AekoldHelbrass

If you're a fan of these guys have you tried 10 reavers with 2 melta and 8 combi-plasma in a pod? That's great idea, will definitely try it out.

I can completely agree with that. But hitting on 6 only is way more risky for me. And for some reason I forgot it, but Reavers can take a plasma gun for every 5 bodies, which gives them more punch for 30 points less. Yes, clearer now. But terminators do not give a good punch, meaning they will be much more effective standing on the table in packs of 10 instead. Yes, that was exactly my point. You're buying double master of signals to arrive on turn 2, which means they cannot guide drop pods arriving on turn 2. And as you said yourself - there is only 12% chance of not arriving during turn 2, which means you'll have no drop pods left after turn 2 to make master of signals useful. Too many variables, not very hard for your opponent to break that plan. On the other hand, having master of signals deployed during turn 1 somewhere on the table and fire the first turn would be way more useful, and give you a possibility to put a pod nearby. What always strikes me in SoH, is that how much everyone overestimates banestrike bolters. That's easily the most overestimated weapon in whole HH, even more so than moritat with double plasma. I'm already commited to Orbital Assault list, and I've tried a lot of different combinations, so I know for sure which ones do not work, and there are some things that worked well for me: 1. Tactical support in pod, using plasma guns. Yes that will cost A LOT, but nowadays every army has a problem facing 2+, and this unit can wipe out 5-man cataphractii unit during turn 1. That is suicidal unit because enemy will throw everything onto them during his turn. 2. Tactical support in pod, using flamers. Very underestimated. Situational unit, they are comparatively cheap (they are really really cheap when comparing to other tactical support options) if your opponent has a closely packed unit you can teach him a good lesson, good placement of templates means that almost every model gets 4-8 hits, and 10-man 3+ squad can be wiped out completely during turn 1. Again, suicidal unit because enemy would be really angry. 3. Moritat (double plasma pistol) + minimal Destroyers with 2 phospex bombs, drop pod, nothing else. Give you possibility to hurn terminators even more, costs a ton but usually less killy than 10-man plasma tactical support. Mostly that is fire magnet, because Moritat is so overestimated, and second Phospex bomb draws attention even more. 4. Dreadnought with Flamestorm and Heavy Flamer, drop pod. Rules are a bit vague here, looking at book 1 Orbital Assault it looks like you can give a Dreadnought simplest drop pod, no need to give him expensive legion pod. But negotiate that with your opponent first. Try making really long barell for flamestorm cannon, and it will be able to wipe 6-7 models, heavy flamer will try to do the rest but usually not good enough. Giving enemy another fire magnet on the table. 5. 10 man strong Cataphractii unit + Primus Medicae in Cataphractii armour, holding objective in your deployment zone fron turn 1 instead of arriving from reserve. Almost guaranteed objective holder and guaranteed that you will not be wiped out from the table on any turn. I usually give them all kinds of weapons, totaling in 400 points, but most important is magnetized hands for autocannons/plasma blasters. Other than that list, nothing worked really well so far. Tactical marines are quite expensive for drop pod, their strength is in horde of 20. Reavers with banestrikes are complete failure, cost a metric ton and killing only couple of bodies more than tactical. Reavers with close combat weapons are effective, usually too effective for enemy to try and charge them, so they get shot. I have to try not exiting the pod and have to try dreadclaw, probably that will make them work better. Justaerin are so expensive, I still want to take them, but wasn't able to make them work so far. Contemptors in drop pods are fire magnet, they rarely survive more than 1 turn, when they do they have some punch, and can distract your opponent attention from other incoming drop pods, but still... So yes, I'm still strugling to make pure SoH list work as orbital assault, because 40k can use MSU tactics to minimize my damage, and other legions usually do not see any problems in anything I'm dropping on the table. WE having 80 berzerkers for barealy 1000 points will ignore almost any damage and will make sure I will not be able to shoot with any weapons during next turn, Iron Warriors if the player has enough money can bring 3 squadrons of 3 vehicles each in 1200pts, having enough ordnance and plasma to wipe out anything that will arrive in pods, and there are not enough plasma in pods to do something about it. Probably Deathstorm pod can do something about it, but I haven't tried yet.

Sorry to crush your plans, but I do not beileve it will work as you expect... Here's why: Yes, on 6 only. Does not compute with "minimal upgrades" you mentioned earlier. Also banestrikes, while costing pretty much, will give you barely 0.83 more wounds than no banestrikes. I would prefer combi-plasma. You lost me here. How many dreadclaws do you expect to have? Considering I do not want to take allies, there are only 4 elite slots and only 3 fast attack slots, so that will be 3 dreadclaws max, maybe 4th for justaerin, right? Which gives you 2 on the first turn. Which gives you 10 models shooting from bolters? It is hard to get in range on the first turn, and after arriving from deep strike you cannot charge. As already mentioned - you cannot charge after arriving from reserve. Orbital bombardment is ordnance, you cannot fire it if you moved. Model has to be on the table to use Vox, which means that 2 of your remaining pods have really high chance arriving on turn 2, leaving vox useless on turn 3. And as always, charging is not possible. I'd say that with this plan, there is a really high chance that you was already blown from table on turn 1 or turn 2, and even if you were not - you paid premium price for ok units. If you were facing WE army - evey one of your squads would be charged by 20 berzerkers the turn they arrived, and Red Butchers will be hunting whoever is left alive on the table. If you were facing fluffy Iron Warriors - most of your terminators and drop pods would be inscinerated by predators and medusas, which he can fit 9 in single FOC. If you were facing Alpha Legion - there is a high chance that he will be completely in outflank, leaving you alone on the table, taking away all of your "tip of the spear" advantages. So I agree with what some people wrote above, SoH sound really good, but it will be really hard to play for their advantages, and when you will try to maximize it - you will lose everything that makes them unique, because any other legion can do the same and probably more. I'm still gathering what would and what would not work myself, but couple of common ideas are starting to appear.

I actually tried exactly that in one of my games, and will never bring it back to the table. Luckily I glued them with CCW. Just imagine, 4 squads of Reavers, full of banestrikes, falling in pods. Total of 1260pts. We will assume that all of them are getting into rapid fire range, which is almost never true on good gaming tables. 80 shots - 52.8 hits - 26.4 wounds - 4.4 are dead from banestrike, another 7.3 dead after armour saves. Which means that you've killed barely 12 models in total, giving the spread of pods - most probably 3-4 models in 3-4 units. Opponent's turn you're getting shot and assaulted, meaning you cannot use those expensive bolters any more. Identical setup with simple tactical marines will cost only 820pts (or 900 if you will give everyone CCW in addition), and will be able to kill somewhere about 8.8 marines. I've tried that also, and I can tell you for sure that those 3 additional dead bodies are not worth 360-440 points. Now I prefer to drop a combination of tacticals, heavy and special support (special support with flamers makes it hard to place all flamer templates properly, but as a result can wipe out a squad of marines completely).

Now when we see FW Lorgar, you can be proud that yours is way better!

Tutorial Request: Type: Sculpting Race: Chaos Space Marines Details: The Chaos Lord's Handbook has broken link to GW tutorial "sculpting tormented faces into armor". Does anyone has this tutorial saved or can show how to do it simple way?

How do you think, will you be able to release second Rhino trim before arrival of new CSM? Because after new CSM most of us will be low on money...