We know how the year has been for Black Templar, especially starting it off with me vainly trying multiple variations last year to try to get some kind of list functioning. In the end, having drifted to a BT/IG list that would have required buying, building & painting a bunch of vehicles (above & beyond) those that I had already bought in anticipation of 6th...I bailed out to my Necrons. I was actually tempted to play them again since I already had a proven list variant from last NOVA and to field it would require two vehicles sitting in boxes on my shelf. However, with the recent supposedly dead on accurate rumors of the smurfing...errr...."fixing" of the Black Templar by rolling them up into the Codex of Ultramarine Compliant Chapters, this might be my last shot at running Black Templar that are in at least shouting distance of playing like the fluff.
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...in list planning. After a few more games, I can state that my list and the minor variations of it are brutal in the dakka department. It also works quite well in the grabbing objectives department.
Primary - The High Marshall's Own [IG] 1x CO Command Squad w/ 4xSnipers [70] Warlord 2x Ratlingsx3 [60] 2x IG Platoons (Points are doubled in the individual lines except for the SWS, only one of those) --1x Plt Cmd, AC, 2xFlamer in Chimera [210] --2x Inf Plt, AC, Flamer, Chimera [480] --1x Heavy Weapon Squad w/ AC [150] 1x SWS (attached to one platoon), Flamer, 2xmelta [60] (ride in Valkyrie) 1x Valkyrie w/ HB sponsons [140] 1xArmored Sentinel w/ Plasma Cannon [75] Detachment Total: [1245] Ally - Panacea Crusade, Black Templars 1x EC w/ ATW [110] 1x THDC (2xCML/SB/PF, 3xSB/PF), Tank Hunter [265] 1x Crusader (5/0, LasCannon, Plasmagun, 3xBolters) [101] 1x StormTalon w Skyhammer ML [125] Detachment Total: [601] List Total: [1846] NOTE 1: The Sentinel is a throw away placeholder. I was sitting there with 79 points left over, couldn't make up my mind and I just happened to have this model that came as part of a lot I'd picked up on Ebay, so.... In any case, I'm a bit surprised by how well the little sucker has performed (including in CC, where it is AV12 all the time), but not enough to keep it. It does tempt me to want to squeeze in the old TLLC/HF Dread though. NOTE 2: I've played a couple of odd point games (1900 & 2000) where I just added the Imperial Defense Line (by itself) and some bling in the 2k game. I'm mixed on it. Those games my HWS did better, but it takes careful use or it ends up cramping my mobility. Anyway, on to the reason for the title of this post... Yep, time to start figuring out what I want to practice with. I've got two variations of IG main with BT allies, mostly around whether I want a plasma bike squad or a pair of Typhoon speeders. These are not my only options, just the first ones up in the slot.
Grinding up lists, I decided to have a bit of fun. After all I do have these Drop Pod models, so maybe something will work with them. It is a bit tailored to face a foot list (which it will be doing), but are some slack points to be salvaged to make it a bit more balanced.
1xReclusiarch (Crozius, SS, PW, TDA) [150] 1xEC-ATW [110] 1xTerminator Cmd Squad (SS/PW, 1xSB/PF, 2xSB/PF/CML) [225] 1xAssault Terminators (4xTH/SS, 1xTLC) w/Drop Pod [230] 2x Dreadnought (Ass Cannon/HF/DCCW) w/Drop Pod [290] 1xCrusader Squad (5/3, Pg, BP/PW, rest BP/CCW, Frags) w/Drop Pod [169] 2xCrusader Squad (5/0, Pg, BP/PW, rest Bolters) w/Drop Pod [252] 2xBiker Squads 4 Bikers (2xPg, 1xPW, Krak) w/ MM Attack Bike [438] 1xLS-Typhoon Squadron (2xHB/TML) [140] Total [1999] The Pods for the Dreads & Assault Terminators can be dropped empty or full to cover the change to Drop Pod Assault. EC goes with the first Crusader squad. It may not win, but I think it is going to be fun to play. I don't know what to call these...In Search Of Archetypes? I'm trying to find concepts that click for me and, of course, having fun running out of points doing so. I'm trying to keep the points cut back to a minimum. One thing I'm running into in Theory Hammer, either I want the Assault Terminator Squad with at least seven bodies in it to back up foot Guards or the Guard are in Chimeras and don't need the cover of the Terminators. One thing hurting in the list building department: the HQ tax. Which means I want BT primary for foot lists (EC goes with the Guard blob for various reasons) and if I'm mechanizing the IG, then the EC is a waste of points.
Anyway, onto the lists: The "Why Bother?" list:
Reclusiarch (TDA), TkH [123] SB Term Command Squad (2xCML/SB/PF, 1x SB/PF, 1xSS/PW) TkH [237] Las/Plas Squad [101] CO Cmd Squad (PW, 4xSniper) [80] (Warlord) 3x Ratlingsx3 [90] 2x Plt Cmd Squad (AC, 2xFlamers, Bolter (Cdr)) [104] 4x Infantry Squad (AC, Flamer, Krak, meltabomb (Sgt)) [320] 7x Chimera with MLaser, HB [385] 2x SWS (GL, Flamer, Pg) [120] 2x HWS (AC) [150] 1x Vendetta w/ Heavy Bolters [140] 2x Hydra (HB) [150] The choice of all my list building right now. Currently, it is officially IG primary in all of them and even in the ones where it is BT primary officially, IG gets the bulk of the points while providing the bulk of the firepower along with the bulk of the scoring units. The main advantages that Black Templar bring to the table are about the same as those from 5th: Tank Hunting Dual Cyclone Terminator squads, cheap Drop Pods, and cheap Typhoon Speeders. We lost several of our strengths, which is why I no longer list our Assault Terminators as a chapter advantage, our Drop Pod rules or being able to use the EC as our HQ choice.
The funny part, the biggest determining factor on which set of initials comes first? Who needs the extra HQ. Given that, I'm swinging between 9xChimera bodies + Vendetta down to no vehicles at all but 250+ models on the table (no, you do not want to know, it won't quite work...well, not at 2k anyway) along with the various variations in between. Yes, I'm in list churning mode for BT right now, but unless I The original list. I had been considering a small change, pulling two of the Warriors from the big squad and one of the Immortals from each of the other two squads to free up 60 points, but wasn't quite sure of what I wanted to do with them. The main reasons for this was the "removed from play" misruling and that one Cryptek in the big Warrior squad with no special wargear. Then I got read to send the list on to NOVA and I realized that I had listed the Spyder's Gloom Prism (15) at the price of a Fabricator Claw (10). Oops. 2005 point list.
One of the greatly annoying things about the Necron codex is the lack of useful "freestanding" 5 point upgrades. I mean in most codices if you end up 5 points short, you can just toss a melta bomb on a likely model and be done with it. Sure, there are 5 point upgrades, but you you have to take them for the entire unit or they are direct weapon replacements for character models. So, it takes a little juggling to straighten things out. Well, the debate ended a while ago and I'm still happy with my straight Necron list I did up back in November. Finishing up some of my converting and base coating the new models. What am I bringing?
1x Overlord w/ WS, MSS in Command Barge (Gauss) (CB) 1x Overlord w/ WS, MSS, Orb, SPW on foot with Warriors 1x Immortalsx10 (Gauss) w/ Cryptek of Destruction (Solar Pulse) & Lord (WS, MSS, Orb) 1x Immortalsx10 (Tesla) w/ Cryptek of Destruction (Solar Pulse) & Lord (WS, MSS, Orb) 1x NWx20 w/ 2x Crypteks (2xVoltaic staff, 1x Electric field) 1x NWx5 in a Ghost Ark (GA) 1x Scarabsx5 1x Spyders w/ Gloom Prism 2x Annihilation Barge 2x Night Scythes (DT for Immortals, but usually empty. What I'm starting to think of as a "defensive" flyer list.. I'm more here to do interdiction rather than gain air superiority. All Black Templars enjoy the thought, or at least the dream, of the old Black Tide lists. Here is a variation after approval of the creation of the High Marshal's Own IG Regiment attached to the Panacea Crusade.
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