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Sorry if this thread has been made already.

I'm curious as to how you people prefer to field your armies and what tactics you like to employ.

We all know that everyone plays fluffy, well most anyway, but there are variations. How do you do it?

When making a list how do you pick what Units and what Upgrades to use? What do you prioritize?

So not only tactics that are fluffy, but what tactics do you find effective and/or fun?

for my DG:
Boys before toys (i.e. massed infantry of course)
Terminator Spam
Dreadnought Spam
Chem Spam (havent used in ages, it's a bit too strong for friendly games, that damnable phosphex )

Beyond that, I ALWAYS include 2 large tactical squads w/ apothecaries and work from there. generally, I try to always give them close combat weapons as Morty and the legion as a whole were super into the idea of the self-sustaining infantry man. This translates into the fluff as every marine being trained for every non-specialized combat role (i.e. every tactical is also a support, heavy support, assault, recon, etc.)

Now that I have the models, I'll probably be running a LOT more heavy support squads. Additionally, once I get a good model for it, I want to run a scorpius + some whirlwinds as the artillery slot to just bombard the field with long ranged support as my bodies march up (as opposed to my current plan on close-support ordinance i.e. medusas, vindicators, rapiers)

on occasion I throw in my Auxilia or Militia as allies to really just flood the field with bodies.

Indeed. With only troops and implacable advance being able to hold objectives, you can't afford to skimp on them.

A game could realistically have 5 objectives, and to guarantee a win you must hold more than half of them.

Therefore it seems weird to me not to start your army selection with at least three blocks of troops that you trust to take a bit of fire and not crumble - either through apothecaries, terminator plate, numbers, a rhino, whatever....just 'more than basic'. It's the same with qaestoris knights. Yes, the various scion pilots are awesome, but 3-6 aspirants and militants means you can actually win an objective war.

Something like a couple of gorgons full of militia is a force that can dump enough bodies on an objective that even the legions will take some effort to dig them out.

Typically my army is a triple construct.

1: Solid infantry core. Typically around 40 Tacticals in 1500, with extra CCWs and Dark Channelling if I can fit it.

2: Fire support, usually vehicles. A dual Kheres Contemptor and a Sicaran is typical. Especially the former has never let me down, whereas the latter has the unfortunate habit of drawing Xiphon fire and dying instantly.

3: Elite melee units. Typically a Gal Vorbak squad, sometimes a Terminator or full Ashen Circle squad. In the former two cases I accompany them with my HQs and go to town on the enemy.

This works very solidly so far and feels fluffy.

I run a Centurio Ordinatus list (pictures available on request!) that relies on target priority as it's most difficult task.

It isn't very good in assault, though the sheer indestructibility of the Ordinatus engines means that I can usually power through three or four assault phases to go to an objective if need be. I've two scoring units, as well, to hold my own objectives.

The list relies heavily on the Ordinatus engine's toughness - I used to rely on their firepower, but it's schizophrenic; the Saggitar engines have a higher chance of doing only one or zero Hull Points than they do of doing a 'Deathblow' result, and the Ordinatus Ulator is only reliable against anything large; regular infantry/cavalry/bike models are usually only wounded on 3's or 4's.

So, as mentioned, I rely heavily on the ability of the Ordinatus engines to absorb damage, which lets them get the work that needs doing done even with a few bad rolls.

Volkite Culverins go a long way towards addressing the weaknesses of the Ordinatus engines' primary weapons, as well; thank the Omnissiah for those secondary guns.

Typically I have three main playstyles depending on what I am running.
Night lords I prefer fast in your face hard hitting stuff and either go orbital assault or Terror assault. Both are very similar and fun to play, very little back field.

IW I will play either my Heavy metal list which is almost terminator and heavy vehicles or burying my opponent with bodies and lots of troops, heavy weapons, and a few tanks/walkers. Its my slow plodding list.

I have the hardest time with Heavy Metal since I like to bring all of my toys and its hard to chose within point limits even at the 3k we normally play.

Usualy I play Taghmata or Ordo Reductor.
With the Taghmata I like to be unpredicteble.
Most lists contain:
HQ:
Archmagos Ordinator/Myrmidax.
Sometimes a Magos Dominus.
Elite:
Sometimes a squad of Techpriest-auxillia.
Troops:
20 Thralls in a Triaros.
2x6 Thallax.
Sometimes 2 Castellax(With Dominus).
Fast:
1-2 Quad-gun-tarantulas.
Heavy support:
A Thanatar.
Sometimes 3 Myrmidon Destructors.
A Krios Venator.
1-2 Macrocarid Explorators.
Usualy no Fortification or Lord of War.

Ordo Reductor:
HQ:
Archmagos Reductor+Techpriest- or Scyllax-bodyguard.
Maybe another Magos.
Elite:
Nothing, for now.
Troops:
2x6 Thallax.
Sometimes 20 Thralls with or without Triaros.
Fast:
1-2 Quad-gun-tarantulas
Sometimes a Tarantula-battery.
Heavy support:
Krios Venator.
1-3 Artillery-tanks.
Maybe a Macrocarid Explorator.
Lord of War:
In bigger games:
Stormsword or Shadowsword.
Knight Paladin.

 Ankhalagon wrote:
Usualy I play Taghmata or Ordo Reductor.
With the Taghmata I like to be unpredicteble.
Most lists contain:
HQ:
Archmagos Ordinator/Myrmidax.
Sometimes a Magos Dominus.
Elite:
Sometimes a squad of Techpriest-auxillia.
Troops:
20 Thralls in a Triaros.
2x6 Thallax.
Sometimes 2 Castellax(With Dominus).
Fast:
1-2 Quad-gun-tarantulas.
Heavy support:
A Thanatar.
Sometimes 3 Myrmidon Destructors.
A Krios Venator.
1-2 Macrocarid Explorators.
Usualy no Fortification or Lord of War.

Ordo Reductor:
HQ:
Archmagos Reductor+Techpriest- or Scyllax-bodyguard.
Maybe another Magos.
Elite:
Nothing, for now.
Troops:
2x6 Thallax.
Sometimes 20 Thralls with or without Triaros.
Fast:
1-2 Quad-gun-tarantulas
Sometimes a Tarantula-battery.
Heavy support:
Krios Venator.
1-3 Artillery-tanks.
Maybe a Macrocarid Explorator.
Lord of War:
In bigger games:
Stormsword or Shadowsword.
Knight Paladin.

I have always been curious: how do Mechanicum get Stormswords or Shadowswords? Don't they have Heresy-Era counterparts now so you can't induct them anymore?

SoH/ Luna Wolves player here.

I have always loved basic Tactical Marines so I run three squads of ten in rhinos at least, four for bigger games. Since our Legion rules favor getting up close and surrounding the enemy I make sure they all have the CCW upgrade for max attacks. The Luna Wolves were big on the speartip tactic so I try and play that way every game if I can. My only heavy support (Since our Row limits how many we can have) tends to be a Master of the Signal boosted 10 man dev squad with missiles or Las.

My current list is

Archmagos Draykavac w 4 cyber occularis

3 squads of thallax w plasma fusil
2 squads with photon for terminator hunting
2 castellax with darkfire

3 Vorax with bio corrosive ammo

Thanatar
Krios Venator

At 2500, add a dominus, domitar and lightning. I have a good mix of units and can deal with just about anything. Hordes really mess me up but daemons are still rare enough in 30k that I don't have to change my list up yet. I'm anxious to try arlatax, they're essentially CC thallax but don't score.

 Unit1126PLL wrote:

 Ankhalagon wrote:

In bigger games:
Stormsword or Shadowsword.
Knight Paladin.

I have always been curious: how do Mechanicum get Stormswords or Shadowswords? Don't they have Heresy-Era counterparts now so you can't induct them anymore?

This is covered in the books. But if there is an equivalent, then you cannot take one from the 40k books. So shouldn't be taking one.


I play Night Lords, so maxed out Terror Squads in pods. Then after that, whatever I have points leftover for other toys

I go very melee heavy, naturally for World Eaters. 20 man tactical blob is a must, sometimes a 20 man assault squad at higher points. Red Butchers in Dreadclaws, since I figure the easiest way for the fleet to deploy a severely unstable squad is to eject it from space instead of trying to land them and put them in a Land Raider. Crazy Dreadnoughts, i.e. a Leviathan. Apothecaries are a must. A Contemptor-Mortis to kind of shore up some holes in anti-vehicle (even took a hull point from a flare-shielded Spartan once thanks to rending ). What I lack in anti-tank I make up for in shredding absolutely everything else.

As an Iron Hands player, I have mostly tanks and dreads based on the fluff of the chapter.

1) I choose my army based on the game - type of opponent, theme, mission or campign, or narrative in 30k

2) If the choice is free, its up to how im feeling that day. If lazy, I will take the min amount of models I will need to move. Who wants to be an ork player in 30k? No thanks. Ill just take 10x dreads

3) In my army I collected models to fit certain games, and will run that event specific army. Most of them are based around the Istvaan V event. LEgion glaives, spartans, and tons of MKiii/ MKiv and contemptors.

4) Final option is tailored, or letting my opponent pick my army for me. This is also fun when both players have a large collection.

5) Upgrades are always minimal, unless I want one dude to be fluffy. In which case he earns a name and an upgrade.

6) I will recreate armies from books ive read. Such as the triple fire raptor assassination attempt on Horus, Fulgrim and Mortarion by The Medusan.

7) Whenever douchebagery is desired, I will take conversion beamers in spam and sit in the corner.

8) if you own a titan, take a levithan detachment at least 3 times. it is way hard to use and easy to lose with

Loads of dudes supported by a few tanks is the way I go with my World Eaters

How are people running their Raven Guard?

pm713 wrote:
How are people running their Raven Guard?

Extremely quietly, I should warrant.

I play a Dracosan, Leman Russ and Malcador list. Loads of dudes are a pre-requisite in the Solar Auxilia.

pm713 wrote:
How are people running their Raven Guard?

I run mine based on the remnants of the Istvaan V massacre. So no vehicles except dreads, lots of big tac squads with apothecaries, and then some fun units like Dark Furies and moriarts. I'll probably eventually expand to having a few tanks like a Spartan. But I try to go for masses of infiltrating in-your-face troops.

I run a very balanced spam/ with a 2 stage with star for Night Lords

i mostly run

HQ
-Preator
jump pack
mastercrafted powerfist
digital laser
plasma pistol
iron halo

5 man Command Squad
Jump pack
5 power fists

-Centourn
Liberatan lvl.2 (with librarius, becasue in our state wide campagin its allowed)
power axe
refractor field
jump pack


TROOP
-15 man Tact Squad
serg has 2+ armor, chainglave, metla bomb

-15 man Tact Squad
serg has 2+ armor, chainglave, metla bomb

Elite
-Dreadnought talon-
* dread with multi melta, and built in melta to the fist, and ceremite armor


* dread with Plasma Cannon, and built in melta to the fist, and ceremite armor


* dread with Plasma Cannon, and built in melta to the fist, and ceremite armor

-Mortis Dread, with double multi meltas

Fast
- 15 man Night Raptors
Serg has pair of lightning claws, 2+ armour, melta bomb
10 chain glaves
4 pairs of lightning claws
2 melta guns

HEAVY
-Pread with plasma cannon, side spon lascannons, extra armour

-pread with metla cannon, extra armour, auxilra divers

-Laser vinactor

LORD OF WAR
-Konrad Cruze





i put Konrad my lib and Preator in the night raptors and run up table, witht he command squad inside of this or just behide it .

While this is happing i unless plasma cannons 3 from the pred and 2 from dreads, melta hits non- ceremited things, and the laser vincators takes out the larger tanks.

the 2 Tac squads take objectives or just walk up table and shoot.


Its 2 step because if my 15 man night raptors die (which almost always do) they join the command squad and finish the rampage on thier table side.

redbeast001 wrote:
I play a Dracosan, Leman Russ and Malcador list. Loads of dudes are a pre-requisite in the Solar Auxilia.

SA BUDDY WOOP WOOP!

when it comes to running these guys, I'm all for massed infantry with some tank support (read as 2-3 baneblade varients + tanks)

Oh man. Once I finish it I will put up my superheavy tank regiment.

 Unit1126PLL wrote:
Oh man. Once I finish it I will put up my superheavy tank regiment.

You ALREADY have a super heavy tank regiment. Yours just has a different name

pm713 wrote:
How are people running their Raven Guard?

Infantry heavy (lots of mor deythan dark furies tactical marines) with a few walkers and a fire raptor.

Oh bugger, I should say cohort instead of regiment (40k still kicks around in my head at times) and what do you mean a different name?

I think he's talking about the Ordinatus battery.


And you still have 'regiments' in Horus Heresy era. Astartes and Mechanicum forces use Roman-style names (Centurion, Praetor, Princeps, Maniple, Cohort, Legion) whilst Solar Auxilia use Pike and Shot-style names (Section, Tercio, Regiment) - 'Cohort' just appears in both lists.

Technically it's not quite that simple - Legion forces also have an organisational tier called 'battalion' which is very emphatically an English Civil War term, and Legate was a roman term, but what the hey.


I think a superheavy tank based militia list might be quite interesting. You can easily make a 2,000 point list that mirrors the old "Gorgon Platoon" epic card - 4 Gorgon transports stuffed with rifle-wielding expendable goons - which might be rather fun to use. Alternatively, at 2500 points you can have a couple of Gorgons bolted onto a Baneblade company....

I use Solar Auxilia to make my Superheavy Tank RegimentCohortThing so I have access to Tank Commanders. I use the Leviathan Detachment as well, for three tank companies.

The only issue is what to call them - would a single tank be a Tercio, with three being a Company... or something... *scratches head*. Maybe three tanks is a Tercio, and there are five Tercios in the Cohort?

 Unit1126PLL wrote:
I use Solar Auxilia to make my Superheavy Tank RegimentCohortThing so I have access to Tank Commanders. I use the Leviathan Detachment as well, for three tank companies.

The only issue is what to call them - would a single tank be a Tercio, with three being a Company... or something... *scratches head*. Maybe three tanks is a Tercio, and there are five Tercios in the Cohort?

A 'tercio' could work from a SA perspective, though I imagine tank and infantry organization would not be 1:1 with each other. I'm simply running mine as a single Squadron/Tercio.

 Brennonjw wrote:

 Unit1126PLL wrote:
I use Solar Auxilia to make my Superheavy Tank RegimentCohortThing so I have access to Tank Commanders. I use the Leviathan Detachment as well, for three tank companies.

The only issue is what to call them - would a single tank be a Tercio, with three being a Company... or something... *scratches head*. Maybe three tanks is a Tercio, and there are five Tercios in the Cohort?

A 'tercio' could work from a SA perspective, though I imagine tank and infantry organization would not be 1:1 with each other. I'm simply running mine as a single Squadron/Tercio.

Well, the 40k TO&E is:

1 Command vehicle (Stormlord, includes Lord Marshal and retinue of guys)

2 'Line' companies (2 companies of 3 baneblades each)
2 'Assault' companies (2 companies of 3 Stormswords each)
1 'Breakthrough' company (1 company of 3 Stormhammers)

this would form a 5-company regiment. How would that fit into the Solar Auxilia Cohort -> Sub Cohort -> Tercio system?

pm713 wrote:
How are people running their Raven Guard?

I'm newer into the game that is 30k, but I like to utilize our Legion Astartes rule of infiltrate to the max, so I've been rolling Recon Company here my last couple of games. I need to work out some kinks as my melta bomb dice have abandoned me and vehicles are my bane right now with no rapiers or storm eagles to back me up - contemptors this next game should help a smidge. If you like terminators that isn't really a good call because you can't bring them in Recon Co. but I think it'll be fun infiltrating up some combi-plasma seekers with a vigilator, scout, move and rapid fire turn 1 once my laser destroyers have opened up a box so I can melt the juicy bits inside

I really enjoy the way the RG play. Very tricksy and needing to manipulate reserves to get the job done in the end.

Hope I helped a bit with your question!

I don't have all the books but play Fists for 40k.

I was going to play them for 30k as well but my model options seem more in line with what I would consider white scars but I don't have that book.

Currently have jet bike hq and command squad (5 total), 60 marines, 6 rhinos, can run heavy support squads as well, and 3 sicaran tanks (because they are cool and effective).

I still have a few contemptors with different load outs as well.

More in line with Dark Angels/Scars?