200 point league?

ok quick post.....

So recently my local club has started to move down the point rung and currently we are trying out a 200 point league.
Now even for my tastes that is small however I think this is a good move. Basically this allow for new players to easily join and eventually get into the bigger picture.
with this new league its basically individual pieces as units like in kill zone minus the rules of kill zone.
I played tonight part of a game with the newer player to our ranks and although we didn't complete the game according to time it really allowed me not only to see what i want my army to start being but it is also a really cool way to get people interested and keep the game fresh. It was good to meet new faces and have more people to play against and I look forward to new strategies. Plus i must give a shout out to rooney- i like the new missions.
Anyways I am going to post more stuff in the next few days, specifically some things i have been thinking about, even small point games can improve your overall game regardless.

catachan 48th~transmission out

ARMY LIST-1

Lord Commissar =70

Power Fist +15

=85pts

Company Command Squad =50

Power Fist +15

4x Laspistol free

Medi-pack +30

Regimental Standard +15

Melta Gun +10

Bodyguard +15

=135pts

Ministorum Priest =45

Shotgun free

Eviscerator +15

=60pts

TROOPS

Infantry Platoon - 01

Platoon Command Squad =30

Commissar +35

2x Power Fist +30

4x Laspistol free

Medi-pack +30

Platoon Standard +15

=145pts

Infantry Squad =50

Autocannon +10

=60

Infantry Squad =50

Autocannon +10

=60

Heavy Weapons Squad =60

3x Lascannons +45

=105pts

Platoon Total =370pts

Infantry Platoon - 02

Platoon Command Squad =30

Commissar +35

2x Power Fist +30

4x Laspistol free

Medi-pack +30

Platoon Standard +15

=145pts

Infantry Squad =50

Flamer +5

=55

Infantry Squad =50

Flamer +5

=55

Heavy Weapons Squad =60

3x Lascannons +45

=105pts

Platoon Total =350pts

TOTAL =1000pts

+500pts

HQ

2x Ministorum Priest =90

2x Shotgun free

2x Evisccerator +30

=120pts

TROOPS

Infantry Platoon - 01

Special Weapons Squad =35

3x Melta Gun +30

=65

Heavy Weapons Squad =60

3x Autocannons +15

=75

=190pts

Infantry Platoon - 02

Infantry Squad =50

Infantry Squad =50

Special Weapons Squad =35

3x Melta Gun +30

=65

Heavy Weapons Squad =60

3x Autocannons +15

=75

=190pts

TOTAL =1500pts

+250

TROOPS

Veteran Squad =70

Power Fist +15

7x Shotguns free

2x Melta Gun +20

Lascannon +20

=125pts

Veteran Squad =70

Power Fist +15

7x Shotguns free

2x Melta Gun +20

Lascannon +20

=125pts

TOTAL =1750pts

I've written the army in a modular fashion so that I can just 'copy and paste' for whatever points value i'm playing.

The theory being that no matter how good your shooting is something always gets into assault. To counter this i've made the list extremly power fist heavy. So each platoon will 'blob' their infantry squads, then the command squads should be able to co-ordinate an effective counter charge.

I currently play mech Space Wolves (but with a bit of a twist so i'm not a dirty dirty dirty spammer) so I have not much of a clue about IG infantry. I'm hopeing you can tell me; a) Will this counter charge tactic work? b) Can I make it work better?

Now the Lord Commissar joins the CCS and the priests join each CS respectivally. The rest should be pretty straight foward.

I also have no problem with you posting this list on your blog. Infact I would appreciate the extra feedback this would recieve.

Thanks again for your time.

Brad M

Reply: This is a pretty cool list you have here Brad and I think you might have a good idea how you would run a list like this. Like I've said before I don't claim to be a vet at this game or IG but i feel like helping review this list I as well as you can become better players in the long run.
Looking over this list I can see where you were going with it and I think you are right in adding the fists. The problem with the fist however is that is just doubles the strength on a model and denies the 2 weapons extra attack. I can see that basically you are going to set up in gunline and then when the enemy gets close enough you will mob them like an ork boys squad and hopefully finish off your opponent. This being said i think you should look in 2 other options.

First Option: Power Weapons.
Although the fist hist with a higher strength it is not necessarily the weapon of choice. The reason is because IG function a bit differently than Space marine. The simple fact that the Marine hits at str 8 and you at a 6 means that Marines can auto kill about anything whereas your IG punch is not nearly as hard, about that of a heavy bolter. This can auto kill some squads but not a marine. That being said you might want to rely on what GM gave you- numbers. If you take the PW you always get an extra attack and the ignore armor just like the PF would. True the probability to wound is less with str 3 but granted most toughnesses are around 4 so 5+. Lets look at a Platoon commander for instance= 2 base, 1 for 2 weps=3 attacks, 4 in charge.
one with a powerfist is 2 base and thats all. 3 for charge. Lets assume u are assaulted too because u wanted one more turn of shooting with the hvy weps on that squad. that means you get 2 attacks hitting maybe 1 and wounding less than that. On the other hand the 3 hits 1.5 then wounds possibly 1 or less. Odds are around the same (i am no math hammer) although i feel more attacks is better giving you 5 points a squad to add to the man total (like more commissars or a melta gun?) In my opinion guard is a numbers and shooting game so play that way. PF's are for the powerful......... but then again thats just a suggestion try it out and let me know.

Option 2: Diversify
One thing I notice in your list is a change of units. Sure you have a priest here and there or a squad holding something different but I am a strong believer that all units in the codex are useful. This is one reason i love following Fritz so much, its art the way he uses so many types of units, and all according to his whim of whats cool. I would advise you to try something new for a change. Not all units are good at CC but even if you look below there are units made to deal with that countercharge thing out. Especially the rough riders. Personally i would mix it up. loose some squads and replace with the calvary or Ogryns.

But like i said try it out- its all based on how you play. Great list and thanks for letting me look at it! send more too!

~Zappin'

rough riders?

Here is a question, as we come closer to this years battle for missions is it a feasible choice to add in a unit of rough riders. They can really pack a punch and have a wide range to the assault but are the flexible enough to be used in my army. Do they have a place?

Now the thing i struggle with is the utility of the unit after they get off that first round of combat.

Pros:

• All power weapon attacks on the first round of combat- that is up to 10 power weapons that is some good punch as well as psychological combat
  
• Calvary special rule means that they get a 12'' assault and fleet so that means they have the range to get that punch in- 6 inch move, 6 inch run, 12 inch assault= 24 inches to get to you or the distance of a storm bolter
• They have some sweet models, planning on converting cold ones and putting catachans on them
• They can have the mongul special character to get rage and furious charge plus fearless
• Can take 2 meltas or plas-guns

Cons:

• Power weapon hits on WS 3 and S of 3- this means who really will be hitting?
• Calvary special rule doesn't effect movement- 6'' isn't that impressive which means at best they might do well to support a real CC beast but got no ability to just move there without going into CC
• No extra toughness- I don't know why they don't get a wound or at least some extra toughness like any biker squad but they don't so thats T-3
• Need the Mongul special character added to make the squad worth while- no special rules but Calvary and only 5 units
• Only 2 meltas or plasmas

So they seem pretty balanced depending on how you see them. They are just guardsmen on horses that are slow mules. The problem is they seem to be neither side. Usually a unit finds its utility in its specialty, an example is that an Ogryn is useful as a CC character. By no means is he the best at what he does but he does do it better and is equipped to do better than the regular guardsmen. On the other side you have someone like Vets which survive to shoot like space marines. Their utility is that the shots more than likely will hit the target. They aren't the best but compared to guardsmen they are good. Then you might ask, what is the utility of the guardsmen and that is the most important part of the game. Wounds. 40k in my opinion is based around the Wounds score on characters because that more than any other stat helps determine the outcome of a battle. If you put out more you most likely win. This is an interesting idea that i want to develop in full later so that will have to wait till next post. But like i was saying guardsmen are your defense- they hold the line, they hold the objectives, they take the punches. They are the meat shields and played like that they might not go far (unless a powerfist gives them a good uppercut) but they will do their job and last for the win.

So this specific model is so weird because its built like a guardsmen that is supposed to just be alive as a meat shield and possible million of shots but it also has the equipment and special rules of a CC dedicated character. What in the world are we to do?

Well this my friends is what i think they are for-They are the true epitome of road bump. In most IG lists there is a need for guardsmen to be used as road bumps to stop the crazy squad of CC monsters that is storming down the field at your big gun to stop you before you punch a hole in them. However regular guardsmen won't cut it if they truly are CC beasts because chances are even if you charge them they have the gear to tear that squad apart before they even hit. That being said the calvary does exactly what a calvary should do. Flank the model to the side in CC and then stalling them a turn before falling back. The long pointy sticks should take out a few models and hopefully by then your big guns will be ready to mow the rest down.
So for the points of 11 per model which pays for a twelve inch assualt and one turn of power weapons you get a squad of guard to take some punches.

Are they worth it though? depends on how you play them! lets get out there are try!

Pictures

So sorry there was no post this last week and so i will shoot for tomorrow but here are some pictures of what i've been up to. I need to get a more quality camera though.

Basically lately I have been making another squad of Catachan's and waiting for the battleforce to arrive so i can put together those in time for this semester's Battle for missions.


Ok so From top to bottom you got my new demo guy at least for Harker's gang and then the next picture is my convert of a Lascannon. I made it from bits in the devastator squad box and now have 2 for HWT then the last few pics are of Harker and his huge Heavy Bolter which is converted from bits in a devastator box and a bit of ingenuity. ENJOY!

no vehicles- and guard? i have pity on you

So just for all of you to know I am planning on making an all foot guard army. And so that means i have been racking my brain and basically reading and re-reading the codex over so I can possibly ring as much out of it as possible. The problem with the foot guard list is several things.

1. They are meant for vehicles- the guard codex in the edition is basically the reason why everyone is mech. they have super cheap vehicles and can make squadrons so why wouldn't you take an entire armoured division and just 2 squads of vets?

2. Guard are extremely weak- they are not like the other races in 40k they are 3 toughness and 3 strength so basically they are expected to die and run away. NO special rules either, all the other races can make up for their lack of space marine power but the guard have only confidence in their guns and possibly numbers.

3. Blobs- this is both a plus and a negative. Although numbers means a heck of a lot of wounds it also mean a heck of a lot of models. Basically this is playing orks but minus any hand to hand ability. Luckily they won't move much and sit in the back and shoot. Also getting alot of models is expensive and putting them together is time consuming.

4. Cheap- this is referring to the fact that since guard have mega good guns they tend to seem cheap to everyone else. I don't want to be that guy so I have to take the hardest way possible. I want to beat you with just a bunch of weak men and not do it with a huge missle that lands on your whole army.

so in the end I decided on catachan rambo theme and i plan on making this army based on their fluff but still be a formidable foe. And don't worry my black templars will probably hang around until this regiment is finished but I feel like this army is the real winner I have wanted to play. Space marines are cool and some what tactical but these guys are going to have to hug the rules and stick to cover hopefully enough to make this a really interesting tactical machine. I have high hopes for this army and I have already raised up one squad and working on another. Hopefully soon I will be able to purchase some more squads and if luck has my back i will win some ebay battles and pick up some sentinels. I will try to put pictures up as well as put a list out for 500 or 1000 points

New Army

Ok so i used to be a black templar playing and I might keep them around for a bit still but I think i finally will be getting into something I have always loved- Guard
Specifically Catachan.

So this blog is dedicated to tactics, army lists and what I am learning on my way