30k Tournament – November 2015… let the planning begin!

Today has seen the announcement of a 30k event later this year and its got me even more motivated than I have been. Despite the fact I am running the biggest single player 40k event just 2 weeks after this event, my goal is to buy, build and paint an 1850 army or word bearers between now and the event.

Where to start though?

I already touched on building a list here and figured taking some of my own advice would be a good place to start!

For the purpose of this post – here is where I left the list…

maxresdefault

HQ – Zardu Layak (175) (warlord)

HQ – Centurion, Chaplain Consul, Artificer Armour, Burning Lore, Melta Bombs, Refractor Field (140)

Troops – Tactical Squad (14 Marines plus Sergeant). Bolters, Bolt Pistols, Close Combat Weapons, Legion Vexilla, Dark Channelling, Sergeant – artificer armour, melta bombs, combi melta (265)

Troops – Tactical Squad (14 Marines plus Sergeant). Bolters, Bolt Pistols, Close Combat Weapons, Legion Vexilla, Dark Channelling, Sergeant – artificer armour, melta bombs, combi melta (265)

Elite – Apothecarion Detachment – 2 Apothecaries (90)

Elite – Gal Vorbak Squad (4 Dark Brethren plus Dark Martyr). Dark Martyr – Artificer armour, power fist (225)

Heavy Support – Fire Raptor Gunship, Reaper Auto cannon Batteries (210)

1370 points

At its core I still think this is a solid list. It just needs some tweaking to make it right. For starters, I am thinking about running the list as a drop pod force using the orbital assault rite of war. Second, I want to make the force as painless to build as possible so the fire raptor has to go!

HQ – Zardu Layak, 2 Blade Slaves (275) (warlord)

HQ – Centurion, Chaplain Consul, Artificer Armour, Burning Lore, Melta Bombs, Refractor Field (140)

Troops – Tactical Squad (9 Marines plus Sergeant). Bolters, Bolt Pistols, Close Combat Weapons, Legion Vexilla, Dark Channelling, Sergeant – artificer armour, melta bombs, combi melta. Dedicated Transport – Drop Pod (265)

Troops – Tactical Squad (9 Marines plus Sergeant). Bolters, Bolt Pistols, Close Combat Weapons, Legion Vexilla, Dark Channelling, Sergeant – artificer armour, melta bombs, combi melta. Dedicated Transport – Drop Pod (265)

Elite – Gal Vorbak Squad (4 Dark Brethren plus Dark Martyr). Dark Martyr – Artificer armour, power fist (225)

Fast Attack – Dread Claw Drop Pod (100) – carries Zardu Layak

Fast Attack – Sky Hunter Jet Bikes (6 including Sergeant). 4 Heavy Bolters, 2 Volkite Culverin. Segeant – melta bombs, power weapon (290)

Fast Attack – Xiphon Interceptor, Ground Tracking Auguries (215)

This is 1775 and feels very light on for a drop pod force if I am honest. I get the idea that I need at least 5 if not 7 pods in total for it to work well and this just feels cobbled together.

sadmarine

So what do I do?

I want Zardu to stay and the chaplain has to be in the list as well. The Blade slaves are combat monsters in their own right but by dropping them and adding the characters to the Gal Vorbak I get a nice mini death star anyway. I can add a level 2 librarian for 140 points or so which gives me a half decent psychic phase – more so if I can summon a few daemons.

The Jetbikes got a stealth upgrade I only noticed a couple of days ago – gaining a 2+ saving throw and making them far more worth their points so I like the idea of including them.

I need to be able to deal with armour and even a knight or 2 so I guess I need to go back to the drawing board… maybe I just order a Spartan…