Hi all,
I'm going to share some of the idea's I've been working on:
Basically, my thought is that in an army the day's of deathstars are well over and you need to be able to split your resources, this allows you to react to multiple threats as well as creating redundancy. But also safish from one sweeping advance!
So when making a list, I try and have in 1500pts, 7 or so units. I am looking for:
- moderate resilience, I need the unit to be able to stay in the open for a turn and not be auto lost.
- Threat!, it has to be a unit which can put out the damage if ignored, should be able to put some 'serious' hurt onto most units.
- Speed, is nice to be able to respond.
- Difference! The rest are obvious, but this one I have been realising is key, by having different units you can spread out what your army does and thus have more fun as well as having different games. But also from a tactical perspective provides huge amounts more options and makes the list harder to fight as there's no obvious starting position.
What allies allows you is to be able to have multiple different units all of which are powerful in their own right.
So: sample loyalist list,
Blood angels:
HQ: Mephiston 250
Troops: 10 assault marines, 2 meltaguns, powerfist 235
10 death company 200pts
Elite: Sanguinary Priest: jump pack 75
Heavy Support: Storm Raven: multi melta 200
Secondary Contingent
Grey Knights:
Inquisitor: Psyker, divination (primaris) 55
5 Terminators: 2 hammers, 3 halberds 200
10 Grey Knights: 2 psycannons, psybolt ammo 240
Right so this comes to 1455 or so, and I'm not going to say its' the greatest list ever.
But what it does do is have lots of solid units all of which dish out some damage. You've got anti flyer covered to a sense and with 6 different units they all do different things! Which is great, it allows you as the player to use your resources to beat your opponent not play a game of rock paper scissors, oh i'm playing venom spam, oh you have 6 riflemen dreadnoughts is not fun :(
I'm just going to touch on HQ's, I think these guys can be a make or break for a list. Of recent, I've become a fan of the super hards, the likes of abaddon, lysander, mephiston etc. These become threats of their own and while you can join units, don't be afraid to split to go eat a squad by yourself!
The only other characters I'd consider would be the very cheap support ones, of which the 55pt divination psyker for GK is a steal! about as good as it gets!
I'd consider characters like the GK Grandmaster to be a trap, 175 odd points for someone who isn't a threat. I know he's got a 3+ in combat etc, but sooner or later he'll take a power fist or meltagun. Can you leave a unit and charge in lone with him, yes but it only takes one stray heavy weapon and he's gone! If you can't take an eternal warriored nutter, go cheap and put points into solid units!
Until next time,
The real cute hydra
