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Hi, got a tournament coming up in two weeks. Trying to make a list as strong as I can in time. I know not all of this is optimised, but it's what I have (a few bits are unpainted but oh well). I believe the tournament is Maelstrom and I'm expecting to run into some super heavies.

Organised into brigade, vanguard and spearhead.

4 company commanders
1 tempestus prime with command rod

4 commissars
4 astropaths
5 special weapons squads with plasma guns
Scion command squad With 4 plasma guns

50 conscripts
4 squads of twenty conscripts
Scion squad with two plasma guns and plasma pistol
2 infantry squads each with bolter, lascannon and plasma gun

3 squads of rough riders with 2 plasma guns

2 basilisks
4 heavy weapons squads with each with two mortars and a lascannon
3 heavy weapons squads with two heavy bolters and a lascannon
3 heavy weapons squads with three autocannons

Other models/options I have: a vindicare, lots of other special weapons, Celestine, 2 chimeras, more psyker models, a Vendetta, 5 griffons, 2 wyverns, 2 hydras, genestealer cult acolytes, a Medusa cannon, earthshaker cannons (not on basilisks), rapier laser destroyers, harker.

Is your tournament timed? I just know that this style army takes a very long time per turn, it could be a problem if the rounds are timed.

It is. I've heard 8th is a bit faster and I've gotten used to speed playing with guard. It'll be a tiring day, but I love playing hordes

Your paying for a temp prime w/ command rod if you have the points. You might be better off dropping the line squads for a second scion team. This also allows all of your key infantry to be hidden off board at the start of the game.

Also you might want to look into a 6" ruler makes moving the horde much faster.

If your earthshaker cannons are platforms they are nearly 30 points cheaper per gun and actually have +1T.

I'd take all the earthshakers you can. Trade in autocannon HWTs for a start and I dont think all those characters are necessary. You could loose a company commander imo. And grab a MoO as well. I dont think Ive seen so many HWTs before, that'd be over a square foot I reckon if you packed them together.

Thanks for the good advice!

More scions would be great, but unfortunately I'm not going to be able to get them ready in time. I'm currently painting up all the ones that are included in the list.

I'm looking into movement trays at the moment, hopefully can get a couple made by go-time. Not having to spread units put will make life faster. I'm planning on using two 20 man squads for objective campers, so shouldn't have to move them at all.

I could trade the basilisks for earthshaker platforms. They're magnetised so it's one or the other. They seem pretty strong though! I have three, so will swap the basis to them.

Afraid I need 5 HQs for detachment requirements. I was planning on advancing them behind the conscripts with the SWSs and infantry squads and hand out rerolls to hit to them.

I guess a MoO would help the earthshakers somewhat. He'd probably be more useful if I had more of them, he's kind of break even for viability at three platforms.

Yeah they'll probably take up most of my table. At least they can bunch up along the board edge without much ill effect.

MOO isn't going to work with earthshaker platforms. its very specific on what is supports unfortunately. 3 platforms cost nearly the same as 2 basilisks so point for point you get more earthshaker but loose the h bolter, which in my mind is a tax on the earthshaker.

How do you plan on countering the flier spam that you will very likely see? I can see a lot of the HWTs being taken out by the powerful alpha stormraven dakka. Also the HWTs would have to get 5s to hit the stormravens back, also the -1 to hit the fliers with overcharging plasma makes it super risky.

I've been debating on adding Celestine, she is a ton of points but with her extra move from the free acts of faith makes it so she can keep up with the fliers and keep assaulting, maybe with her combined with the amount of space you take up on the board you can force some fliers to be auto destroyed. may get some salt from your opponent, but I would not feel bad as they are the ones spamming the latest cheese list lol