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Will be fighting Tau (with Riptides)

HQ- CCS with Straken, 3x plasma guns, regimental standard, Astropath, Officer of the Fleet, Master of Ordnance, Chimera = 350

Troops- Veteran Squad with Demolitions doctrine, heavy flamer, plasma gun, meltagun, 2x lasguns, 2x shotguns, lascannon, Sergeant with 2x plasma pistols = 185

Infantry Platoon A
PCS with Captain Al'Rahem, heavy flamer, 3x meltaguns and Chimera = 205
Infantry Squad with flamer and Chimera = 110
Infantry Squad with flamer and Chimera = 110

Infantry Platoon B
PCS with 2x plasma guns, lascannon and Chimera = 135
Infantry Squad with flamer, autocannon, Commissar and Chimera = 155
Infantry Squad with flamer, autocannon and Chimera = 120

Fast Attack- Vendetta Gunship = 130

Heavy Support- Leman Russ Squadron with Leman Russ Battle Tank, Leman Russ Eradicator and Leman Russ Executioner = 500

Total = 2000/2000 points

My plan would be to hide Infantry Platoon B around my objectives and shoot out of the Chimeras. I'd keep the CCS near. Then, the Veterans would come in on the Vendetta with Infantry Platoon A and go in behind the Tau lines in their Chimera's.

Thoughts?

Straken seems like he absolutely does not fit with your objective of fighting Tau. That army is really difficult to get into melee range of in the first place, but as long as you survive the overwatch you shouldn't really have a problem killing them. Thus, Straken's buffs are largely wasted.

You have three heavy support slots, so you really should keep the Russes separate whenever you can.

I don't really see the point of a commissar hanging out with a single infantry squad in a chimera.

Straken's more of my token unit, I like him. Plus, he is capable of killing a Riptide in CC. I agree with the Commissar, but my objective is to hang back, not to charge.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Also, what would you replace the Commissar for, and would it be good to replace a Leman Russ variant with an Ordnance Battery?

Sgt_Smudge wrote:
HQ- CCS with Straken, 3x plasma guns, regimental standard, Astropath, Officer of the Fleet, Master of Ordnance, Chimera = 350

As was said, Straken is a waste in this army as he's built for close combat. You said you planned for him to hang back. I don't personally recommend the Astropath or OotF, but some feel they're decent. MoO is lousy, since he's almost certain to miss. In place of two plasma guns I'd consider an autocannon or lascannon.

Sgt_Smudge wrote:Troops- Veteran Squad with Demolitions doctrine, heavy flamer, plasma gun, meltagun, 2x lasguns, 2x shotguns, lascannon, Sergeant with 2x plasma pistols = 185

The weapons are all over the place, which will make the squad far less effective. Focus on a task and stick to it. If they're air dropping, I'd go with x3 melta and no other weapon upgrades outside of shotguns. Demo doctrine is meh; if you go off target on your drop you'll probably be out of range to use it.

Sgt_Smudge wrote:Infantry Platoon A
PCS with Captain Al'Rahem, heavy flamer, 3x meltaguns and Chimera = 205
Infantry Squad with flamer and Chimera = 110
Infantry Squad with flamer and Chimera = 110

Infantry Platoon B
PCS with 2x plasma guns, lascannon and Chimera = 135
Infantry Squad with flamer, autocannon, Commissar and Chimera = 155
Infantry Squad with flamer, autocannon and Chimera = 120

Al'Rahem is questionable. He's keeping a bunch of your guns off the table for a turn, and those squads aren't built for a charge so the close range of an outflank does little. The flanking attack strategy sounds neat, but what does it really accomplish that standing at range and shooting can't?

Are the Chimeras in Platoon B meant to run empty and just add guns? Otherwise, the lone Commissar isn't doing enough.

Sgt_Smudge wrote:Fast Attack- Vendetta Gunship = 130

Just one? It'll get marker lighted and shot down before your troops get out.

Sgt_Smudge wrote:Heavy Support- Leman Russ Squadron with Leman Russ Battle Tank, Leman Russ Eradicator and Leman Russ Executioner = 500

Why the three variants? Why squadron when you have two open heavy slots?

This is substantially little firepower for 2000 points. You should be able to have far more tanks or bodies on the table. I would drop your special characters, dial back the unit upgrades focusing only on special weapons, change your Russes to all one type (probably LRBT for range), and add a Vendetta or two so you have redundancy. If something is worth taking, it's worth taking twice or not at all. Otherwise it's just offering your opponent a target.

By the by, Straken and Al'Rahem can work wonders together, but in an assault army. Get a 50-man Platoon, give 'em a Commissar and Ministorum Priest (or several!), throw around power weapons to everyone who can take them, and go berzerk. You outflank in with FRFSRF, lay waste to some poor infantry squad, GtG for a turn, order yourself up on your feet, and charge in. If you simply must have Straken, at least put him to use.