Alternative Builds: ImmoBAlizer list/concepts/deployment

So in relation to getting my head out of my arse and playing Blood Angels in the manner in which they are designed…fast and close in the main… and STOP playing them like wannabe Imperial Guard… I present this…

My take on Immolator spam. When the codex dropped I hit this style of list using Death Company to spam out the ‘Backs, but of course they are not scoring and it was a ridiculous concept. Now though…when we finally stop trying to be IG…

 

This is not Witch Hunters/Sisters though…not the 9 immo’s and a 3-6 rhino’s with IST’s you’d see at 1500-2k… we just have 6/7 plus support at 1750…remember, this is for the X Legion Tournament in a few weeks.

For a true immo spam list, have a look over here at YTTH  or here at 3++.

In this version, I am attempting to achieve what I partially did with the IG: Mobility and Midfield article a while ago.

An army that is mobile.

Fluid.

Fast.

And in your face.

There are several ways to do this with BA, but with mech…and despite being fast…we always are left with units that do not push into the midfield or further because we are holding a couple back to claim/secure objectives, or are only moving 6” to fire all weapons (my beloved AutoLas Preds I’m looking at you)…as a result, the good stuff that’s inside the transports – namely, melta weapons, are unused for quite a while…too late one may argue. 

So, if we force our own hand in getting the boys close… lets start with the list before moving on to concepts and deployment…

List 1:

Libbie – Fear, Shield, Hood, Force Weapon, Combi-Melta

Honour Guard – 2xMeltagun, Novitiate, Razorback – TLHF, Dozer, HKM

RAS – Meltagun, Inferno Pistol, Razorback – TLHF, Dozer, HKM

RAS – Meltagun, Inferno Pistol, Razorback – TLHF, Dozer, HKM

RAS – Meltagun, Inferno Pistol, Razorback – TLHF, Dozer, HKM

RAS – Meltagun, Inferno Pistol, Razorback – TLHF, Dozer, HKM

RAS – Meltagun, Inferno Pistol, Razorback – TLHF, Dozer, HKM

Baal Predator – Flamestorm Cannon, HKM, Dozer

2 x Attack Bike - Multimelta

2 x Attack Bike - Multimelta

Vindicator – Demolisher Cannon, Siege Shield

Vindicator – Demolisher Cannon, Dozer blade

1750

 List 2:

Changes the HG for a 6^th RAS squad (identical to others), changes 1 squad of attack bikes to another Baal (exact copy), changes one Vindicator to 2 Riflemen Dreads for suppression fire… keep them in cover at the back and plink away, or advance slowly from cover to cover firing as we go. They can’t keep pace, but they don’t need to and the pressure put on the opponent from the main components of the list mean that they are less likely to be suppressed themselves…

Concepts/Notes:

-          39 Infantry wounds with FNP

-          9 vehicles, 3 @ Av13  

-          Rhino triangles – for melta deployment from transports and in order to give cover to the boys as they pop stuff.. to get a look at what we mean I have stolen the images fromKirby at 3++ (cheers oh Pink One!) 

That is how we rhino triangle for those that are not quite sure and that is the crux of this army’s anti tank, incredibly swift Melta delivery..

Think on it, 12” deployment or spearhead, with a 21” range (12 move + 2 get out+ 1 Base + 6 melta) to be in super melta range we can get first turn melta shots off…or even first turn regular melta…great against Eldar or Dark Eldar where Melta is pretty irrelevant…

-          Cover: This comes in two forms…smoke after an 18” first turn burn or even better, using a pair of Baals to pop in the scout phase and give cover to other vehicles and just generate cover saves off of each other.

The problem here is that you can cause yourself to get stuck. Check out what happens when you stack your vehicles just to get cover for the rest… YTTH is STILL my bible… and Kirbs of course...

-          Sanguine Shield – pops off in the enemy shooting phase, so we have great utility from the Libbie here… can jump out and Fear a disembarked enemy unit, with -2 Ld we can cause a lot of havoc with just average rolls of dice.. plus he has a melta shot…do we think an Inferno pistol is a better shout? Perhaps as it gives him an extra attack and can use it continuously throughout the game…we’ll look at that.

-          Bikes… there is definitely a place for attack bikes here. They will be out of LOS until they flick out down a flank or by the side of a Razor and smash something with MM fire. Even then they will most likely be in cover from retaliatory fire and with List 1 will have FNP too. Pretty good. Their ability to lash out and hit very hard into a high value target earns their place.. that and 36” range… Even on the charge vs smaller units that are inside any tank they explode (because mid game it all gets just that close)…they will do alright, keep them in concert with the Honour Guard and they’ll have Furious Charge and FNP and T5 still…huge difference maker versus IG Vets or 5 man Razorback Marines… NOT that I’m advocating assaulting with them, fuck no, but if it happens…well, its not that bad. Not slowed by terrain either, just take Dangerous tests, with 2 wounds…well ok that’s not an issue either really…

Deployment:

-          Always as far forward as possible! Lets examine:

-          Dawn of War – the usual issue is we are not on the table and therefore not in a good position, losing a round of shooting too as Night Fighting is generally in effect. For the ImmoBAlizer list (cos even with Dozers it’s what I know my dice will do to me!!) this is not an issue. We can roll on the table 18” putting the force almost half way and in position to get good melta shots for turn two…and with effective melta range comes TLHF goodness… for safety? We pop smoke of course, but get the added bonus of Night Fighting…shit…this army actually likes DoW deployment?

-          Spearhead – Central LOS blocking terrain? Great. Nuzzle up to it and prepare to drive 12” straight in and fire off the HKM salvo…or bomb 18”, pop smoke and be prepared to unleash Hell next turn. Other thoughts…if the enemy is mid-ranged in nature (SM, SW, IG Vets perhaps, Orks, Nids) then we can smash them turn one..or if going second, stay behind the central terrain piece and pop smoke on Baals on either flank to generate cover to any exposed vehicles..

-          Pitched Battle. Simples. 12” forward. In a line. Baals on either end can scout and smoke to generate cover for perhaps 4 other tanks using front armour , not sideways on to generate for more…that’ll have to do, because if they park in front of the others and get stunned or immobilised, then we have completely stalled our own advance and left ourselves open to a gigantic clusterfuck. And that’s not good.