Intro to 40K: List Building pt 3 – Themed List

Picture: Librarium Online

This is perhaps my favorite kind of list to play as I’m a very cinematic gamer.  I love setting up huge game boards with all kinds of terrain that tells a story, not just haphazardly thrown on the table.  My most enjoyable games are usually when one side or another is functioning at a disadvantage so as to tell a story and create a dramatic scene to be battled out.  I guess that’s why I’m a writer.

How does this apply to my 40K playing?   That’s a very good question to be asking right about now.  Well one form of list building that some people enjoy, either as a main type of list building or simply as a break from the ultra spammy “net” list we see on all the blogs and websites around, is the themed list.  This style of list building is based around some core concept that dictates your unit selection and builds.

Some great sources for themes for your army are fluff, play style, a specific element or unit type from your codex, a favorite novel, or a movie perhaps.  Let me explain what “fluff” is in case you’re wondering.  Fluff is a geek term referring to the back-story or narrative about a specific army or unit.  It’s what makes the Space Wolf chapter of the Space Marines different from the Raven Guard or Imperial Fists.  It’s basically one of the things that make you like one chapter or army over another in gaming.

Again we’ll be using a 1500 point Codex: Space Marine list for our Theme.  This time we’ll look at an Alpha Strike style army based on the Raven Guard chapter.  An “Alpha Strike” is when you are in combat or doing immense damage to your opponent on the very first turn, ideally, before they are able to go.

Space Marine “Alpha Strike” Theme List

Headquarter

Shadow Captain Kayvaan Shrike

Troops

Scout Squad

10 man, Close Combat Weapons, Melta Bombs

Scout Squad

10 man, Close Combat Weapons, Powerfist

Scout Squad

10 man, Close Combat Weapons, Combi-Melta, Power Fist

Elite

Sternguard

7 man, Melta Gun 2x’s, Combi-Melta 5x’s, Melta Bombs, Drop Pod

Sternguard

7 man, Melta Gun 2x’s, Combi-Melta 5x’s, Melta Bombs, Drop Pod

Fast Attack

Assault Troops

10 man, Flamer 2x’s, Thunder Hammer

Landspeeder Typhoon

Typhoon Missile Launchers, Heavy Bolter

Landspeeder Typhoon

Typhoon Missile Launchers, Heavy Bolter

Photo: Kofler.dot.at

The either much loved or much hated Captain Shrike fills our HQ slot.  Admittedly a named character in a 1500 pt game is usually a bad idea, here however we’re taking Shrike because he allows you to infiltrate with one unit as well as he is the 3^rd Co. Captain for the Raven Guard.  He will be paired with the Assault squad and infiltrated right at the 18” range from your opponent’s front lines.

The controversially useful SM Scouts are taking up three of our troop selections as again the infiltration ability comes in handy here.  They also will be infiltrated 18” away from enemy lines, however make sure to use your pre-game scout move to get them 12” away to assure the first turn assault.  The added ability to shoot with the bolt pistols is a plus when it comes to thinning down the ranks you are assaulting.  This will help make up for the WS3 the scouts have.  While a lot of marine players poo poo on scouts, I once doubted the CC (Close Combat) set up as well until the day cam they outflanked and wiped out my entire Assault squad with Chaplain.  On the charge (which you should get) you are attacking with 30+ attacks form each squad.

Initial mass attacks and damage is essential in this army list.  When your guys are in CC they can’t be shot and with large numbers and melta bombs, krak grenades, power fists, and the thunder hammer all over combined with melta you have tons of anti-mech firepower.  Your ant-horde comes through the sheer number of attacks you’ll be putting out, the rapid fire of Sternguard, and the blast templates and heavy bolter shots from the Land Speeders will be laying down.

The elite slots have two identical Sternguard Veteran squads in drop pods.  While they can lay down the law with their rapid firing special ammunition bolters.  With all the melta fire they cal throw down, these units will be your most effective anti-mech units.  The first squad drops immediately turn one to blast a unit off the table, and the second unit will drop in from reserve anywhere on the table could use.

Fast attack options are the Assault Squad that will be infiltrating with Shrike.  They have two flamers to do heavy damage on the shooting phase while they close with the opponents.  The thunder hammer and combined with the squads krak grenades allow for anti-mech should they need it, however the squad should focus on mid level units and infantry since you have flamers and Shrikes lightning claws.

Photo: Abdul Kadir

The Typhoon Land Speeders are great for two reasons.  First as a fast skimmer they can move 6” and still fire all their weapons at full strength which allows you two S8 Krak missiles plus the Heavy Bolter.  Optionally they can move 12” (making any assaults on the unit hit only on a 6) and still fire all their weapons because the Typhoon missile launchers can also fire two frag missiles at S4 blast, which makes it a defensive weapon, which can always fire.  The land speeders are also valuable for contesting last minute objectives.

There no heavy support choices because traditionally the Raven Guard are more inclined to precision strikes using infantry more often than heavy tanks, though they do take advantage of their resources should the need arise.  Also with this list I wanted to focus on the alpha strike, so most heavy support choices wouldn’t necessarily be able to hit first turn guaranteed.  Also the fluff of this list is a heavily close combat oriented alpha strike rather than the typical Imperial Guard style artillery alpha strike.

So there you have it ladies and gents!  Second list is in the bag.  Thoughts on the alpha strike marine theme list? Have at it!