"Hey I discovered your blog about a month ago and it has really pushed me to step up my game, after Reading VT2's marine codex review, and generally lurking around I have come up with this 1750 list and was wondering what you or VT2, thought of it. I am short the two preds, one rhino, and a razorback, so before i ordered them Iwanted to maker sure this was an okay list, also any ideas on what to do to kick it up to 2000, I additionally own a godhammer landraider, 5 tactical termies, 1 and a half tac squad, an ungodly(60) scout bp/cw and sniper, two heavy bolter guys, two plasma cannons, for missile launchers, a mm hf land speeder, and a single dread, more of pretty much any thing can be bought but I would like to not spend to much more. But heres the list...
Librarian
100
Elites
Sternguard
+25 power fist
+20 combis
+5 melta gun
Razorback
+35 Assault cannon
250
Sternguard
+25 power fist
+20 combis
+5 melta gun
Razorback
+35 las plas
250
Inquisitor
+20 incinerator
+15 power weapon
+15 emperors tarot
70
Troops
Tac 1
Multi melta
Flamer
Bolt pistol
+15 power weapon
Rhino
220
Tac 2
Multi melta
Flamer
+25 power fist
+10 combi
Rhino
240
Scout squad
+25 power fist
+10 combi
110
Fast Attack
Assault squad
In a rhino
+15 power weapon
115
Land Speeder
+40 Typhoon missile launchers
90
Land Speeder Storm
+10 Multi Melta
60
Heavy Support
Predator
+60 lascannon sponsons
120
Predator
+60 lascannon sponsons
120
Thunderfire Cannon
100
The two sternguard squads are pretty self explanatory one has plasma for MC and light vehicles, the other melta for the heavy stuff. The Inquisitor and the librarian ride with the Assault marines and drop some crazy flaming out of the top. The tac marines control the midfield. the typhoon and the preds provide fire support against vehicles while the thunderfire cannon hopefully is temporarily unscathed because of all the other threats drops a crazy amount of templates. The scout squad with first turn hopefully stops a vehicle or two if I go second I reserve it to outflank and it either picks off a straggler or makes a last turn obj grab. The inquisitor i could take or leave, I just like getting it's last hurrah in before allies goes away but it could go with no tears shed. What changes do you think i should make?
Thanks,
Zack"
Well Zack the list has a lot of parts which aren't really working together. The Inquisitor is a very expensive AP4 template which you can get from Sternguard anyway. You've got combat upgrades on all of your squads and no real combat unit like TH/SS Terminators and then a bit of long-ranged firepower with the Preds and Thunderfire. If you're trying to make a mobile force with ranged firepower and the potential to punch people in combat, BA is your best choice. SM Mech is a lot more push into midfield rather than dashing around willy nilly. If you want to keep with SM I'd look at dropping all of the combat upgrades, Scouts, Thunderfire and Storm and streamlining your list by adding in some more Sternguard and Speeders + a Pred.
Your Sternguard can take double heavy flamers and combis to run mobile whatever you need supported by your MM/HF Speeders whilst the Typhoons/Preds can put out firepower from the backfield. Your tacticals can support both of these units by either hanging back and slow pushing midfield or pushing midfield early with the Sternguard. It makes for a more coheisve force and gets rid of the combat upgrades which you don't need. All of those powerfists equate to another squad of Sternguard essentially.
If you want a much more mobile force though with the ability to punch back in combat, I'd consider BA.
