Primaris troops choices

[NatBrannigan]

This has been kind of looked at elsewhere since the new codex dropped (and I know we're still waiting on a supplement), but what are people thinking looks good for Fists troops choices? I'm working on a 2000pt list using 2 Battalions but still want to take some goodies as well. Hamstringing myself by using only Primaris (and Centurions, but they're big enough to look right in the same army) units as well.

 

Plenty of options with the 3 different flavours of Intercessors, Incursors and Infiltrators and my original thoughts were 1 or 2 five man units of Stalker Intercessors and 4 five man units of Bolt Rifle Intercessors, but now I'm not so sure...

 

Stalkers gain the benefit of the Heavy Doctrine straight away and seem great for sitting in the deployment zone.

Auto Bolt-Rifles have more shots so more chances to roll a 6

Infiltrators after the FAQ though seem flat out made for Fists. Each 6 counts as 2 hits and because they both count as a 6 for other rules purposes they're both auto wounding. I know they're pricey but that's nice.

 

So what are people going for or considering? 5 or 10 man units? Or are scouts still so appealing here that a Primaris size conversion is worth thinking about?

[DesSaboteur]

I have not had a lot of time to test out lists types and theories but here are some notes I have considered.

 

If you are going to take a primaris troop choice than the Infiltrator is the way to go, look to the recent discussion on infiltrators and a chapter master to see why. The infiltrator weapon auto wounds on a roll of a six and the FAQ introduced last weekend clarified that when the IF and CF chapter tactic generates a second hit roll from a six than the second hit roll is also a six. Meaning that for every six you roll with a infiltrator it creates to wounds automatically.  Infiltrators are the most expensive troops choice at 22pt but this rule advantage makes that cost more bearable.

 

I have also taken a hard look at Stalker Rifles for sitting on a home objective, they have the range to cover a broad area and can provide some key firepower in certain situations.

 

For a general troops choice i believe the Tactical is now the go to, at 12 points a model they can be brought to the board cheaply and have flexibility that the other troop choices dont have. but if you want a squad of cheap infiltrators or camo clocks then the humble scout is still a great option.

 

I know the go to for many lists is to run 5 man squads, but i personally prefer to bring 10 men squads to both deploy faster and if i need to combat squad i can. This would include splitting a 10 man stalker squad into two 5 man if i have multiple objectives to hold

 

Overall i aim to have at least 40 troop choices on the field as i find this creates enough staying power to last the game

[Ishagu]

Infiltrators are amazing as Imperial Fists.

Every roll of a 6 to hit is two automatic wounds on anything.

 

Also the unit is fantastic in general.

 

 

Beyond those Intercessors with various bolt rifles are always going to be a top choice.

Reece from FLG (high level playtester) was saying in a podcast yesterday that the Fists are going to be the Chapter with some of the highest damage output of the bunch.

[Lemondish]

Infiltrators are amazing as Imperial Fists.

Every roll of a 6 to hit is two automatic wounds on anything.

 

Also the unit is fantastic in general.

 

 

Beyond those Intercessors with various bolt rifles are always going to be a top choice.

Reece from FLG (high level playtester) was saying in a podcast yesterday that the Fists are going to be the Chapter with some of the highest damage output of the bunch.

That will be interesting to see.

 

I imagine it's probably due to the Devastator Doctrine bonus they'll run, if I'm going to wildly speculate. That or some kind of insane siege related bonus in tactical.

Edited September 5, 2019 by Lemondish

[jeremy1391]

I like intercessors, rapid fire strat on a 10 man squad backed by captain/LT can put out crazy shots!

[NatBrannigan]

I know Ishagu is a fan of the 10 man squads as well, but it's a lot of points when running a dual Battalion... Finding myself losing out on anything that might actually scratch a high toughness units. I'm a greedy man and want to fun stuff as well! Repulsor loaded with Aggressors, couple of squads of Centurions. Very quickly run out of points if you start off with 3 or 4, 10 man troops units.

 

Never have this problem with my Guard :P

 

Really like the look of a Phobos Captain and Lieutenant buffing in my backfield while also buffing Infiltrators further forward. I know you lose the chapter master / Infiltrator fishing for 6's combo but it's still quite cool and very thematic.

[Ishagu]

If you don't want to have squads that rely on strats to reach max effectiveness it's best to run Intercessors with Auto Bolt rifles. More shots = more chances to get a 6

[NatBrannigan]

Well that makes a lot of sense.

 

I like the look of 2x 10 man Infiltrator squads, so might fill the rest with 3x 5 man Auto Intercessors and 1x 5 man Stalker Intercessors.

 

Loathe to drop either the Heavy Bolter Centurions (because Imperial Fists so...) or the Lascannon Centurions (because they're the only anti-tank in the list, except maybe the Repulsor).

 

Toys over boys, probably not the best idea...

[Lemondish]

Well that makes a lot of sense.

 

I like the look of 2x 10 man Infiltrator squads, so might fill the rest with 3x 5 man Auto Intercessors and 1x 5 man Stalker Intercessors.

 

Loathe to drop either the Heavy Bolter Centurions (because Imperial Fists so...) or the Lascannon Centurions (because they're the only anti-tank in the list, except maybe the Repulsor).

 

Toys over boys, probably not the best idea...

 

With the right specialist detachment, those Bolter cents can be a good source of AT as well. With 6 bolter Cents (which are cheaper), you have 36 HB shots, with full reroll 32 hits + 8 sixes = 40 total. With reroll 1s to wound its about 15 saves at -2 with 8 mortal wounds. Hurricane bolters generate 72 shots -> 80 hits -> 16 mortal wounds, 16 saves to t8, 31 save to t7.

[Happy-inquisitor]

A good topic for discussion even if it is early days in terms of experience on the table - and of course things could change a lot when we get a codex supplement. My initial thoughts are

 

Intercessors

 

A toolbox troops unit with the ability to take some nice close combat upgrades on the sarge Sargent. The least expensive Primaris to fill out your detachments for lots of CP which is good because they also have the most stratagems they might want to use.

 

Stalker bolt rifles - ideal for units camping objectives in your backfield especially if you plan on staying in Devastator Doctrine for most of the game.

Auto bolt rifles - top choice for chaff clearance

Bolt rifles - slightly caught in the middle and only really lifted out of mediocrity by the rapid fire stratagem

 

 

Infiltrators

 

A hard counter to GSC shenanigans or anything similar (Da Jump etc). Also with our chapter tactics can be surprisingly decent against hard targets (T8 and/or hard to hit) with support from a Chapter Master or Phobos Librarian. Expensive.

 

Incursors

 

Do in CC what infiltrators do with shooting with the gene-wrought might stratagem - will be more useful to other chapters that have better combat buffs. Shooting is reliable for ignoring penalties but very ordinary and nothing special.

[NatBrannigan]

Slightly jumping the gun before the supplement I know, but i’m excited to finally start my Fists army!

 

Not a great one for using detachments and rules from campaign books really... I’ll buy a campaign book if the campaign itself really speaks to me, but never just for some extra rules. Could just borrow a copy and photocopy the pages I want I guess... Looks like a lot of those Vigilus rules will end up in the supplement anyway so could get some anti-tank work done with Heavy Bolters... Not sure if it’s enough though.

 

If I dropped the unit of Lascannon centurions and just had a unit of 3 HB ones, I could really go to town with Intercessors. Are people finding Primaris troops worth taking in large units for more than just the Strategems? I like the look of the Bolt Rifle and Stalker strategems (never the Auto boltrifle version for Fists) but ideally I’d want my troops choices to just get on with their jobs without using all my CP’s boosting them.

[Hellebras]

I was using big units of Intercessors before the new codex, and I think they'll still work pretty well. I'd been running a big unit of Veterans with bolt rifles, and the other three squads were meant to combat squad or stay blobbed as required. 40 Intercessors running around turned out to be more useful than not, usually. Against most armies, they'd demonstrated a lot of staying power, and the Veterans were a real workhorse with Rapid Fire and Bolter Drill. I don't expect to lean on Rapid Fire as much now since there are serious options available with stratagems now, but it's still a solid choice. And even without it, you have a big unit with a lot of wounds, a lot of attacks now, and passable small arms.