I have signed up for the Caledonian Revolution tournament, taking place down in Stockport in July this year. This is a 5-game, 40k tournament using ETC missions, scoring and rulings.
I have decided that I will be taking my White Scars to the tournament. They are by far my most competitive army and I am keen to see how some of the new formations will perform in higher points games. After looking through my tournament army reviews for Rapid Fire 2015 and the more recent Stronghold V, I have put together some initial lists for my White Scars army. I have a practice game this week at the club to test one of my lists.
Scarblade Strike Force and CAD
My first army list uses the White Scars Decurion-type formation and a Combined Arms Detachment. The army consists of:
Hunting Force
Khan- Moondrakken
Command Squad- Bikes, Apothecary, 4 grav guns, 4 storm shields
6 Bikers- 2 grav guns, sergeant with meltabombs
6 Bikers- 2 grav guns, sergeant with meltabombs
Attack Bike- Multimelta
6 Scout Bikers- 2 Grenades launchers, sergeant with meltabombs and homing beacon
Stormbringer Squadron
5 Scouts- bolt pistols, combat weapons, sergeant with meltabombs
Landspeeder Storm- Heavy Bolter, Cerberus Launcher
Landspeeder- Multimelta, Typhoon Missile Launcher
Combined Arms Detachment
Librarian- Bike, Hunter's Eye, Meltabombs, Mastery Level 2, Force Sword
5 Scouts- Camo cloaks, sniper rifles
5 Scouts- Bolters, sergeant with meltabombs
Landspeeder Storm- Heavy Bolter, Cerberus Launcher
3 Bikers- 2 meltaguns, sergeant with meltabombs
3 Centurions- Grav cannons and grav amps, hurricane bolters
Drop Pod
Stormtalon- TL assault cannon, Skyhammer missile launcher
Half of this army uses the Scarblade strike force. This allows me to re-roll Hit and Run rolls (which I fail quite often) and gives me hammer of wrath bonuses if I charge over 8". The Hunting Force gives me great re-roll bonuses against certain enemy units and double hammer of wrath hits if I am over 5 models, hence the additional biker in each squad so that I can take a single casualty and still get the bonus. The Scout bike squad also gets upgraded to 6 models.
The Stormbringer squadron has combat scouts as the formation allows them to disembark if I move the Landspeeder Storm up to 12", giving them a huge threat range. It also has an anti-tank Landspeeder, a combination that proved useful in my Ravenwing army.
For the CAD, I have taken more scout units than normal. A unit with sniper rifles to camp on objectives, with another landspeeder storm and scout squad for objective grabbing (this landspeeder storm will be objective secured). I took a small unit of objective secured bikers for some tank hunting and objective grabbing. I also have a Librarian with the Hunter's Eye on a bike. The Centurions in the drop pod made a great combination with the scout bikers and homing beacon at Stronghold and I am keen to repeat this combination. Finally, the Stormtalon gives me some anti-air firepower.
With this list, I have 5 objective secured units (the three scout units, one landspeeder storm and one unit of bikers). I am a bit worried about the lack of objective secured in the hunting force, but hopefully it should not be too bad.
The Librarian could be swapped out for a Chaplain on bike with the Hunter's Eye. Psychic Shriek should be useful as it no longer needs to roll to hit and there is always the chance he may get invisibility.
This army would require me to paint up a Landspeeder, the Librarian, two Scout units, three scout bikers and a Landspeeder Storm (only the scout bikers and Landspeeder storm would need to be purchased).
Combined Arms Detachment
This army features just a simple combined arms detachment for more objective secured units. The army consists of:
Khan- Moondrakken
Librarian- Bike, Hunter's Eye, Meltabombs, Mastery Level 2, Force Sword
Command Squad- Bikes, Apothecary, 4 grav guns, 4 storm shields
5 Bikers- 2 grav guns, sergeant with meltabombs
5 Bikers- 2 grav guns, sergeant with meltabombs
5 Bikers- 2 meltaguns, sergeant with meltabombs
5 Scouts- Camo cloaks, sniper rifles
5 Scouts- Camo cloaks, sniper rifles
Landspeeder Storm- Heavy Bolter, Cerberus Launcher
3 Scout Bikers- Grenades launcher, sergeant with meltabombs and homing beacon
Drop Pod
Stormtalon- TL assault cannon, Skyhammer missile launcher
3 Centurions- Grav cannons and grav amps, hurricane bolters
5 Devastators- 4 Grav cannons and grav amps, sergeant with combi-grav
Drop Pod
This army is a lot more compact than the first list, but contains a lot more grav in it. This army contains 6 objective secured units, only one more than the previous army list. Other than that, the units are very similar to my normal white scars army.
In this army, I would need to paint up the two Scout squads, the Librarian and the Devastators.
In this army, I would need to paint up the two Scout squads, the Librarian and the Devastators.
Which army do you prefer? Any changes you would recommend to the force?
The Hunting Force isn't a Core Choice for the Scarblade Strike Force. You need either a Demi-Company or a Stormlance Demi-Company before you can take a Hunting Force as an Auxiliary.
ReplyDeleteIn the CAD force, I don't really like the Drop Podded Grav Devs unless you've got a Cataphractii Captain along to give them S&P, but otherwise it looks good. I'd either swap the Librarian out for the Cataphractii Captain or spend the Points for the Dev Squad on something else entirely. I'd probably also keep one Squad of basic Scouts, particularly since you've got those painted up already.
Hunting Forces definitely are core choices in a scarblade, it just happens to be on the second page of the detachment organisation.
DeleteAgreed with WestRider on the GravDevs, not that great for what they provide without the Terminator Captain. You could try something like a 5x Melta/Plasma guns command squad in a pod as a replacement.
DeleteI think the first list is better personally, 3 obsec units tends to be enough in ETC missions, since lategame holding objectives is only part of the game.
You might have an issue with having a lot of easy kill points available as well.
Ah, yes. The White Scars seem to be the only one of the Strike Forces with three Core Choices.
DeleteAlso, the symbols for the Core and Auxiliary Choices are far too similar.
Thanks for the catch!
Thanks guys. I need to take a look at the missions to see what would be useful in the army.
DeleteI'd go with the first list too, but then you know I love the Hunting Force, I just think the extra Hammer of Wrath really gives it a different dimension if you need to focus on assault, you can. And yes, the hunting force is a core choice in the scarblade.
ReplyDeleteI'd seriously contemplate using a typhoon launcher on the storm talon too - the extra strength and AP really make a big difference in my experience.
I do like the Grav Devs though, the Cataphractii captain certainly makes them much, much better, but even 12 grav shots at half range (plus the combi) from a drop pod will make a lot of targets weep. It's a lot of points for essentially a suicide unit though, with no spare bodies to bubblewrap them.
Yeah, I think I will try the first one for my practice games, I even ordered the second landspeeder storm and scout bikes today. I was thinking about adding the Raptor Wing too in one of my practices.
DeleteYay more White Scars action! :D
ReplyDeletePersonally I'd go for the first list,as it's a lot more fun to play imo, and just as strong. The preferred enemy bit of the Hunting Force is really good and can be brutal!
My 2p:
The multimelta / missle landspeeder caught me by surprise - it seems like a bit of an odd combination given the different weapon ranges.
What do you think about the relic banner? With that many bike it could be really useful.
The second Storm is nice, great model and hidden gem. Super useful vs deep strikers.
Are you limited in your detachment quantity? At first sight the fleshed out CAD looks a bit, I don't know, lacklustre. Libby, Grav Cents and min. Scouts are a lock, but why not look at another formation? A Raptor Wing, for instance, or a Shadowstrike Kill Team to take some pressure off your Grav Cents T1?
Hope that helped!
PS: I won vs the 3 Imperial Knights on Saturday, thanks for the help! Melta Sternguard did the trick along with EVERYTHING but some Scouts outflanking thanks to Khan (had to go 2nd).
I was considering taking the Banner of the Eagle (I assume that is the one you meant) for my force to help the units, I may try another list with it in.
DeleteI really like the Landspeeder Storm, it is a seriously underestimated unit.
The CAD was there to allow me to take the Librarian with the Hunter's Eye and some objective secured units. I think I will need some of them for the maelstrom missions. I might give the Raptor Wing a go too.
Great going on your game. I've only ever faced two Knights in one game and we had one on our side, not sure how I'd cope with 3!
Yes, thats the one I meant (couldn't think of the name).
DeleteHm you could for instance change the CAD to an allied detachment, drop the Storm Talon and whatever else needs to be dropped for the Raptor Wing. You'd have 2 reliable fliers with pseudo shred come in on T2, no unknown quantities, what's not to like. If you're playing with the new death from the skies rules you'd even get a +1 to reserves out of it on top!
Thanks for the comment, too. Unfortunately the german tournament scene is very restrictive regarding super-heavies, so it's very rare to see them. Personally I believe that it's just a matter of practice and learning new tactics. And, wouldn't it be sad if a brand new player buys 1-3 knights because he likes the army, maybe even lovinglympaints them up and then finds out that nobody will play him?
Have you considered running Sammael as warlord with the Scarblade? The +3 charge distance means you could have much better odds of hitting the 8'' charge and HoW shred. You could take some CAD Scouts for ObSec, and a 'strike force command' character to hold the Hunter's eye
ReplyDeleteCan Sammael be used in the Scarblade?
DeleteNah, but you could take a Dark Angels cad instead of the White Scars one
DeleteHi, is there a link to the tournament page? Sounds like fun and wouldnt mind putting my own White Scars through their paces :)
ReplyDeleteHi Robert, the link to the facebook page for the event is https://www.facebook.com/events/1679987425617132/
DeleteThe ticket page is http://elementgames.co.uk/event-tickets/caledonianrevolution2016?d=10130
it looks a pretty solid list.
ReplyDeletei have just scanned ETC 2015 rule pack, as i couldn't find 16, do you have a link?
the rule pack itself is a bit strange not allowing a baneblade but a Knight is ok.
i'd definitely revise the changed maelstrom missions. my first looks suggests obj sec may not be as required as much as a lot of the objectives have been removed (at least 6). |Knights get a bit of a boost as with big game hunter they no longer give up a load of points (RAW wraithknights give up nothing as it is a garg and not a monstrous creature)
as for your list i like the Hunting force. i used it recently with solid results. personally i prefer full squad and an attack bike so if i need to i can swarm the enemy with combat squads.
as mentioned above the cad seems a bit...well tagged on
have you thought about a librarius conclave all on bikes? that would give you your librarian and as part of the scarblade strike force.
at 1850 i think 1 flyer will either not do much or be out classed. a raptor wing as suggested is a good call.
i recently used a spear tip strike and that worked well. more grav bikers instead of grav cents
i would also either have missile or melta on the speeder. i am liking my typhoons recently, a squad of 3 caused havoc against a 5 imp knight list recently.
finally you may want to ask if the ETC are going to use the new FAQ. certain things like scout moves are different to their rules.
The link I got for the new rules pack incorporates some of the new FAQ rulings. The link is:
ReplyDeletehttps://drive.google.com/file/d/0Bzus0DMobfGYZHRsTHF0b3Jjd3M/view
I'll play a practice game and see how the CAD performs. A single Librarian on his own often doesn't do much, I mostly take him for the Hunter's Eye. It might be worth looking at the conclave, but that would mean getting another 2 librarians bought and painted up.
As for the Raptor Wing, I need to give this a go at some point soon to see if it is worth getting the second storm talon painted up quickly.
Id say drop CAD and go with above suggestions of raptor wing and librarian conclave but see how practice games go :)
ReplyDeleteId like to do a hunting force but will likely do a CAD as I dont have scout bikers yet or land speeders to do my chosen auxillery for my scars.
Hi, is there a link to the tournament page? Sounds like fun and wouldnt mind putting my own White Scars through their paces :)
ReplyDeleteThe page is https://www.facebook.com/events/1679987425617132/
DeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteThe first list looks good to me. I'll also be going along to Caledonian Revolution with my Eldar.
ReplyDeleteEldar are always a tough opponent to face, I'm sure you'll do well. Be sure to say hi if you see me.
Delete