1.5k Sons of Medusa Space Marines, First Attempt w/New Codex

[ElectricPaladin]

Here goes nothing:

HQ
• Master of the Forge w/Bolt Pistol, & Power Axe

Troops
• 5 Tactical Marines, 1 Meltagun, Sergeant w/Auspex, Bolt Pistol, Power Weapon, & Teleport Homer
° Razorback w/Dozer Blade, Twin-Linked Heavy Flamers
• 5 Tactical Marines, 1 Plasma Gun, Sergeant w/Auspex, Bolt Pistol, Power Weapon, & Teleport Homer
° Razorback w/Dozer Blade, Lascannon, Twin-Linked Plasma Guns
• 10 Tactical Marines, 2 Flamers, Sergeant w/Bolt Pistol, Power Weapon, & Teleport Homer

Elites
• 5 Terminators, 2 Chainfists, 1 Assault Cannon

Fast Attack
• Stormtalon Gunship w/Lascannons

Heavy Support
• Land Raider Crusader
• 5 Devastators, 4 Plasma Cannons, Sergeant w/Power Weapon
° Razorback w/Dozer Blade, Heavy Bolters

Chapter Tactics: Iron Hands

The goal here is: lots of mech (Iron Hands chapter tactics), lots of decent vehicles carrying dudes who can hop out and score.

The Master of the Forge rides with the big tac squad in the land raider, basically just to give him an escort - one that can hop out to claim an objective! - and allow him to keep the crusader in good shape. The large number of vehicles is meant to help me take advantage of It Will Not Die. The terminators Deep Strike in, with the teleport homers ensuring that they get where they belong.

To expand this list, I could see going a lot of different directions. Stormraven carrying an ironclad dreadnought? Bikers? A couple of more cool independent characters? Some more tanks? Lots of possibilities.

What do you think?

[Vangrail]

Solid list. May I ask? why the twin linked heavy flamer razor back? Other than that I like the list. Personally I run more foot slogging Ive never had luck with transports.

[ElectricPaladin]

The wisdom I have always received is that razorbacks should have weapons that compliment - but don't duplicate - the purpose of the unit. Flamers would help the unit to handle infantry while the meltagun can pop vehicles. You know. If someone has bubble-wrapped the tank I want to pop.

[Vangrail]

hmmm yea makes sense then. Also glad to see more sons of medusa players they have been lacking. For a while i was like one of the only ones and a few here and there. I use forge world and the recent update I really like but noticed Vaylund cal makes me not able to take master of the forges. But I'm ok with that because I can use the iron hands supplement and hopefully my captains will get servo harnesses. Also sargents can have a auspex?

[ElectricPaladin]

Also sargents can have a auspex?

Looks like no.

Balls.

Well, I have 10 more points to spend. Any suggestions?

[Vangrail]

Combi weapons? Idk 20 points doesnt really give u much to work with. Wouldent bother with melta bombs bc u have melta guns. What power weapons u going for axe or sword? If axe id say maybe updrage one to a fist with spare points.

[ElectricPaladin]

I could pour those points into my warlord and replace his power axe with the Teeth of Terra and his bolt pistol with a storm bolter. That's kind of a nifty idea, actually...

Anyway, I have more points. If I take off the mistaken auspexes and all the other cheap/non-essential upgrades I sank spare points into (power weapon on the devastator sergeant, meltabombs, chainfists), I have 45 points left. Any suggestions?

[ElectricPaladin]

Ok, check this:

HQ
• Master of the Forge w/Storm Bolter, the Teeth of Terra

Troops
• 5 Tactical Marines, 1 Meltagun, Sergeant w/Bolt Pistol and Power Axe, Teleport Homer
° Razorback w/Dozer Blade, Flamers
• 5 Tactical Marines, 1 Plasma Gun, Sergeant w/Bolt Pistol and Power Sword, Teleport Homer
° Razorback w/Dozer Blade, Lascannon, Twin-Linked Plasma Gun
• 10 Tactical Marines, 2 Flamers, Sergeant w/Bolt Pistol & Power Sword, Teleport Homer

Elites
• 6 Terminators, 1 Assault Cannon

Fast Attack
• Stormtalon w/Lascannons

Heavy Support
• Land Raider Crusader
• 5 Devastators, 4 Plasma Cannons
° Razorback w/Dozer Blade, Heavy Bolters

[Vangrail]

I like this list more. The hq is more of a solid unit now. Plus another body for the termis!

[ElectricPaladin]

I really like that list, and it's going to be a goal for me, but I just realized that I counted two of my rhinos as multi-kits, but they are not multi-kits, and making them into multi-kits will involve tearing them apart in ways that will probably screw up the model in more ways than it's worth. So, I need a new version of the list to use until I can be bothered to get more razorbacks.

Here's what I got:

HQ
• Master of the Forge w/Storm Bolter, Teeth of Terra

Troops
• 10 Tactical Marines, Meltagun, Multi-Melta, Veteran Sergeant w/Bolt Pistol & Power Axe
° Rhino w/Dozer Blade
• 10 Tactical Marines, Plasma Gun, Missile Launcher, Veteran Sergeant w/Bolt Pistol & Power Sword
° Rhino w/Dozer Blade

Elites
• 5 Terminators, 1 Assault Cannon
° Land Raider Crusader

Fast Attack
• Stormtalon Gunship w/Lascannons

Heavy Support
• Dreadnought w/Heavy Flamer & Assault Cannon
• 5 Devastators, 4 Plasma Cannons
° Razorback w/Lascannon, Twin-Linked Plasma Gun

So, this list is a little more conventional. My warlord rides with the terminators in their land raider, but they probably all stay in the land raider for as long as possible, letting the durable (and highly repairable!) land raider tool around and gun things down. They pop out when they have to, once the opposition has been suitably whittled down. The tacs here are much more conventional, hiding in their (also durable and self-repairing) rhinos until it's time to hop out and claim an objective. In the meantime, they have fairly tasty weapons to fire out the top. I have the stormtalon to take on other flyers or high AV ground targets, devastators to take on high value targets from the safety of a fortified ruin, etc.

The dreadnought is kind of fun. I picture it running alongside the land raider, hiding behind its bulk, and acting as a sort of a counter-punch model. If anything drops near the land raider and tries to destroy it, he can either tie them up or make sure they pay for it. If the land raider makes it into play, he can charge a secondary target, or charge the primary target and try to soak up Overwatch shots.

Anyway... I think I prefer the first list, but it won't be an option for a little while. What do you think of this version?

[Vangrail]

Land raider will defenetly help out. Plus master of the forge can fix it. Fourlasma cannon devs are always a good choice they mop up the field. Also glad to see the dread has an assault cannon love that variant, people only take auto cannons. Personally i think assault cannons are better. Mster of the forge will also help the termis alot bc he strikes at I4.

[ElectricPaladin]

Here is another version of the list, based in part on some advice I got on Bolter and Chainsword:

HQ
• Chapter Master w/Artificer Armor, Power Fist, Teeth of Terra
- Techmarine w/Power Axe, Servo-Harness

Troops
• 10 Tactical Marines, Meltagun & Multi-Melta
° Rhino w/Dozer Blade
• 10 Tactical Marines, Plasma Gun & Missile Launcher (+1 Flakk)
° Rhino w/Dozer Blade

Elites
• 5 Terminators, 1 Assault Cannon
° Land Raider Crusder

Heavy Support
• 5 Devastators, 4 Plasma Cannons
° Razorback w/Dozer Blade, Lascannon, Twin-Linked Plasma Gun

The main points I got from the B&C crew were:
• Don't pay for lots of razorbacks, as they aren't really durable enough (there's still one in the list because it's not that they are bad, it's that they aren't durable enough to try to flood the field with them).
• While fluffy, masters of the forge aren't really tough enough to work as my primary HQ, and I can satisfy my fluffy side by giving a nastier HQ a techmarine escort.

This list came out of contemplating those points.

Also, the model I cooked up for the chapter master is totally awesome. He's got the running assault marine legs, with the pointing power fist out in front of him and a "I'm coming for you!" snarl on his face. Pics when I find him a backpack.

EDIT: Oops... forgot the devastators!

[Vangrail]

I understand the razorback issues. But you do have it will not die. Also one think i dont get is the two completely different weapons.

[ElectricPaladin]

I understand the razorback issues. But you do have it will not die. Also one think i dont get is the two completely different weapons.

It Will Not Die is great, but the problem is that with AV 12 at best, razorbacks tend to get blown up. IWND only prevents being glanced to death.

The two weapons on the chapter master? It goes like this...

Natively, he gets four attacks.

Specialist weapons only grant a two-weapon bonus attack if the second weapon is also a Specialist Weapon.

Therefore, when he's equipped with two Specialist Weapons, he goes up to 5 attacks. Both the Teeth of Terra and powerfists have Specialist Weapon.

When he's in a challenge or fighting anything with 3+ or worse armor, he whips out the Teeth of Terra: 5 attacks at Strength 6, AP 3, with Strikedown, plus an additional d3 attacks (up to eight!) if his unit is outnumbered (likely since it's five terminators, the techmarine, and him...).

When he isn't in a challenge - or he's stuck fighting something with an Initiative higher than 4, so he's going last anyway - and doesn't care if he strikes at Initiative 1, he can fight with his powerfist: 5 attacks at Strength 8, AP 2.

It's the same reason I like to pair power fists and lightning claws: versatility and options!

[Vangrail]

Well i got that the weapons help situationally. Also i thought specialist weapon you had to have two of the same

[ElectricPaladin]

Well i got that the weapons help situationally. Also i thought specialist weapon you had to have two of the same

That changed with the advent of 6th edition. Specialist Weapon wasn't a rule before - it was a special quality attached to some weapons, but it was written out each time. With the advent of the new rule, the quality got broader and less limited.

[Vangrail]

Hmm that opens up options. I was always confused seeing that in lists.

[Anggul]

I feel it should be mentioned that there's no point in buying a power axe for a model with a servo harness. Servo arms are specialist weapons now (so very stupid) so you use one as your weapon and the other gives you an extra attack, so the harness is superior to the axe in every way.

Apparently they can't swing the servo arms and also use their arms, they have to stand there with their arms crossed.

Also if the Terminators are in a Land Raider they should be Assault Terminators. They aren't going to get much use out of their guns if they're charging in with a Chapter Master.

[ElectricPaladin]

I feel it should be mentioned that there's no point in buying a power axe for a model with a servo harness. Servo arms are specialist weapons now (so very stupid) so you use one as your weapon and the other gives you an extra attack, so the harness is superior to the axe in every way.

Apparently they can't swing the servo arms and also use their arms, they have to stand there with their arms crossed.

Also if the Terminators are in a Land Raider they should be Assault Terminators. They aren't going to get much use out of their guns if they're charging in with a Chapter Master.

I maintain that the ability to unleash eight 4/5 shots - plus four more 6/4 rending - is the offensive version of a 3++. Fewer living guys means fewer attacks to weather and fewer failed saves. And power fists aren't really that much less powerful than thunder hammers.

But if/when I get some assault terminators for this army, I'll try them out.

[Popsical]

On the hq issue, if your wanting a cc beast and a techmarine for fluff, i would replace both with fw's vayland cal.
Hes a beast in cc and a techie too.
Also you can use ferrus manus figure to represent him, 40mm base and bad ***.