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Been trying different drop pod lists to see what people think. Having never done one before it's proving relatively difficult. I was pretty much there. But I felt the list was missing something. Some little spark of fun. I tried an imperial Knight but I think I've decided that that's a bit of a point sink and doesn't fit this list. Being pure drop pod he would have been on the table on his own. So I wanted something that fitted. Something cheap but really effective. Then I came across codex: inquisition. By dropping 5 sternguard and a few unnecessary combi weapons I've managed to squeeze 2 of these bad boys in. I'm therefor only down 3 power armoured dudes. But I think they add a lot more.

The idea behind them is simple. Stick together. Probably with 5 sternguard. And tank stuff. Take a riptide. The idea would be to assault him. Brain mines will hopefully mean he can't hit. Hammerhand from the ordo xenos will mean the daemon hammer is strength 7 rad grenades will mean he's toughness 5. That means it's 2's to wound with the hammer. Then just activate the force weapon...

They also give me 4 servo skulls. An absolute result for a drop pod lost. Not as good as locator beacons but are effective on turn one. I can't see a downside.

Here's my list...
1500 Pts - Codex: Space Marines Roster

Total Roster Cost: 1498

HQ: Vulkan He'stan (1#, 190 pts, Warlord)
1 Vulkan He'stan

Elite: Sternguard Veteran Squad (6#, 220 pts)
4 Sternguard Veteran Squad + Combi-Grav x2 + Grav-gun x2
1 Veteran Sergeant + Melta Bombs + Combi-Grav
1 Drop Pod

Elite: Sternguard Veteran Squad (11#, 320 pts)
9 Sternguard Veteran Squad + Combi-Meltagun x2 + Meltagun x2
1 Veteran Sergeant + Melta Bombs + Combi-Meltagun
1 Drop Pod

Elite: Sternguard Veteran Squad (6#, 180 pts)
4 Sternguard Veteran Squad + Heavy Flamer x2
1 Veteran Sergeant + Melta Bombs
1 Drop Pod

Troops: Tactical Squad (11#, 205 pts)
9 Tactical Squad + Meltagun + Multi-melta
1 Sergeant + Combi-Meltagun x1
1 Drop Pod

Troops: Tactical Squad (11#, 205 pts)
9 Tactical Squad + Meltagun + Multi-melta
1 Sergeant + Combi-Meltagun x1
1 Drop Pod

HQ: Ordo Malleus Inquisitor (1#, 94 pts)
1 Ordo Malleus Inquisitor + Empyrean Brain Mines + Servo-skulls x2 + Power Armour + Nemesis Daemonhammer x1 + Upgrade to Psyker

HQ: Ordo Xenos Inquisitor (1#, 84 pts)
1 Ordo Xenos Inquisitor + Rad Grenades + Servo-skulls x2 + Power Armour + Upgrade to Psyker

Grav on a non relentless platform is strictly worse than plasma in almost every way. I would turn that into another heavy flamer sternguard unit. You have a lot of anti-vehicle which is good, but are slightly lacking on anti infantry.

Also remember that inquisitors cant go in pods with the guys because they are still allies so currently are sitting by themselves.

Looks like fun but its not competitive.


* Inquisitors cannot join droppod squads so the are useless.
* you pay a lot of points for those sternguard and your better of spending it on more tactical marines.
* you got no/poor anti-flyer

* You better of with a ultramarines + tigurius droppod list.

Tigurius 165

Troops: Tactical Squad ( 195 pts)
9 Tactical Squad + Meltagun
1 Sergeant + Combi-Meltagun x1
1 Drop Pod

Troops: Tactical Squad ( 195 pts)
9 Tactical Squad + Meltagun
1 Sergeant + Combi-Meltagun x1
1 Drop Pod

Troops: Tactical Squad ( 200 pts)
9 Tactical Squad + Grav-gun +
1 Sergeant + Combi-Grav x1
1 Drop Pod

Troops: Tactical Squad ( 200 pts)
9 Tactical Squad + Grav-gun +
1 Sergeant + Combi-Grav x1
1 Drop Pod

Troops: Tactical Squad ( 130 pts)
5 Tactical Squad + Grav-gun +
1 Sergeant + Combi-Grav x1
1 Drop Pod

Heavy support: devastators ( 215 pts)
9 Devastators Squad +1 Sergeant +
4x multi- melta
1 Drop Pod

Heavy support: devastators ( 215 pts)
9 Devastators Squad +1 Sergeant +
4x multi- melta
1 Drop Pod

a little over 1500..

I don't understand why inquisitors can't go in pods? They're independent characters and are battle brothers. If Vulkan can jump in a pod with a squad then why can't the inquisitors?

As for that new list. Considering it's a tournament list then over 1500 is pretty useless. And since I want to play salamanders then suggesting an ultramarine list is utterly useless.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
OK, Just found the rule in the BRB. Damn it. I really wanted inquisitors in a drop pod list. Back to square one.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Ok, how about this. I'll gain an inquisitor, keep the same number of marines (ish) but also gain a Storm raven for anti air.....

1500 Pts - Codex: Space Marines Roster

Total Roster Cost: 1497

HQ: Vulkan He'stan (1#, 190 pts, Warlord)
1 Vulkan He'stan

Elite: Sternguard Veteran Squad (6#, 210 pts)
4 Sternguard Veteran Squad + Combi-Meltagun x3 + Meltagun x1
1 Veteran Sergeant + Melta Bombs + Combi-Meltagun
1 Drop Pod

Elite: Sternguard Veteran Squad (6#, 180 pts)
4 Sternguard Veteran Squad + Heavy Flamer x2
1 Veteran Sergeant + Melta Bombs
1 Drop Pod

Troops: Tactical Squad (11#, 205 pts)
9 Tactical Squad + Meltagun + Multi-melta
1 Sergeant + Combi-Meltagun x1
1 Drop Pod

Troops: Tactical Squad (11#, 205 pts)
9 Tactical Squad + Meltagun + Multi-melta
1 Sergeant + Combi-Meltagun x1
1 Drop Pod

Troops: Tactical Squad (6#, 120 pts)
4 Tactical Squad + Meltagun
1 Sergeant + Melta Bombs
1 Drop Pod

Grey Knight Allies

HQ: Ordo Xenos Inquisitor (1#, 72 pts)
1 Ordo Xenos Inquisitor + Psychotroke Grenades + Rad Grenades + Servo-skulls x3 + Power Armour

Troops: Grey Knight Strike Squad (5#, 110 pts)
1 Justicar + Nemesis Daemonhammer
4 Grey Knight

Fast Attack: Stormraven Gunship (1#, 205 pts)
1 Stormraven Gunship

The Idea being the knights and inquisitor start in the strom raven....

Grey knights are not battle brothers with marines, so he can only join and cast on the grey knights/storm raven.

Looks better.

Give it a go and tell us how well it does.

 Leth wrote:
Grey knights are not battle brothers with marines, so he can only join and cast on the grey knights/storm raven.

Yeah I know. The idea is he will cast hammerhand on the squad and then the justicar can activate his force weapon. Along with his rad grenades it'll be +1 strength, - 1 toughness and a force weapon. Just need to find the points to make him a psyker.

Problem is that you are spending a solid 400+ points on a assault unit that at best will be in assault turn 3. In 1500 points that is a lot of your army that is getting shot up by 100% of their army. Basically your list is coming in piece meal making it easy to target and destroy which units are the biggest threat every turn and with 5 man units at short range they are easy to clear off quite quickly.

Also for the points I would take a command squad with all meltas before I would take a sternguard squad with that many meltas. You can get an apothecary with vulkan to try and tank and it should still be cheaper.

Also if you go hereticus in terminator armor the grey knights can deep strike in saving more points on the storm raven.

May I suggest something like this.

Vulkan
Command Squad In pod
4x melta apothecary

10x Sternguard, two heavy flamers pod

3x 10 man with melta, multi-melta, combi-melta, and melta bombs on serg in pod

So thats 5 pods, three coming in turn one

Then for grey knights you have

Ordo Malleus Inquisitor
Psyker - Hammerhand
3x servo Skulls
Terminator Armor
Psycannon

Strike Squad x 5
3x sword
1x halberd
Justicar with MC daemon hammer

This gives you 4-7 scoring units, 5 pods with three coming in first turn, still got a good amount of melta, and then 10 sternguard for anti infantry duty after everything gets opened up. Also getting stackable hammerhand so cast it twice and your daemonhammers are Str 10. OR take divination and cast it once for the justicar to be str 10 and the inquisitor str 8. Gives you some versatility in options as well as deployment while still taking advantage of your chapter tactics.....I might actually have to try a list like this lol.

I like the way it looks. The stormraven is AA cover since I have none, and I am reliably informed that Stormravens are one of the best. Though having done some YMDC research I reckon that C:I inquisitors can get in drop pods as they are an IC. This means when they join a unit they become a part of that unit and therefore can embark on the units transport. Obvious;y as long as they remain part of that unit. Let me have a tinker.

Your Meltas being twin-linked will give you got AA cover two shots per unit re-rolling hits with melta will mess up a lot of fliers.

Also they cant join regardless of joining the unit as they are still an ally and an ally can never get in another armies transport.

This is a subject being debated in YMDC. It seems most tournaments allow you to join an IC to a unit that has a dedicated transport.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Oh, and strike squads can't deep strike.

If you look under strike squads special rules they have deep strike listed as an ability.

Also I have yet to see a single major tournament that allows ICs to join squads IN a dedicated transport.

Ok noted. The thing is, I'm trying to build a nasty little combat element to this list with inquisitors with rad grenades, hammer hand and force weapons there is nothing they shouldn't realistically be able to deal with..... It's hard finding the balance.

The problem is that it is a nasty combat element that will die before it gets to do much of anything. I recommend just getting out there and trying something and seeing where it falls short.

I've written a new pure salamanders list, do you mind taking a look?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Considering I am attempting to be as competitive as possible...


Automatically Appended Next Post:
1500 Pts - Codex: Space Marines Roster

Total Roster Cost: 1500

HQ: Vulkan He'stan (1#, 190 pts, Warlord)
1 Vulkan He'stan

: Command Squad (6#, 185 pts)
5 Command Squad + Meltagun x5
1 Drop Pod

Elite: Sternguard Veteran Squad (6#, 180 pts)
4 Sternguard Veteran Squad + Heavy Flamer x2
1 Veteran Sergeant + Melta Bombs
1 Drop Pod

Elite: Sternguard Veteran Squad (6#, 180 pts)
4 Sternguard Veteran Squad + Heavy Flamer x2
1 Veteran Sergeant + Melta Bombs
1 Drop Pod

Troops: Tactical Squad (11#, 205 pts)
9 Tactical Squad + Meltagun + Multi-melta
1 Sergeant + Combi-Meltagun x1
1 Drop Pod

Troops: Tactical Squad (11#, 205 pts)
9 Tactical Squad + Meltagun + Multi-melta
1 Sergeant + Combi-Meltagun x1
1 Drop Pod

Troops: Tactical Squad (11#, 205 pts)
9 Tactical Squad + Meltagun + Multi-melta
1 Sergeant + Combi-Meltagun x1
1 Drop Pod

Heavy Support: Devastator Squad (6#, 150 pts)
4 Devastator Squad + Multi-melta x4
1 Sergeant + Melta Bombs
1 Drop Pod

I was really excited about the inquisition codex, but since they can't join squads in transports they seem pointless. With force weapons, hammer hand and things like rad grenades and brain mines they seem built for combat, and yet not being able to get in to friendly transports make them utterly pointless. I'm damned if I'm paying for an inquisitorial land raider just to get them in to combat.

Looks pretty good, I would drop the sternguard meltabombs and the dev melta bombs and one melta gun from the command squad to give them an apothecary and then put two melta bombs on the tac squads that you have coming in first.

4 meltas to 5 on most targets will be diminishing returns so I would put the apothecary in, especially if you are putting vulkan in the unit with them and he can tank really well that way/stay alive longer.

 Khaine's Wrath wrote:
As for that new list. Considering it's a tournament list then over 1500 is pretty useless. And since I want to play salamanders then suggesting an ultramarine list is utterly useless.

Then lose the grav-guns for one unit and get melta-guns. do I have to do all the work myself?

At your first post you never said you NEED to play a salamander list. quote: "Been trying different drop pod lists to see what people think. Having never done one before it's proving relatively difficult."


Here's sum salamander advice regarding your last armylist:

* commandsquad is to expensive because the still die like normal 3+ marines. For this amount of points you can get more bodies and almost the same amount of melta-gun (shots). And if you let Vulkan join them theirs no use for his heavy flamer.
* 5 sternguard with heavy flamers are too expensive. Your better of with assault marines with (combi) flamers. Heavy flamers are either overkill or useless.

Vulcan is "nice" but tigiurus is much more flexible with his psychic powers. Also reroll reserves are very important with drop-pod lists. If you want the most competitive droppod list then vulcan/salamanders is not the way too go.. Your choice...

I would take heavy flamers on sternguard more than assault with flamers. Ap 4 is good with the heavy xenos meta. Vulkans flamer is a bonus, if you dont use it no big deal.

Cmd squad is 140 points with 4 meltas. That is way more concentration of power throw in vulkan to tank/help protect the squad and an apothecary and it takes a LOT more to kill them, might even survive one or more turns.

 Leth wrote:
I would take heavy flamers on sternguard more than assault with flamers. Ap 4 is good with the heavy xenos meta. Vulkans flamer is a bonus, if you dont use it no big deal.

Cmd squad is 140 points with 4 meltas. That is way more concentration of power throw in vulkan to tank/help protect the squad and an apothecary and it takes a LOT more to kill them, might even survive one or more turns.

two sternguard unit cost 2x180 = 360 points

for this you could pick:

5 assault marines+ 2 flamers + combiflamer+ pod = 105 points
5 assault marines+ 2 flamers + combiflamer+ pod = 105 points
8 assault marines+ 2 flamers + combiflamer+ pod = 146 points

then you could stick Vulcan with that big group of flamers and he can flame the 4+ unit.
thats more bodies more anti-infantry and a right place join vulcan.

You rather pick sternguard?

Command squad just shoot once and after that the are dead. Every dead model will kill a meltagun and your better off with more bodies. Or pick grav weapons to take down (F)MC's. A little bit more expensive but you get 2 shots (next turn possible 3 shots) and more chance to take them down then 5 Melta guns even with a reroll to hit.

Hence Vulkan and apothecary. Will keep the squad alive for quite awhile longer assuming that they shoot at them.

However I would personally run one unit of 10 sternguard with two heavy flamers but that is my personal preference.

Ok. My reasoning for my choices.

Command squad - there's nothing else that can bring down THAT many melta guns on turn one and almost guarantee that what ever armour you're hitting is definitely removed. If there is no armour than they will punch an epic hole in what ever they're hitting. Though I do concede that an apothecary might be a wise investment. Not entirely sold though.

Toyed with command squad grav weapons. But they're quite specific as to what they do. They're less fluffy - Salamanders are melta and flamer obsessed. Still thinking about them though. Not sure yet.

As for dropping sternguard for 3 assault squads. No. Just No. I'd take 2 strength 5 ap 4 flamers over 3 strength 4 ap5 flamers any day. Plus it keeps my pods at an odd number. Plus there is 3 people in each that benefit from special issue ammo. 3 isn't a lot I know. But in an anti infantry role the ability to take ignores cover bolt rounds or perhaps AP3 gives the unit as a whole a better anti infantry capability.

Kain your list is fine, play it and then make any changes you feel are necessary, there is no point asking any further questions as there is nothing else to learn without you finding it yourself.

Well the only change I would make it to drop devs, increase one sternguard squad to 10 and turn the other into a grav sternguard squad. But I like the idea of multi melta devs dropping centre field and upsetting people's day.

I wouldn't change a thing, with 4 snap shooting MMs sure maybe only 1 hit, but the next turn that's a death squad, and if they shoot at it then other units are alive and well.

Yeah that was my thinking.

How about the apothecary suggestion?

Its worth it if you have vulken there, a 2+/3++/5+++ is cool, plus the rest of the squad gets it too.