call - theyre well armed but you'll lose a lot of firepower to even incidental shots.

Alternatively, even 50 points or so can net you a levy squad: never underestimate the value of 20 disposable warm bodies!

I'd stick with lascarbines for the rhino squad rather than laslocks unless you specifically want s5 - against "normal" targets, two s4 shots does more than one s5, and lascarbines are cheaper. Laslocks are best if you need s5 specifically (to glance av11, for example) or want assault weapons becauae you plan to charge -normally because gene crafted feral warriors.

I like the add of the Levys with the additional points.

Current List now I'm looking at is this:

Force Commander-
2x Needle Pistols, Iron Halo, Cyber-Familiar (Cyber Mastiff), Survivors of the Dark Age, Warrior Elite, Planetary Overlord

Medicae Detachment- 4x Orderlies

Grenadier Squad -9x Grenadiers, Advanced Weaponry, Lasrifles, Sarge with 2x Hand Flamers, Rhino (Multi-Melta)

Grenadiers - 17x Grenadiers, Advanced Weaponry, Lasrifles, 2x Rotor Cannons, Sarge

Grenadiers - 17x Grenadiers, Advanced Weaponry, Lasrifles, 2x Rotor Cannon, Sarge

Militia Levy - x40, Auxilia Rifles, Discipline Collar (Debating on the Discipline Collar or go with lascarbines or find 5 extra points for Laslocks)

Fire Support Squad - 5x Lascannons

Fire Support Squad - 5x Autocannons

Leman Russ Demolisher

Leman Russ Demolisher

ADL - Quad Gun

Another mental debate I'm having is over the Quad Gun. It is my only form of anti-air but I'm wondering how necessary it would be.

I wouldnt bother with laslocks - at bs2 you're not exactly hitting much.

Discipline collars are awesome if and only if you have a discipline master to lead the unit. Stubborn ld9 is awesome. Stubborn ld6? Not really worth it.

The only thing I was thinking with the Discipline Collar was they are effectively LD8 with the Custodian and "Warrior Elite" Provenance.

Anything else you think would be better for the 10 points for the squad or maybe cut down a couple of guys and add in a DIscipline Master Cadre.

I was going to recommend different provenances, but I think that's the beauty of a Militia list, it represents the armies that we want to play with a ton of options for models. I'm a fan of sub-human helots paired with alchem jackers. I think that's the cheapest way to mitigate small arms fire and morale issues. Instead of the warrior elite, you might think about the alchem jackers as it gives everyone stubborn and you don't have to spend points on individual squad morale boosting.

In general I'm not a huge fan of fire support squads. Their lousy BS makes the use of lascannons unpredictable. Their lack of ablative wounds make their fire output drop very quickly. Their low toughness make them evaporate to anything S6. Depending on your plan for the defense line, you might want to switch out to a bunker. You can only fire 4 weapons out, but the dudes inside become fearless and your opponent has to get through 4 AV14 hull points before they get to the squishy men inside. Ap1 lascannons or Ap3 autocannons pouring out of it all game long would be nasty if you take merchant princeling.

I would recommend trying to incorporate ordnance batteries into your list. Unlike the support squads they're T7 with some 3+ saves mixed in for the guns. It's a nice place to hide your HQ as well.

Also I'm confused by the demolishers. Their short range puts them dangerously close to your opponents and the things that you want to hit with a S10 blast, probably a rocking a flareshield that lowers the strength to S8.

I would recommend trying to incorporate ordnance batteries into your list. Unlike the support squads they're T7 with some 3+ saves mixed in for the guns. It's a nice place to hide your HQ as well. 

I was going to recommend different provenances, but I think that's the beauty of a Militia list, it represents the armies that we want to play with a ton of options for models. I'm a fan of sub-human helots paired with alchem jackers. I think that's the cheapest way to mitigate small arms fire and morale issues. Instead of the warrior elite, you might think about the alchem jackers as it gives everyone stubborn and you don't have to spend points on individual squad morale boosting. 

I second auxilua heavy ordnance as one of the jewels of the list, but be warned it pairs badly with alchem-jackers -being unable to snap fire means a failed ld check means no firing the guns. Pinned-rather-than-fall-back is nice for levy (snap fire is only a 50% drop in firepower, and if you have a decent leadership anyway, stubborn is very nice). The problem is that alchem-jackers doesnt actually improve your leadership, just ignore penalties, so discipline masters are still very important.

I'm kibd of fond of cyber-augmetcs/alchem jackers for a levy-heavy force (that 6+save goes a long way when you have a lot of them, and essentially iron halo discipline masters are surprisingly tough) but for grenadier-heavy forces I think the provenances are good. Demolishers are good close support provided you have an infantry screen.

 IronMaster wrote:
The only thing I was thinking with the Discipline master was they are effectively LD8 with the Custodian and "Warrior Elite" Provenance.

Anything else you think would be better for the 10 points for the squad or maybe cut down a couple of guys and add in a DIscipline Master Cadre.

given that the squad is cheap and expendable, discipline masters seem a waste, especially since you cant buy just one.
I'd probably take lascarbines.

Stubborn only really matters in assaults: ld8 is fair enough against shooting, whilst in an assault the custodian will either accept a challenge (and die) or refuse (and cost you his leadership). lascarbines means a meaningful amount of extra shots - an extra 6" range means more fire at an inconing unit, and rapid fire doubles your output up close - and at bs2, overwatch snap fire is nearly as good as another shooting phase.

Levy isnt supposed to hold its ground without significant upgrades or support . Its supposed to provide an expendable screen against assault units that they have to chew through before they can get to the guns, tanks and fire support - ideally you want it to fold in the first assault phase, so the attackers are able to be shot at at point blank range.

I'll probably switch over to Lascarbines for the Levys then and not worry about a Discipline Master.

The Demolisher was for more str10 support as I currently don't own any artillery batteries other than 2 Rapier QuadGuns..

I do have a considerable amount of other Leman Russ however (Vanquishers, Demolishers, Executioners, One Exterminator, and one fresh kit I'm planning on building into a regular Battle Tank). I can swap the Demolishers out for something else, I just worry about my AT capabilities.

If worried about antitank, vanquishers are pretty impressive. The "gold standard" for 30k armour is the spartan with armoured ceramite and flare shield - effectively armour 15 from the front, 14 sides and rear, immune to the melta rule, 5 hullpoints and laden with some monstrous astartes deathstarterminator unit.

Armour bane is actually pretty rare, and vanquisher AT shells tend to be a nasty shock to legion players who've forgotten theyre a thing.

locarno24 wrote:
I second auxilua heavy ordnance as one of the jewels of the list, but be warned it pairs badly with alchem-jackers -being unable to snap fire means a failed ld check means no firing the guns.

This isn't a problem at all. If you have to fall back the guns are destroyed by the "immobile artillery" rule, so one failed LD roll means effectively losing the unit anyway. In fact, being pinned is a good thing because it prevents you from falling back and losing the guns. A turn of not shooting is certainly better than not shooting for the rest of the game!

locarno24 wrote:
If worried about antitank, vanquishers are pretty impressive. The "gold standard" for 30k armour is the spartan with armoured ceramite and flare shield - effectively armour 15 from the front, 14 sides and rear, immune to the melta rule, 5 hullpoints and laden with some monstrous astartes deathstarterminator unit.

Armour bane is actually pretty rare, and vanquisher AT shells tend to be a nasty shock to legion players who've forgotten theyre a thing.

Strongly disagree. Vanquishers are trash. You only hit 50% of the time, pen 40% of the time (glance or better is 60%, if stripping a single HP is enough), and then need a good roll on the damage table to eliminate the threat. IOW, if your expensive anti-tank specialist (which is worthless for everything else) spends the whole game shooting at a Spartan you might finally destroy or immobilize it. To get any kind of reliability out of them you need squadrons of three, at which point they're obscenely expensive and still not that great. Contrast this with Medusa batteries (with breacher shells), which are more accurate, much more likely to pen, have a better roll on the damage table, and cost a mere 2/3 of the price.

Oh, I agree bastion-breacher medusas are nastier -well, cheaper and more accurate against a reaky big tank - anyway (against a flare shielded spartan their actual punch is not massively different), but the OP specifically noted having plenty of russ chassis but no artillery carriages.

One advantage - Vanquishers are more expensive for their firepower but you're much less likely to lose them to enemy shooting in their first shooting phase before the "stop the spartan this turn or oh bugger" turn. Killing tanks isnt hard but killing tanks turn 1 from across the board into av14 glacis plates is.

The only other benefit I was thinking of with the demolisher is the AP2 template to be used against Terminator squads or large vehicles.

Would it be best just to focus my chassis on AT or AI? Also, should I sub in more Leman Russ Chassis instead of the units?

 IronMaster wrote:
The only other benefit I was thinking of with the demolisher is the AP2 template to be used against Terminator squads or large vehicles.

Would it be best just to focus my chassis on AT or AI? Also, should I sub in more Leman Russ Chassis instead of the units?

Leman Russes are just not very good right now. They're slow as they can never move than 6 inches. For my 40k IG I don't know the last time I used any of them.

That said, if tanks is what you have for models right now, I would try them out in your list and see how they fare. No one knows how good tanks will be in 8th edition either and that's supposedly in the near future.

If you're thinking of what models to get I might recommend a thunderbolt. It has good weapons against flyers and some that would work well against medium to light tanks as well.

They're still worth a try - on an artillery tank, speed is less important, and you do get that lovely av14 front - whilst 40k antitank tends to the grav/haywire/armourbane/destroyer, thats not so common in heresy lists (people assume armoured ceramite so dont rely on melta, graviton is haywire but short range and static, relatively few destroyer shots save big lords of war, and grav is night non-existant), with s8-9 fire en mass glancing tanks to death - a cheap(ish) av14 front armour is actually quite nice, and a demolisher cannon that can survive a bit of incoming fire is a nice answer to things like custodes, gal vorbak and those 2+ save bloody jetbikes.