Tuesday, October 6, 2015

Red Hunters/Raptors Space Marine List (2k Points)

So first off, if you haven't, you should check out my last post covering tactics for dealing with LOW and GC without the standard tools.

Tactics outside the Box: Dealing with Superheavies, LOW and Gargantuan Creatures w/out Grav Spam (Space Marines)


Today I am here with a 2k list that utilizes some of these tools while remaining fun and cool IMO.
THE RED HUNTERS- Chapter Tactics
Mnemonic Redaction Protocols: All models with Chapter Tactics (Red Hunters) have the Adamantium Will special rule. In addition, once per game at the beginning of any one player turn, the controlling player may declare that a number of their units with Chapter Tactics (Red Hunters), including Dreadnoughts, equal to the number of the turn being played will have one of the following special rules, chosen by the controlling player, until the beginning of their next turn. For example, if the protocols are activated in Turn 3, then three units may choose a single special rule from the following to apply:
• Counter-attack
• Monster Hunter
• Tank Hunters
• Hatred
• Skyfire
• Interceptor

 By this Seal: When using the Allies Matrix, all models in the Red Hunters detachment count units from Codex: Grey Knights and Codex: Adepta Sororitas as Battle Brothers so long as an Inquisitor is also present in the army
Primary Detachment- Red Hunters SM (740)
HQ- Librarian: 110- Mastery Lvl 2, SM Bike, Force Sword and Bolt Pistol
Troops- Tactical Squad(10): 215- Sergeant w/ Combi-melta; Plasma Gun, Missile Launcher, Rhino
Troops- Bike Squad (5+1): 195- Sarge w/ Combi-Melta, 2 x Combi-Grav, Attack Bike w/ Multi-melta
Heavy Support- Relic Sicaran: 220- LoG War of Murder and Schism of Mars, Lascannon Sponsons

Formation Detachment- Red Hunters SM (880)
Sky Hammer Annihilation Force
Assault Squad (10): 250- 2 x Eviscerator, 1 x Flamer, Sarge w/ Power Fist
Assault Squad (10): 250- 2 x Eviscerator, 1 x Flamer, Sarge w/ Power Fist
Devastator Squad (5): 205-- Drop Pod, 2 x Gravcannon & Grav-amp, 2 x Plasma Cannon
Devastator Squad (5): 175-- Drop Pod, 2 x Lascannon, 2 x Missile Launcher

Allied Detachment- Raptors SM (380)
HQ- Lias Issadon- 175
Elites- Sternguard Veterans (5): 150- Sarge w/ Combi-grav; Combi-grav, 2 x Combi-Melta
Troops- Scouts (5): 55- Boltguns

So the concept was to maximize the effect of the different Chapter Tactics. For Red Hunters, the name of the game is flexibility. First of all, adamantium will gives you solid psychic defense, allowing you to focus on a lot of other things while list building.

Additionally, I wanted a good mix of shooting and assault troops, as well as a great mix of weapons. As it is well known the Sky Hammer Annihilation Force is AMAZING, but it gets super good with the Red Hunters Chapter Tactics IMO. The assault marines can really put to good use Counter attack, Hatred, Monster Hunter and Tank Hunters, and their accompanying Devastators can really put to use Monster Hunter, Tank Hunter, Sky-fire and Interceptor. Meanwhile your CAD's tactical marines are flexible fire support and great for objective holding and the Bike Squad for Objective Taking. AND Every unit in the two groups has a weapon that can benefit from Tank Hunters and/or Monster Hunters. I even specifically opted for a plasma gun in the tac squad because it is better at this. Last for the CAD is the Sicaran fully beefed up with Schism of Mars and War of Murder, making it hyper efficient at monster and tank killing, as well as providing some defensive capabilities.
For the Allies, the Raptors are there specifically for Issadon and his Infiltrate, Isolate, Destroy rule:  If an army includes Lias Issodon its controlling player may select a single enemy unit, Monstrous Creature or vehicle that has been deployed onto the table. After any Scout redeployments have been made, but before the game begins, the chosen unit suffers D6+3 wounds with no AP value if a squad or Monstrous Creature, distributed as shooting hits (assume the attack has originated from the closest unit in Issodon’s force). If the target is a vehicle, it suffers D3 rolls on the Haywire table instead.

Additionally the Raptors chapter tactics are really nice and maximized with Scouts and the Sternguard, both of which can benefit from rending bolters and get some infiltrationg/shrouding going on.

So that is that. I would love to run a list like this and I think it would be a lot of fun in both causual and tournament play. I don't think it would win, but its flexibility would really catch your opponent off guard and it has a good counter to almost any situation, so long as the chapter tactics are timed right, which is to me the aspect that makes this most fun of all.