Before I get into the updated list, I wanted to point out that I will have some writings coming up dealing with attack wing, how I'm hoping my fleets will go, and maybe some strategies on how I will come up and beat the borg. I will also have some fantasy updates in the near future, Just been kinda blah about all things fantasy as of late and I have yet to re-organize my massive collection.
Now, onto salamanders.
Lately I've been thinking of how to improve salamanders into a list that not only is effective, but I would have fun playing. I think after doing some playtesting with a few units this past weekend, I think I've figured out the answer for 7th edition with the models that I have access to.
I tried splashing in some GK's in a recent game against a powerful ravenwing/deathguard list, and factoring out all the randomness of the tactical objective cards, I ended up winning by a couple of points. What really impressed me was how the GK's were the ones that could handle everything that came its way, plus their presence alone meant that I could actually participate in all the phases.
Some key points. By turn 7 (yes, it went that long) I had 6 models left to his 2 (and I started out with 41 models) I had more before turn 7, but turns 6-7 were very brutal.
Cleansing flame is my new favorite spell.. Using purifiers I got it automatically and the best part was driving their rhino into a close combat, then blasting their 2d6 str 5 ap 4 ignore cover, soulblaze to help out thanks to nova's hitting every enemy unit in range regardless of being in close combat or not.
Sanctuary from the lvl 3 librarian was a blessing as I managed to get it off with enough dice that my opponent couldn't roll that many 6s to stop it. It saved at least 3 th/ss terminators from plasma death before charging into combat. The librarian thanked me by failing 2 armor saves in the ensuing melee from a close combat weapon wielding biker.. I guess he was just tired of throwing psychics everywhere and wanted to go home..
I'm not sold on GK termies in the troop slot of the allies. They might have done better if they didn't dick around til turn 4, but by the time they came down, their targets were minimal at best and even with their massive number of psybolted shots, they failed to take down their targets. They also kept me from having my full complement of psychic dice til it was almost a mute point.
The new Sally/GK alliance of burn everything!
Vulkan He'stan (HQ) @ 190 Pts
Warlord Trait: Iron Resolve; #Artificer Armour; #Gauntlet of The Forge;
#Spear of Vulkan; #Kesare's Mantle; #Digital Weapons; Bolt Pistol; Frag
Grenades; Krak Grenades; Warlord
5 Terminator Assault Squad (Elites) @ 225 Pts
Terminator Armour; Thunder Hm. & Storm Sh. (x5); Terminator Sergeant
(Character)
Ironclad Dreadnought (Elites) @ 155 Pts
Vehicle (Walker); #Smoke Launchers; #Extra Armour; Ironclad Assault
Launchers; Move Through Cover; Power Fist; Heavy Flamer; Seismic Hammer;
Meltagun
10 Tactical Squad (Troops) @ 205 Pts
Infantry; ATSKNF; Chapter Tactics; Combat Squads; Combat Squads; Power
Armour; Bolt Pistol (x9); Bolter (x7); Multi-Melta; Meltagun; Frag
Grenades; Krak Grenades
Space Marine Sergeant @ [24] Pts
(character); Close Combat Weapon (x1); Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades;
Combi-Melta (x1)
Rhino @ [35] Pts
Vehicle (Tank, Transport); Capacity: 10; Fire Points: 2; Access
Points: 3; Repair; #Searchlight; #Smoke Launchers; Storm Bolter
5 Tactical Squad (Troops) @ 95 Pts
Infantry; ATSKNF; Chapter Tactics; Power Armour; Bolt Pistol (x4); Bolter
(x3); Plasma Cannon; Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades
Space Marine Sergeant @ [24] Pts
(character); Close Combat Weapon (x1); Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades;
Combi-Melta (x1)
Attack Bike (Fast Attack) @ 55 Pts
Power Armour; TL Bolters & Bolt P. (x1); Multi-Melta (x1); Frag Grenades;
Krak Grenades; Space Marine Bike
Attack Bike (Fast Attack) @ 55 Pts
Power Armour; TL Bolters & Bolt P. (x1); Multi-Melta (x1); Frag Grenades;
Krak Grenades; Space Marine Bike
Attack Bike (Fast Attack) @ 55 Pts
Power Armour; TL Bolters & Bolt P. (x1); Multi-Melta (x1); Frag Grenades;
Krak Grenades; Space Marine Bike
Librarian (HQ) (gk) @ 235 Pts
#Terminator Armour; #Psychic Hood; #Hammerhand; Pskyer (3); Nem Warding
Staff; Storm Bolter; Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Psyk-out Grenades
5 Purifier Squad (Elites) (gk) @ 160 Pts
#Cleansing Flame; #Hammerhand; SB & Nem Force Sword (x2); Incinerator
(x2); Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Psyk-out Grenades
Keeper of the Flame @ [24] Pts
SB & Nem Force Sword; Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Psyk-out Grenades
Rhino @ [40] Pts
Vehicle (Tank, Transport); Capacity: 10; Fire Points: 2; Access
Points: 3; The Aegis; Repair; #Smoke Launchers; #Fortitude; Storm
Bolter
5 Grey Knight Strike Squad (Troops) (gk) @ 150 Pts
#Hammerhand; #Warp Quake; The Aegis; SB & Nem Force Sword (x3); Psycannon
(x1); Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Psyk-out Grenades
Justicar @ [20] Pts
SB & Nem Force Sword; Frag Grenades; Krak Grenades; Psyk-out Grenades
Rhino @ [40] Pts
Vehicle (Tank, Transport); Capacity: 10; Fire Points: 2; Access
Points: 3; The Aegis; Repair; #Smoke Launchers; #Fortitude; Storm
Bolter
Land Raider Crusader (Heavy Support) (gk) @ 270 Pts
Vehicle (Tank, Transport); Fire Points: 0; Access Points: 3; Assault
Vehicle; #Smoke Launchers; #Power of the Machine Spirit; #Frag Launchers;
Psybolt Ammunition; Pintle Multi-Melta; 2 Hurricane Bolter Sponsons; TL
Assault Cannon; Capacity: 16
Models in Army: 40
Total Army Cost: 1850
What I did was, I dropped half of the plasma tac squad, dropped the GK termies, and went bare bones with the purifiers switching the psycannons to incinerators (for firing flame templates out the rhino as they drive by aoeing) as well as limiting my psybolt ammunition purchase to the Land raider crusader as it is the one thing that will get the most use out of it.
In it's place, I added in a bare minimal strike squad with psycannon in a rhino to fill the complementary troop choice for the GK ally contingency, also adding an extra charge to my psychic pool. This brings the total of psychic dice to d6+ 8, Well under the stores limit of 10% of the points value, in this case of 1850, 18 max psychic dice a phase. This not only saved me some points, but with them also getting hammerhand automatically, they have the same close combat potential as the terminators in a pinch, minus the ability to take the hit. I can also just throw them against a character, cast force on them, and hope to punk out a character or two.
I cut the plasma squad in half, but kept the plasma cannon and the sergent mainly due to the fact that the plasma gun half never managed to really do something other than die a horrible death, and their points could have been used elsewhere. I still have 6 objective secured units on the field for when I need them.
I added in the ironclad with launchers that will walk around where it's needed spouting twin linked flame, melta and swinging its hammer, as well as if I need him to charge through terrain I wont have him striking last as well as if he gets charged denying my opponents charging bonuses, which can be huge considering the majority of armies that I have seen in my area have things like counter attack, Furious charge, etc.
I also added in 2 more Attack bikes with Multi meltas.. In this era of mobility matters, I wanted fast, Master crafted (THANKS VULKAN! :D ) melta to take down my opponents mobility. 3 might be overkill, but the way that I roll even with master crafted, It might take all 3 to take down a target. they also are fast objective grabbers for when my opponent's objective secure units are tied up elsewhere, or If I need a quick objective on the other side of the board.
I think I'll be rolling on sanctic for him from now on. As much as the other disciplines could help, sanctic just seems like it has more bang for its buck, plus with rolling 3 dice, I'm more than likely going to get one of the 3 spells I want from the lore, Sanctuary, Gate, Vortex of doom.
I'll hopefully test this list out in the near future and if it starts to run smoother than during the initial test, then I should feel more confident in tournaments.
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