Here we go with the final look at Astra Militarum, package assembly and some opnions on final lists, let’s go! Check the Tactics Corner for more great articles!
Hey guys, BigVik here with the last in my series of list building articles for Astra Militarum. We’ll be looking at how to assemble a package, some sample packages that caught my eye, and my final list.
Package Assembly
Packages are a term popularized in WarmaHordes, though I’ve heard the term in other contexts as well. A ‘Package’ is the deliverable (the unit which you want to deliver to your opponent’s face or on top of the objective to keep your opponent away from it) along with support elements dedicated to ensure that job can be done, or elements to ensure that job can be done as well as possible.
Catachan Manticore Package
6x Manticores
This is your primary damage dealers within whatever list you play, granted it’s 7 drops in an of itself, meaning you are probably never going first, but an average of 7 shots, 4+ to hit re-roll 1’s, str 10, ap -2, d3 damage is pretty good, 6 is next level.
Now we can’t assume this package will always be the point efficiency nirvana of anti-tank it is right now as GW has alluded to the idea that they will be tweaking point values with codices. This makes me think that the 133 point Manticore has got its days numbered, but enjoy it while it lasts, right?
Murder Conscript Package
N units of conscripts
(N-1) Commissars
(N-1) Adeptus Ministorum priest
This is the package that can indeed be your entire army, and is a boogie man on the internet right now. 200+ conscripts with what amounts to fearless, you need to snipe out 2 characters to make any one of these squads to lose their fearless analogue.
Furthermore, the way I read the priest and Straken abilities, they stack, meaning you can have each conscript rolling 3 attacks, 5+ re-rolling 1’s in assault. Throw in a couple company commanders to spam out FRFSRF (extra shots order), and you can get 2-4 5+ re-roll 1’s shots per conscript followed by a huge blob assault.
Now let’s not forget the double move order, meaning you can really cover the board with these guys first turn.
For my lists, these guys work as a tar-pit to ensure my artillery and Taurox Primes are able to parking lot and shoot for more than 1-2 turns, ensuring I have time to sand-paper their army away.
Catachan Cavalry Package
3-5 units of Rough Riders
Straken
Harker and Commissar or Commissar Yarrick
I’m gonna keep saying it, Rough Riders are good this edition, give them an additional attack in melee, re-roll 1’s to hit, and never lose more than 1 guy from morale? We just may be seeing this package on the table this edition!
I have a list that uses these guys as a counter assault element. The conscripts make up the outer layer of the onion, and the Rough Riders sit a few inches back to smash into whatever just hit the conscript layer, I have yet to play it due to lack of owned models, but I definitely look forward to playing this on the table top!
Bullgryn Tarpit Package
N full units of Bullgryn w/ slab shield, Ogryn Maul
N+1 Astropaths
Commissar
The Commissar is just in case something butchers one of your squads and you want to avoid a full unit scoop. The Astropaths take the power that gives +1 to armor save giving the Bullgryn the mythical 1+! Now a 1 always fails, so all this means is it takes ap -2 before their armor becomes a 3+, making them one of the most resilient units point for point.
Vulture Gunship Package
N Vultures w/ Twin Punisher Cannon, heavy bolter
(N-1, min of 2) Officers of the fleet
This is a pretty simple set up. The Vultures have 43 shots hitting on 4’s if they don’t move, this improves to 3+ if its a ground target. So if they move, and shoot at a ground target they go back to 4+.
The Officer of the Fleet designates a target for all Aeronautica Imperialis units, this could be Vultures, Valkries, Vendettas, whatever. This allows them to re-roll 1’s to hit.
This Means that on first turn, when you hover those vultures, you can blast a fool with 43 3+, re-roll 1’s, str 5 ap – shots, pretty good for shooting most things, since str 5 can wound just about anything pretty well… especially when you have 43 shots. Keep in mind this assumes you don’t get first turn, and that your opponent has advanced into no-man’s land to try to alpha strike you.
Final List Assembly
Spearhead Detachment
HQ
Company commander
TROOPS
21 conscripts
22 conscripts
ELITES
Sergeant Harker
HEAVY SUPPORT
6x Manticore
Vanguard Detachment
HQ
Commissar Yarrick
ELITES
Commissar
2x Officer of the Fleet
5 Ratlings
5 Ratlings
Flyers
1 Squadron of 2 Vultures
Dedicated Transports
4x Taurox Prime w/ Storm Bolter, Taurox Gatling Cannon, 2x Hot Shot Volley Gun
My final list is a bit of a mish mash since it is all models I own, with the exception of the Manticores, those will be being purchased shortly, though I’m not sure how full hog I want to go with that, depending on how long I get before the AM codex comes out.
The Manticore Package, and Vulture are in full effect. I’ve got Yarrick to buff the accuracy of the Taurox Primes.
I’m using the Ratlings and Conscripts as tar-pits for my shooty packages. The ratlings infiltrate in to prevent first turn deepstrike assaults on my main line, while the conscripts supply further tar-pit goodness. This should give me 2-3 turns of unadulterated shooting from the parking lot and flyers, allowing me to neuter just about any force I need to.
Well this is my take on Astra Militarum as of right now, tell me what builds you guys have been looking at in the comments down below!
And as always, Frontline Gaming sells gaming goodies at a discount, every day!
Frontline Gaming will buy your used models for cash or store credit!
