Email in: Unusual Space Marine army list [2000]

"Hello,

Just wondering what you think about my 2k Space Marine list. It's pretty unusual, but I've done fairly well with it thus far-- I play as an Iron Hands successor and thus love my Techmarine stuff!

++HQ++

Master of the Forge w/ conversion beamer- 120

++Elites++
Dreadnought w/ twin-linked autocannon, DCCW w/ built-in storm bolter- 115
Dreadnought w/ twin-linked autocannon, DCCW w/ built-in storm bolter- 115
Dreadnought w/ twin-linked autocannon, DCCW w/ built-in storm bolter- 115

++Troops++
Tactical Squad w/ meltagun, lascannon, Sergeant w/ combi-melta, Razorback w/ lascannon, twin-linked plasma gun, and dozer blade- 275
Tactical Squad w/ meltagun, lascannon, Sergeant w/ combi-melta, Razorback w/ lascannon, twin-linked plasma gun, and dozer blade- 275
Tactical Squad w/ flamer, multi-melta, Sergeant w/ combi-flamer and power fist, Rhino w/ dozer blade- 245
3 Scouts w/ sniper rifles and camo-cloaks, 1 Scout w/ missile launcher and camo-cloak, Sergeant Telion- 150

++Fast Attack++
Land Speeder w/ Typhoon missile launcher and heavy bolter- 90
Land Speeder w/ Typhoon missile launcher and heavy bolter- 90
Land Speeder w/ Typhoon missile launcher and heavy bolter- 90

++Heavy Support++
Dreadnought w/ twin-linked autocannon and DCCW w/ built-in storm bolter- 115
Thunderfire Cannon- 100
Thunderfire Cannon- 100

1,995 points total
50 models total (38 infantry, 10 vehicles, 2 artillery)

For 1850 point games, just remove the Scouts."

I'm afraid I think your points are wrong as the LasPlas tacticals are 310 points not 275 which puts you 65 points over. However, I don't really think you need the LasPlas RBacks and I think if you replaced them with Rhinos (and worked around the Tactical setup a bit) plus replacing the Thunderfires with Dreadnoughts you'd be keeping the theme of the Iron Hands whilst getting a better list. I know the Thunderfires add a ton of anti-infantry and some somewhat decent anti-tank with 4 S6 blasts, but they are really fragile. If you're happy with that extreme fragility, by all means you can continue using them but you'd need to shore up your anti-tank (i.e. make some of the Dreads 2x TL-autocannons). However, if you're willing to replace them with Dreads we can do something like...

6x TLAC/DCCW Dread, MotF w/Beamer, 3x10x Tacs w/flamer/MM/Rhino, 5x Scouts, 2x Typhoons, 2x MMHF Speeders which sits at 1895 points which gives you points to add in a Libby or more Speeders. Or if you want LasPlas RBacks you can replace a 10x Tac squad with 2x5x Tacs w/LasPlas but puts you 20 points over (which means you'll have to drop Telion). You could also simply make all the Dreads 2x TL-AC, drop a Typhoon and take 2 more MMHF Speeders.

In the end there's a lot of options to fiddle with the list but the main changing points are the LasPlas squads you've got. They just are too many points and not too efficient when you can get a cheaper LasPlas or proper Tactical squad. Again, if you want to keep the Thunderfires with the Techmarine love/Iron Hands fluff that's fine (just replace two of the Dreads above with Thundefires) but I'd aim to work on the over upgraded Tactical squads.