SW 2,500 - Pale Hunters (infantry heavy)

[VIth]

The idea is "medium threat" saturation. Between Veteran "Marksmen" and Red-Blade's rule you can outflank up to seven units. The vets can outflank and pour in firepower (probably three plasma units and one melta unit) and the HQs will all travel in the Landraider and probably outflank. The Pale Hunter's rule can proc a ton of extra attacks when multiple outflanking units charge the same units. I think target saturation will allow the list to absorb superior firepower and the vets can take out dangerous targets sans a flier. I'd love to hear your thoughts, critiques, and criticisms. Fenrys Hjolda!

 

HQ:

 

Hvarl Red-Blade (210)

 

Iron Priest: Forge Lord, TH, rad grenades, melts bombs (115)

 

Speaker: Aether armor, GFB (150)

 

Command Squad: Cataphractii armor, (2) chainfists and volkite chargers, (1) power weapon and volkite charger, grenade harness; Dedicated Transport: Landraider Phobos (421)

 

Elites:

 

Veterans (Marksmen): (3) combi-weapon, (1) special weapon; Dedicated Transport: Rhino with multi-melta (195)

 

Veterans (Marksmen): (3) combi-weapon, (1) special weapon; Dedicated Transport: Rhino with multi-melta (195)

 

Veterans (Marksmen): (3) combi-weapon, (1) special weapon; Dedicated Transport: Rhino with multi-melta (195)

 

Veterans (Marksmen): (3) combi-weapon, (1) special weapon; Dedicated Transport: Rhino with multi-melta (195)

 

Troops:

 

Grey Slayers: (2) power weapons, (1) power fist, Huscarl with Artificer Armor and GFB; Dedicated Transport: Rhino (205)

 

Grey Slayers: (2) power weapons, (1) power fist, Huscarl with Artificer Armor and GFB; Dedicated Transport: Rhino (205)

 

Grey Slayers: (2) power weapons, (1) power fist, Huscarl with Artificer Armor and GFB; Dedicated Transport: Rhino (205)

 

Grey Slayers: (2) power weapons, (1) power fist, Huscarl with Artificer Armor and GFB; Dedicated Transport: Rhino (205)

 

Total: 2,496

[Chronos Darkhelmet]

My personal opinion is that such a list is somewhat... dull :P

 

Too many small units that cannot hit hard when arriving from reserves and risk to be obliterated by opponent's fire/CC one by one without responding adequately. Personally speaking, I'm seeing that the more you have "large" units the more you get chances in Heresy games. Therefore, at least a couple of "mobs" (read maximised units) should be included.

 

Here are some suggestions:

 

1) reduce the number of outflanking Vet squads to 1-2 10-man strong with a decent amount of ranged weapons and some CC solution (e.g. 2-3 axes);

 

2) introduce a 5-man ArtA Command squad rather than 3 Termies, who can still fit in the LR with HQs increasing the atk number in CC; alternatively, you might want to consider dropping them in favour of normal Termies on Spartan (MOAR outflanking Termies!);

 

3) try to fit a different unit outflanking by itself in the list, both for the sake of variety (the "eye argument") and list flexibility - think about e.g. Outriders with special weapons, that can bring a good amount of multi-use TL firepower from unforeseen directions.

 

Just my personal thoughts for a more flexible list (btw, if you want to pass by my topic and drop your comments you're welcome!) ;)

[Jackalwolf]

Its definitely fluffy but you'll suffer in kill points missions and I would personally be unable to paint that much infantry! Then again I'm a slow bloke.

[VIth]

Thanks for the feedback! I should have pointed out: I'm totally new to Horus Heresy (but been playing 40k since 2nd ed), so input on missions, etc is very helpful. Here's an updated list based on the feedback.

 

HQ:

 

Hvarl Red-Blade (210)

 

Consul: Forge Lord, TH, rad grenades, melta bomb (115)

 

Speaker: Aether armor, GFB (150)

 

Command Squad: (3) power weapons (105)

 

Elites:

 

Veterans - Marksmen (10): (5) extra veterans, (2) power weapons, (2) special weapons, (3) combi-weapons; Dedicated Transport: Rhino with Multi-Melta (280)

 

Veterans - Marksmen (10): (5) extra veterans, (2) power weapons, (2) special weapons, (3) combi-weapons; Dedicated Transport: Rhino with Multi-Melta (280)

 

Troops:

 

Grey Slayers (10): (2) power weapons, (1) powerfist, Huscarl with Artificial Armor and GFB; Dedicated Transport: Rhino (205)

 

Grey Slayers (10): (2) power weapons, (1) powerfist, Huscarl with Artificer Armor and GFB; Dedicated Transport: Rhino (205)

 

Grey Slayers (20): (2) power weapons, (3) powerfist, Huscarl with Artificer Armor and GFB (290)

 

Grey Slayers (20): (2) power weapons, (3) powerfist, Huscarl with Artificer Armor and GFB (290)

 

Heavy Support:

 

Spartan Assault Tank: Flare Shield, Armored Ceremite (370)

 

Total: 2,500

 

Would still likely plan to outflank the vets, HQs in the Spartan, and now the two Grey Slayer blobs. Let me know what you think. (And I'd be happy to give you feedback, Chronos, though I don't know how helpful I can be given my lack of experience!)

[VIth]

Alternately, I could drop (5) Grey Slayers from each of the blobs (so (15) GS in each) and make the Command Squad into a five man squad in Cataphractii armor with (2) chainfists and (1) powerfist.

[Angmarred]

You have almost no shooting. You also have a lot of scoring. I'd drop some marines and add some shooting

[Caillum]

^ Angmarred's suggestion of reducing your Troops to buy some serious firepower is a good one. If you want to run blobs of Marines, 15 is usually plenty. I would lose the 10-man Squads completely. That's still 4 Scoring units.

 

The Spartan is probably overkill for the small squad that's going in it. Going for 5-man Command Squad and putting them in a Land Raider is advised. Also, Æther-rune armour is great on a Forge Lord as it's only 20 points.

 

This will free up your precious Heavy Support slot. You're going to want this for your anti-Tank duties.

[Chronos Darkhelmet]

Hahaha nevermind Vlth, afterall being HH based on 40k rules the stuff is always nearly the same except for some particulars that can be taken into account already by eye (e.g. unit dimensions) ;)

 

I agree with running a max of 4 solid scoring units, keeping the extra pts to include some hard-hitting choice for e.g. serious antitank (with the RoW giving +1 to ALL reserves, for instance, planes such as Lightning are totally an option) ;) Also, the rune armour on non-EW or T4 warriors is a bit a waste, being this game full of S8+ weapons ;)

[Baluc]

If you are playing AoD core missions unmodified you can likely get away with 3-4 scoring units.

 

Two outflanking vets is probably the max. You need enough threat on the board that the opposition decides to commit his forces. Otherwise they will sit in their deployment zone and take pot shots until they know where your reserves are coming and pick them off piecemeal.

 

I used Pale Hunter at Adepticon to good effect using 2 vet units, with a tough combat unit.

 

This could be bikes, or anything relatively fast, tough against shooting, and some ap 2.

 

I would actually avoid the lightning in Pale Hunter. Its primary target (spartans) will have likely done their job by the time its on the board. Pale Hunter wants to go 2nd the majority of the time. So counter units will excell. Foot leviathans or contemptors are good bets.

 

A first turn Pale Hunter and a 2nd turn Pale Hunter list would be built very differently.

[VIth]

Thank you all for the comments, especially your real-world experiences, Baluc. Here is a revised list. There are two large (20-strong) GS units plus an 18-strong assault squad with a praetor and consul.

 

The idea is to outflank Hvarl with the command squad and the veterans then some combination of the GS and/or assault squad (who could alternately deep strike). Most likely scout the Grey Slayer blobs forward, outflank Hvarl and the vets, then deep strike the assault squad.

 

HQ

 

Hvarl Red-Blade (210)

 

Praetor: paragon blade, power fist, digital lasers, aetherune armor, iron halo, jump pack (225)

 

Consul: GFB, jump pack (85)

 

Command Squad: (5) power weapons (155); dedicated transport: Landraider Phobos (250)

 

Elites:

 

Veterans - Marksmen (8): (3) extra veterans, (2) power weapons, (1) special weapon, (3) combi-weapons; Dedicated Transport: Rhino with Multi-Melta (241)

 

Veterans - Marksmen (8): (3) extra veterans, (2) power weapons, (1) special weapon, (3) combi-weapons; Dedicated Transport: Rhino with Multi-Melta (241)

 

Troops:

 

Grey Slayers (10): (2) power weapons, (1) powerfist, Huscarl with Artificial Armor and GFB; Dedicated Transport: Rhino (205)

 

Grey Slayers (20): (2) power weapons, (2) powerfist, Huscarl with Artificer Armor and GFB (280)

 

Grey Slayers (20): (2) power weapons, (2) powerfist, Huscarl with Artificer Armor and GFB (280)

 

Assault Squad (18): (8) extra, sergeant with Artificer armor, power fist, and melta bomb (309)

 

Total: 2,481

 

Still 19 points to spend. I feel like this could go with either a Bloodied Claws or Pale Hunters list. Would love some more of your feedback, which I greatly appreciate. I hope they release a Grey Hunters upgrade sprue since there aren't enough CCWs in the Calth or Prospero boxes, but if this is "good enough" I'll begin assembling and painting soon. Thanks in advance!

 

P.S. really looking forward to the praetor beat stick - running the Pale Hunters RoW would grant him 8 (paragon blade or powerfist) attacks if he charges a unit already in combat.

[Baluc]

You are super light on anti-armour.

 

I would suggest splitting up the assault sqd, dropping the Praetor to a centurion similar to what yoy have already. Probably dropping the 10 man Grey Slayers. And, using the points to get some anti-tank.

 

You could probably add something like 6 javs with those points.