Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

For a long time I've wanted to collect an army of Storm Troopers. I'm not a huge fan of the Guard, but Storm Troopers always seemed cool. I've got the codex and love the fluff, but I guess my question is this:

Is it possible to put together a Scion only list that is not just fun and fluffy but also a little competitive?

I would say so! I plan on running a 1000 point list, as they seem much more like a skirmish army to me rather than something to play in a big 1850 point game.

Generally you want to take Scions in groups of 10 with 2 hotshot volley guns for as much AP 3 shooting as possible. Taking them in groups of 5 with 2X melta guns is also good, but don't take those squads in larger groups than 5, because melta guns and hot shot guns don't generally target the same units.

As far as command squads go, you generally want to take 2 when you can, and give them 4X the same special weapon. For 160 points you can take one with 4 plasma guns and a plasma pistol. Giving themselves the TL command, you can disembark, and get 9 STR 7 AP 2 Twin Linked shots! Pretty great.

Tauroxs are generally taken in two forms, anti-armor, and anti-horde, both of which the army lacks.
Anti-Armor: Missile Launcher, TL Autocannon
Anti-Horde: Gatling Gun, TL Hotshot Volley Gun

Someone once told me to take 2 anti-armor loadouts for every 1 anti-horde taurox. Here's my 1000 point list draft:

1000 Points 54th Psian Jakals

Command Squad- 4 Plasma Guns, Plasma Pistol (Warlord)
Taurox Prime- Smoke, Relic Plating, Searchlight, Storm Bolter, Missile Launcher, TL Autocannon (Scions)
Taurox Prime- Smoke, Relic Plating, Searchlight, Storm Bolter, Missile Launcher, TL Autocannon (Scions)
Valkyrie- Heavy Bolters, Rocket Pods (Command Squad)
10 Scions- 2 Hot-Shot Volley Guns
10 Scions- 2 Hot-Shot Volley Guns
Vindicare Assassin

How do you think they'd do in larger games? I love the formations in the codex, at some point in the future I'd like to get them both.

My idea behind a force was to have a particular role in mind for each, so one HQ squad to play tank hunter armed with all meltas, one armed with plasma guns etc

And Valkyries! Lots of Valkyries!

Good call on the Psian Jackals, the colour scheme looks amazing.

I my list is:

Command squad w/ 4 hotshot volley these don't deep strike

Command squad w/ 2 melta guns (lack of models/points)

10 Scions with 2 flamers

7 Scions with 2 Plasma guns

5 Scions with 2 Plasma guns

5 Scions with 2 Grenade launchers

Valkyrie with the full package deal (Rocket pods, lascannon, heavy bolters)

Taurox Prime with ML and Autocannon and firebarrels.

I try to keep every squad made out of the same models, Scions together, Grenadiers togther, Kasrkins together etc.

The squad with the Grenade launcher is in the Taurox, firing Krak to support the Taurox AT fire, the Command squad with the 4 volley guns are on the table as well, they provide a lot of fire for their number, and can give themselves twinlinked with orders and good LD.

Since its a bound list, I try to fish for the 4th Warlord traith, letting me reroll failed Reserve rolls and Deep strike scatters for anyone Deep striking. The Valkyrie's just going to have to wing it (eh eh eh).

 Baalite wrote:
For a long time I've wanted to collect an army of Storm Troopers. I'm not a huge fan of the Guard, but Storm Troopers always seemed cool. I've got the codex and love the fluff, but I guess my question is this:

Is it possible to put together a Scion only list that is not just fun and fluffy but also a little competitive?

I'll start out by saying this. I was initially hugely excited by the idea of the Militarum Tempestus book. I've been running a "Stormtrooper" army since 4E (with the 3.5E books "Grenadiers" doctrine) and been using IA12's iteration of a "stormtrooper" army for a year and a half now.

The Tempestus book as an army simply does not work particularly well on its own. It can play "ok" at 500-1000pts, but the more points you play, the worse it gets, and once you start getting to 1500-2000, it usually just falls apart.

The problem is that the book is basically just 4 units and a couple formations, and those 4 units have to do everything, and aren't equipped to do so. The only long range heavy firepower comes from the Taurox Prime, a very expensive AV11 vehicle that often won't survive the first turn. The Valkyrie is sturdier but doesn't offer the same kinds of firepower or range, and the Vendetta is just simply left out entirely curiously. The Scions themselves have the same problems they've had for six years, their statline is almost identical to that of basic putz 5pt guardsmen, their gun has an anemic strength that struggles to actually hurt anything, they've got a shorter range than basic lasguns making it even more difficult to hurt anything (and putting you in ideal retaliation range when you can), and you end up paying out the nose for AP3 they can't use effectively.

The Scion units have to do the majority of the lifting in the army, and are too expensive to lose easily, but they die and break almost identically to normal 5pt guardsmen, and simply do not have the numbers or capability to engage (and engage successfully) all the targets that they'd need to. There's too few to engage everything they need to, with too little firepower to deal with most types of targets.

Unfortunately, largely they're a gimmick army. They look cool, and the idea of the army sounds cool, but they really just do not function particularly well. They work best as an Allied force to bring support for something like Imperial Knights really.

I like the Vindicare to finish off the list @changerofways
But wouldn't a culexus be better for psyker defence?

Anyway, you should think of allying with Inquisition (they do great for Scions). They can either give some more melee punch, or provide psykers, or [whatever you want really]. Plus, I love the fluff for Inquisitorial Stormtroopers (It helps to explain their new grimderp fluff).

I'd take some just for the servo-skulls actually. Letting some 4 melta + 1 plasma pistol Scion command squads deep strike more precisely is just huge IMO.

Vaktathi is spot on - a space marine player might find them scary at first because of AP3, but you have to wound before you can deny their Armour, and the enemy are probably in cover anyway. :[

I curently own one, that clock at around a 1000 points. For small game, they really are cool and can be rather efficient. It's one of the rare build for Imperial forces that fit the glass hammer stereotype (I love that type of army). I am also very satisfied with their fluff (maybe it's because I work with teenagers and young adults in a school setting but the idea killing a few of them with incredible brutality sometime feels interesting in figurative sense).

Of course, since it only has four unit choice, you can't really build an intersting list above that point range. With a bit of luck, GW will stick to that concept in the future and maybe they will start to evolve in their own little army a bit like some Space Marine Chapter have. I could easily imagine them with something like jet-pack infantry, elite snipers, heavily armed buggies and heavy shield and sword wearing assault troopers.

It really is a shame that the book wasn't more complete. It's not hard to imagine that with a little bit more work it could've been a great codex. Even just with the option for heavy weapons teams (paratroopers carry rocket launchers and machine guns in with them), sniper teams, or night operations...but the book as is, it's just bleh. Feels like a White Dwarf experimental army, not a full-fledged list.

It might be fun to take them with Imperial Assassins, even the 4-assassin formation. That'd help pick up the slack.