Jumping into 30k? Let's go!

[Hive Tyrant Qiln]

So I decided to jump the boat in to the wonderful world of the Horus Heresy, and I have 2 armies in mind. My first is the Salamanders. I'm looking for a highly durable army able to fight with the best of them when they get there. Then I have the Death Guard, not afraid to do anything for victory. I split the starter box with my brother, and got various conversion bits and transfer sheets off ebay. Here are my two starting lists.

AoD Detachment (Rite of War - Orbital Assault) - 1000 pts
HQ 1 - Praetor w/ Cataphractii Terminator Armour, Dragon-scale Storm Shield,  and a Thunder Hammer - 180
HQ 2 - Librarian w/ Volkite Charger and ML 2 - 115
Troop 1 - Legion Tactical Squad w/ Sergeant w/ a Drop Pod (10) - 185
Troop 2 - Legion Tactical Squad w/ Sergeant w/ a Drop Pod (10) - 185
Elite 1 - Firedrake Terminators w/ Thunder Hammers and Dragon-scale Storm-shields (5) - 350

Leaving me with 70 points. For the death guard, it's largely the same thing.

AoD Detachment (Rite of War - Creeping Death) - 995 pts
HQ 1 - Praetor w/ Terminator Amour, Deathshroud Power Scythe, and Iron Halo - 155
HQ 2 - Deathguard Terminators (4) w/ Dreadclaw - 270
Troop 1 - Legion Tactical Squad w/ Sergeant w/ Plasma Pistol and a Drop Pod (10) - 200
Troop 1 - Legion Tactical Squad w/ Sergeant w/ Plasma Pistol and a Drop Pod (10) - 200
Elite 1 - Dreadnought w/ Dreadnought CCW, Siege-wrecker, and Drop Pod - 170

Leaving me with only 5 points this time. So which is more competitive? Death Guard or Salamanders? Let me know before I start gluing anything!

[jimmyp]

Hello I collect salamanders 30k and they are very durable and have got some excellent units.
Firstly do you want to use there rite of war? Salamanders play a style of melta flamer and getting up close. They also have the firedrakes which are excellent.
I can give you a example of a generic salamanders list if you wish? Do you have the books?

[Hive Tyrant Qiln]

Yes, I recently finally acquired retribution for only 6.99, and I know the awesomeness of their RoW and the Firedrakes. Seems expensive though! So far I've got in addition a Spartan, Vulkan, and 4 more rhinos. I'm having a friend convert me 5 pyroclasts out of tacticals, so there's that.

Here are my current models

2 Praetors (both magnetized, one with cat. termie armor the other in artificer armor)
1 Vulkan
~46 Tacticals
~11 Veteran Tacticals (1 with each weapon option)
5 Firedrakes (Magnetized)
1 Spartan
5 Rhinos
3 Drop Pods
2 Contemptors (1 Magnetized, 1 with Multi Melta/DCCW)

[tomb]

Do you chaps have any recommendations for Emperor's Children? I'm just starting to learn 30k and I'm building an EC force. 

I'm thinking of using two 15+ assault squads with Sargent upgrades, destroyers, Palentine blades, kakophonie and maybe a squad of volkite calivers (I think)?

I have no anti air or armour but I'm not sure what will fit in when using the assault rite of war?

Any help with lists, rites of war or upgrades is appreciated. Cheers.

[Hive Tyrant Qiln]

Depends. Does their unique PA unit have the option to take jump packs? If it does use them instead. Troops in 30k are more for fulfilling troop slots rather than pulling any weight. This is mostly due to the fact that all the legions are based off the same book, but with different supplements.

Speaking of supplements, does anyone know the release date for book 7.

[tomb]

Jul 30, 2016 22:24:10 GMT Hive Tyrant Qiln said:

Depends. Does their unique PA unit have the option to take jump packs? If it does use them instead. Troops in 30k are more for fulfilling troop slots rather than pulling any weight. This is mostly due to the fact that all the legions are based off the same book, but with different supplements.

Speaking of supplements, does anyone know the release date for book 7.

Yep Palentine blades can take jump packs, but the EC legion buffs give crusader, additional dice to run moves, +d3 to sweeping advance rolls. Characters gain +1 initiative and sonic shriekers increase WS. I'm hoping that these buffs will aid a couple of assault units to win combat.

of course if they make combat...

I'm thinking of using the EC Mara Skara, orbital assault, Angels fury or the drop assault vanguard RoWs. Drop assault Van gives the assault units first turn deep strike, then the enemy can only fire snap shots at them then the turn after they gain hit and run.

Im new to 30k so I'll have to consider purchases out of the troops slots for the future.

Are there any stand out units you guys would recommend (that EC and armies in general can use)?

Is book 7 Prospero? If so I believe Russ will be out for Octobers FW open day, I'd expect the book around then?

[Hive Tyrant Qiln]

Well I've used the following to great success:

- Siege Dreadnought (Make sure you keep at least one melee weapon, and always take Phosphex)
- Pride of the Legion/Primarch's Chosen (Both unlock Terminators as troops, but this is more for the legions that can either deep strike their terminators (Iron Warriors, Sons of Horus, Imperial Fists) or can take Storm Shields (Salamanders, Imperial Fists)
- Veteran Squads (They're like Flyrants: if you don't take at least one, you're playing hardmode)
- Spartans (Most often the core of most terminator death-stars, most famously the 1100 point Salamander never dying terminator bomb)

[tomb]

Cool cheers Qiln,

I know I'll end up owning a spartan sooner or later!
The leviathan is a damn nice model, I enjoy regularly eating a friends red scorpions leviathan dred with my screamer star. Never underestimate the cc ability of the screamer star...

Considering the recent thread on Flyrants in army lists, I had better sort out my veteran units for 30k. They can take deepstrike locators (nuncio vox) right?

Are there common ways to play or list build against Spartan 'hammer' lists?