3 competing 1500 point ideas, would like opinions

[DogofWar1]

Basically it goes like this (quick note, this is going to be long, sorry about the text wall). I've gone through and come up with 3 different lists that I feel comfortable with at the 1500 point level. Of course, I can only run one list at a time, so I figured where better to go to ask questions than here. What I'm looking for:

-general opinion of lists
-opinion of lists in terms of different game settings (seize ground vs. annihilation, etc)
-general critique of strategy for that list

These lists don't differ too drastically in some respects, but they do have some differences I would like to discuss. Thanks to everyone who responds in advance and I look forward to critiques.

Note: List 2 is one that I'm not entirely sure on, mainly in the Vanguard category. Originally I had them as too tooled up, and kind of got them down to earth, but I'm still not 100% satisfied. This is one of the bigger issues of the 3 lists.

Note 2: Listed after dashes are things I use in combination (dedicated transports with their units and the like)

LIST 1:

- Drop Pod
Ironclad Dreadnaught (w/ Heavy Flamer replacement of S
-Drop Pod
Ironclad DN (w/ HF replacement of S
-1 Thunderfire Cannon
-2 Rhinos
2 x 10 Man Tactical Squads (1 has a Multi-Melta in place of a ML, both have Melta Bombs on Sgt)
Pedro Kantor attached to one of the squads
- Drop Pod
9 Sternguards (one w/ Combi-flamer, sgt. w/ melta bombs)
-4 Attack Bikes (2 w/ HBs, 2 w/ MMs)

Strategy:
1. Drop in IC dreads on first turn to cause havoc and hopefully eliminate either a) big vehicles (battle wagons, landraiders, etc) b) regular transports or c) large swaths of possibly problematic troops (like lootas or fire dragons)
2. On objective games, move 1 tac squad a piece to objectives
3. Have TFC do its thing preferably away from objectives forcing them to go out of their way to destroy it
4. Attack Bikes act as hunters, wheeling in behind enemy troops or vehicles, possibly spliting into two groups of 2 ABs each to force enemies to choose between objectives and dealing with ABs
5. Last drop pod comes in, either as a back up tool if, on objective, we're losing something, or if a unit of foot soldiers is still being troublesome. Obviously on objective games the 9 Sternguard whole up in an objective with their bolter's special ammo

Pros (IMO):
1.IC dreads have to be hit by heavy stuff to die, which is nice, and with Heavy Flamer and Multi-Melta, they can deal with their troop or vehicle threats on turn one via drop pods.
2.TFC can make back its points quickly and against horde it's almost like cheating.
3. Sternguards dropping in, shooting the place up, and then taking an objective is a wonderful thing.

Cons (IMO):
1. To be honest, I'm sure there are cons in there, but (seeing as this is the list I've spent the most time analyzing) I can't really see any big ones. Then again, that's why I've come here. It might be weak on the anti-Tau front though...



LIST 2:
-2 Drop Pods with 2 IC dreads (same as first list)
-2 10-man Tac squads each with Rhinos. (same loadout as list 1)
-Thunderfire Cannon
-10 scouts all with sniper rifles and camo cloaks (though one has a missile launcher)
-3rd rhino carrying 7 vanguard veterans and a chaplain (all seven vanguards have lightning claws, 3 carry melta bombs; obviously they are on foot). Chaplain has melta bombs, digital weapons, and a powerfist (for extra attack) (this rhino also has a dozer blade, just to add some extra insurance that it gets up close as opposed to accidentally suiciding on a rock)

Strategy:
-Dreads act similarly to list 1 (drop in, wreak havoc, etc.)
-Tac squads get to cover/ objectives
-TFC nukes stuff
-Scouts get in ruins (preferably objective ruins) and using the bolster defenses of the techmarine + camo cloaks sit tight with a 2+ cover save.
-Vanguards act as a sort of defense team for any point that looks like it will be overrun, especially where the scouts are concerned

Pros:
- Scouts should be able to make a pretty nice circle of doom with their sniper rifles
-Vanguards, if and when they hit CC will tear through things quickly via re-rolling attacks from Chaplain and re-rolling wounds from LCs.
-similar pros as list 1 concerning IC dreads and TFC

Cons:
-Vanguards are expensive, and against shooters they'll prolly go down quickly if not helped via rhino
-scout bs of 3 makes them less circle of death and more slightly menacing circle of annoyance
-Tac squads don't have any big backup like in 1st list (no sternguards dropping in late, or an attached Chapter Master)
-Lose attack bikes too


LIST 3 (last one, I swear):
-TFC
-2 Drop Pods w/ IC Dreads
-2 Tac squads w/ rhinos (same loadout + Pedro Kantor)
-Drop Pod with 9 sternguard (sterns have 1 combi-flamer, 1 combi-melta and sgt w/ melta bombs)
-10 scouts w/ sniper rifles and camo cloaks

Strategy:
-IC dreads and TFC same as others
- Tac squads same as 1st (and 2nd, slightly different because of Kantor)
- Sternguards again act as a backup/ advancing force
-Scouts get in an objective an hold tight

Pros:
-4 scoring units at 10 (sterns at 9) units each. With scouts and their good cover saves they can hold out fairly well and again sternguards are kind of a coup de grace in terms of stealing or holding an objective, or just destroying an enemy unit

Cons:
-Losing attack bikes. This could be construed as a pro or con depending on play style
-Little anti-armor. Beyond the dread's MMs, really only Melta bombs and Kantor can beat heavy armor. Furthermore, my scouts, due to point constraints don't have either a ML or Melta bombs, and in a pinch would need Sternguard support.


Phew...well, there are the three possible lists. I kind of like 1 and 2 more than 3 as 3 has much lower anti-armor weaponry. I'm also still thinking as to whether the vanguard setup in 2 is okay...Anyways, have at it, and thanks to everyone who has read through this abomination.

[xnecrontyrx]

You know, I had a bunch of reasons I didn't like them, but I kept running them around in my head and spitting them back out.

FYI, IC Dreads have meltaguns, not multi-meltas

The following things stand out to me though:
List 1
Not enough anti tank/heavy armor. If you assume your ironclads are anti vehicle, this may not be so bad. Otherwise, I see 3 multimeltas and 3 meltaguns. I also feel that if you go up again a CC heavy army, you may not have the weight of fire needed to put them down before they can tear you up.

List 2
I still don't think you have enough AT. Meltabombs really seem to be a stretch for any squad not equipped with jump packs. My point being that the turn you jump out of a rhino, no assaulty unless they got out before the rhino moved. Seems like a really short effective range on your anti tank. You definitely improve your CC ability, but at the cost of your shooting.

List 3
This strikes me as a weaker version of list 1, I wouldn't really consider fielding it.


Overall it seems as though all your anti tank/anti heavy armor relies on your being in their face, but you dont really carry the assault troops necessary to prevent that from turning against you.