tauist wrote:Would you say that if one was to start collecting
LI for real, and wanted to have both
SA and Astartes armies, you could get a decent start by buying the starter, and one of both battleforces? These are looking like they complement each other perfectly in terms of units on offer.. and those three boxes, if bought from a discounter, would end up costing a reasonable amount considering what you get? Or better yet, throw in the current
AT starter, making it 4 boxes total?
While that's a hefty chunk of change, I'd say yes, that would give you a very good start. The problem with both the starter box, and these battleforces in isolation, is that in a number of cases they give you half of a Detachment – so as an example, the starter box will give you two stands of Assault Marines, rather than the four stands you need for a standalone Detachment. (There are ways round that, with weird upgrades and awkward Formations, but they always felt like a sticking plaster solution). In general, the Solar Auxilia are less affected by this because their sprues tally up better with the army list.
Having both the starter box and battleforces will give you a much more simple and rounded army in each case – though even here, you'll end up with half Detachments of Astartes Tarantulas.
In total, you'll end up with:
Astartes
- 4 Kratos Heavy Tanks,
- 10 Rhino transports,
- 4 Leviathan Dreadnoughts,
- 4 Deredeo Dreadnoughts,
- 4 Rapier batteries*,
- 4 Tarantulas*,
- 4 Command Squads,
- 16 Tactical Legionary bases,
- 4 Terminator bases,
- 4 Assault Marine bases,
- 4 plasma Support Legionary bases,
- 4 Missile Support Legionary bases,
- 8 Contemptor Dreadnoughts,
- 3 Predators
- 2 Sicarans
- 4 Outrider bases,
- 6 Scimitar jetbike bases,
- 4 Javelins,
- 4 Land Speeders.
Those marked with * are below minimum size for the Detachment, so you'd 'need' another Astartes Support box to field them.
People fairly commonly spread out the specialists (e.g. four Terminators/Assault/Missile Marines to a base, rather than five) for space on the base, so depending on your preference, these numbers are flexbile.
Solar Auxilia
These are much better off than the Marines, with a really solid little army.
- 2 Baneblade super-heavy tanks that can alternately be built as Hellhammers,
- 12 Rapier batteries,
- 4 Cyclops remote bombs,
- 4 Tarantula sentry guns,
- 4 Legate Commander bases,
- 16 Auxiliary bases,
- 8 Veletarii bases,
- 8 Auxiliary bases with flamers,
- 8 Charonite Ogryn bases,
- 8 Aethon Heavy Sentinels,
- 6 Dracosan transport tanks,
- 12 Leman Russ Strike tanks outfitted with battle cannons or Vanquisher cannons.
- 2 Malcador Tanks
... and a pair of Warhound Titans.
As an example of what you'd be able to field, here's a 1903pt Solar Auxilia list
New List 1903 / 2000pts
Gamemode: Standard
Loyalist Solar Auxillia
Formations 4
Solar Auxilia Armoured Company, 895pts
Formation Strength: 16
Break Point: 8
Compulsory
HQ: Tank Commander (1), 10pts
Battle Tank: Leman Russ Strike Squadron (6), 260pts
2 Additional Leman Russ 85pts
x6
Turret: Leman Russ battlecannon
Hull: Heavy bolters
Battle Tank: Leman Russ Strike Squadron (6), 260pts
2 Additional Leman Russ 85pts
x6
Turret: Leman Russ battlecannon
Hull: Heavy bolters
Heavy Armour: Auxilia Super-Heavy Tank Squadron (1), 100pts
x1
Turret: Baneblade cannon
Sponsons: Heavy bolters
Optional
Battle Tank: Malcador Tank Squadron (2), 165pts
x2
Turret: Malcador battlecannon
Hull: Heavy bolter
Sponsons: Heavy bolters
Heavy Armour: Auxilia Super-Heavy Tank Squadron (1), 100pts
x1
Turret: Baneblade cannon
Sponsons: Heavy bolters
Solar Auxilia Mechanised Infantry Sub-cohort, 626pts
Formation Strength: 37
Break Point: 19
Compulsory
HQ: Legate Commander Detachment (1), 16pts
Core: Auxilia Lasrifle Tercio (8), 54pts
4 Additional Auxiliaries 24pts
Core: Auxilia Lasrifle Tercio (8), 54pts
4 Additional Auxiliaries 24pts
Support: Auxilia Ogryn Charonite Section (8), 80pts
4 Additional Charonite Ogryn 30pts
Optional
Vanguard: Auxilia Aethon Heavy Sentinel Patrol (4), 60pts
2 Additional Sentinel 25pts
Vanguard: Auxilia Aethon Heavy Sentinel Patrol (4), 60pts
2 Additional Sentinel 25pts
Support: Auxilia Cyclops Detachment (4), 80pts
2 Additional Cyclops 40pts
x4
Charge: Demolition charge
Dedicated: Auxilia Dracosan Detachment (6), 222pts
5 Additional Dracosan 185pts
x6
Hull: Twin lascannons
Solar Auxilia Pioneer Company, 191pts
Formation Strength: 11
Break Point: 6
Compulsory
HQ: Auxilia Tactical Command (1), 10pts
Core: Auxilia Veletaris Storm Section (4), 40pts
Bastion: Auxilia Tarantula Battery (6), 51pts
2 Additional Tarantula 15pts
x6
Main: Hyperios air-defence missile launcher
Bastion: Auxilia Rapier Battery (6), 90pts
3 Additional Rapier 40pts
x4
Main: Quad-launcher
x2
Main: Mole mortar
Solar Auxilia Pioneer Company, 191pts
Formation Strength: 11
Break Point: 6
Compulsory
HQ: Auxilia Tactical Command (1), 10pts
Core: Auxilia Veletaris Storm Section (4), 40pts
Bastion: Auxilia Tarantula Battery (6), 51pts
2 Additional Tarantula 15pts
x6
Main: Tarantula lascannon battery
Bastion: Auxilia Rapier Battery (6), 90pts
3 Additional Rapier 40pts
x4
Main: Laser destroyer array
x2
Main: Mole mortar