Email in: Riflemen Dread vs BBQ box... and Land Raiders

"Hey Kirby, hey all, kildash here with another exciting question .

Now, as we all know this blog puts rifleman dreads forward as good supression fire. I agree.

BUT, it also tells us about BBQ-boxes (5 sternguard with 3 combi-melta and 2x heavy flamer), which brings us to the problem: both are elites, and i'm going to assume we're also taking 2 raiders with terminators (combat squadded to save an elite slot). At 2k, this brings up two possible lists:

Librarian with The Avenger and Null Zone
2x Dreadnought with 2x twin-linked autocannon
10 Assault Terminators with TH/SS
Dedicated Land Raider Redeemer with multi-melta
2x 10 Tactical Marines, including missile launcher and flamer
2x Rhino Transport
2x Land Speeder with heavy flamer and cyclone missile launcher
2x Predator with autocannon and heavy bolter sponsons
Land Raider Redeemer

Looks like a fairly solid list. However, if we drop the speeders we can shift around some stuff and get the following:

Librarian with The Avenger and Null Zone
2x 5 Sternguard with 3x combi-melta and 2x heavy flamer
2x Rhino Transport
10 Assault Terminators with TH/SS
Dedicated Land Raider Redeemer with multi-melta
2x 10 Tactical Marines, including missile launcher and meltagun
2x Rhino Transport
2x Predator with autocannon and heavy bolter sponsons
Land Raider Redeemer with multi-melta

this actually leaves us with 20 pts to slam on some hunter-killers or whatever... Also note this allows for a multi-melta on BOTH redeemers and a meltagun in each tac-squad instead of flamers. I'm not honestly sure which of these list is better... nor am i sure what YOU guys consider to be better. Personally, i'm leaning more towards the first one. I just can't find myself to choose sternguard over rifleman dreads AND speeders.

Which brings me to question two: What kind of raiders would be used here? I've always gone for redeemer's in the past, since their flamers seem so sexy but i'm considering standard land raiders now, the godhammer pattern. I don't need frag launchers anyway (thunder hammers: Init. 1) and a few extra twin-linked lascannons providing fire while moving up (Machine Spirit) seem a lot more useful than a single un-linked multi-melta or assault cannon. What are your thoughts on this?

Thanks in advance,

Kildash"

The Riflemen Dreads are much better in this style of list than the Sternguard BBQ boxes. Whilst the Sternguard offer up some tactical flexibility, you lose mobile meltas/suppression fire from the Speeders (depending if you go MM or Typhoon) and suppression fire from the Riflemen. The suppression fire is the most important as this type of firepower is very good at opening plastic boxes. This means your Termies can roll up and punch face. Whilst Sternguard are a good unit, they don't add what is needed in this list which is long-ranged firepower. As you said, Sternguard over Dreads and Speeders? Not in this list thanks.

In regards to Raider variants. The Crusader is the all-round best. It's got the most firepower and combined anti-infantry and anti-tank capabilities and whilst the Godhammer has more damage potential against tanks and the Redeemer has more damage potential against infantry, the Crusader is right there in the middle damaging both and moving the whole time. Importantly compared to a Redeemer, it can be immobilised early and still impact the battlefield and importantly compared to a Godhammer, you're not sacrificing firepower when you move forward and you generally want to move forward. Having an extra 4 TLLC would be nice but TL-assault cannons and MM can do the job just as well. I generally go for one Redeemer and one Crusader so you do have that massive anti-infantry potential but put the Libby in the Crusader.

Overall, your first list is better but you also need to ensure your Raiders have Extra Armor and MM's (as GWvsJohn pointed out). I'd change one to a Crusader as well but that's a more minor change in comparison to the MM and EA.