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I have a list I'm going to playtest that is somewhat of a "Beta Strike" list, as opposed to what I usually like to do with my GK, which is demolish everything first turn if possible. On top of the Beta Strike idea, I wanted to surprise opponents by using a few things that aren't used much right now by GK playsers: Land Raiders and non-psyfleman Dreadnoughts. Here's the list, with the strategy to follow:

HQ
Grand Master: stormbolter, force sword, psycho/rad grenades, 3 Servo-Skulls
ELITE
5- Paladins: 2 psycannons, 2 Hammers, 3 Swords
TROOPS
5- Strike Squad: 1 psycannon,
5- Strike Squad
FAST ATTACK
1- Stormraven Gunship: assault cannon, multi-melta, hurricane bolter
8- Interceptors: 1 Incinerator, 1 hammer
HEAVY SUPPORT
1- Land Raider: multi-melta, 2 twin-linked lascannons, twin-linked heavy bolter
2- Dreadnoughts: twin-linked heavy flamer, heavy flamer w/ Nemesis Doomfist, psyflame ammo
FORTIFICATIONS
1- ADL w/ Quad Gun

The strategy is to keep the psycannon strike squad on the quad gun, and hide the other strike squad in the land raider with the GM. The guys on the quad gun have the psycannon because they are more likely to see enemy contact prior to turn 4-5. Interceptors hide behind the Land Raider, depending on who goes first. What, if any of my opponents units have Interceptor are the only things I'm worried about shooting first turn. If no Interceptors, then my LR will just flat out to midfield to get the GM closer to enemy lines. Turn 2 use Psychic Communion to bring in the Stormraven, DS in the Paladins and Dreadnoughts right into the enemy lines. Hopefully link up the GM with the Paladins to shoot/assault turn 3. Flame/pound the bejeezus out of everything after that. Toward the end of the game hop the strike squad out of the LR to snag an objective, and one of my other units made scoring by the GM can snag some as well. It's heavily dependent on getting Reserves to come in turn 2 for maximum destruction, but even if just some come in it will do pretty well. two S6 AP4 flamers per Dreadnought, an Incinerator from the Interceptors, and the psycannons/Holocaust blast from the Pallies ought to cause some problems.

Let me know your thoughts prior to testing it out!

The Biggest problem that I see is the heavy reliance on The Grand Strategy to give you 3+ scoring units.

I also have to question the Dreads loadout.
I think a Psycannon on the GM is a better investment than the Hurricane Bolters on the SR.

Why do people take digital weapons? For goodness sake, at least take a servo skull instead.

I've never used Servo Skulls before, and hadn't thought of it. I edited the list to add them in, I'm thinking these should help me get those Dreadnought flamers up close and personal right when they drop.

5 marines are easily picked off a quad, so I suggest getting more troops and bodies.

The GM could use an incinerator of you can find the points.

@ Dr Serling, I agree that 5 man squads aren't optimal at all. I've personally found that 7-8 is that minimum magic number for objective campers. However, this list is very much designed to keep my opponent busy with other things, and hopefully keep them from applying too much heat to my minimum squad on the quad gun. Not sure how it'll work out, but I can't wait till I can get some time to play a game and test it!

So one our local players is organizing a 1500 point tourney, and I couldn't resist testing this list in a competitive setting, so I've paired it down to 1500 points from 1850, but with the same "style" and utilizing the Beta Strike idea. I took on an Ork player today and playtested it with mixed results, here's the list:

HQ
1- Ordo Malleus Inquisitor in TDA, psycannon, hammer, and Psychic Communion
ELITE
5- Paladins with 2 psycannons, 2 hammers
1- Paladin
1- Paladin
TROOPS
5- Strike Squad
10- Strike Squad with 2 psycannons, psybolt ammo
HEAVY SUPPORT
2- Dreadnoughts, twin-linked Heavy Flamer, Heavy Flamer, psyflame ammo
1- Land Raider, 2 twin-linked Lascannons, heavy bolter

First, my opponent had a quad gun that I wanted to get rid of, and I had first turn. My quad gun and the Land Raider failed to do a single wound to his gun, much less kill it. Fail #1. My servo-skulls were perfectly placed, and he didn't get in range to get rid of them. I cast Psychic Communion, and one of my Dreads still fails to come in...fail #2. I have never had a deep strike mishap...before today. My Dread that came on turn 2 mishapped, scattering the full 6" in the only direction that would mishap him...fail #3. Turn 3, my second Dread comes on, and also scatters the full distance in the only direction that will mishap him...enough counting failures. I still pulled out the victory in the end, thanks to my Paladins and untouchable Land Raider, but my dice fought me the whole way. I'll post again if I actually get to hit someone with everything as intended. On the upside, my opponent was kept so busy with the Paladins and LR that he was forced to leave my troops alone, and they snagged objectives without much heat coming their way.

 Homeskillet wrote:
So one our local players is organizing a 1500 point tourney, and I couldn't resist testing this list in a competitive setting, so I've paired it down to 1500 points from 1850, but with the same "style" and utilizing the Beta Strike idea. I took on an Ork player today and playtested it with mixed results, here's the list:

HQ
1- Ordo Malleus Inquisitor in TDA, psycannon, hammer, and Psychic Communion
ELITE
5- Paladins with 2 psycannons, 2 hammers
1- Paladin
1- Paladin
TROOPS
5- Strike Squad
10- Strike Squad with 2 psycannons, psybolt ammo
HEAVY SUPPORT
2- Dreadnoughts, twin-linked Heavy Flamer, Heavy Flamer, psyflame ammo
1- Land Raider, 2 twin-linked Lascannons, heavy bolter

First, my opponent had a quad gun that I wanted to get rid of, and I had first turn. My quad gun and the Land Raider failed to do a single wound to his gun, much less kill it. Fail #1. My servo-skulls were perfectly placed, and he didn't get in range to get rid of them. I cast Psychic Communion, and one of my Dreads still fails to come in...fail #2. I have never had a deep strike mishap...before today. My Dread that came on turn 2 mishapped, scattering the full 6" in the only direction that would mishap him...fail #3. Turn 3, my second Dread comes on, and also scatters the full distance in the only direction that will mishap him...enough counting failures. I still pulled out the victory in the end, thanks to my Paladins and untouchable Land Raider, but my dice fought me the whole way. I'll post again if I actually get to hit someone with everything as intended. On the upside, my opponent was kept so busy with the Paladins and LR that he was forced to leave my troops alone, and they snagged objectives without much heat coming their way.

what is the point of the solodin? i mean they are not even troops so why bother having them?

I dont believe 1500 points of who ever your facing can't kill 10 marines, Orks find it hard to kill the the landraider but it can be ignored. 1500 orks can put out so many bodies and lootas to pretty much killed 5 paladins per turn, I just dont see how your paladins survived 5 turns without being killed. Considering your dread with 2 flamers did not come in till turn 4, your main anti horde threat. I suggest take away the 2 solodins and take 1 more squad of strikes.

 Marthike wrote:

 Homeskillet wrote:
So one our local players is organizing a 1500 point tourney, and I couldn't resist testing this list in a competitive setting, so I've paired it down to 1500 points from 1850, but with the same "style" and utilizing the Beta Strike idea. I took on an Ork player today and playtested it with mixed results, here's the list:

HQ
1- Ordo Malleus Inquisitor in TDA, psycannon, hammer, and Psychic Communion
ELITE
5- Paladins with 2 psycannons, 2 hammers
1- Paladin
1- Paladin
TROOPS
5- Strike Squad
10- Strike Squad with 2 psycannons, psybolt ammo
HEAVY SUPPORT
2- Dreadnoughts, twin-linked Heavy Flamer, Heavy Flamer, psyflame ammo
1- Land Raider, 2 twin-linked Lascannons, heavy bolter

First, my opponent had a quad gun that I wanted to get rid of, and I had first turn. My quad gun and the Land Raider failed to do a single wound to his gun, much less kill it. Fail #1. My servo-skulls were perfectly placed, and he didn't get in range to get rid of them. I cast Psychic Communion, and one of my Dreads still fails to come in...fail #2. I have never had a deep strike mishap...before today. My Dread that came on turn 2 mishapped, scattering the full 6" in the only direction that would mishap him...fail #3. Turn 3, my second Dread comes on, and also scatters the full distance in the only direction that will mishap him...enough counting failures. I still pulled out the victory in the end, thanks to my Paladins and untouchable Land Raider, but my dice fought me the whole way. I'll post again if I actually get to hit someone with everything as intended. On the upside, my opponent was kept so busy with the Paladins and LR that he was forced to leave my troops alone, and they snagged objectives without much heat coming their way.

what is the point of the solodin? i mean they are not even troops so why bother having them?

I dont believe 1500 points of who ever your facing can't kill 10 marines, Orks find it hard to kill the the landraider but it can be ignored. 1500 orks can put out so many bodies and lootas to pretty much killed 5 paladins per turn, I just dont see how your paladins survived 5 turns without being killed. Considering your dread with 2 flamers did not come in till turn 4, your main anti horde threat. I suggest take away the 2 solodins and take 1 more squad of strikes.

The point of both Solodins was their Holocaust blasts, which both used quite well. I deep struck one behind his ADL, and one jumped out of the LR in front of the ADL. The 5 man squad shot two psycannons and Holocaust into a group. Had my dreads landed when/where they were supposed to, do you get why I have them now? 3 Large Blasts, 4 Incinerator templates of awesome. And I had 15 Marines, 5 of whom were behind and ADL, 5 of whom camped in a LR until turn 4, and another 5 that hid out of LOS near an Objective until turn 4. Also, my last dread came in turn 3 and not 4, just mishapped and was placed in a corner away from the action. Also, a squad of Lootas is not going to wipe out a Paladin squad in one round of shooting. Quite the opposite, my opponent tried to do this, and actually rolled OK dice, and was able to cause 1-2 unsaved wounds per turn of shooting on my 5 man squad of Pallies.

I don't know if anyone aside from you would advocate for a 5 man strike squad over 2 Paladins...I could be wrong though.