Chaos Wins!

I'm hoping to get in some games this weekend with Absolute Blue. For a change of pace I want to field an Ultramarines army. I've been putting one together for a couple of months now and by leveraging my sisters of battle collection with some liberal use of "counts as" (immolators can be razorbacks right?) I can compile the following list:


Ultramarines (1500)

HQ

Librarian (Null Zone, Avenger)

Troops

Tactical Squad x10 (Flamer, Missile Launcher) w Razorback (Lascannon and TL Plasma)
Tactical Squad x5 w Razorback (Lascannon and TL Plasma)
Tactical Squad x5 w Razorback (Lascannon and TL Plasma)

Elite

Terminator Assault Squad (THSS x5) w Land Raider Crusader (Extra Armor, Multi Melta)

Heavy Support

Predator (Auto Cannon, Heavy Bolter)
Predator (Auto Cannon, Heavy Bolter)

Fast Attack

Land Speeder (Typhoon Missile Launcher)
Land Speeder (Typhoon Missile Launcher)

I think this is a pretty balanced list for 1500 that offers a lot of options. We have a quality death star unit that can control the middle of the table with the thunderhammer terminators embarked in the land raider crusader. Fire support options are plentiful: Double dakka predators for either light vehicles or horde infantry. Land speeders are outfitted with typhoon missile launchers to knock out vehicles from long range. The razorbacks have both lascannons and plasma guns to deal with heavy threats. I can combat squad one of the marine squads and then place three of them in the razorbacks. The fourth unit can camp an objective and fire a missile launcher from long range.

Anyone hate this list? I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to marines. I just try to get units into my lists that can deal with real threats effectively and efficiently. I think this list accomplishes that.

I hope to get a game with this list sometime in the near future. I'll report my results on this blog.

Here is a vanilla Space Marines list I've been thinking about for 'Ard Boyz:

Space Marines (2500)

HQ

Forgefather Vulkan He'stan
Librarian (Null Zone, Avenger)

Troops

Tactical Squad x 10 (Multi-Melta, Flamer) w Drop Pod
Tactical Squad x 10 (Multi-Melta, Flamer) w Drop Pod
Tactical Squad x 10 (Multi-Melta, Flamer) w Drop Pod

Elite

Assault Terminators x 5 (THSS) w Land Raider Crusader (Multi-Melta, Extra Armor)
Assault Terminators x 5 (THSS)
Ironclad Dreadnaught (Heavy Flamer) w Drop Pod

Heavy Support

Land Raider Crusader (Multi Melta, Extra Armor)
Predator (Auto Cannon, HB Sponsons)
Predator (Auto Cannon, HB Sponsons)

Fast Attack

Attack Bikes x 2 (Multi Melta)
Attack Bikes x 2 (Multi Melta)
Attack Bikes x 2 (Multi Melta)



This list seeks to exploit Vulkan's ability of Twin linking all meltas and flamer and making all thunder hammers master crafted. The best way to do that of course is to take as many of those weapon upgrades as possible.

That's 10 Thunderhammers, 11 Multi-Meltas and 4 Flamers (1 Heavy). This list seeks to maximize multi-melta coverage and get in your opponents' face with Drop Pod assaults, Land Raiders closing across the table and bikes hiding behind said raiders until the need to get shots off. Dakka Predators provide fire support from turn 1.

This list also aims to be as resilient as possible. There is no typical turkey shoot for your opponent here. No AV 11 Rhino's trying to get across the table. Either he has to deal with AV 13/14 vehicles or deal with drop pod payloads that are already in his face. This list can frustrate enemies with auto-cannon or missile spam. They'll have a lot of "fun" dealing with a bunch of vehicles they can't reliably kill with anything from long range.

This list combines the strongest HQ's in the vanilla space marine codex with some of the strongest units (THSS Terminators) and then beefs it up with an enormous amount of highly accurate twin linked vehicle kill. A potent combination for 'Ard boyz.

Since the Assault on Black Reach (AoBR) set was released, I have managed to collect about three sets worth of AoBR Space Marines, as a result of helping friends get the Deffkoptas they wanted for their Ork armies. However, I consider myself a Chaos fan, since Chaos Wins after all, and was not really interested in painting the miniatures myself. I was also not too interested in investing a lot of money into the paint job for these models, since I want to focus any significant money I spend on Chaos!

This led me to look around the internet for convenient and affordable miniature painting. As a result, I found Hulksmash Studios. I initially learned about Hulksmash on DakkaDakka.com and the local tournament scene. Then, during my search for painting services, I learned he offered such. After looking at his prices, and with the added bonus that he is within driving distance from where I live (saves on shipping costs), I decided to give him a try.

I had already built the models, so all that was left was for him to paint them.







For the price, this was a great deal. As a result, I have already given him more Ultramarines to paint.