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Evening all,

Playing in an up and coming free for all (1v1v1v1) Shadow War campaign next week and was after some advice. Specifically, some advice when using Astra Militarum.

I want to use a Scion kill team and I am comfortable with the sacrifice I need to make point wise to make this fluffy (think cheesy, archetypal, Hollywood Commando/Special Forces team), but am happy if you guys think something is completely stupid and would really hamper any competitive edge.

Does anyone have any advice on good set ups, tips on play styles or general observations when using or playing against Astra teams? What works. What doesn't. What should I be aware of. What are the optimal/sub optimal choices etc etc.

My current list is:

(The Boss) Leader - Las Pistol, Assault Blade, Hot Shot, Red Dot, Carapace, Camo
(The Grizzled Knife Fighter) Veteran - Lasgun, Hotshot, Red Dot, Carapace, Combat Blade x2, Camo
(The Demolition Expert) Veteran - Lasgun, Hotshot, Red Dot, Carapace, Frag Grenade, Camo
(The Crackshot) Veteran - Lasgun with Weapon Reload, Hotshot, Red Dot, Telescopic, Carapace, Camo, Clip Harness
(The Heavy Weapon Dude) Specialist - Flamer, Combat Blade x2, Carapace, Camo
(The Red Shirt on an Away Mission) Specialist - Flamer, Combat Blade x2, Carapace, Camo

Opponents are likely to be Space Marines, Dark Eldar and Dakka Orks.

Thanks in advance.

I like the idea.

But, I think the 2x Combat Blades are a waste of points.
Anything that is going to get into combat with you is not going to be killed by rolling 1 extra dice. Ie, Nids,Harlies.

Having played Astra Militarum a few times now.
From my experience, you want to spam snipers with toxic rounds and have your Leader unarmed. Using he ability to re-roll 1's.

If your opponents are marines/Orks the Toxic ammo will be a godsend. No need to wound roll as they are T4.
Pin them to hell and take all your objectives.

I'd say 3-4 snipers?
With 2-3 cheap units for capping objectives. Your leader will stay with the snipers for the re-rolling 1's bubble.

Not sure on points. Dont have a book to hand.

Awesome.

Thank you for the advice.

I have adopted your suggestions below whilst remaining in keeping with the overall theme.

(The Boss) Leader - Las Pistol, Assault Blade, Hot Shot, Carapace, Camo
(The Grizzled Knife Fighter) Veteran - Lasgun, Hotshot, Red Dot, Carapace, Combat Blade x2, Camo
(The Demolition Expert) Veteran - Lasgun, Hotshot, Red Dot, Carapace, Frag Grenade, Camo
(The Red Shirt on an Away Mission) Veteran - Lasgun, Hotshot, Red Dot, Carapace, Camo
(The Heavy Weapon Dude) Specialist - Flamer, Carapace, Camo
(The Crackshot) Specialist - Sniper Rifle, Toxic Rounds, Red Dot, Telescopic, Carapace, Camo

Did you enjoy playing them? How did you fair against combat based kill teams, was cover an issue?

I wasn't playing the Astra Militarum.

I was playing the harlies.

It will really depend on the table your playing on. If it has heavy cover you are going to struggle against fast moving melee armies. Such as Nids and Harlies.

Harlies can run 12" and you get a -2 to hit. We also have a 4++ save at all times along with being immune to pinning. Unless you bring something S7 or higher.

So we can play two types of games.
Either objective based. Where we can run to the objective and sit on it. You are then forced to come to us. You have no option if you want to win. Plus we WILL get there before you.

Game 3 - Loot counters, no max limit to how many loot counters a model can carry.
I can send 1 of my harlies to pick them all up while putting you under pressure from the rest leaving my other one dancing around picking them up without much harassment.

Sentrys will also make you suffer. Your carapace armour gives you -1 to Initiative. The max distance you can see is Initiative multiplied by your D6 roll. Which means your max distance is 18" with your sergeant, wherever he is, or 12" with your normal troops. Your awareness distance is 6" max.


My advice is pay close attention to your oppositions load out. Find out if they are going to be shooting you or running at you. Watch their other games. If they are running at you. Start far up the board and move back while firing. Your sniper cannot move.

If they are going to shoot you. place your models close for the early pinning recovery and make sure you can see at least some of the objectives.

Astra Militarum are quite over powered in SWA IMO. But you gotta max out on those snipers. If you want an OP list.

Overwatch is an excellent tool to use! You only suffer a -1 to hit. Red Dot compensates for this. If you pin a unit at the START of their charge they fall on their face before they move.

Just watch out for Overwatch Abuse.

There is a section called "Fleeting". Which means if a target starts their movement outside your line of sight and finishes outside your line of sight you need to take an initiative test to see if you can react fast enough.
Remembering your have a -1 for carapace armour.

So, If I start my charge from behind a wall, full cover, and move behind you. Ie, out of your 90deg arc. You will be forced to take a initiative test to see if you can overwatch.
See attached image.

Just watch out for cheesy tactics like this.

mcsheehy wrote:
Overwatch is an excellent tool to use! You only suffer a -1 to hit. Red Dot compensates for this. If you pin a unit at the START of their charge they fall on their face before they move.

Just watch out for Overwatch Abuse.

There is a section called "Fleeting". Which means if a target starts their movement outside your line of sight and finishes outside your line of sight you need to take an initiative test to see if you can react fast enough.
Remembering your have a -1 for carapace armour.

So, If I start my charge from behind a wall, full cover, and move behind you. Ie, out of your 90deg arc. You will be forced to take a initiative test to see if you can overwatch.
See attached image.

Just watch out for cheesy tactics like this.

I don't think it works like this cause the model can see 360 degrees.

Overwatch ruling specifically states that the unit has a 90 degree arc in front of the model, using the models facing.

Normal shooting rules do not apply to overwatch. Which leaves it open to abuse.

Paragraph 3 in Overwatch rule.



Chris

mcsheehy wrote:
Overwatch ruling specifically states that the unit has a 90 degree arc in front of the model, using the models facing.

Normal shooting rules do not apply to overwatch. Which leaves it open to abuse.

Paragraph 3 in Overwatch rule.



Chris

It also states that you can overwatch at any given moment and i can't find anywhere that overwatch's firing arc = model's line of sight. So by my logic if the model is in overwatch's arc at any given moment during it's move you can halt it and fire overwatch. And to force you take an ini test it needs to start it's move out of your overwatching model's los and finish it's move out of your overwatching model's los. And models can trace los 360 degrees. Means that the example on your picture won't really work.

@ Koooaei

I'm going by how its played at my local GW and both my local clubs in Glasgow.

For the Purposes of Overwatch we are treating the 90 degree arc as the models LoS.

It's fine as long as you guyz there are fine with it. But it's not how it's written, so this trick can't be used by other people.

Imperil Guard are... Well it varies. On the one hand if you go the full cheese triple plasma list route then you will usually dominate, but on the other hand if you try for a more fluffy list you will most likely suffer for the first few games.

Necronartum wrote:
(The Grizzled Knife Fighter) Veteran - Lasgun, Hotshot, Red Dot, Carapace, Combat Blade x2, Camo
(The Heavy Weapon Dude) Specialist - Flamer, Combat Blade x2, Carapace, Camo
(The Red Shirt on an Away Mission) Specialist - Flamer, Combat Blade x2, Carapace, Camo

Why all the useless combat blades?
By default everybody has one free.
And, because you are carrying a special (or basic or heavy) weapon, you can only use one hand to hand weapon, not two, so no bonus attack dice.
Maybe giving to some of your flamer guys a weapon to shoot before you can use your flamer (or after when you will fail an ammo roll): a las pistol, for example.

Are there any rules limiting how many weapons you can carry? I can't find it.

No. Carry fifteen rifles if you like. There's really no good reason to carry lots of guns, though; main weapon, backup weapon, melee weapon . or three melee weapons, one of which is a pistol (2 pistols, if you've got Gunfighter). I suppose if my Specialist with flamer gets Hipshooting, I might buy him a lasgun to give him something to do as he runs up the table...

 AndrewGPaul wrote:
No. Carry fifteen rifles if you like

But what about the specification that you can't carry anything else in your hand with a lc?

I thought there was a penalty to having a basic/special/ heavy weapon and two combat weapons... Wasn't it something like Encumbered, or you never get the +1 for charging or for having two combat weapons? I can't remember.

Grim teef its no bonus attack from 2 weapons if you have a basic gun even if you have 2 knives. The -1 is from having a heavy weapon.

Skullhammer wrote:
Grim teef its no bonus attack from 2 weapons if you have a basic gun even if you have 2 knives. The -1 is from having a heavy weapon.

where are you geting it from?

Page 41 (of the new book) under fighting with 2 weapons. And combat score modifiers on the same page.

Thanks! Also, what about the lightning claw rule that a fighter can't take anything else in this hand? What's it all about?

Page 55 for light claws.