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Hello all,

Here's my attempt at a Skyhammer list based on the Red Scorpions. I've based this list on the models I've got at the moment, rather than the other way round. I started with the old Strike Force boxset, then bought the Demi-Company set a couple of weeks ago. With those and a couple of extras I've bought in between, I've made a list which I hope is at least capable of holding it's own in a casual environment.

HQ
Severin Loth - 175pts

Elites
Dreadnought - 110pts
- Assault Cannon

Dreadnought - 110pts
- Assault Cannon

5x Sternguard Veterans - 210pts
- 4x Combi-Grav
- Heavy Flamer
- Power Weapon
- Drop Pod

Troops
10x Tactical Marines - 180pts
- Apothecary
- Lascannon
- Meltagun
- Combi-Flamer

10x Tactical Marines - 185pts
- Apothecary
- Lascannon
- Plasma Gun
- Combi-Plasma

5x Tactical Marines - 85pts
- Apothecary
- Missile Launcher

5x Tactical Marines - 90pts
- Apothecary
- Lascannon

7x Tactical Marines - 132pts
- Apothecary
- Lascannon

Skyhammer Formation
5x Assault Marines - 110pts
- 2x Flamers
- Power Weapon

5x Assault Marines - 110pts
- 2x Flamers
- Power Weapon

5x Devestator Marines - 160pts
- 4x Heavy Bolters
- Drop Pod
- Deathwind Launcher

5x Devestator Marines - 160pts
- 4x Multi Meltas
- Drop Pod
- Deathwind Launcher

So with this list I have the Skyhammer, which will do it's usual thing early on in the game. Multi-Meltas can crack open vehicles while the Heavy Bolters can inflict a number of wounds on the targets. While I've heard great things about Grav Cannons I simply cannot justify the points expenditure.

Loth will be attached to the Sternguard, and will land with the Skyhammer to provide psychic offensive/defensive abilities. The Sternguard can focus on difficult targets with their Gravs, and if they survive use Special Ammo to finish off other units.

I wanted to go with Multiple Small Units for the rest of the troops. Using 2x 5 Marines instead of 1x 10 and Combat Squadding means all Marines have FNP due to all squads having Sergeants/Apothecaries. Giving them a Lascannon allows them to camp on objectives and still pick off armour at longer ranges.

Thoughts?

No comments?

I would say lose the flamers from skyhammer. You really want them to get into melee, and if you scatter badly, you'll be out of flamer range anyways. Also, maximizing the effects of the skyhammer devastators is crucial. I'd min/max your CAD tac squad (5 man squad with the apoc) and then beef your skyhammer devs to 10 guys. I say this because then you can combat squad and pin 4 targets for your assault marines instead of 2. I'd also say find some more assault marines to have 10 in each squad, but I know assault squad boxes aren't the cheapest, and you're rolling with the models you have. The 4xgrav and heavy flamer kind of confuses me too. Grav works against stuff that flamers aren't that great at shooting, so I'd say focus your sternguard. Go all grav or all flames. A grav cannon actually wouldn't be that bad on a sternguard unit, because they can get close. 3 shots at 12" instead of 2 shots at 9" can work well.

Your dreads need some love IMO. Walking with 24" assault cannons they really won't do much. Throw a twin-lascannon on them to pot shot at armor from the backfield, add a heavy flamer if you want them to be more effective versus infantry that makes it to your backfield. That was my favorite build when I was running dreads back in 5th ed.

Hope my suggestions helped boss. Any other questions, let me know~

Why would you want the skyhammer to be red scorpions. You can choose literally any other trait. How about imperial fists for tank hunter? Or ultramarines for rerolls on the devs?

 Icelord wrote:
Why would you want the skyhammer to be red scorpions. You can choose literally any other trait. How about imperial fists for tank hunter? Or ultramarines for rerolls on the devs?

I went with RS due to the Apothecary upgrades and access to Loth. What other traits would you recommend for this particular list besides Fists and Ultra?


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Castellan Alaric wrote:
I would say lose the flamers from skyhammer. You really want them to get into melee, and if you scatter badly, you'll be out of flamer range anyways. Also, maximizing the effects of the skyhammer devastators is crucial. I'd min/max your CAD tac squad (5 man squad with the apoc) and then beef your skyhammer devs to 10 guys. I say this because then you can combat squad and pin 4 targets for your assault marines instead of 2. I'd also say find some more assault marines to have 10 in each squad, but I know assault squad boxes aren't the cheapest, and you're rolling with the models you have. The 4xgrav and heavy flamer kind of confuses me too. Grav works against stuff that flamers aren't that great at shooting, so I'd say focus your sternguard. Go all grav or all flames. A grav cannon actually wouldn't be that bad on a sternguard unit, because they can get close. 3 shots at 12" instead of 2 shots at 9" can work well.

Your dreads need some love IMO. Walking with 24" assault cannons they really won't do much. Throw a twin-lascannon on them to pot shot at armor from the backfield, add a heavy flamer if you want them to be more effective versus infantry that makes it to your backfield. That was my favorite build when I was running dreads back in 5th ed.

Hope my suggestions helped boss. Any other questions, let me know~

- Fair enough, ditching the Flamers would save me a few points.

- The Sternguard have a H. Flamer as it came in the kit and I didn't have access to Grav Cannons at the time, but now I have a few sitting around I don't see why I couldn't add one on, perhaps two even?

- Dreads I can easily change. I have three at the moment, one with an Assault Cannon glued on since it was a salvage job but the others have unglued weapons so Lascannons are easy to change.

- Boosting the Devs to 10 man is easy enough.

The list can stay red scorpions! I just mean change the chap tactics of the skyhammer. It's a formation so is stand alone and doesn't have to be the same ct as the rest of the list.

 Icelord wrote:
The list can stay red scorpions! I just mean change the chap tactics of the skyhammer. It's a formation so is stand alone and doesn't have to be the same ct as the rest of the list.

Oh really? I wasn't aware that was possible.

They should be um

Valkyrie is right. You can use a separate CT for your skyhammer if you want to.

I recommend fists if you are using all Melta although reroll a when you come from um is sick too.

Ok with those thoughts in mind here's the second version:

HQ - Red Scorpions
Severin Loth - 175pts

Elites
Dreadnought - 115pts
- Lascannon

Dreadnought - 115pts
- Lascannon

5x Sternguard Veterans - 235pts
- 4x Combi-Grav
- Grav Cannon and Amp
- Power Weapon
- Drop Pod

Troops
5x Tactical Marines - 100pts
- Apothecary
- Lascannon
- Combi-Flamer

5x Tactical Marines - 95pts
- Apothecary
- Plasma Gun
- Combi-Plasma

5x Tactical Marines - 95pts
- Apothecary
- Plasma Gun
- Combi-Plasma

5x Tactical Marines - 85pts
- Apothecary
- Missile Launcher

5x Tactical Marines - 90pts
- Apothecary
- Lascannon

5x Tactical Marines - 90pts
- Apothecary
- Lascannon

Skyhammer Formation - Imperial Fists
7x Assault Marines - 151pts
- Power Weapon

6x Assault Marines - 134pts
- Power Weapon

5x Devestator Marines - 145pts
- 4x Heavy Bolters
- Drop Pod
- Deathwind Launcher

10x Devestator Marines - 215pts
- 4x Multi Meltas
- Drop Pod

Thoughts?

I think it's solid boss. Though I would still drop a 5-man squad to bump your skyhammer to max size on both the assault marines and devastators. Remember that the devastators ability to pin things and grant rerolls to the skyhammer assault marines works ALL GAME. Not just the turn they drop. It's kinda crazy good. I like the heavy bolters in one squad and meltas in the other though. Maybe run 4xHB in one and 4xMM in the other, then combat squad so you have 4 combat squads, 2 with 2x HB and 2 with 2xMM? Could be nasty boss.

my 2 cents

wat does Loth do?

If they're painted Red, play them all as Scorpions. Don't be That Guy.

axisofentropy wrote:
wat does Loth do?

If they're painted Red, play them all as Scorpions. Don't be That Guy.

Loth allows me to select the powers. Plan on choosing Endurance for Relentless Grav-Guns on the Sternguard when they land, Enfeeble, Iron Arm and Smite.

And how on earth will I be That Guy by running two different Chapter Tactics?

Your "that guy" by taking loth, and honestly I'd drop the skyhammer it sounds good but against competitive players they no how to deploy against it and it pretty underwhelming against most army's.

Dman137 wrote:
Your "that guy" by taking loth, and honestly I'd drop the skyhammer it sounds good but against competitive players they no how to deploy against it and it pretty underwhelming against most army's.

So come on then, what's your huge tactical expertise telling you about this list? Anything useful to add?

How is taking Loth being "that guy"? He's a 3W, non-EW psyker, not bloody Abaddon.

Ok Dman I'd hold off telling Valkyrie he's "that guy" based on the lists you run.

Valkyrie, running Loth doesn't make you "that guy." If you run Loth, Draigo and libby in a cent star teleporting around the board, then you are "that guy".

I do think dman is onto something about skyhammer not being 'all it's cracked up to be,' however. I am planning on building a skyhammer annihilation force as well, but I'm not expecting it to devastate all of my opponent's armies. It will be good versus some armies and other armies will be able to weather the storm and hit with that counter punch.

The best way I've found to run the force is max on both squads. 20 assault and 20 dev marines. Heavy weapons sprinkled in for preference. Assault marines should be close to stock. Cheap attacking units to tie up enemy units early in the game is all they're there for. I don't expect those units to survive any game I play in. They are strictly there to tie up units and then most likely die.

Prioritize melta bombs over power weapons on your skyhammer assault marines. If you run into a ven dread or a tough vehicle your krak grenades won't be enough.

Your CAD is solid and uses Red Scorpion chapter tactics well.

BTW dman, red scorpions are dark grey armor with yellow trimmed shoulder pads and a red scorpion emblem on a circular field of white on their left shoulder pad. Awesome paint scheme.

Dman137 wrote:
Your "that guy" by taking loth, and honestly I'd drop the skyhammer it sounds good but against competitive players they no how to deploy against it and it pretty underwhelming against most army's.

First of all, learning proper English would help you a lot. Second, looking at your list, you appear to have very little authority on what constitutes a fun list or how not to be "that guy". Can't tell if you're a troll or just moronic.

 Castellan Alaric wrote:
Ok Dman I'd hold off telling Valkyrie he's "that guy" based on the lists you run.

Valkyrie, running Loth doesn't make you "that guy." If you run Loth, Draigo and libby in a cent star teleporting around the board, then you are "that guy".

I do think dman is onto something about skyhammer not being 'all it's cracked up to be,' however. I am planning on building a skyhammer annihilation force as well, but I'm not expecting it to devastate all of my opponent's armies. It will be good versus some armies and other armies will be able to weather the storm and hit with that counter punch.

The best way I've found to run the force is max on both squads. 20 assault and 20 dev marines. Heavy weapons sprinkled in for preference. Assault marines should be close to stock. Cheap attacking units to tie up enemy units early in the game is all they're there for. I don't expect those units to survive any game I play in. They are strictly there to tie up units and then most likely die.

Prioritize melta bombs over power weapons on your skyhammer assault marines. If you run into a ven dread or a tough vehicle your krak grenades won't be enough.

Your CAD is solid and uses Red Scorpion chapter tactics well.

BTW dman, red scorpions are dark grey armor with yellow trimmed shoulder pads and a red scorpion emblem on a circular field of white on their left shoulder pad. Awesome paint scheme.

Thank you for the feedback, better than what some have said before.

Maxing up on the Assault Marines is a good point, although I think not only will it cost too much money-wise, I'd have to drop a couple of the 5-man squads to accommodate both it and maxed-out Devastators.

Melta Bombs I could certainly add to the units, although for heavier armour I'm hoping the Multi-Meltas will be able to handle it.

Thanks again.

You got it man, and holy crap dman doesn't know English...Some of his older list posts were almost painful to read lol

I'm using minis from my Betrayal at Calth box to do double duty as assault marines for 30k and 40k, if that's your fancy. I'm going to get bp/ccw arms from ebay and single fan jump packs from a 3rd party company on ebay as well to make them assault marines.

Just a thought boss, get a game in and let me know how your list does!