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Hey all, I'm in an escalation league and the first two weeks are at 500 then 750 points. I'm using blood angels and I'm worried about opponents bringing flyers in these first two weeks. Short of investing a 100 points in a defense line ( which i feel is too big of an investment at such low points) how can I stop flyers?

Don't worry.

Any flyer represents a heavy investment at this level, as long as you're sticking to standard FOC it will be difficult to fit one in.

You'll only have a small number of units so will be able to exploit their limited maneuverability if you do meet one, and concentrate on eliminating the rest of the opposition.

Alternatively just take a Stormraven. At 500 pts it's impossible, but at 750 it'll squeeze in and 200 pts for one of the best fliers inthe game is a frickin steal!

only DE and orks can really get away with a flyer and a competent force at that level. Marines will be too hamstrung getting their troops, HQ and their flyer. If they do, just kill their troops. Also remember that below 1000 points you should be playing on a 4'x4' table instead of a 4'x6' so flyers are even worse.

The league only requires 1 HQ and 1 troop for the first two weeks and no front and sides AV over 33 for the first two weeks either.

IG can fit a vendetta or a Valk in, which would be devastating.

Take a Stormtalon; pretty much mandatory if you're serious about winning and expecting to face flyers.

If not a Stormtalon, then take a Lasback or two; at least they'll kindof maybe have a small chance of hitting it once or twice.

ianj253 wrote:
The league only requires 1 HQ and 1 troop for the first two weeks and no front and sides AV over 33 for the first two weeks either.

not a fan of those rules even if it would serve my DE very well.

Really fliers dont have much damage output, and they dont come in until turn 2 or later, dont worry about them.

The fliers I would be worried about would be of the demonic or bug variety, on the cheaper end and can fill necessary foc slots

Fear the Night scythe!

A 100pts transport with a twin linked tesla destructor that can disembark troops while zooming and doesn't lose embarked squads if shot down.

Plus, it doesn't take a FOC slot.

BA can't take storm talons. The only flyer we can take is a storm raven but their AV exceeds the 33 limit.

ianj253 wrote:
The only flyer we can take is a storm raven but their AV exceeds the 33 limit.

Stupid rule.

Take lascannon Razorbacks then

Well, Baal Predators or good old riflemen are probably the best non fortification non flyer AA units in the codex at the moment. Enough shots to hit and high enough strength to damage.

How about a 5 man devastator squad with 4 ML. I believe this runs about 130 pts. You could also take a librarian as your HQ and give him the blood lance power, I don think you have to roll to hit with that, just have to generate enough range to hit.

Take durable Troops and win on the mission. Get onto the objectives and stay there. Any army at this points level investing a bunch of points in flyers isn't going to have durable scoring units.

One other reason to get onto the objectives early is to find any that give you Skyfire. Your assault marines with meltaguns can jump 12" and shoot another 12" while trailing models back to make sure you're holding onto the objective while maximizing your threat range with the meltas. A tactical squad with a lascannon or missile launcher, and plasma gun, is not a bad idea at this points level. I would say multimelta, but that reduces your threat range.

Double-AC dreads are good, but can't hold or contest objectives.

The five man four missile devastator squad is pretty good. Accuracy suffers against flyers, of course, but they're about the cheapest way to throw out a lot of heavy weapon shots.

The other high-volume Dakka option is Razorbacks with TL Assault Cannons. Four twin-linked S6 rending shots gives you decent odds of doing damage to an AV10 or AV11 flyer.

Multimelta attack bikes are quality. They still need 6s to hit Zooming flyers, but the odds of a kill are very high if they manage to hit. Plus they can contest objectives, and if you get The Scouring, are scoring themselves.

Any of the Attack Bikes, the Devastators, or even the tactical or assault squads can have their odds improved by a cheap Librarian with Divination as your HQ. Prescience lets you re-roll to hit, basically doubling your chances of scoring that needed 6.

If you're that worried - a Baal Predator with twin assault cannons would do great. It's likely to at least hit each turn, and with S6 Rending it's liable to penetrate sooner or later. Plus it's really useful against other units too.

But as Blood Angels, I can confidently say you can ignore flyers, as long as you're not foot-slogging. You can be across the board far too quick for it to get any meaningful shooting in before it has to either leave the board, enact a 2-turn-long u-turn, or go into hover (which will allow you to take it out normally). At points that low, the battle is likely already decided by then.

Unfortunately, Blood Angels seem to be the only marines not able to Ally with Dark Eldar. Otherwise at 500 points you could take an allied force of A Haemonculi, 3 Wracks and a Razorwing / Voidraven for 225. 250 if you want to give the Haem something killy and the Razorwing / Void Raven Flickerfields.

While not exactly practicle - it would be hilarious to do, especially at that points level.

Otherwise yes - weight of shots / Aegis / ignore them.
Speaking from experience, flyers at 500pts is a bit crazy as the (usually) smaller board doesn't give them the room to manauver.

Though I still want to run 2 Razorwings at 500pts to see the look on peoples faces.