Topic: Tactics against 1k sons?

[Stratovadis]

Hi!
Im having a battle agains 1k sons next Thursday, we´re playing at 1250pts. I´m using steel legion guard (mech infantry). So, what do you recommend to take weapon wise against them (sure, the Leman Russ BT is a must)

Thanks in advance

[Koonitz]

No, the Battle Tank is not a must. TWO BATTLE TANKS are a must. Take Missile Launchers in whatever Guard squads you have, Power Fists (PWeapons are useless. "WHOO! I DID A WOUND!" "Only one more to go until you kill one!" "Crap!"), and Meltaguns. Plasma guns are about as useless as power weapons. "I did a wound!" *still waiting to remove a model*
Target their Anti-Tank first and foremost. This will most likely include either a Dreadnought or a Predator Annihilator. Any other Anti-Tank won't be too much of a threat against your Battle Tanks (Bolt of Change requires a 6 to glance AV14).
If you know they'll use an indirect Defiler, consider an indirect Basilisk to counter it instead of the second Battle Tank.
Less Infantry would be good against this army. Less Infantry means more points on more Tanks.
If they have a Daemon Prince, then Plasma and LasCannons may play a good role If they have a Lord of Change.... Tie it up in close combat before it gets to your tanks!

I know these, as know the Thousand Sons army pretty well. I haven't PLAYED one yet, as I don't have models painted, but I know their "paper-stat-wise" strengths and weaknesses. Their primary weaknesses were covered in my statement:
-S8 Instant Death
-Little to no Anti-Tank. What they do have is very concentrated and easily removed.

[Stratovadis]

I made a list, we changed the point size to 1300pts, so I want to ask, is this too much for his army? Is it beardy?

Doctrines:
As steel legion: conscripts, storm troopers, ratlings, mechanized, xeno fighters:orks (just using them for the theme of the army)

*hq*
-Senior officer with: PF, plasma pistol, carapace armour, trademark item
4 guards, one of them carries a plasmagun, and another a meltagun
All imounted in a chimera with a multilaser and HB
total: 210pts

*troops*
-1st platoon
Junior Officer with: Power weapon, laspistol
the retinue has a missile launcher, a meltagun and a plasmagun
All mounted on a chimera with multilaser and HB

-1st squad
10 guards, 1 missile launcher, meltagun
Mounted in chimera

-2nd squad
10 guards, 1 missile launcher, meltagun
Mounted in chimera

total= 505pts

-Armored fist
10 guards, missile launcher, meltagun
mounted in chimera
total= 170pts

*Heavy support*
-2 leman russ BT, hull HB
-1 basilisk with indirect fire paid
total= 415pts

1300pts there

[Skankin_Catachan]

does it have to be mechanised for this battle? if not, drop the tanks, add the veteran doctrine and take 3 vet squads with 3 meltaguns each. also, special weapon teams with meltaguns a demo charges are a must. a single demo charge lays waste to a whole squad of thousand sons.

[gastav]

I think having plasma gun, melta gun and missle launcher in the same squad is waste of points. Melta guns have 12" range and they assault weapon. You move with them, but missle launcher is a static heavy weapon. You just stay and shoot! Power fists are also not exactly good against thousand son, because they have T 4, so no insta kill and when you will come in HtH you will die probably changed to a spawn by imperial weapon!
The best tactics against thousand sons is just firing lots of S8+ weapons. I have massacred a thousand son army on the last tournament with classic three tank combo (LR tank, Demolisher and indirect fire Basilisk) with cooperation of missle launcher and lascannon anti-tank teams. The toughest thing in TS army are Terminators - with two wounds each they are hard to kill. Especially effective is the combined thrall terminator combo - all the ap 2 hits are assigned to thralls and all the other to termies. In 1300 points there should be no termies, but the marine thrall combo works too. Just hold your ground and try to stop rhinos. After that just shoot the termies with battle cannons and missle launchers. Do not allow them to come in close range. They shoot with bolters to devastating effect for guard, and the sorcerers will then use Wind of chaos and Gift of chaos which are deadly.