Another Scout Army

[samurai_socks]

Ok so it seems like there are a few people out there playing scout armies at the moment, here is one of my scout army lists. Ive been playing with a scout army since 2nd edition and have to say that scouts are the only way to go for me with marines....

OK 1300 Points Roughly its a little under 1500 so that i can add more depending on the situation.

Hq
Chaplain, with bike + wargear
Retinue of 3 space marine bikes

Troops
x1 scout squad- x8 snipers x1 missile launcher x1 seg
x2 scout squad- x5bolters x1 h.bolter x1 seg
x3 scout squad- x5 ccw x1 h.bolter x1 seg
x4 scout squad- x7ccw x1 missile launcher x1 seg

Fast Attack

x3 landspeeder with h.bolters one + assault cannon
x3 attack bikes + 2 multimeltas
x1 bike squad of 5 scouts bikers, (one vet seg with power weopon)


Usually upgrade the ccw scout squads sergeant to a veteran, give him a power sword.

Seems to work pretty well for me. I wish they would release some straight scout rules though, so that i could field just scouts. Even have a retinue of scouts for a chaplain in scout armour , that would make me very happy. And have special rules for an elite scout squad and maybe rules for an anti tank scout squad......

[Shas'el O'fen]

OK, I'll outline the good and the bad here.

HQ

The Chaplain on the bike is a good idea, since it increases his normal Toughness and makes him harder to wound in close combat. I would like to know what other wargear he has, though.

Troops

Well, I don't know what to say except Scounts in a squad should ideally be equipped uniformly, with the exception of the Veteran Scout Segeant. Veteran Scout Sergeants (like other Veteran Sergeants) are not much good unless you give them some extra goodies. If you give your Veteran Scout Sergeants an auspex, you'll be able to shoot enemy infiltrators with your own infiltrators. With the relatively low (compared to other Space Marine units) armor save on the Scouts, they need help from their power-armored bretheren. Dump the missle launcher in squad one for another sniper rifle, and give your heavy weapon-wielding Scouts in squads three and four bolt pistols and close combat weapons so you can take full advantage of their Initiative 4.

Fast Attack

I have to say this, and many people will diss me for it. I don't like the looks of the Land Speeder. With AV 10 on all sides, a bolter can score a glancing hit on it. What's worse, if the vehicle is immobilized it's effectively destroyed as it will crash to the ground. I'd drop them all and pick up some heavy support. I'd recommend a Predator Annihilator with lascannon side sponsons, extra armor, and smoke launchers since you appear to be lacking long-ranged firepower.

I have to admit I'd have fun playing this list, but it's not best for ownage.

[Jon23516]

@ Chapter Master Carneus: You say that "ideally" the whole squad should be armed uniformly. I realize the benefits if the mixed armament included bolters vs a Missile launcher in that the missile shot is wasted unless the whole squad stands still for a turn for the one shot. But as long as the Sniper Rifles and in this case the Missile Launcher are both Heavy weapons there are no penalties and the weapon ranges are similar.

I played my Tau vs. a Dark Angel army the other night and my opponent had a 6-man squad which included 4 snipers and 1 heavy bolter. The snipers pinned one of my FireWarrior squads almost every turn while the heavy bolter's 3 shots thined my ranks while an Assault squad bounded up and engaged in HtH. In short, bye bye FW squad. In truth I should have supported my FW squad better, but alas... the point is that the sniper rifle/heavy bolter combo worked really nicely.

I agree with your comments for Samurai's squads #3 and #4. Force them to focus on the CCW and have them covered by other squads with the heavy weapons.

In game terms, what advantages do Land Speeders have over Bikes and Attack Bikes? You pointed out their drawback of vulnerability to even bolter fire. To keep with the Scout theme, why not replace the Land Speeders with more Bikes?

Ah! End of the day. Gotta sign off and head home.

Later,
Jon

[samurai_socks]

Thanks for the comments.

HQ
The chaplain i usually just armed for close combat, and he already has a rosarus and increased toughness so i dont usually bother to 'tool' him out too much. No plasma pistol because i dont do plasma weopons.

Troops
I would usually agree that uniform armourment throught the squad is the best idea, but the heavy bolters in the close combat squads have won the game for me too many times. (One time i killed 3 chaos terminators in one turn with a heavy bolter, to much dismay from my opponent.)

Fast Attack
I agree that landspeeders do kind of suck, adv of landspeeders is that they can have 2 heavy weopons thats about the biggest plus over attack bikes. But without using just scouts in my army i needed some variety. I already had 3 landspeeders (x2 rogue trader era rollercoaster style ones with beaky space marines, and a metal ravenwing 2nd ed one) So i couldnt miss out on the chance to field those beautiful models. Plus i had fielded one of every fast attack in this army which i like (attack bikes, scout bikes, landspeeders, and space marine bikes)

Heavy support doesnt fit in with my tactics of how i play or with the idea of a scout army, in my mind at least. This army is strictly for my enjoyment. Though i dont play to loose.
This army list is 5 wins and 0 losses against my friends chaos undivided army. And 2 and 0 in an instore campaign that we are palying (against space wolves and imperial guard.)

So this army does not get owned. In saying that i have yet to play against an army that wasnt around when i played in tournaments back in the day, ie tau,necrons and dark eldar.
That is soon to be rectified this sat however when they shall feel the rath of my scouts.....

Oh i dont think i mentioned before that i play using the dark angels rules so all space marine bikes and landspeeders are deathwing. The death wing swooping forward to help out the scout who have become over extended so need support etc etc

[samurai_socks]

Originally posted by samurai_socks@Sep 23 2004, 21:43
Thanks for the comments.

Oh i dont think i mentioned before that i play using the dark angels rules so all space marine bikes and landspeeders are deathwing. The death wing swooping forward to help out the scout who have become over extended so need support etc etc

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That should read ravenwing...i must have terminators on the brain hmmm
did someone say give the scouts teleport homers....

[MrPhone]

can you have 10 troop choices?

or am i missing somthing

[Jon23516]

I don't have my books in front of me but wouldn't a Land Speeder have either a Fast or Skimmer capability that would allow only glancing hits instead of penetrating hits as long as it moves far enough? I say this because I know that I can set up my Tau Devilfish and Hammerheads this way.

I would agree thought that despite their potential vulnerability if they can at least earn their points through their mobility and ability to carry the 2 Heavy weapons you mentioned. That is the key, as long as they earn their points by flushing out an enemy into someone else's weapon range, or draw fire while other units make uncontested moves or lay down a hail of fire... wow, I've practically talked myself into adding some Land Speeders to my Dark Angels.

Enjoy,
Jon

[Jon23516]

Originally posted by MrPhone@Sep 23 2004, 20:58
can you have 10 troop choices?

or am i missing somthing

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No, you're not missing anything. It does appear the Samurai is mixing the use of his 'x' prefixes.

How about "#1 scout squad- 8 snipers, 1 missile launcher, 1 sgt"

Enjoy,
Jon

[samurai_socks]

yeah i meant scout squad one, etc, sorry about that, so 4 troops choices.

An update to the army, im debating to take out the scout bikers because i was kind of disapointed with how they played today. Idead to replace them, i guess just some normal bikers would work.

Todays game gives me one win against dark eldar, in my first game against them for this army.

I have a question though under the new rules for bikes, can they shoot their bolters or rapid fire their bolters and still assault with the +1 attack for charging?