[Tyrian]

I've been working on a couple of SM lists between 1500 and 2000pts and have read quite a few posts and critiques on other lists criticising the use of a lone LR.
I'm a relatively new player so just bare with me if this seems stupid but i'm assuming that the main criticism behind fielding a lone LR is that it may as well paint one huge target on it's side and be done with it... assuming that i'm right with that observation, what units are good compliments to that lone LR?
or is the suggestion that you should be fielding a second one?
which seems to me that you'd be putting all of your eggs in 2 large baskets, assuming that both are filled with terminators...

at the moment i'm trying to put together some versatile balanced lists, but don't have many vehicles to use, although i am willing to get them...
so i'm looking at:
hq - vulkan/commander/chapter master
2 x 10 man tac squads with rhinos
1 x 5 man assault squad with chaplain
1 x 5 man term squad TH/SS
1 x 5 man scout
as a core set, then bulking out first with transports all round and then i'm all a bit stuck... which is why it'd be interesting to know what are good ways to support my LR + termies with the remaining points at my disposal.

just to explain, i didn't post this in the lists section because i'm more interested in the discussion of how to support a unit, rather than optimising my points in my list.

hope my rambling makes at least a little sense?

 

[Grinnsira]

If you run 2 raiders you could place the assault squad in it and run them together. At 1500 points I am looking at running 3 tac squads, 2 with razorbacks and 1 with a rhino. The fire support squads with ML or Las, The rhino squad with a MM and flamer. The 3 squad will shoot to the center objective to hold. The other thing is this if the solo raider gets popped well something else did not. Chock points work both ways.

 

[Lord Reevan]

Best things to support a land raider, without using another land raider are units that have a psychological edge to them, or as my group like to call them the " oh Shit!!" units. best one that comes to mind right now is the vindicator. Nobody wants a demolisher template close to their ranks so obviously people will want to take it down, also a full 10 man squad of assault marines with a power fist, 2 meltaguns and a chaplain attached freak people out as they can mush units they get into CC with. dreadnoughts, With the right set up, usually an ironclad with seismic hammer and DCCW running beside it works well too.

Basically you have things that are big threats within the lines of the enemy then they will try and take it out. that means that trying to knock that vindicator means a few less shots into your land raider. no single target means that if one is taken out the other is gonna get there and mess them up. so they either try and take both out, fail at both as they didn't dedicate enough fire and are screwed, Or take one out and they still have a big ass threat coming their way with very little time to stop it.

 

[Kirby]

@1500 points a single LR is viable but is still an eggs in one basket proposal as any lucky roll or against the wrong army, 1/3 of your army is bogged down. @2000 a single LR is essentially useless as you pointed out and a 2nd raider is a much better idea. Whilst this is uptowards 50% of your army, you have the points to get enough supporting firepower where the rest of your army is dangerous and your opponent has to deal with two raiders. Units like Dreads/Typhoons/Preds are all great examples of cheapish support for a double Raider list.

Here's a good example from GWvsJohn of a 2k dual Raider list.

 

[Tyrian]

Thanks for those replies and suggestions folks, pretty much exactly as i thought... i've already got the assaults sorted so i think i'll try that as a start... and a dread, although i can't for the life of me find anywhere to get a left arm AC for the 'rifleman' loadout... this seems to put paid to my dream of a low mech force thought, i guess my love of termies has to mean a rethink... thanks againall, and thanks for pointing me to those suggested list kirby

 

[Kirby]

If you're looking at a potential mech list with Terminators, can always use a Thunderbubble styled list or if you were looking for minimal mech to go with terminators you could run a Fast'N'Slow with Terminators (no link for this but it's basically 2x Raider w/Termies + Typhoons + Biker Troops; I can write up a list if needed).

And for the riflemen arms I used IG platoon autocannons (can get them cheaply off ebay or barter for them with friends/people at LGS). Bit of plasticard, greenstuff and some magnets and pewpew! 2x TL AC for ~$15-20 AUD.

 

[Tyrian]

Ah... hmm lots to think about and to experiment with... thanks for the tip on the IG assault cannons:grin:

 

[Anensenef]

personally, when i see a land raider i pretty much ignore it, unless i have melta in close range. coupled w/ 2 vindis would take the heat off.

 

[unixknight]

I think it's like with anything else... do what you do for a purpose and think of ways to maximize it's chances.

In other words, if you want to run that single Land Raider ask yourself what is it doing that you need a Land Raider for? Transporting a 10 man assault unit? May as well use a Rhino. For the points saved you could by another unit complete with its own Rhino. Maybe two.

If your battle plan does absolutely require that Land Raider there are things you can do to improve its odds of getting the job done, just don't be too overzealous about what its job is. Make it simple and something it can complete in the first 2 turns so that every turn it survives after that is a bonus. Examples include "Get this unit of Terminators to that objective then provide fire support" or "Support the left flank."

Making them live longer or get to where they need to be can be done through the use of Techmarines, smoke launchers, Blessed Hull (in the case of a LRC) or POTMS. Do what you have to to ensure the tank does its job then after that it doesn't matter.

Just be careful that you don't wind up gearing your whole army toward supporting a Land Raider that wasn't really needed in the first place.

 

[Tyrian]

I see exactly what you mean unix, part of my 'problem' is that i am actually basing my army around one character, vulkan he'stan, which means that one of the ways to make the most of him is with a group of TH/SS assault termies which as such requires transport and so has led me to use the LR.
Now i know that there are plenty of other ways to use vulkan, but there is something extremely satisfying in seeing the pure carnage TH/SS + vulkan can wreak in the midfield.
At the moment i've only really been playing and collecting again for a couple of months and i have almost nothing in the way of mech... 2x rhino and the most battered monkey-constructed falling apart 2nd hand LR that the proverbial £5 will get.
I know that i could do with some more... but with limited funds i want to make sure i make a wise choice if i can

 

[unixknight]

I don't know that basing your army around a single character is necessarily a problem. I think that can be a pretty solid approach. Is Vulkan able to teleport in with the termies? If so, a Teleport Homer in the hands of another minor character can help get him in safely without the need to expose him or an expensive tank to fire in the meantime.

If teleportation isn't an option then the LR is definitely the way to go, so I'd suggest those methods of protecting it (like smoke launchers, etc) so it survives at least long enough to deploy its passengers. If it gets destroyed after that then it doesn't matter, since it fulfilled its purpose.

I have 2 Land Raiders in my army (one is an LRC) and I try to use them in tandem to support each other. Usually what winds up happening is one draws fire and gets destroyed. That can be useful too though