Ah, Day Seven. Before I go into my usual pre-list babbling, I would like to apologize for the lateness of this list. A) It took a bit of rereading the Ultramarines book series by Graham McNeill before I could stomach doing this (Which you should all read, it details the adventures of the one good Ultramarine, Uriel Ventris), and B) I was.. Uh.. Incapacitated.. Earlier today. Yeah let's go with that. But here we are, finally, with the Poster Boys of Warhammer 40k, the Boys in Blue, the one and only Ultramarines! With this list, I really wanted to attempt the generalist respond to all occasions feel of the Ultramarines. Here we go!



Okay, sorry, quick interruption. That is the coolest picture of an Ultramarine ever. Damn I love those helmets. But to the list!

Strike Force Fist of Calgar
Codex: Space Marines
Point Total: 2000 pts

HQ
-Marneus Calgar, Lord Macragge - 265 pts
-Armor of Antilochus

Elites
-5x Terminator Assault Squad - 450 pts
-2x Thunder Hammer and Storm Shields
-3x Pairs of Lightning Claws
-Land Raider Redeemer
-Multi-Melta

-10x Sternguard Veterans - 310 pts
-Power Fist
-Rhino

Troops
-10x Tactical Squad - 230 pts
-Power Sword
-Plasma Gun
-Missile Launcher
-Rhino

-10x Tactical Squad - 230 pts
-Power Sword
-Plasma Gun
-Missile Launcher
-Rhino

-5x Scout Squad - 85 pts
-4x Snipers
-Heavy Bolter

Heavy Support
-Devastator Squad - 190 pts
-4x Missile Launchers
-Razorback

-Predator - 90 pts
-Heavy Bolter Sponsons
-Dozer Blade

-Predator - 150 pts
-Lascannon
-Lascannon Sponsons

-End List-

Analysis:
-Marneus Calgar - Ah, the Lord of Macragge. Master of Ultramar and all around MASTER OF BLUE. Heh. Anyway, Marneus' statline alone makes him one deadly son of a gun. On top of his ridiculous statline, he brings to the table Orbital Bombardment, Titanic Might (Rerolls to wound with shooting AND close combat? Throne yeah) and God of War which allows ALL units that you field with Combat Tactics to choose whether or not to pass or fail ANY morale test. Finally, the Gauntlets of Ultramar. Twin Power Fists with built in bolters? Awesome. With a proper escort unit, Marneus is one of the deadliest marines around.

-Terminator Assault Squad - The virtue of a Terminator Assault Squad should never be underestimated. With proper equipment issuing and the right transport (In this case, the Land Raider Redeemer with a Multi-Melta), they can bulldoze into the center of an enemy formation, tear open a vehicle, and tear apart its contents. With Storm Shields to protect Marneus and the deadly ability to retreat on command thanks to God of War, you have a near perfect hammer unit that can respond to changes on the battlefield.

-Sternguard Veterans - Sternguard embody the Ultramarine mentality, able to respond to nearly any circumstance thanks to their Special Issue Ammunition. Sternguard are a unit I will endorse in any circumstance, and form the spearhead of this list who which your other units will follow. Thanks to the Power Fist, they can also serve the purpose of taking down a Monstrous Creature or vehicular threat should Calgar's unit not be able to respond to it.

-Tactical Squads - This Tactical Squad is meant to be the backbone of this list. I equipped them with strong but generalist gear to allow them to respond to any situation, missiles can take down any vehicles you might encounter, the Plasma Gun allows for response to Elite units or for you to take down that annoying Wolf Guard Pack Leader (looking at you, Wolf players) and a Power Sword allows for counters to an assault launched against this unit.

-Scouts - These scouts will follow along the back of your advance, using Snipers to shoot at priority targets. They also carry a Heavy Bolter with Hellfire Rounds to deal with an oncoming horde threat that might decide to overwhelm your Tactical Squads. Keep in mind though, that the squad is flimsy, and it exists to act as support for your Tactical Squads, not as a main line unit.

-Devastator Squad - An array of Missile Launchers allow the Devastators to hammer large unit groups or any annoying vehicles who might be attacking you from afar. Again, I chose the generalist approach for the Devastators to allow the unit to respond to any attacks against your army core, no matter where its coming from. The Heavy Bolter on the Razorback can also deter any units from getting to close to the Devastators, countering a problem that such a static unit often has.

-Predators - Before I get the comment, "But Ciaphas, your Predators aren't using the Autocannon-Lascannon Sponson combo and that's the best one!" I know. I get that that's the most used Predator Pattern, and as well it should be, it allows for a good all around vehicle. However, the appeal of using the classic Destructor and Annihilator patterns for the iconic Marines of the Codex Astartes was too great to pass up. Besides, I think people tend to underestimate the value of dedicated units in lists, especially one that has most of its units dedicated to a more general style, like this one. The Destructor can deliver a punishing hail of fire upon any enemy squads that would venture into it's hail of fire, and the Annihilator will make any vehicle sad that it decided to dare show its chassis on the field of battle.

-Closing Thoughts - I.. Feel slightly dirty having made this list. Ugh.. Blue Marines.. I need a shower. Hahaha, just kidding. This one was for you Maldus, you and your Ultra-Vulkans! Lets see you use a real UM list, Blue Man! Stay tuned for Day Eight, The Salamanders!


And yet AGAIN, thanks to Starminer, who's proven himself to be not only a good friend, but an invaluable resource for my list making ventures. Check out his blog, you lazy bums!

Fist of Steel


Annnnd Day Six swings in across the line. Today brings us the bionic marines themselves, the Iron Hands. The Iron Hands despise the weakness of the flesh and strive to bring themselves closer to the purity of the machine. I have to say this was definitely the hardest list to develop, because I had to work on mixing the eclectic nature of the Iron Hands, and their love for machines, while conveying the fact that they believe machinery is an honor, and thus not as prevalent as most people believe. Well... Onto the list.


Strike Force Hand of Ferrus
Codex: Space Marines
Point Total: 2000 pts

HQ
-Space Marine Chapter Master - 150 pts
-Storm Shield
-Hellfire Rounds

-Master of the Forge - 150 pts
-Conversion Beamer
-Thunder Hammer

Elites
-Venerable Dreadnought - 200 pts
-Assault Cannon
-Drop Pod

-Venerable Dreadnought - 200 pts
-Assault Cannon
-Drop Pod

-Techmarine - 90 pts
-Power Weapon
-Servo Harness

-2x Servitors - 85 pts
-2x Plasma Cannons

Troops
-10x Tactical Squad - 250 pts
-Plasma Gun
-Lascannon
-Power Fist
-Rhino

-10x Tactical Squad - 250 pts
-Plasma Gun
-Lascannon
-Power Fist
-Rhino

-10x Tactical Squad - 250 pts
-Plasma Gun
-Lascannon
-Power Fist
-Rhino

Heavy Support
-Thunderfire Cannon - 135 pts
-Drop Pod

-Thunderfire Cannon - 135 pts
-Drop Pod

-Whirlwind - 100 pts
-Extra Armour

-End List-

Analysis:
-Chapter Master - Some of you are probably saying "Ciaphas what the heck are you doing?! A Chapter Master that's NOT melee orientated?!" Yes. Yes he is. The basic idea behind this list is a modified Gunline list, while sticking to the eclectic, random mishmash nature of the Iron Hands. This Chapter Master will be sitting in the back of the line, dropping an Orbital Bombardment at first opportunity, and pounding approaching enemy lines with his Hellfire Bolter. I felt it was a solid choice to represent an Iron Hands Clan Master, and was originally going to choose Terminator armor, but felt it was a waste of points without an actual unit of Terminators, and since actual squads of Terminators is not IH style, I ultimately decided against it.

-Master of the Forge - I shouldn't even need to explain why this unit exists in this list, but I'll go over the benefits it provides to the list nonetheless. I know many are probably wondering why I would take a Master of the Forge without taking Dreads for Heavy Support, but not only is the unit iconic Iron Hands, but the benefits of a Techmarine are useful alone, but adding the Conversion Beamer makes this guy down right deadly. The Conversion Beamer is more powerful the farther away the enemy is, making it key in the defense in a gunline-ish list. He also adds yet another Bolster Ruins to this list, allowing for a total of four improved cover saves throughout your deployment zone, and with a Thunderhammer should the enemy get in your face, the Master of the Forge is a solid choice.

-Venerable Dreadnought - Which dreadnoughts to pick was especially tough for me, as I learned more about Iron Hands fluff. The Iron Hands actually field very few Dreadnoughts, finding the interning of a marine in a suit the ultimate honor, and as such, I believe Venerable Dreadnoughts convey the idea that only the very best of the Iron Hands are allowed to be interned in the "Ultimate fusion of man and machine". I chose Assault Cannons in order to provide a more mobile anti-infantry fire base, and to counter light vehicles should it be necessary. Drop Pods are for proper deployment purposes.

-Techmarine - The Techmarine is again, a very Iron Hands unit, and with him present reinforcing your flex-Gunline, it can be near guaranteed that most of your vehicles will survive far past their normal life-span. Add in a Servo-Harness for extra ranged fire-power, and a Power Weapon in case of invasion purposes, and the Techmarine already proves useful. I'm going to once again touch on Bolster Ruins and it's ability to add +1 to a cover save, and just how useful such an ability is for this list. With it, you can near guarantee that your marines will weather fire storms that they should normally perish in.

-Servitors - The Servitors are again, not only fluffy, but provide an added measure of security to your weapon emplacements in this list. Place a Plasma Cannon Servitor with each Thunderfire Cannon ensures that should something like Terminators come calling for your T-Fires, they can be repelled or at least delayed long enough for the rest of your list to respond to the threat.

-Tactical Squad - When I considered the Iron Hands, I imagined them to have a very large arsenal of heavy weapons, after all, the more power machinery, the better. With the plasma gun, Lascannon and Power Fist, this is a regular Tactical Squad on all kinds of steroids. These squads can respond to heavy vehicle threats, Terminator or MC attacks, pretty much anything, and though they carry a high point cost, they are distinctly Iron Hands and with the cover and speed provided by their Rhinos, this is one mean unit for anyone to face.

-Thunderfire Cannons - I'm not going to go into a lot of depth as to the benefits of a Thunderfire in general (You can see my Imperial Fist list for that), but I will cover just how they fit into this list. The idea of powerful artillery, manned by Techmarines fits the Iron Hands motif (As seen by their mobile Castle-Fortresses on Medusa), and provide absolutely necessary anti-infantry fire to this list. With these cannons, horde armies are no longer as large a threat, and your Tactical Squads can focus on more dire threats.

-Whirlwind - The Whirlwind is a large, angry piece of artillery on wheels. With the ability to fire two different kinds of artillery depending on the situation (Vengeance or Castellan), it can tear apart or delay any force you wish to prevent from reaching you so you might ready your line for attacks. Vengeance missiles take apart charging hordes, and Castellan missiles can pry enemy out of cover so you don't end up in a castling war.

-Closing Thoughts - This was by far the most challenging list to do, and I really enjoyed the challenge. Trying to fit the Iron Hands theme while remaining competitive was a large obstacle, but having done so, I feel I have become a much better list maker because of it. I think that anyone who choses to use this list will benefit tremendously in terms of gains in tactical knowledge, and it's a list everyone should try at least once.


And for the ninth time, thanks go out to Starminer and his proof-reading genius! My good friend Schweet also deserves many accolades for being my resident Iron Hands expert.

Sons of Sanguinius


Day 5, start! As i'm sure you can tell, today's Legion is the Blood Angels (I'm going out on a limb here and assuming you guys have enough knowledge of 40k to figure out who the "Sons of Sanguinius" are). I'm going to preface everything I go over today by saying that I started this game with the Blood Angels 13 years ago this Saturday. And.. Now I feel old. I originally thought to put in a few rants about the current state of the Blood Angels and my view on the Chapter and all that, but I realize that's not what you guys came here to read, so i'll cover it another time. Onto the Angels!


Strike Force Blood Bane
Codex: Blood Angels
Point Total: 2000 pts

HQ
-Mephiston, The Lord of Death - 250 pts

Elites
-3x Sanguinary Priests - 225 pts
-3x Jump Packs

-Furioso Dreadnought - 175 pts
-Librarian Upgrade (Wings of Sanguinius, Blood Lance)

Troops
-10x Assault Squad - 235 pts
-2x Meltaguns
-Power Fist

-10x Assault Squad - 235 pts
-2x Meltaguns
-Power Fist

-10x Assault Squad - 235 pts
-2x Meltaguns
-Power Fist

-5x Death Company - 200 pts
-4x Bolters
-Power Fist
-Razorback
-Assault Cannon

Fast Attack
-5x Vanguard Veterans - 215 pts
-Jump Packs
-Glaive Encarmine
-2x Power Weapons
-2x Hand Flamers

-Baal Predator - 115 pts

-Baal Predator - 115 pts

-End List-

Analysis:
-Mephiston - Ah Mephiston. Or if you read Swallow's novels, Brophiston. I swear I don't know what this guy is on in those books, but he has got to be the most laid back Space Marine ever. But I digress. Mephiston is, at first, a little overwhelming to consider. He carries a hefty 250 pt price tag, no invulnerable save, and he lacks the Independent Character trait. Looking beyond that, there is a reason Mephiston is called The Lord of Death. His statline makes him essentially a Daemon Prince on a 25mm base (T6 with W5? Yessir!), and once you add in his rules and the fact that he is indeed a Librarian (And thus provides the invaluable psychic hood and force weapon), one realizes his true potential. Properly moved through cover, and with good use of the Wings of Sanguinius power (He can cast 3 a turn!) and Fleet, Mephiston is one of the most deadly characters in any codex. Did I mention if he uses his ability Transfixing Gaze, he has a chance to reroll all rolls to hit AND wound? Able to go toe to toe with the strongest characters and creatures in the game, and able to neutralize psychic powers, Mephiston gets my vote for the best character in this codex easily.

-Sanguinary Priests - Best unit in this codex. Hands down. The Sanguinary Priests are the Apothecaries of the Blood Angels, and where Chaplains disavow the Red Thirst, the Sanguinary Priests embrace it as a weapon to be used to fight back the slow death of the Chapter. Sanguinary Priests confer both Feel No Pain and Furious Charge to any unit with 6", conferring a +1 Initiative and +1 Strength bonus on the charge, and an extra 4+ save after taking their armor save against most weapons in the game. While they're not any more survivable than a regular marine, careful use of them in the back of a deepstriking or charging squad can be invaluable, and bring out the true strength of the Blood Angels.

-Furioso Librarian - At first, the Librarian upgrade might seem like a bad choice to put on a unit that has access to items like the Magna Grapple and Blood Talons, but through careful use and examination, this upgrade is easily the best choice to make for a Furioso. With access to two psychic powers and a Force Weapon, a Furioso Librarian is all kinds of deadly. Taking this unit, Wings of Sanguinius are an absolute must. With it, the Dreadnought can fly. I'll give you a moment to process that. A Dreadnought. That flies. My second choice for powers is the Blood Lance, which with it's S8 AP1 Lance hit provides an invaluable ranged weapon of the Furioso to pound vehicles with during it's advance, or if it is ever immobilized. Carrying along the S10 Blood Fist for that vehicle wrecking fun that everyone loves, the Furioso Librarian is enough to inspire fear in any enemy you face.

-Assault Squad - I'm going to start this off by saying that those of you who are using Blood Angels without Jump Packs are doing it wrong. Heh, just kidding. Personally, a Blood Angels list just doesn't seem right to me, and the ability to have accurate deepstriking with the Descent of Angels special rule just reinforces my opinion. Equipped with twin meltaguns and a power fist, this unit starts off a game by deepstriking into enemy lines and scrapping a vehicle, followed by charging into the thick of things with all the advantages of Furious Charge and Feel No Pain to allow them to tear through enemies like so much paper. If you should chose not to deep strike these squads, Feel No Pain will ensure they can survive a hail of fire that almost no other troop unit could weather.

-Death Company - When one thinks of Blood Angels, one invariably thinks of the Death Company at one point or another. These brothers have fallen to the ancient curse of the Black Rage, and seek to die in battle with their honor intact. With a 2 attack base, weapon skill 5, Furious Charge and Feel No Pain, this squad is one of the most deadly units in the codex. However, it does well for a player to remember that the Death Company of 5th Edition are not the Death Company of 4th Edition. No longer can Lemartes or another quell the Black Rage that thrives within these Battle-Brothers. Rather, one should look to their other benefits. I equipped this unit lightly with bolters and a Power Fist in an Assault Cannon Razorback so that they might serve their purpose of cutting through priority targets and not be caught up in the Rage and wasted. With Relentless, the bolters are perpetually rapid firing, and a Power Fist allows the squad to take on a Monstrous creature if need be. Combined with the back up of an Assault Cannon, this unit is both powerful and able to avoid most of the negative effects of the Black Rage.

-Vanguard Veterans - As I examined this list, I began to notice that I was lacking a dedicated anti-horde/rapid response unit. While the entire army ideally has Furious Charge, I felt a squad specifically for rapid response and to cut through large hordes was vital to the success of the list, and fit the fluff of the Blood Angels to a T, considering the Blood Angels 1st company always possesses a high proportion of Vanguard Veterans. The key to success with a unit of Vanguard Veterans, I find, is to equip them lightly. With the free Glaive Encarmine and simple armament of two power weapons and two hand flamers, the Vanguard Veterans are kitted powerfully but efficiently, and combined with the Descent of Angels special rule almost assuring Heroic Intervention will be successful, this unit is ideal.

-Baal Predators - Bringing the list home is the insurmountable Baal Predators. A design unique to the Blood Angels, the Baal Predator is a powerful, fast unit that is very deadly. With it's twin linked Assault Cannon, Fast ability, and access to Scouts, this vehicle is light weight, heavily armed, and able to zip around the battle field offering anti-horde/MEQ support, and taking down light vehicles with the ever useful Rending. I decided on this unit over Speeders for a few reasons, first of which, is the fact that no Blood Angels list is complete without Baals. Giggity. Next, the ability to Outflank is extremely useful in terse tactical situations. Facing a unit of Nob Bikers you don't want reaching your force? Want to get to that gunline without having to weather the hail of fire they present? Outflank near enemy lines and tear them apart before they ever pose a threat. Lastly, Baals offer vastly superior armor against incoming fire, Speeders being rather "squishy" and not something to risk in a low armor list.

-Closing Thoughts - This list was one of the most fun to design, and it really reawoke my passion for the IX Legion. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did! Stay tuned tomorrow for the implacable Iron Hands!

Also, once again, thanks to the ever invaluable Starminer for his aid with this list and project as a whole. You rock Star, though i'm getting tired of saying it over and over!


And now we've come to Day Four of Nine Days Nine Legions, with the Siege Masters themselves, the Imperial Fists! The noble Sons of Dorn are coming to you in all their yellow glory. But before I begin, I must say this was a lot of fun. It was a unique challenge trying to draw out the character of the Imperial Fists from their rather drab portrayal in the most recent codex (Which is completely inaccurate to the actual character of the Legion, stoic does not mean a lump of bricks).


Hammer of Dorn
Codex: Space Marines
Point Total: 2000 pts

HQ
-Darnath Lysander - 200 pts

Elites
-5x Terminator Squad - 505 pts
-Cyclone Missile Launcher
-5x Chainfists
-Land Raider Redeemer
-Multi-Melta

Troops
-10x Tactical Squad - 235 pts
-Meltagun
-Missile Launcher
-Power Fist
-Rhino

-10x Tactical Squad - 235 pts
-Meltagun
-Missile Launcher
-Power Fist
-Rhino

-10x Tactical Squad - 235 pts
-Meltagun
-Missile Launcher
-Power Fist
-Rhino

Fast Attack
-5x Vanguard Veterans - 240 pts
-3x Power Swords (Including Sergeant)
-Storm Shield
-Razorback
-Assault Cannon
-Dozer Blade

Heavy Support
-Thunderfire Cannon - 100

-Thunderfire Cannon - 100
-Vindicator - 140
-Siege Shield
-Extra Armour

-End List-

Analysis:
-Darnath Lysander - Darnath Lysander, the Captain of the First Company of the Imperial Fists is one scary son of a Primarch. Looking at his statline alone, Lysander is more than enough to send anyone who would attempt to fight him running for the hills. But my personal favorite of his rules is Bolter Drill. Rerolls to hit with Storm Bolters? Fantastic. He also brings to the table the advantages of Stubborn, which is an extremely handy rule to have. Also, his Master-Crafted Thunder Hammer, The Fist of Dorn beats vehicles around like toys. Just saying.

-Terminator Squad - I know some of you are thinking i'm slightly nuts for not having Lysander with Thunder Hammer Terminators, but hear me out. First off, as Daryl from Beasts of War will tell you, Chainfists are awesome. Not only do they tear apart vehicles, but they fit the Imperial Fists fortification mentality perfectly. The ability to tear apart siege vehicles, and then punch throw walls, ala Power Fist is oh so very Fist. The Cyclone Missile Launcher is there to hammer any hordes or light armor you might come across, and i've put them in an LRR for a versatile mix of anti-horde and anti-mech fire for added posterity.

-Tactical Squads - I'm sure the armaments i've chosen are obvious in their combat benefit, but I chose these specific weapons to further the motif of the VII Legion. Meltaguns, if you've ever read the Ciaphas Cain novels (Which you should if you haven't!) you'll know that Meltaguns and walls do not get along very well at all. The Power Fists are there for that same reason, and the Missile Launchers, because as I imagine enemy forces clambering through trenches or passages, Imperial Fists will be raining a hail of missile fire upon them. Fitting.

-Vanguard Veterans - These at first, make absolutely no sense from a lore perspective to anyone with general knowledge of the Imperial Fists. However, if one takes to reading the novel Sons of Dorn (Which was meh at best, but did provide valuable background information about the Fists) then you'll learn that Imperial Fists have a long tradition of dueling with blades. Yeah, I had no idea either. So as I examined the rest of the elements in the list, I felt that a unit of lightly armed Vanguard Veterans would be just what was needed to pull the list together and serve as a counter attack unit to any attacks upon other units in the list.

-Thunderfire Cannon - I'm going to start this off with just saying how much I love this thing. Thunderfire Cannons are an essential part of any Imperial Fist force in my opinion. Not only does their codex have a handy quote from Lysander, but they also fit the role of mounted guns on fortifications perfectly. Literally. The varied ammunition the Thunderfire offers provides the ability to blow apart oncoming hordes with it's Surface Detonation, force enemy out of cover with Ignoring Cover ability of the Airburst, and slow down oncoming vehicles or elites to allow for repositioning of your forces with the tremor causing Subterranean Detonation.

-Vindicator - The Vindicator is a great unit, offering up powerful shots from it's Demolisher Cannon, but not something i'd normally put in a list. I chose it for this Imperial Fists force, because with the fire of the Twin Thunderfire Cannons to act as deterrents to anything that would attempt to get close to the Vindicator, this vehicle can lay down punishing blast after punishing blast at the enemy almost beyond reproach.

Closing Thoughts - This list was a lot of fun, I enjoyed the challenge of bringing out the character of the Fists, and I hope all you Fist players enjoyed it too! Stay tuned tomorrow for the Angels of Death, The Blood Angels!

Special thanks go to Starminer, my good friend and proofreader, who without i'd be posting unedited lists like an idiot. Check out his blog, Caution: Bonds Skin Instantly in my links! Another shout out to Crimthaan, for his help in the process as well.

The Sons of Russ


And so we have reached Day Three of Nine Days Nine Legions! On a personal note, i've noticed that this list constructing has really helped me improve my list making skills.. But i'm sure none of you care. Today, I bring you the Sons of Russ, the Brothers of the Fang, the Space Wolves!


The Wrath of Fenris
Codex: Space Wolves
Point Total: 2000 pts

HQ
-Logan Grimnar, The Great Wolf - 275 pts

Troops
-5x Wolf Guard Pack - 220
-3x Combi-Meltas
-2x Frost Blades
-Razorback
-Assault Cannon

-5x Wolf Guard Pack - 220
-3x Combi-Meltas
-2x Frost Blades
-Razorback
-Assault Cannon

-5x Wolf Guard Pack - 220
-3x Combi-Meltas
-2x Frost Blades
-Razorback
-Assault Cannon

-10x Grey Hunters Pack - 200
-2x Plasma Guns
-Power Fist
-Rhino

-10x Grey Hunters Pack - 200
-2x Plasma Guns
-Power Fist
-Rhino

Fast Attack
-3x Thunderwolf Cavalry - 210
-Thunder Hammer & Storm Shield

-3x Thunderwolf Cavalry - 210
-Thunder Hammer & Storm Shield

Heavy Support
-6x Long Fangs - 205
-3x Plasma Cannons
-2x Multi-Meltas
-Drop Pod

-End List-

Analysis:
-Logan Grimnar - The Great Wolf hisself. Not only is his statline nine kinds of absurd, but his ability to confer a special rule upon his squad is where his true value exists in this list. Logan here will be accompanying the Drop Podding Long Fangs to provide them with Relentless. That's right. Relentless Long Fangs. Did I forget to mention he can give all those adorable Wolf Guard an extra attack for a turn with Living Legend? All-Father help you, Enemies of Man, because Logan won't.

-Wolf Guard Packs - Only 3 points more for an extra attack over Grey Hunters? And scoring with Logan! Sold. I went with the Combi-Meltas for some nice tank opening ability. Combined with the twin Frost Blades and the 2 attack base, even for the Combi-Weapon units, and you have one mean tank shredding unit. The Assault Cannon Razorback provides a powerful anti-infantry element, and it can also be used against vehicles in a pinch.

-Grey Hunters Pack - I love these guys. They're a truly fantastic unit. Free special weapon? Awesome! By now, Power Fists should be self-explanatory, so i'm not going to bore you with what you already know. The Plasma Guns are there to provide some withering anti-elite fire, and you have one all around solid troop unit.

-Thunderwolf Cavalry- Ah, Thunderwolves. I hate this unit. Not because it's not awesome, but fighting them is so dang unfair! These guys are on a whole nother level of good. 2 wounds at T5? Nice. I went with two three man units, because let's face it, those other guys are there as ablative wounds for the Thunder Hammer guy. And two Thunder Hammers are ALWAYS better than one.

-Long Fangs Pack - Where these guys really shine is Fire Control. Aiming at two targets in one turn is fantastic. I chose the Plasma Cannons to tear apart any Chaos Marines or other MEQ hordes who dare to show their faces against the Sons of Russ, and the Multi-Meltas to tear apart any Land Raiders who think they stand a chance here. They don't. But what truly makes these guys great is the Relentless bonus from Logan. A Devastator Squad that can fire at two targets AND on the turn they Drop Pod in? Priceless.

-Closing Thoughts - This has got to be one of the meanest lists i've ever seen. Stay tuned for tomorrow, the 7th Legion, the Imperial Fists!

And a special shout out to Demonllamma for his help in creating this list. You continue to prove yourself a valuable ally, sir! Llammas for the Llama God!

Bikers Abound


Welcome, my beloved readers, to Day Two of Nine Days Nine Legions! Today I bring to you the Harley (Or Triumph depending on your location) riders of the Warhammer 40,000 universe, the White Scars! I have to say, of all the lists i've made in a long time, this is perhaps the most powerful and down right scary one.


Great Hunt Strike Force
Codex: Space Marines
Point Total: 2000pts

HQ
-Kor'sarro Khan - 205 pts
-Moondrakkan

-Command Squad - 285 pts
-Space Marine Bikes
-Company Champion
-Company Standard
-2x Meltaguns
-Power Sword
-Plasma Pistol

Troops
-8x Space Marine Bike Squad - 320 pts
-Power Fist
-2x Plasma Gun
-Added Attack Bike
-Multi-Melta

-8x Space Marine Bike Squad - 320 pts
-Power Fist
-2x Plasma Gun
-Added Attack Bike
-Multi-Melta

-8x Space Marine Bike Squad - 320 pts
-Power Fist
-2x Plasma Gun
-Added Attack Bike
-Multi-Melta

-8x Space Marine Bike Squad - 320 pts
-Power Fist
-2x Plasma Gun
-Added Attack Bike
-Multi-Melta

Fast Attack
-3x Attack Bike Squad - 150 pts
-3x Multi-Melta

-2x Attack Bike Squad - 80 pts
-2x Heavy Bolters

-End List-

Analysis:
-Kor'sarro Khan - This should really be self-explanatory, but in case it's not, i'll make the case for the always awesome Master of the Hunt. First up on the reasons to take Kor'sarro is his titular rule, Master of the Hunt. This might well be one of the best abilities that can be imbued into a squad, providing not only the Hit and Run USR to Khan's squad, but also Furious Charge. Next up, we have the army wide ability to Outflank. I'll say it again. Army-wide Outflank. And lastly, his ability to allow Bike Squads to count as Troop units in a Space Marine List. Oh, and did I forget to mention his Instant Death causing Power Sword, Moonfang?

-Command Squad - I've always found that the Command Squad is a great unit in general (especially the Apothecary), but once you throw it on bikes with Kor'sarro and add a few upgrades, this unit really begins to shine. But i'll go into exactly why I chose the upgrades I chose, just for posterity. The Company Banner's ability to reroll failed morale and pinning tests is a boon to any army, but the +1 wound caused in assault is the real reason to take one of these. The dual meltaguns act as can openers for the squad, allowing Kor'sarro and the rest of the more assault orientated elements of the squad to tear through whatever remains.

-Space Marine Bike Squads - This unit is really one of the best in the codex, as far as i'm concerned. The Multi-Melta attack bike provides handy Anti-Mech fire in a very Mech heavy demographic, along with the Power Fist. On top of that, there's the Twin Plasma Guns to provide anti-MEQ fire, and allow you to deal with those pesky 2+ saves that are becoming so popular. Add the T5 goodness of bikes in general, and you have one mean unit. Of course, you've already heard my thoughts on troop uniformity in my DA post, but if you haven't, check it out!

-Space Marine Attack Bike Squads - Three Multi-Meltas in one T5 unit? Yessir! I also shoehorned a Heavy Bolter squad in as well, just for some anti-Horde fire for those Ork and Nid troop heavy lists we all run into at some point.

-Closing Thoughts - This is definitely one of my favorite lists, and I really hope to see more White Scars players, after they take a look at this!

Special Thanks go to Sladie, Schweet, Demonllamma, and Starminer, for advice and thoughts!

Sons of the Lion


Welcome to the first part of Nine Days Nine Legions! Every day will feature a 2000 point list created by me, as well as a brief summary as to my reasoning for each unit I chose in the list.

Today, in case you couldn't tell, we're kicking it off with the Sons of the Lion themselves, the one and only Emo Marines, the Dark Angels!


Strike Force Mortis
Codex: Dark Angels
Point Total: 2000

HQ
-Supreme Grand Master Azrael - 225 pts

-Interrogator-Chaplain - 145 pts
-Terminator Armour

Elites
-5x Deathwing Terminator Squad - 215 pts
-3x Pairs of Lightning Claws
-2x Thunder Hammers and Storm Shields

Troops
-10x Tactical Squad - 265 pts
-Power Fist
-Plasma Gun
-Missile Launcher
-Rhino
-Extra Armour

-10x Tactical Squad - 265 pts
-Power Fist
-Plasma Gun
-Missile Launcher
-Rhino
-Extra Armour

-10x Tactical Squad - 265 pts
-Power Fist
-Plasma Gun
-Missile Launcher
-Rhino
-Extra Armour

Fast Attack
-6x Ravenwing Attack Squadron - 370
-2x Meltaguns
-Attack Bike (Multi-Melta)
-Land Speeder (Assault Cannon & Heavy Bolter)

Heavy Support
-Land Raider Crusader - 250

-End List-

Analysis:
-Azrael - I'll wait for the nervous breakdowns to stop. I know, a Dark Angels List that DOESN'T have Belial, heart attack inducing. Okay, i'll stop with the bad sarcasm now. I chose Azrael not only because of his role in the Dark Angels, but also for the power he brings to the table. Not only is he essentially a Terminator with his 2+ Armour Save and 4+ Invulnerable Save, but that same Invulnerable save carries over the Squad he accompanies (In this case the Deathwing Squad). Combined with his Master-Crafted S6 Power Sword and Combi-Plasma, Azrael brings some real fire power to the table, and as such, he gets my Seal of Certification.

-Interrogator-Chaplain - No Dark Angels list is complete without a Chaplain as far as i'm concerned. Not only is the Interrogator Chaplain a powerful unit in his own right (With the statline to match a Captain) but the bonuses he instills to the unit he accompanies are stellar as with any Chaplain.

-Deathwing Terminator Squad - Ahhh the Deathwing. The lovable bone colored Terminators of doom. Everyone knows and fears the Deathwing, and this squad should be no different, especially with the bonuses provided by Azrael and the Chaplain attached to this unit. Some of you may note the configuration of the unit as slightly different, with only two Thunder Hammer and Storm Shield Terminators, but I feel the Chaplain provides more bonuses to Lightning Claw Terminators, and with 4+ saves to go around for those note carrying Storm Shields, the unit's survivability is not an issue.

-Tactical Squad - You'll notice one theme that persists for all of my lists is the idea of troop uniformity. That's not to say you won't see lists with different kinds of troops (like Scouts or Tacticals) because you will, but I feel overall similarity in unit structure simplifies strategic thinking and allows for better game management. Now, moving right along, I chose Plasma because well.. What are Dark Angels without Plasma? See the picture above for my justification on that end. Missile Launchers provide versatile Anti-Mech support, and the Power Fists exist for the same purpose.

-Ravenwing Attack Squadron - I'm a big fan of this unit, despite the fact that is suffers from the "A lot of eggs in one basket" syndrome. It provides not only a plethora of Anti-Mech fire with the Multi-Melta and twin Meltaguns, but the Assault Cannon Land Speeder can tear apart horde units like paper.

-Land Raider Crusader - The ever lovable LRC brings yet more Melta firepower to the table, but issues yet more Assault Cannon fire to the table to combat hordes or serve as Anti-Vehicle fire in a pinch.

And there you have it folks! Day One: Dark Angels, complete! Feel free to leave any comments or questions in the comment section, and i'll answer them in the next section. Stay tuned for Day Two: White Scars!

Also, a special shout out to Demonllamma and Sladie for their help in the List Creation Process!

Nine Days Nine Legions


Howdy my beloved readers! So, I've been in an inspired mood lately. My game of Deathwatch this Saturday has me all ready to defeat the Emperor's foes, because after all:


See? Well, anyway, for the next nine days, i'm going to be doing an Army List for each of the Loyal Legions remaining. I'm going to do my best to make them both competitive and loyal to the lore, so stay tuned for the fun! First up will be the infamous Dark Angels!

-Ciaphas Cain

So after spending much time reading the new Ultramarines book with Captain Shaan and the new Raven Guard stuff i've received from Forge World, my old Raven Guard feelings are stirring again. So, I decided to build a Raven Guard list, in the event I decide to do another RG force. Here it goes:


Raven Guard 2000 pt List


HQ

-Shadow Captain Shrike - 195

-Chaplain - 125

-Jump Pack


Elites

-Ironclad Dreanought - 170

-Drop Pod


-Ironclad Dreadnought - 170

-Drop Pod


Troops

-10x Tactical Squad - 235

-Melta Gun

-Lascannon

-Rhino

-Extra Armour


-10x Tactical Squad - 235

-Melta Gun

-Lascannon

-Rhino

-Extra Armour


-5x Scout Squad - 100

-4x Snipers

-Missile Launcher

-Camo Cloaks


Fast Attack

-10x Assault Squad - 240

-2x Flamers

-Pair of Lightning Claws


-10x Assault Squad - 250

-2x Plasma Pistol

-Power Fist

-Melta Bombs


-5x Vanguard Veteran Squad - 280

-6x Lightning Claws

-2x Storm Shields

-Jump Packs


Thoughts?



Well my beloved audience, I figured I would share with you the latest and most insane of my Dark Heresy Campaign. Its more than a bit of a tale, so I hope your prepared for the ensuing insanity. So, first, i'll give you an outline of our Beloved Cast:

-Dan: DM (Dungeon Master)
-Jenny - Sister of Battle
-Pat - Guardsmen
-Connor - Arbites
-Steve - Tech-Priest
-Me - Sanctioned Psyker & Senior Acolyte
-Important NPC - Inquisitor Xorael of Ordo Xenos

Basically, we had been dispatched by Inquisitor Xorael on a system-wide campaign through the Vantos system in the Ultima Segmentum against a shadowy Xenos enemy of whose origin we could not ascertain. After a battle that raged throughout the caves on the outmost lying world against the foul Eldar, and an earlier encounter against a Chaos cult (Quick aside, I swear, what part of Ordo Xenos do you not understand Dan? Fire does not burn immaterial EVIL too well!) we had thought it was an Eldar incursion, and spent much time hunting throughout the ruins lying on the closest planet to the system's slowly dying sun, followed by a chase throughout the capital city of the most populous planet in the Vantos system we were sure we had eliminated the Eldar threat, and would be moving onto our
next campaign. Of course, Ciaphas is never allowed to have nice things, and this was not to be..

So, as Garviel (the name of my character in game) was making his routine passes on Tiama (Jenny's Sister of Battle) aboard the Song of Hope (The cruiser of Inquisitor Xorael) when Xorael summoned us to the War Room. Apparently there had been a mass invasion by "Implacable machines of unknown origin" sta
ged on the rural farming world of the system, Horinis, and Xorael instructed us to follow him down to the surface to meet with the head of the local PDF to figure out the exact nature of the threat.


Holy. Frakking. Throne. Oh no, it couldn't just be some renegade servitors could it? Oh no, it had to be a BUGE invasion by Necrons! Upon landing
to meet the Planetary Governor and the PDF Commander, we were immediately assaulted by said Commander! Turns it out it was a Necron Lord using some sort of unknown C'Tan technology by orders of The Deceiver to infiltr
ate and weaken the system's defenses for an invasion (We still haven't ascertained the reasons behind this). Luckily, Pat got a lucky shot with his Hellgun in and nailed it in the face, and Tiama had boltered the dang thing in the torso earlier, resulting in a dead Necron Lord, though Xorael cut it to pieces with his power sword just to be safe.

So after that fun encounter, Xorael called for support from the rest of the Inquisition, and decided that we needed to find out exactly where the Necrons were invading and proceeded to watch Konor (Connor's name, creative, I know) beat the piss out of the traitorous Governor. After a successful "interrogation" Xorael determined that we would be the scouting vanguard for the coming fleet. Fan-Frak-Tastic. So, we all piled into one of our transports and headed off to the canyons across the continent. Upon arrival we.. Well.. Let's just say poor Garviel nearly crapped his pants and he's just an imaginary character.

One thing you have to know about Necrons, they never do anything half-assed. There was like THREE MONOLITHS, and apparently Xorael got caught up in some sort of insanity and decided we'd attempt to take out some of the Necrons in order to give the Imperial forces half a chance. TERRIBLE. IDEA. Our idiotic stealth demolition mission ended abruptly when Xorael got Gaussed in the FACE. After that, it all kind of went to hell. My reaction? RUUUUUUUUUUUUUUN! After seizing Xorael's Rosette (Which can survive Gaussing, who knew?), his sweet witch hat, and the Power Sword he dropped earlier on to replace my lost chainsword (Stupid Flayed One!) I spammed firey doom and got us the hell out of there, luckily Necrons is slow.

So.. Guess who's now an Inquisitor? This guy! Now all I have to do is figure out how to deal with a huge Necron invasion fleet... This is so not going to end well.

-Ciaphas Cain

-Ciaphas Cain

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