'Ard Boyz Regionals: Part I

This is my first go with 'Ard Boyz and I was happy to do well with Necrons in the first round. To be honest I did not expect it to be any different than any other tournament +500 points.  I was correct. First everyone was a good sport and a good general...just like every other tournament I attend in my part of the country.  Thus, the "Ard Boyz is for WAAC gamers" was proved in this instance to be a myth. 

The lists I faced were mainly 2000pts lists + 500 points, save the Black Templar list I faced in the third round.  All my opponents had not faced Necrons in a very long time; which obviously gave me a bit of an advantage. The deceptive speed inherent in my list proved invaluable with the missions. It was a good day to be a Necron.

I DO NOT expect that to reoccur at the regional qualifier. I expect my local gamers to continue to bring their good sportsmanship; however,  the stakes (a free 2500 pt army) are considerably higher. Thus, games will be much more intense, or so I theorize.  Also, I would expect lists to be built with 2500pts in mind. Those who attend will most likely have the models needed to build top or very good lists and have demonstrated a good command of the game by earning a ticket to the regional.

This places me in a personal quandary, though a minor one. I set myself a challenge to bring less optimal lists this year in an effort to develop my tactical ability over relying on list building. Of equal importance to me,  was fostering a more relaxed enjoyable experience for myself and my opponent. This has been very successful thus far. However, again the second round of ‘Ard Boyz is not appropriate for a gentle list. My conclusion,  I need to decide to attend or not attend. If attending, I will bring it to win it….or at least in my sheltered opinion. 

This will leave Necrons out almost assuredly. To even consider bringing them to Regionals would include purchasing another monolith, or two, and with a new codex just over the horizon I hesitate investing money will y nilly. I also believe even with another monolith or two Necrons will lack the tools necessary to take a top placing. This is subject to change when the missions come out, but I think I am spot on here.

This means I need to break out one of my other armies and set to work. The choices are;

• Chaos Marines..can field almost any configuration (too many games to count)
• Space Wolves…would forego Rzr Spam as too large an investment (1/2 dozen games thus far)
• Grey Knights…large investment, but building this army at any rate (Yet to play a game with)
• Orks…(I have loads of games with my Orks…prior to the recent codex; in which I have about a dozen)

Narrowing down the choices based on models owned, amount of conversion/building needed prior to September 17, 2011 and the cost of purchasing those things I would like to include..leaves me two choices..Chaos Marine and Space Wolves.  

So, let’s build a list and take a walk through my mind when I formulate a list:

Logan Space Wolves 2500:

Tactical Expression: Infantry based, Mobile fire power, forward/speed element, redundancy, and lack of hamstring unit (i.e., “If I kill that unit the army crumbles”).

Let’s start with the basics only and see how far that gets us.

• Logan (275)
• Wolf Guard: Troops, #5 (90), 1 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (15, 30) : 135
• Wolf Guard: Troops, #5 (90), 1 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (15, 30) : 135
• Wolf Guard: Troops, #5 (90), 1 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (15, 30) : 135
• Wolf Guard: Troops, #5 (90), 1 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (15, 30) : 135
• Wolf Guard: Troops, #5 (90), 1 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (15, 30) : 135
• Wolf Guard: Troops, #10 (180), 2 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (30, 60), 3 combi-meltas (15) : 285

**That covers troops, 35 MEQ’s with 7 Cyclone ML’s able to move and shoot. Small squads, and vulnerable to AP3 or better blast templates. Using an infantry list, we really need some speed and/or a forward element to take a bit of pressure off.

• Wolf Scouts: #5(75), melta gun (10) : 85 (combi melta WG)
• Wolf Scouts: #5(75), melta gun (10) : 85 (combi melta WG)
• Wolf Scouts: #5(75), melta gun (10) : 85 (combi melta WG)

**Cheap, effective harassing units that will make back liners move forward. Redundancy used to counteract poor rolls for deployment side choice.

**K, need a long range threat. Pretty solid anti mech currently.  This is where some of my thinking differs from the common. In my experience, by that I mean…”My in game tournament experience” there are certain units that nothing but a bunch a bullets is good at taking out. Examples would be terminators, bloodcrushers, long fangs in cover, etc. I find cover saves + invul saves+ low rate of fire, high AP weapons =not much gets dead. What does do the trick more often than not, again from in game experience…lots a bullets. The Space Wolves have some of the most point efficient Heavy bolter squads available…though everyone wants  missile launchers…well I already have them covered. So, ….

• Long Fangs: #6 (Sgt + 5 Long fangs)(90), 5 Heavy Bolters (25) : 115
• Long Fangs: #6 (Sgt + 5 Long fangs)(90), 5 Heavy Bolters (25) : 115

** A bit of a contradiction to my last statement, but I like the threat of AP2 weaponry versus Blood Angle and Plague Marine FnP. Knowing a squad can massively circumvent your amor and FnP save will make it a threat in most opponents mind. I also like the possibility to down 3-7 very tough models in a single shot. Especially when recently disembarked or having deep struck.….so let’s pack some AP2 in there.

• Long Fangs: #6(Sgt + 5 Long fangs) (90), 5 Plasma Cannons (100) : 190

**So far we are at : 1910

**What are we missing? Psychic defense, some meltas, or multi meltas, and some more speed I feel. Filling up the force orgs quickly, let us look at fast attack.

• Swift Claws: #3(75), melta (10), MM AB (40), Melta Bombs (20) : 145
• Swift Claws: #3(75), melta (10), MM AB (40), Melta Bombs (20) : 145
• Typhoon Pattern Land Speeder: w/ Heavy Bolter (90 each): 180

*** I want those Swift Claws in check, and I still need some psychic defense. Mmmmm.

• Rune Priest: (100), Jaws of the World Wolf, Murderous Hurricane, Chooser of the Slain (10), Bike (35) : 145

*** That is right I put him on bike. He can do more than drop in a pod and line up a single Jaws shot before he dies, or sit back with long fangs to fire living lightning. My goal here is to keep the Swift claws in check, hunt armor or use the mobility to line up repeated Jaws shots with the swift claws as ablative armor. Murderous Hurricane is used to slow down anything that looks like it might get to me. I may return and switch out for living lightening that would supplement the tank hunting.

This puts us at: 2525. Mmmmm….. 25 points over.  We will take the melta bombs off the escorted swift claw squads…this will give us 20points.

Before going further, First Let’s review:

• Logan (275)
• Rune Priest: (100), Jaws of the World Wolf, Murderous Hurricane, Chooser of the Slain (10), Bike (35) : 145

• Wolf Guard: Troops, #5 (90), 1 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (15, 30) : 135
• Wolf Guard: Troops, #5 (90), 1 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (15, 30) : 135
• Wolf Guard: Troops, #5 (90), 1 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (15, 30) : 135
• Wolf Guard: Troops, #5 (90), 1 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (15, 30) : 135
• Wolf Guard: Troops, #5 (90), 1 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (15, 30) : 135
• Wolf Guard: Troops, #10 (180), 2 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (30, 60), 3 combi-meltas (15) : 285

• Wolf Scouts: #5(75), melta gun (10) : 85 (combi melta WG)
• Wolf Scouts: #5(75), melta gun (10) : 85 (combi melta WG)
• Wolf Scouts: #5(75), melta gun (10) : 85 (combi melta WG)

• Long Fangs: #6 (Sgt + 5 Long fangs)(90), 5 Heavy Bolters (25) : 115
• Long Fangs: #6 (Sgt + 5 Long fangs)(90), 5 Heavy Bolters (25) : 115
• Long Fangs: #6(Sgt + 5 Long fangs) (90), 5 Plasma Cannons (100) : 190

• Swift Claws: #3(75), melta (10), MM AB (40), Melta Bombs (20) : 145
• Swift Claws: #3(75), melta (10), MM AB (40) : 125
• Typhoon Pattern Land Speeder: w/ Hvy Blter (90 each): 180

• 2505 points 17 KP  69 Infantry 2 speeders 9 Bikers

9 Cyclone Missile Launchers (18 shots, 7 different targets)

12 Hvy Bolters (36 shots, 5 different targets)

8 Melta guns, 2 multi meltas (10 shots, 8 different targets)

Close Combat...ah...Logan? Swift Claws...though not really their bag in this list.

**Of course in the list CC is not what your after. I would prefer a unit fall back or die in opponents CC phase to open up my shooting.

**Mulling over how the list will run on the table, I ponder what will give me trouble and what would I target first if I were the enemy? Descent of Angels Blood Angel (DoA BA's) would give me trouble as they could drop right in and shoot up the largest threat first..probably the plasma cannon long fang squads. Also, armies with extreme speed that, if they got the jump on me, could get to my troops in CC before I had a chance to shoot them down, or get multiple late turn objective grabs...Dark Eldar, Eldar, Shunting GK Interceptors, etc. How do we deal with this?

                       

Without going into  a full tactical article ( I have a few sneaky plays up my sleeve) and just address it in the list itself. First, let's change out the psychic powers on the Rune Priest from JoWW and Murderous Hurricane to JoWW and Tempest's Wrath.

Jaws of the World Wolf allow me to use the flexible mobility of the bike riding Rune Priest in the best of ways. That maneuverability will help me line up the best 24" lines I can. I also can bet a Rune Priest on a bike with JoWW is not something many players have faced and may give some players fits. If this effects their movement phase and/or decision making process....all the better.

Tempest's Wrath works like this: Test at beginning of SW player's turn. All skimmers, jet bikes, jump packers, and models entering play via Deep Strike that finish their move within 24" of the Rune Priest treat all terrain as BOTH difficult and dangerous.  This will mitigate the types of units that will cause problems for my infantry lists. While the psychological factor of risking damage to their units causes my opponent to hopefully play tentative the actual result may result in additional casualties and/or immobilizations. Keep in mind a couple other things. Per the SW FaQ, disembarking from a transport will not cause additional dangerous terrain tests...but running, assaulting, falling back, or consolidating will. In other words, I want those Deep striking terminators or BA's to stay in a nice little template sized shape, etc.

The change to powers is also beneficial for two reasons. First the two powers  don't compete with each other in the shooting phase. They also don't generally compete with each other for use versus the same opponent either. For example,  Tempast's wrath is meant to deal with Deep Striking units, skimmers, jet bikes, etc. Most of the time these unit types have average or better initiative, JoWW works best with units that have medium/low initiative. I find the armies with lower initiative have fewer jump packs, deep strike ability.

Also Tempest's Wrath is rolled for at beginning of SW player turn and lasts a full turn. So if casted Tempest's Wrath say turn 1, in turn 2 the SW player gains the effect of the power in their opponents movement phase and the SW player can then cast JoWW...so in a single game turn two you benefit from both powers...and so on.

Ok, now that we have thrown a glitch into those problem units, what else? Well I dislike having all my eggs in one basket. So let's look at spreading out the Plasma cannon love. If I was a TeQ army or BA DoA's list...I would definitely take that unit out pronto.

Here is what we have:

• Long Fangs: #6 (Sgt + 5 Long fangs)(90), 5 Heavy Bolters (25) : 115
• Long Fangs: #6 (Sgt + 5 Long fangs)(90), 5 Heavy Bolters (25) : 115
• Long Fangs: #6(Sgt + 5 Long fangs) (90), 5 Plasma Cannons (100) : 190

Let's mix it up a bit...though I do like the all Hvy Bolters in a single squad...they have a nice singularity of purpose that makes deploying and firing them easier. But the plasma cannon squad is vulnerable to being neutered by concentrated fire.

Thus:

• Long Fangs: #6 (Sgt + 5 Long fangs)(90), 3 Heavy Bolters (15), 2 Plasma Cannons (40) : 145
• Long Fangs: #6 (Sgt + 5 Long fangs)(90), 3 Heavy Bolters (15), 2 Plasma Cannons (40) : 145
• Long Fangs: #6 (Sgt + 5 Long fangs)(90), 3 Heavy Bolters (15), 2 Plasma Cannons (40) : 145

I like this much better, it give me 6 plasma cannons over 5, I only lose one hvy bolter. Points wise though it increased 15 points...bumping me up to 2520

What else would be hard to handle with this list? Well, while my ability to take out medium armor is pretty good. Quite a few S8 shots in the list, but it's a little weak versus heavy armor.  The wolf scouts are meant to attack the back lines. The swift claws armor popping falls into what I would call "the bonus round" as with BS3....well cannot really rely on them over much.  Let's add multi meltas to the speeders at 10pts each..........up to 2540  This means something has to go. I am leaning on the third set of wolf scouts. This would save me 85 points. 2540 - 85 = 2455. 45 points to play with. Back to the drawing board for a minute.

List so far:

• Logan (275)
• Rune Priest: (100), Jaws, Tempest's Wrath, Chooser of the Slain (10), Bike (35) : 145

• Wolf Guard: Troops, #5 (90), 1 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (15, 30) : 135
• Wolf Guard: Troops, #5 (90), 1 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (15, 30) : 135
• Wolf Guard: Troops, #5 (90), 1 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (15, 30) : 135
• Wolf Guard: Troops, #5 (90), 1 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (15, 30) : 135
• Wolf Guard: Troops, #5 (90), 1 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (15, 30) : 135
• Wolf Guard: Troops, #10 (180), 2 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (30, 60), 3 combi-meltas (15) : 285

• Wolf Scouts: #5(75), melta gun (10) : 85 (combi melta WG)
• Wolf Scouts: #5(75), melta gun (10) : 85 (combi melta WG)

• Swift Claws: #3(75), melta (10), MM AB (40), Melta Bombs (20) : 145
• Swift Claws: #3(75), melta (10), MM AB (40) : 125
• Typhoon Pattern Land Speeder: w/ Multi Melta (100 each): 200

• Long Fangs: #6 (Sgt + 5 Long fangs)(90), 3 Heavy Bolters (15), 2 Plasma Cannons (40) : 145
• Long Fangs: #6 (Sgt + 5 Long fangs)(90), 3 Heavy Bolters (15), 2 Plasma Cannons (40) : 145
• Long Fangs: #6 (Sgt + 5 Long fangs)(90), 3 Heavy Bolters (15), 2 Plasma Cannons (40) : 145
• 2455 points

16 KP  63 Infantry 2 speeders 9 Bikers

9 Cyclones, 7 melta, 4 multi melta, 9 Hvy bolter, 6 plasma cannons

** Well, I can lose that chooser of the slain now...that saves another ten points. I also need one less WG to join to wolf scouts that will save another 5 points for un used combi melta...Give us 60pts

Options I would consider:

1. Add MM speeder or add another Typhoon pattern with HB/HB or HB/HF

2. Add 4 sets of terminator armor to increase individual squad durability

3. Drop one Land speeder and use points to grab a second Rune Priest to run with second set of swift claws. This one would have: JoWW, Murderous Hurricane, bike, and either chooser or melta bomb.

Well.....this one is a bit tougher for me.  However, If I return to maximizing the models that I have currently...I can eliminate option 1 and 2 as the would require additional purchases.

So, the finished product:

• Logan (275)
• Rune Priest: (100), Jaws of the World Wolf, Tempest's Wrath, Bike (35) : 135
• Rune Priest: (100), Jaws of the World Wolf, Murderous Hurricane, melta bomb (5): 140

• Wolf Scouts: #5(75), melta gun (10) : 85 (combi melta WG)
• Wolf Scouts: #5(75), melta gun (10) : 85 (combi melta WG)

• Wolf Guard: Troops, #5 (90), 1 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (15, 30) : 135
• Wolf Guard: Troops, #5 (90), 1 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (15, 30) : 135
• Wolf Guard: Troops, #5 (90), 1 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (15, 30) : 135
• Wolf Guard: Troops, #5 (90), 1 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (15, 30) : 135
• Wolf Guard: Troops, #5 (90), 1 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (15, 30) : 135
• Wolf Guard: Troops, #10 (180), 2 WG w/Term armor and cyclone ML (30, 60), 2 combi-meltas (10) : 280

• Swift Claws: #3(75), melta (10), MM AB (40), Melta Bombs (20) : 145
• Swift Claws: #3(75), melta (10), MM AB (40) : 125
• Typhoon Pattern Land Speeder: w/ Multi Melta 100
• Long Fangs: #6 (Sgt + 5 Long fangs)(90), 3 Heavy Bolters (15), 2 Plasma Cannons (40) : 145
• Long Fangs: #6 (Sgt + 5 Long fangs)(90), 3 Heavy Bolters (15), 2 Plasma Cannons (40) : 145
• Long Fangs: #6 (Sgt + 5 Long fangs)(90), 1 Heavy Bolters (5), 2 ML (20), 2 Las Cannons (50) : 165
• Total:  2500

I used the last 20 points to make a last minute change to the third long fang squad. Logan may well hang with this squad or the two cyclone toting WG squad and give tank hunter or relentless, depending.

I feel this list can handle almost anything. It is not hamstrung by dawn of war as only two units in the list will be unable to fire when moving on board (could move all game for that matter), or when kept in reserve (Logan with a long fang for relentless).

So, does this infantry list cover what I think an infantry list should?

• Durability...check
• Redundancy...check
• Plenty of anti mech...check
• Plenty of anti infantry...check
• Ability to move and remain effective at range...check
• Redundant forward elements...check
• Good CC ability....eh, 1/2 a check
• Able to scale up and down with different point levels...check

Thanks for the read,

BDS