1500 Mech Space Marines

[Falconjab]

Tuning my 1500 mech Space Marine list... here goes. Would love any critique.

HQ -
Captain on Bike, Artificer Armor, Hellfire Rounds, Relic Blade: 190

Troops -
Tactical Squad x10, Plasma Gun, Plasma Cannon: 185

Tactical Squad x10, Melta Gun, Missile Launcher, Melta Bombs, Rhino: 215

Tactical Squad x10, Melta Gun, Missile Launcher, Melta Bombs, Rhino: 215

Bike Squad x5, 2x Melta Guns, Power Fist: 205

Elites -
Dreadnought with 2 TL Autocannons: 125

Dreadnought with 2 TL Autocannons: 125

Heavy Support -
Predator with Lascannon Sponsons: 120

Predator with Lascannon Sponsons: 120

Captain makes the bikes Troops, and he'll join them. Tactical Squad on foot guards my side of the table, as do my Dreads and Predators. Rhinos will flank and move up in later stages of the game. Thoughts?

[Wolfshade]

It looks a fine list.

I would ask if you have considered changing the Captain for a Librarian, this will lose you one scoring unit but you have spare slots in the fast attack.

[White Tiger88]

Bike's with normal marine's are not worth it. Also drop the captain and bikes for Vulkan since he makes flamer & Melta weapons twin-linked....

Also Thunder hammers because master-crafted! Thus i suggest dropping the following

-Bike Squad for Terminators with thunderhammer\ss
-Captain for Vulkan or a Terminator Captian
-Preds for fliers

[Wolfshade]

Also Thunder hammers because master-crafted! Thus i suggest dropping the following

-Bike Squad for Terminators with thunderhammer\ss
-Captain for Vulkan or a Terminator Captian
-Preds for fliers

Also it depends also what other miniatures are in Falconjab's collection

[White Tiger88]

Also it depends also what other miniatures are in Falconjab's collection

True, but it is easy enough to kitbash a Vulkan......

[Falconjab]

For me, Vulkan isn't worth it until 1750+, and that's because I hate bringing SS/TH Termies at 1500 points or less. The real problem with TH/SS Termies is that you need a delivery system for them. Most armies can stay away from Assault Termies on foot and bury them with massed low str firepower. So you need a Land Raider, and those are massive targets. Most games I've brought a Land Raider in, it's been destroyed by Turn 2. Some games in Turn 1. For almost 500 points (a third of your points at 1500), that's a big points sink.

Scoring units are huge in this edition, and that's why I have 4. I probably wouldn't bring bikes if I dropped the Captain on bike, cause I'm not wild about Fast Attack bikes. They can't score, and other units can do their job better. Which brings me to flyers. Yes, I would think about adding Stormtalons but they kinda detract from the point of a mech list: armor saturation. With so many AV 11-12-13 targets to shoot at, you really have to pick and choose. But if I got rid of the Preds, I really only have 4 units (2 Rhinos and 2 Dreads) with an armor value. If I got rid of the bikes, I'd also replace the Captain with a normal Librarian on foot, add one Stormtalon with Lascannons, and give the first foot-slogging Tactical Squad a Razorback. Then the Libby would join the combat-squad in the Razorback and leave the other combat squad to defend my side of the table.

Alternate list to follow.

[Falconjab]

Alternate List:

HQ -
Librarian, Force Sword, Divination: 100

Troops -
Tactical Squad x10, Plasma Gun, Plasma Cannon, Razorback: 225

Tactical Squad x10, Melta Gun, Missile Launcher, Melta Bombs, Rhino: 215

Tactical Squad x10, Melta Gun, Missile Launcher, Melta Bombs, Rhino: 215

Fast Attack -
Stormtalon with Skyhammer Missiles and Assault Cannons: 155

Land Speeder Squadron, 2x Land Speeders, Multi-Meltas: 120

Elites -
Dreadnought with 2 TL Autocannons: 125

Dreadnought with 2 TL Autocannons: 125

Heavy Support -
Predator with Lascannon Sponsons: 120

Predator with Lascannon Sponsons: 120

Total: 1520 Points

Honestly, not a huge fan of this list. It needs more armor. I was trying to base this list off Tactical Squads in Rhinos/Razorbacks with supporting units. The HQ is a huge sticking point for me. It's hard to find room for an HQ in a Rhino or Razorback that actually makes sense. Maybe I'll go with a Librarian on a Bike instead and trim down the bike squad, then possibly scrounge up the points for an Aegis Defense Line. Hmmm. Keeping in mind that I'm building the list around Tactical Squads in Rhinos, what do you guys think I should change?

[Wolfshade]

I think I prefer the first list to behonest with you.

[White Tiger88]

Hate to say it both both lists seem very squishy and easy to deal with now days...You have nothing to deal with fliers and it games from 1k-1.5k you will see at least 1-3 fliers! So i suggest taking something with skyfire or that creepy marine copter thing.

(Please note i am comparing your list against my 1.5k guard list since its the scariest i can think of atm...)

[Wolfshade]

Hate to say it both both lists seem very squishy and easy to deal with now days...You have nothing to deal with fliers and it games from 1k-1.5k you will see at least 1-3 fliers! So i suggest taking something with skyfire or that creepy marine copter thing.

(Please note i am comparing your list against my 1.5k guard list since its the scariest i can think of atm...)

All depends on whom he is playing, in my group of gamers there are two flyers a Stormraven and a Dakkajet, both of which are mine :)

[White Tiger88]

All depends on whom he is playing, in my group of gamers there are two flyers a Stormraven and a Dakkajet, both of which are mine :)

Fair enough i run 2 Vendetta's & 1 Avenger strike fighter in 1500 pts... (hehehe 15 lascannons are fun)

[Wolfshade]

I find it frustrating (to say the least) that at the moment it seems that if you want to win in 6th you need flyers. I don't think that any choice should be "mandatory" and I understand that these are new kits so making them slightly OP means that you can sell them. But in a small scale game you really wouldn't expect to see air support, but you do because if you don't and your opponent does taking the flyer out is almost impossible.

I also dislike how so frequently we see an army + aegis & quadgun as a default for delivering anti-air.

Ah well.

[White Tiger88]

I find it frustrating (to say the least) that at the moment it seems that if you want to win in 6th you need flyers. I don't think that any choice should be "mandatory" and I understand that these are new kits so making them slightly OP means that you can sell them. But in a small scale game you really wouldn't expect to see air support, but you do because if you don't and your opponent does taking the flyer out is almost impossible.

I also dislike how so frequently we see an army + aegis & quadgun as a default for delivering anti-air.

Ah well.

Ya but welcome to 40k every edition has its "must takes" to win.......I miss 4th and my 44 genestealer army suddenly -_- (Turn 2\3 instant win YA!)

[Camael]

Another problem for you is that librarians cannot use divination, which makes me a sad panda. The primarus power is just too awesome I guess

[Falconjab]

Well, the second list has a Stormtalon. There's one flyer. And in both lists I have a total of four twin-linked Autocannons... which admittedly are not going to easily destroy a flier but with re-rolls they (together) will average 1.3 hits per turn. I only see one flier or a couple flying monstrous creatures every so often. Nobody where I play uses these new FotM flier spam lists. Now if I was facing 3x Vendettas all the time, sure, I'd tailor my list to take out fliers.

[Falconjab]

Alright, here's a question.... I'm looking to keep the Tactical Squads in Rhinos, so how can I fit an HQ into a Rhino or Razorback? Also, this list is meant to be competitive but mostly just a fun army to paint. I want vehicles and dreads. Plus, I already have two Rhinos, a Land Speeder, and a Predator (unpainted). Don't need to use them all, but I'd really like to stick with the mech theme. My other army is full infantry so I'm not interested in going that route (although I realize that many times infantry with flyers and psykers can be the best combination for SM in this edition).

[Wolfshade]

Razorbacks are 6 man, so you'll need either a combat squaded tactical or another 5 man squad, like honour guard or 5 man tactical.

Rhinos are 10 so you have the same options as above but could choose a 9 man tactical squad, but that loses the heavy weapon option.