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I was asked to start a new test list for the Elysian Drop troop Army, as many have complained of it having to many units that can teleport. The list has not been developed or follwed up for a number of years.
I looked at the various drop lists about Elysian, Harkoni Warhawks, Mirali Skyraiders, and Mobile Forces of the Catachan Army. I fistly looked at available Proxies for the models that would be needed for this army, and how many models are in the standard packs being sold (Vanguard were set as the benchmark). I was looking to remove the over use of Teleport, without hamstringing them. I also wanted to give their somewhat very fragile sentinals a bit more durability, and weapons flexability.
I replaced for the most part, Teleport with Self Planetfall, but with a few restrictions, so it would not be abused. I added in 2 new formatons the Grey Ghosts, who have a similar to SAS/Force Recon/Snipers. I thought this unit type would give the army some flavour.
The second type of formation is the Rocket Sentinels. They are just as weak and fragile as their other sentinel kin, however this version provides a mobile, if rather short ranged form of artillery support for the Elysian drop troops. They are limited, to stop them being abused, but a smart commander can get some good use out of them.
I have included some weapons Emplacements and Bunkers to represent the armies forward command base. Again I have limited their use, so they can not be abused. I have added in an allied line breaker formation borrowed from another list to give some followup armour and vehicular troop transports, but they eat up the points.
Overall the army still has the same basic tactics. Formations drop in, while Valkyries/Vendettas/Vultures, Sentinels and Taurus advance across the board to reinforce their forward elements. Everything is practically poorly armoured, short ranged, and have to rely on a hard fast strike to achieve victory, and hope their normally superior/stronger, and more powerful enemies do not have a chance to regroup.
The list is below. Enjoy. Provide feedback.
Version 4.1.1 I have renamed quite a few Formations and units, and modified the Mortar Company a little. I also added in the Scout Sentinels that I had forgotten to add in previously.
Version 4.1.2: GlynG provided feedback about things he did not like in the list. I also did not like the expensive cost of the Sentinels when compared to them in other lists. I have made changes through out to comply with what people said needed changing.
Version 4.1.3: Comments and recommendations from a whole group of people (moredakke, Norto, GlynG, RugII, jimmyzimms and fruitbat). I have corrected changes I did not completely correct previously - sentinels and bunkers. I removed Blitzen AA. Now replaced by a small half track towed 20mm AA guns that are valkyrie transportable (thanks moredakka). I fixed up the confusion over the BM for mortars (thanks Norto for bringing that up), and made Cyclops expendable one shot LV removed from play once they make their attacks (thanks jimmyzimms).
I removed the sniper rifle and sniper and scout rules from Hardened veterans as Grey Ghosts are the snipers now. I gave them plasma guns and machetes instead, kept the infiltrate, and increased their CC by +1. Their role is now the heavy close combat orientated veterans who have survived many campaigns and lead the other members of formation into the charge. They also have a plasma gun in each unit rather in every second unit.
ver 4.1.6 I updated the Lightnings to match thosed in the Harkoni Warhawks list.
Ver 4.2.0 After a practice game against Gargants and Titan war engines, I found so many defiecienies in the list that I realised the list needed a massive balancing out (boost). The changes are still not too much, but they give the list a bit more survivability, and some way of trying to deal with massed war engine lists like Gargants, AMTL, Knights, Eldar Titans, and others.
version 4.2.1 Similar to ver 4.2.0, however the points have been reset to balance the army. Since the points were expensive to account for the mass of teleport shinanigans, which has now been replaced with planetfall. Because of this I have dropped the average price of a unit in the core companies from 28 points each down to 22 points each. This is still more expensive than in most of the other Imperial Guard lists such as death korp of kreig, armageddon steel legion, baran seige masters, and others where they are about 20 points or less per unit. I updated the file to reintroduce a rule that Commissars can not join Grey Ghost Companies.
4.3.0
After feedback after a game about too many options for template artillery and BP 4 weaponry being too easy to get, spotters, rocket artillery, and mortar companies, I changed most of them to a ranged AP/AT stat. I have also dropped the Spotter character, and gave the Grey ghosts the ability to call in the artillery at 3BP, and made it so the entire formatoin - not each stand had the ability to call in a single artillery strike, this hasnthe benefit of allowing them to use the ability and not have them supressed.
I gave most of the infantry the infiltrate ability to actually get into combat on the first turn, that they arrive. The drop troops have their FF incresed to 4+ to account for their plasma weapoinry.
My opponent said that the army lacked close ranged MW to provide the punch to deal with enemy RA, fearless, Titans and such WE. A new support formation was developed a Platoon sized melta gun armed formation. Also the All the valkyries for the core formations, and the sky talons were removed from the list. Only the Storm troopers (upgrade option) and a newly formed Air Cav respone Platoon can get the Valkyries.
To make the Valkyries cheaper, as I did not want to have those formations being too expensive, I removed the one shot 1BP rocket artillery (which also fitted in with the removal of all 4BP or higher weaponry from the list).
Lastly I made 2 changes. I reduced the amount of upgrades a core formation can take down to 3, and I increased the amount of support formations you can take per core formation upto 3.
The reason for all these changes are from feedback about how the army is supposed to work thematically, and how they are suppoised fight - strike very hard, then seek cover or die way too quickly from the enemy counter strikes. A glass hammer. I needed to drop the amount of ranged artillery, and all the 4BP as they allow for 2 templates. I need to ensure that the troops after scattering get into close combat, and can hit hard enough, when they engage.
I need to give them some ability to deal with War Engines, Titans, and hardened troppers or walkers with a combination of RA, Invul saves and fearless. - so more short ranged and FF MW were recommended. It was also deemed that the army would not have any basic weapons per formation over 30cm unless they were designated as a support unit weapon, and then nothing over 45cm.
He did not like the fact I could take 4 upgrades and make the BTS way to large to break in 2 turns. I thought the need to get variety was important since the army has new support formations like the Air-cav platoon, the Grey Ghosts, the Special wepaons platoon and the support rocket sentinels. To get formations like taurus, sentinels, as well as some of the newer ones in the army, you need the extra support option.
Even though I have these changes, the cost of the formations has also increased a bit, so you still might only get 11 or 12 formations in the entire force - if you go with no upgrades at all. This will balance it all out.
Ver 4.3.2 Reverts back to including the Vtol Transport options for making some drop formations into air cav formations, and also drops the Rapid Respose Platoon mounted in Vtols as a support choice. I also increased the cost of the base formations because they have 4 extra troopers in each. With only 3 upgrade options I have change it to max 3 upgrades taken once each. To off set this due to the larger amount of support choices, I have increased it to 3 support choices per core formation.
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6mm wargaming is just like 25mm wargaming with more units fitting on the same size table. Thus bigger games to get lost in and avoid the hassles of everyday living, and offerings for the dice gods.
Last edited by Deb on Sat Jun 19, 2021 8:41 am, edited 40 times in total.
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