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Hey all,

So I see the meta swinging around knights, chaos knights, Custode tanks, etc and I see an opportunity to negate all the points spent on anti-tank with an all-infantry list.

List:

Catachan Brigade
-3x Officers

-Harker
-2x Astropaths (Shroud, Barrier)

-9x Infantry Squads (Bolters+Plasma Guns)

-3x5 Rough Riders (2x Plasma Guns)

-3x Mortar Teams

Blood Angel's Battalion
-Slam Cap (TH/SS+Angel Wing+Death Visions)
-Slam Cap (TH/SS+Death Visions)
-Lemartes

-3x5 Scouts (Bolters+Storm Bolter)

Custodes Supreme Command
-3x Dawn Eagle Captains (Hurricane bolters, shivs, 1x Auric, 1x Eagle Eye)

+Assassin of choice

Total: 1999

This list has 153 models, 6 of which are beat stick characters and 6 of which are support characters. Its has 21 command points. This list leverages command points and powerful characters to do damage and threaten while maintaining as much board control as possible.

The catachan infantry makes up the bulk of the army. They holds objectives or advance up the field, shooting at all viable targets or double moving into good positions. The infantry squads have decent staying power and get dangerous at 12" with orders (rapid fire, FRFSRF, Harker reroll). I tend to throw squads around the board with movement orders, getting recon or grabbing objectives or blocking movement. It can often make sense to consolidate a squad and protect it with Shroud/Barrier/Take Cover and use that as a focal point or tar pit.

Mortars hide in the backfield and plink away cost effectively/block area.

The Angel Wing slam cap starts on the board for first turn assault shenanigans (On Wings of Fire+Descent of Angels+Angel Wing reroll is 93% chance of first turn assault, even better if something starts in Forlorn Fury range). I also usually give this cap the +1 damage warlord trait and pass the mantle to one of the shield captains once he dies (swinging).

Second turn the other captain and Lemartes repeat this. Liberal use of Honor the Chapter and In Death gives these guys ridiculous hitting power.

The Custodes fly right behind the Guardsmen, then jump out when the moment is right. Their combined bolter fire also does a ton of work.

The flying characters also help counter flyers, as well as get around tough plague bearer screens.

The Rough Riders also show up turn 2 to take backfield objectives and do a surprising amount of damage for their (6x plasma guns will do that). Not the most efficient unit but a fairly decent platform for plasma guns that fit the other options in the list and they get me command points.

Psychic defence from the Astropaths, custodes strat, and Culexus (if necessary).

Against multiple knights basically this list is just super cost effective, they dont do much damage with their big guns. Then the beat sticks can reliably take them down in CC while keeping them pinned back.

Options I'm looking at:
1) Straken is an option, decent for multiplier and a bit of a beat stick himself, but usually I just like more bodies. If you bring him it prolly makes sense to bring powerfists on the commanders.

2) Change up second captain and lemartes. Storm shield librarian or librarian dread with wings and quicken are both viable.

3) Switch rough riders for sentinels. Less points but less synergy and damage.

What do yall think?

I think Straken and a Priest to give your 90 Guardsmen +2 attacks each is very very worth it, I'd want that more than Harken. I think the bigger issue with this list is that it is really just a horde, it reminds me a lot of the "meta" Chaos lists with a horde of Plaguebearers backed up by characters. I think people will have answers for that kind of list and Guardsmen die faster than Plaguebearers against a lot of weapons...

How do you think this list will do against Knights with Avenger Gatling Cannon(s) or other Guard/AM lists with tons of mortars to melt your horde?

I think you're forgetting that the knights have death grip or will direct all their stomp attacks on your captains. So, say bye bye to your captains.

The only thing you'll be able to do is tarpit them, but even that won't be long.

Straken is really close to being worth losing 10x dudes... I think I need to experiment and see if he makes a significant difference.

It does mimic some chaos lists, though they tend to leverage minus to hit over bodies. This is a lil more numerous perhaps, and a LOT more hitty by weight of lasguns and orders. I think it fits a different niche.

Gatling cannons are good weapons, but if a knight is mowing down guardsmen the will struggle to ever make their points back. I think vs multiple knights is maybe the best match up here.

Death grip is definitely a worry but if they have a gauntlet then they are getting in CC, probably with multiple heroes, and that's half my battle right there. Honestly not that worried about Knights with this one, though of course I have to experiment more and they are always a dangerous match up.