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Hello everyone ! Long time reader, first time poster.

For a while, I've been collecting for the pleasure of it, but now I found myself a group of friends with whom to play regulary, and would like to optimize my army.
I have about 2k8 points of Primaris / Adeptus Mechanicus that work very well together for friendly, fun matches. But now I need to reach the dreaded 2500 points limit. Maybe even 2000 points, sometimes !

So here it is. I'll post my full army, and explain how it works as of now. I need the help of regular competitive players to know what in this army composition can be removed to play in a semi-competitive environnement (not full-on tournaments, but almost).

There are two detachments, a Space Marines Battalion and an Adeptus Mechanicus Spearhead. For the fluff-enthousiats, this is a special Chapter called the Spectral Knights, that are almost unknown to the Imperium. They have been brainwashed by Cawl over the millenias of the Primaris creation, and now work as his own elite techno-recovery team. Of course, he supports them with his personal AdMech forces. Of course, their existence is a secret, and they’d fight to the death other Imperial forces to keep it this way. They are fleet-based, and their battle-barge / chapter monastery is actually an Ark Mechanicus.

So here we are. List below :



Detachment 1: Space Marines Battalion Detachment
Chapter tactics: Iron Hands

HQ:
Captain on Gravis Armor: Boltstorm gauntlet, Mastercrafter Powersword (137pts)
Primaris Lieutenant: Mastercrafter autobolt rifle (74pts)

Troops:
5 Intercessor Marines: Bolt rifle (100pts)
5 Intercessor Marines: Bolt rifle (100pts)
5 Intercessor Marines: Bolt rifle (100pts)

Elite:
3 Aggressors Marines: Auto Boltstorm gauntlets/Fragstorm grenade launchers (129pts)
3 Aggressors Marines: Auto Boltstorm gauntlets/Fragstorm grenade launchers (129pts)
Primaris Ancient (69pts)
Redemptor Dreadnought: Heavy Onslaught Gatling, Onslaught Gatling, Stormbolters (202pts)

Fast Attack:
3 Inceptors Marines: Assault bolters (180pts)
3 Inceptors Marines: Plasma exterminators (258pts)

Heavy support:
5 Hellblaster Marines: Plasma Incinerators (165pts)

Dedicated transport:
Repulsor: Ironhail heavy stubber, Heavy onslaught gatling, Onslaught gatling, x2 fragstorm grenade launchers, x2 fragstorm grenade launchers, Icarus rocket pod (315pts)




Detachment 2: Adeptus Mechanicus Spearhead Detachment
Forge World : Stygies VIII

HQ:
Warlord – Techpriest Dominus: Autocaduceus, Necromechanic, Volklite blaster, Phosphor serpenta (139pts)

Troops:
5 Skitarii Rangers: 2 Transarunic Arquebus, Omnispex (113pts)
5 Skitarii Rangers: 2 Transarunic Arquebus, Omnispex (113pts)

Heavy Support:
2 Kastelan Robots: x2 Heavy Phosphor blasters (220pts)
Onager Dunecrawler: Cognis heavy stubber, Neutron laser, Broad Spectrum Datatether (145pts)
Onager Dunecrawler: Cognis heavy stubber, Icarus Array, Broad Spectrum Datatether (145pts)


Now, for the tactics I use so far.

This army is a defensive-shooty army. Basically two lines – A first shooting line, Primaris only, that delays the enemy (and gets kills) while the second line (Primaris and AdMech) does the heavy work.

The first line is composed of the three Intercessors squad (acting as bullet magnets, staying in cover), an Aggressor squad and the Redemptor Dreadnought in firesupport, and the Repulsor as a mobile strike force with 3 aggressors, the captain, lieutenant and the ancient. They are full-dakka, focusing on the enemy infantry forces (the second shooting line focuses on high toughness target).

Talking about the second line, it is centered on the two Dunecrawlers, the two Kastelans and my warlord the Dominus Techpriest, making for a very durable and killy battlegroup. I use most of my stratagems on them, especially Protector Doctrina Imperative on the Icarus Dunecrawler.

With them are my firesupport units, the two 5-rangers skitarii for character snipping, and the Hellblasters with rapidfire in cover to help fight against deepstriking. Also, the two 3 Inceptors squad are there ready to be deployed when most needed, either defensively against deepstrikes or offensively against artillery / fancy infantry.

There you go! If you have any questions feel free to ask. Thanks for taking the time to read, and thanks in advance for your answers ! :-)

Inceptors (in my experience) are a bad competitive choice. I'd start there.
Make sure your captain is a baby gilly (chapter master upgrade stratagem) and keep him near your aggressors and 'blasters.

Those primaris marines will soak up a lot of shots in cover. So try to deploy well. Make your enemy spread out to assault you so you don't lose out on a lot of shots because you are falling back or stuck in a slug fest.

Redemptors are great, but it's gonna get killed early because there isn't anything else for my tanks to shoot at. If he isn't shooting something, he needs to be hidden or in solid cover (or both). Even hidden, something like the new tanks for Deathguard can kill it without LOS. Personally I have mixed feelings about dreds this addition. They're good, but I can't figure out if they are too weak or not. There are just things like Plaguecrawlers that are so much better for less points...

At a minimum, take ultramarines and give your captain the santic halo to give you deny the witch. There are a ton of competitive lists reliant on certain things like warp time getting off to put you in a bad spot. If you deny it, they're going to have a really bad day and be out of position. Giving your heavy guns a chance to say hello and destroy them.

You lack good bubble wrap, be careful against swarm armies. Your aggressors and hellblasters need to shoot and not get slugged up in combat.

TL;DR
Drop the inceptors
Take a baby Gilliman
Get a Santic Halo
Hide the redemptor uneless he's shooting.
Keep shooty stuff out of CC.

Hope that helps. I have about 25 games of ultramarines in 8th and 4 or 5 tourneys under my belt.

Thanks for the answer ! :-)

Indeed, removing the two Inceptors squads would get me way below 2500 points, but I wouldn't have any deepstriking options without using Command Points. But you have more experience, if you tell me they aren't worth it, I won't take them.

About the Sanctic Halo, that would be nice, but I won't play Ultramarines. I'll play an Iron Hands equivalent chapter, because of their fluff (partially mechanised, highly techy). That is a shame, it seemed like a great relic!

About the Redemptor, he won't be the only heavy vehicle dishing out damages. There are two Dunecrawlers with heavy weapons behind him, with two Kastelans to support. But I'll take your advise and keep him hidden and in cover as often as possible. Let's play that conservatively! :-)

Thanks again for your advices :-)