Topic: 1850pt Armored Company

[spunkybass]

For me, one of the best things about the new codex is the new HQ Tank Commander. It's a great opportunity to field a 'proper' armored company. I've tried this out twice. First against a Chaos army with 2 FMCs (barely won that), and again with a Deldar army (narrowly won, but better result compared to the Chaos twin-FMC list). I think I can still probably tweak this some more. Your thoughts are welcome:

HQ:
Tank Commander - in Vanquisher - lascannon, heavy bolter sponsons
Vanquisher - lascannon, heavy bolter sponsons
Exterminator - w 3 heavy bolters

TROOPS:
Vets in Chimera w multilaser and hull heavy bolter
Vets in Chimera w mulitlaser and hull heavy flamer

HEAVY SUPPORT:
Leman Russ squadron (I call this the Assault Squadron):
Executioner - hull, heavy bolter, sponson PCs
Punisher - hull lascannon, sponson PCs (would have preferred hull HB, but it's modeled that way)
Demolisher - w 3 heavy bolters

Leman Russ squadron:
3 Leman Russ - no sponsons

Hydra - w camo netting

[commissar_bob]

Over all i like it.  I might try to add a hellhound or something silly for the guy that deepstrikes behind you ..at least in the local meta ..everyone has that 1 unit that does it

[Caustic]

Looking at your list, I feel like you might have skimped a bit too much on Troops. You may have difficulty holding objectives against a savy opponent who is going to be directing his anti-infantry firepower at your Vets the moment they attempt to step out since they are the only viable target in this list.

HQ:
Tank Commander - in Vanquisher - lascannon, heavy bolter sponsons
Vanquisher - lascannon, heavy bolter sponsons
Exterminator - w 3 heavy bolters

HEAVY SUPPORT:
Leman Russ squadron (I call this the Assault Squadron):
Executioner - hull, heavy bolter, sponson PCs
Punisher - hull lascannon, sponson PCs (would have preferred hull HB, but it's modeled that way)
Demolisher - w 3 heavy bolters

Leman Russ squadron:
3 Leman Russ - no sponsons

Hydra - w camo netting

A couple things here - it seems strange to me to have large squadrons of Leman Russes with different configurations rolling around. Granted this is mitigated with the Tank Commander for that one squadron, but then what happens if you don't pass your Ld. test? Wasted firepower.

I'd recommend splitting your squadrons into 2s instead of 3s to make your army more flexible and less wasteful. Something like this:

HQ:
Tank Commander - in Vanquisher - lascannon, multimelta sponsons
Vanquisher - lascannon, multimelta sponsons

Knight Commander Pask - in Executioner hull heavy bolter sponson plasma cannons
Executioner - hull heavy bolter, sponson plasma cannons

HEAVY SUPPORT:
Leman Russ Squadron:
Punisher - hull heavy bolter, sponson heavy bolters
Punisher - hull heavy bolter, sponson heavy bolters

Leman Russ Squadron:
Battle Tank - hull heavy bolter
Battle Tank - hull heavy bolter

Hydra Squadron:
Hydra - hull Heavy Flamer, Camo Netting
Hydra - hull Heavy Flamer, Camo Netting

In this arrangement, you have guaranteed Preferred Enemy on your Plasma Russes and don't have to depend on orders to not waste your firepower (instead they are nice to have but not vital). You also don't have to deal with snap shooting sponsons on Ordnance Russes. Not sure how the points compare, but I'm sure they are pretty close. Your Hydras should be less vulnerable to flyer first strikes as well.

[spunkybass]

Thanks. That's a really interesting idea. I'll need to match that with my current collection and try it out.

[Kaiju Senso]

I was also a little confused by the combinations of Russ is your squadrons. Is there any reason for it or is it just the models you have? Heavy bolters on the Vanquishers for example seem odd as well. Caustic's interpretations make sense, double up everything so you can have more units firing with similar weapons to destroy what they're good against.

Also, two bare bones troops look fairly weak in this point level so unless they are hiding off the table for as long as they can, I'm not sure how they will survive the entire game to hold an objective. You might need to pull a Russ or two to get more men to get dug in.

[spunkybass]

Yes, you got it right. This is based on the models I have. I can swap around turrets and hulls. Outside of this list, I do have another las/plas hull, a 3xheavy bolter hull and a las/heavy bolter hull; as well as 2 Demolisher and 3 standard Russ turrets. I believe I do have the sponson multimelta bits somewhere, so I can make those conversions as well. I really like the suggestions, and will definitely try it out.

Yes, the 2 barebone troops (I call em naked) are extremely fragile. I do try to keep em off table for as long as possible, then they come sneaking in behind the AV14. In the game vs the Chaos FMC list, only 1 (ONE!) Guardsman was left alive, barely clawing in the win. In the game vs Deldar, both squads survived intact. One squad in fact also scored Linebreaker, with their Chimera making a hail Mary deep into enemy territory to disembark, cleanse and capture an objective. The other squad was kinda of safely tucked in behind ruins to capture another objective. However, if that game had another turn, both squads would have been toast. I'll go back and see what I can do to beef up the infantry escort. Maybe Taurox as transports can help me save some points.

Again, thank guys ...