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Hello there, I have found out it's time to roll with the game and go imperial. To that length I have cooked up a list that is meant to stand strong against bikes and what people throw at me in a tournament. Likely in the ITC or ETC format.

This a an early draft, with a 100% victory score (against a knight). Help me tune the list before I paint it up. Of note I want to mention that my HQ is lacking, as he doesn't have much of a purpose.

...

Primary Detachment: Codex Space Marines - Combined Arms Detachment, Iron Hands chapter tactics
Second Detachment: Codex Astra Militarum - Emperors Wrath Artillery Company

SM IH CAD (1065)
HQ1: Captain (90), warlord, artificer armour(20), power sword(15), stormshield(15)[140]
Troop1: 5 tacticals(70), melta(10), combi-melta(10). Drop pod(35)[125]
Troop2: 5 tacticals(70), melta(10), combi-melta(10). Drop pod(35)[125]
Troop3: 5 tacticals(70), melta(10), combi-melta(10). Drop pod(35)[125]
Fast1: Drop pod [35]
Fast2: Drop pod [35]
Heavy1: 3 centurion devastators(165), 3 grav cannons(75)[240]
Heavy2: 3 centurion devastators(165), 3 grav cannons(75)[240]

AM Emperors Wrath Artillery Company (785)
Company command squad(60), vox caster (5). Chimera(65)[130]
1 enginseer [40]
2 basilisks [250]
3 wyverns [195]
1 manticore [170]

Total: 1850

Looks fun and pretty deadly - like the wyverns in the artillery company - I think the basilisks are overrated even with the bonuses it brings! Why the captain compared with a cheap librarian to twin-link the centurions? Just survivability?

If you're going full on competitive pods you could try and include a skyhammer force to pile on the first turn pressure? Losing one cent squad, one tac pod, and a basilisk would get you something like this:

Assault marines with melta bomb 90pts
Assault marines with melta bomb 90pts
Dev squad in pod with 3 grav cannons 210pts
Dev squad in pod with 4 multi meltas 145pts

Your list does seem good as it is though

In the actual game the basilisks overperformed, but as I was against Pask, a second tank squadron and an imperial knight it was a target rich environment where S9, ordnance, barrage and large blast proved just the right tool.

Their real task were to blow up SM bike command squads or Ravenwing black knights.

Your libby suggestion is easy to implement and I will try that out. The skyhammer is more difficult as grav cannons are $$$

Thanks for helping me out.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Any ideas as to how the force can function as IH? I suspect it would require Fist of Medusa and a command squad. Can it be done without bikes, or are they a given?

For now I try to write the list as White Scars because hit and run and hunter's eye is superior to anything else, but feels sort of cheating.


Primary Detachment: Codex Space Marines - Combined Arms Detachment, White Scars chapter tactics
Second Detachment: Codex Astra Militarum - Emperors Wrath Artillery Comp

SM WS CAD (1035)
HQ1: Librarian(65), mastery level 2(25), Hunter's Eye(20).[110]
Troop1: 5 tacticals(70), melta(10), combi-melta(10). Drop pod(35)[125]
Troop2: 5 tacticals(70), melta(10), combi-melta(10). Drop pod(35)[125]
Troop3: 5 tacticals(70), melta(10), combi-melta(10). Drop pod(35)[125]
Fast1: Drop pod [35]
Fast2: Drop pod [35]
Heavy1: 3 centurion devastators(165), 3 grav cannons(75)[240]
Heavy2: 3 centurion devastators(165), 3 grav cannons(75)[240]

AM Emperors Wrath Artillery Company (720)
Company command squad(60), vox caster (5). Chimera(65)[130]
1 enginseer [40]
2 basilisks [250]
2 wyverns [130]
1 manticore [170]

Total 1755 points
leaving 95 to spend on wild stuff.

If I may recommend, it seems like the artillery is going to be doing some heavy lifting, you may want a fortification to help protect them. An aegis or void shield generator would do nicely. You could upgrade the aegis with a comms relay for reserves manipulation for your last 2 dpods, and the VSG with an additional shield respectively. Either way you can get a Master of the Fleet on the Company Command Squad for reserves manipulation as well.

Great ideas there

As I have aegis in my collection the choice is obvious.

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Primary Detachment: Codex Space Marines - Combined Arms Detachment, White Scars chapter tactics
Second Detachment: Codex Astra Militarum - Emperors Wrath Artillery Comp

SM WS CAD (1110)
HQ1: Librarian(65), mastery level 2(25), Hunter's Eye(20), force sword(0).[110]
Troop1: 5 tacticals(70), melta(10), combi-melta(10), melta bomb(5). Drop pod(35)[130]
Troop2: 5 tacticals(70), melta(10), combi-melta(10). Drop pod(35)[125]
Troop3: 5 tacticals(70), melta(10), combi-melta(10). Drop pod(35)[125]
Fast1: Drop pod [35]
Fast2: Drop pod [35]
Heavy1: 3 centurion devastators(165), 3 grav cannons(75)[240]
Heavy2: 3 centurion devastators(165), 3 grav cannons(75)[240]
Fortification: Aegis defense line(50), comms relay(20)[70]

AM Emperors Wrath Artillery Company (740)
Company command squad(60), master of the fleet(20), vox caster (5). Chimera(65)[150]
1 enginseer [40]
2 basilisks [250]
2 wyverns [130]
1 manticore [170]

Total 1850 points

++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Currently the list is well suited to handle heavy armour, my intention is to be able to handle bikes as my meta is heavy with them. And ideally it should at least have tools against warpspiders, preferably be able to win a match against them.