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Hey everyone, so having been thinking about it for a few months I have decided to make a moderately competitive army. I look to make it 1000 to begin with, then expand up to 1500.

I do have a few things I don't want to change much. I would like to keep the tactical squads in rhinos, although I am happy to use drop pods for other units. Nor do I want to use bikes, although I have toyed with a few MM attack bikes as my list is missing AT. My main concerns with this are lack of
-Heavy AT other than sternguards
-An HQ choice

HQ
Undecided

TROOPS
Tactical squad
5 extra marines
Flamer
Missile launcher
Rhino
195

Tactical squad
5 extra marines
Flamer
Missile launcher
Rhino
195

Scout squad
Camo cloaks
Sniper rifles
70

ELITES
Sternguard
3 combi meltas
Drop pod
185

FAST ATTACK
Stormtalon gunship
Sky hammers
125

HEAVY SUPPORT
Thunderfire cannon
100

Total 870

So let me know what you think, should I get rid of the scouts to free up more points or get rid of a tactical squad, increase the scout squad by 5 to a full squad?

2 full tac squads and a half scout squad is what I run for troops in a 1,500 list. You could drop one of them for a 1k list to get something with a little more teeth without much issue. If you do end up cutting one of the tac squads, boosting the scouts to full would not be a bad call.

Running a pait of attack bikes for some fast melta would not be out of place. Or you could use your HS picks for some Devs or a Pred with some LCs. What chapter tactics you using?

Sweet, out of the option of chopping the scouts or a full tac squad and beefing up the scout squad, which would be better? Power armoured bodies in a rhino are much more offensive whilst 10 snipers in bolstered ruins will be a good defensive unit.
I haven't decided really, I forgot to mention that I couldn't decide which was best for this army. UM would be a good all round choice, although if I had rhinos then RG could be better and when I bump the army up to 1500 I could get a blob of ASM and another storm talon.
Thoughts on the rest of the list?

I would also help to know what chapter your looking to use, different units work better depending on what chapter you use.

Either UM for the all round bonuses or RG so if I keep 2 tac squads they can scout forwards in rhinos and when I go up to 1500 get a blob of ASM and some VV

If you run ultra marines, I suggest your HQ be tigrus. If your ravenwing, it would be fluffy to take shryke, but I am not sure how good he is right now!

Hope this helps!

Desrok1 wrote:
If you run ultra marines, I suggest your HQ be tigrus. If your ravenwing, it would be fluffy to take shryke, but I am not sure how good he is right now!

Hope this helps!

Thanks for the ideas Desrok1, tigurius looks pretty awesome, not sure where I could put him though? Shrike I have heard mixed things about. If I could squeeze an ASM squad in then they could infiltrate in and back up scouting rhinos. I would have to make some cuts in the shape of troops, the stormtalon or TFC though to afford them. I could buy a cheap captain with JP, TH, AA and SS for less.

 uk_crow wrote:
Sweet, out of the option of chopping the scouts or a full tac squad and beefing up the scout squad, which would be better? Power armoured bodies in a rhino are much more offensive whilst 10 snipers in bolstered ruins will be a good defensive unit.
I haven't decided really, I forgot to mention that I couldn't decide which was best for this army. UM would be a good all round choice, although if I had rhinos then RG could be better and when I bump the army up to 1500 I could get a blob of ASM and another storm talon.
Thoughts on the rest of the list?

The question is what fits your playstyle better? Also how competitive is your local meta?

Assault marines aren’t the best unit in the book, but do OK against weak backfield units. They don’t need to be able to kill CC specialists, just troops and HS picks. Toss a chaplain with a jump pack in the mix, and watch the carnage. They get a bad rap in the competitive circles, but do fine in a more relaxed setting. If you have RG leanings, might as well grab a stick of 5.

I like TML/HB speeders. Nice fire support there. MM speeders if you are concerned with heavy armor. Adding more bodies to the sternguard squad should be a goal as points go up. 9 or 10 men depending if you end up putting your HQ in the pod with them.

You have a solid core of a list, what you need to add depends a lot on what you like.

Thanks for replying Nevelon, I would say I have a play style that leans towards aggressive so RG are more to my liking. My local meta is pretty evenly balanced between relaxed and competitive players. I have pondered the advice and re done the list. Thoughts?



Managed to fit 2 tactical squads in rhinos, 8 man assault squad with chaplain to back them up and an extra combi melta in the Sternguard. Did lose the TFC mind :/

The only upgrade I’d bother giving a jump chaplain would be a melta bomb. He has his crozious, his symbol of office. Use it to smite the heretics! Take the points from the PF and get the sarge in the assault squad veteran status and a power weapon.

Hey Nevelon thanks for replying again, i have tweaked the list following your advice. I have also thought of 2 other potential replacement lists, using RG tactics.

So this is the tweaked original


List 2 no rhinos (single drop pod):


Thoughts? List 2 is probably my favorite, not sure whether to keep the tactical squad in DP or Rhino though? CT would be RG with this list. Either of this armies any good?