BA Quick Analysis: Jump Packs

Okay, a nice quick analysis whilst I'm working on assignments and waiting for the F1 to start. I've seen a lot of "no way JP suck" or "they are the awesomesauce!" Now I'll go into army composition shortly with an Armies in 5th article but let's look at an all JP army and why it can work for BA.

1) JP in all slots bar HS. This is important, more so than DoA or FNP because you actually have variety. You're not just spamming ASM but can have other units with differently specialities from different FoCs. This means it can scale well and allows you to make a more balanced army.

2) DoA has two parts. The first is the re-roll failed rolls to reserves w/DoA. This allows you to capitalise on an average or good roll. It makes your army more reliable, this is always good.
2b) DoA also reduces the scatter range. Halving the scatter minimises chances of mishaps, allows you to play more aggressively and makes your army more reliable :O (this is a theme it seems).

3) FNP/FC bubbles. People don't like to remove 30-50 T4/3+ infantry and whilst a lot of people will claim Marine spam armies are awesome, here is one who can actually pull it off. Making all those infantry essentially have a 2+ save is...well pretty damn awesome and it requires a lot more firepower to take them out which means you have to charge them to avoid FC or the BA player's army tactics come into play and since he survived he gets to dictate play.

4) Vanguard. I know, I know. But Vanguard are a significant reason BA can work. Ignore the price drop (the tiny one). You've just mass jumped in on T2 and blown up a lot of tanks and...you get shot to pieces. Sure FNP will help you a bit but you need to be able to tie things down and quickly or put enough torrent into units that they are useless next turn. BA don't have good torrent outside of CC in JP armies so you need Vanguard to assault when they come on. Army synergy.

5) Every JP unit can take a melta, combi-melta or infernus pistol more than twice. Reliable anti-tank on the drop, yes please.

6) Unlike certain pod armies, the JP drop can be mobile afterwards because they can move 12" which means if their alpha-strike fails they can keep up with mech. This is important.

Whilst like all DS style lists they are vulnerable to DS defenses and reserve denial, the JP list is able to put out enough firepower the turn they drop, make assaults with drop synergy, survive the return firepower and are able to overcome reserve denial to an extent with their DoA re-roll. This is again a new style of list which GW has given the tick of approval, be happy all you people who hate mech, another list that can beat mech which is not mech!