Re: Layers Of Fear 2 Update V1 2-CODEX
Reyes Grindberg
However, for many regiments, keeping him dirt cheap with no upgrades is perfectly acceptable and the most efficient way to run him, or simply with a Plasma Pistol for close quarters engagements. If you plan on using them with Conscripts or sit and shoot Infantry Squads and Heavy Weapons Squads, this is a great way to play them. The Tempestor Prime, the Militarum Tempestus officer, likewise is best kept dirt cheap with the command rod to get a second order, and deep-struck behind some Scions units to give them re-roll 1 orders and increase their damage output.
The Primaris Psyker is an excellent HQ choice for the AM. As stated in Part 1 of this article series, the psychic powers available to Astra Militarum are very good. Psychic Barrier and Nightshroud specifically, are all-star powers. Mental Fortitude is also great for keeping units like Conscripts in line by allowing them to ignore morale. And, humorously, the Primaris Psyker is actually not bad in melee as he has 3 attacks at WS 3+, strength 5, AP -1, D3 damage! With a Priest around, he can crack some skulls. In all, this is an HQ I take in every single list, he is simply too good a utility to pass up on. As an HQ, he helps to unlock those juicy detachments to get more Command Points.
The Astra Militarum are defined by their troops more than anything else. The nameless, faceless billions of soldiers in service of mankind and their emperor may not receive the glory of the Space Marines, but they do far more in regards to actually defending the Imperium. Their stats are not impressive, nor is their gear exotic, but there is a lot of them and they fight with a grim determination!
Infantry Squads though, are where it is at, in my opinion. With the new Regimental Doctrines they give you a lot, and when combined with the Consolidate Squads stratagem, can quickly function in the same way your Conscripts would if you need them to plus they are much more versatile with weapon options and are more effective generally due to always receiving orders and having better stats. In my Catachan armies, I take units of 10 with a Power Sword and Flamer. For a measly 51pts, I get a unit that is mobile, cheap enough to be expendable if I need them to serve as a screen, but with enough hitting power to actually be a threat. I often combine them into units of 20-30 where a single Burn Them Out! or First Rank, Fire! Second Rank, Fire! order can impact the entire unit. They also have higher leadership due to being near an Officer and with Straken and a Priest nearby, the Sarges are getting 4 strength 4, AP-3 attacks, each.
Likewise with the other regiments, you have loads of options with Infantry Squads. They all have something to offer. Cadian and Mordian Infantry Squads are great on defense with increased damage output from heavy weapons, where Vostroyan and Armageddon units can play offense or defense with increased ranges on their weapons or rapid fire thresholds. Vostroyans especially with their Firstborn Pride stratagem and an order like, First Rank, Fire! Second Rank, Fire! on a combined squad would put out a fearsome amount of small arms fire at a longer range.
What used to be a bit of a joke in previous versions of the Astra Militarum, the Elites section is now jam packed with fantastic choices! One of the only problems with this codex honestly, is deciding which great unit to take. Jokes aside, it does allow for a tremendous freedom in building a customized army.
The Enginseer is another fun unit who is fairly effective in melee and can repair your vehicles which when combined with the Jury Rigging stratagem means you can heal a tank D3+1 wounds in a turn. Not essential but if you plan on relying on say, a Baneblade chassis vehicle, it can be a great way to keep the big fella in the fight.
The best for last! I am a long time fan of both Ogryn and Bullgryn, but this is really their edition to shine. Ogryn are a solid unit with 3 strength 5 shots and 3 base strength 5 attacks in melee that are AP-1, but they also gain +1 attack on the charge and a Priest can get them another +1. I have found Ogryn to be best used in 3 man units to run around going for objectives. They tend not to get shot very frequently and are more than capable of overcoming the small objective holding units we frequently see like Scout squads.
Bullgryn though, are in a league of their own. This unit is crazy good, and I absolutely love using mine. This is a unit that also requires an article to really flesh out (which will be coming!) but with the ability to take both the Slabshield and Brute Shield in the same unit, mixing a 2+ save and a 4++ on T5 models with 3 wounds a pop, they are superb screening unit when backed up with the usual suspects: Nightshroud, Psychic Barrier and Take Cover!. You take saves on whichever shield is best for the situation (although must continue to take saves on that model until it is dead, so be careful as a savvy opponent may bait you into taking saves on the less beneficial save, then change up their attacks!), blunting most attacks considerably. Beyond their defense though, they also beat the crap out of things with 3 base attacks that are essentially an Autocannon, each. I run mine with a Priest and a Primaris Psyker and they routinely serve as both a hard as nails screen and brutal assault unit. I absolutely love my Bullgryn and the fact that in the lore they get along famously with Catachans is just icing on the cake!
The Ogryn bodyguard are also quite good, and for a reasonable price point give you a lot to love. They function primarily as Bullgryn do, but with the added benefit of 6 wounds and the character keyword. They can tank wounds for Am characters as well, which with 6 wounds is no big deal and a Medi-pack nearby means you can heal them or with the Deathmask of Ollianius relic, gain a 4++ and additionally heal D3 wounds once per game. In an AM character bomb list, these gents are very good for keeping your little guys alive a lot longer while also packing quite a punch, themselves.
The Armoured Sentinel is a great value at only 40pts base, but really struggles to find a role. For me, I would only take them in a Tallarn detachment to ignore the penalty for moving and shooting and equip with them a decent gun. But despite a much better profile than the Scout Sentinel, the pre-game move on the Scout version is just tactically superior.
The Bane Wolf is another fun tank but plays better in a defensive role due to its short range. If you do manage to bring its Chem Cannon to bear, it melts heavy infantry like nothing. The weapons wounds any non-vehicle model on a 2+ and is AP-3! Ouch. Pair it with a Heavy Flamer and again, Catachan, and it is a very mean tank. It is particularly effective against units like Berzerkers who can be a huge threat to Astra Militarum.
The Devil Dog is another fun tank, especially now that the Melta Cannon is an assault weapon. I prefer to run mine in a Tallarn detachment, but, they are also awesome with Vostroya due to the increased range! Both encourage you to mount a Multi-Melta on the hull as you can move and shoot with no penalty with Tallarn or just hold still and shoot with Vostroya. The other Regiments encourage the hull Heavy Flamer as you can stay mobile and serve as a multi-threat unit. Catachan again (seeing a pattern with this tank?) I think is best all around as re-rolling the number of shots on the Melta Cannon and Heavy Flamer keep it very efficient.
In all, the Hellhound chassis tanks are fun and quick and can be very useful at an entirely reasonable price point. A final mention for Tallarn, who with the Ambush stratagem, can bring on a unit of 3 of them and do some serious damage from reserves.
These units are also great for simply taking up space in your backfield to deny areas for your opponent to come in with things like outflankers, and for cheaply opening up detachments like the Brigade for those sweet, sweet Command Points!
Personally, I like a mix of tanks as they all have strengths and weaknesses. The Wyvern rocks for smoking light infantry, where the Manticore can pack the biggest hit and the Basilisk is all around just great and very efficient (and now, AP-3!). Hyper-focusing on just one of them leaves you potentially weak to a counter. However, if you really just want 1, I think the Bassilisk is generally the most efficient, but ultimately the rest of your list will dictate what you need most from your artillery.
The Mighty Leman Russ! This unit is vastly improved and quite a formidable unit, now. I, like most long time Astra militarum players have loads of them! And now, more than ever before, they are a great unit. With Grinding Advance, they become genuinely scary, able to shoot their turret weapon twice.
Like Veterans, this is a unit that requires an entire article to explain the multitude ways to play it. With the combination of tank orders, Regimental Doctrines, weapon load-outs, etc. there is just dozens of ways to effectively employ this unit. Here are a few of my favorites, though. With Catachan, I like to run them with a single Heavy Flamer on the hull, and a powerful Turret Weapon such as the Executioner Plasma Cannon, Punisher Cannon, Battle Cannon or Demolisher Cannon. Cheap, mobile, with a nice assault deterrent and a powerful main weapon that re-rolls the number of shots. Alternatively, load them up with 3 Heavy Flamers and play aggressively, going straight forward.
Astra Militarum have solid transport options available to them as well. The ubiquitous Chimera has been returned to a state of usefulness and especially in Catachan regiments equipped with two Heavy Flamers, it is downright deadly. But, Tallarn is a solid choice as well due to being able to move and shoot to better effect. Two Heavy Bolters is a great choice here. Otherwise, double Heavy Flamer is typically your best bet as the Chimera will be getting close to the enemy typically.
As stated above, these tanks are great for transporting multiple command squads, Veterans or Special Weapons Squads. What I love about them most though, is the ability to carry a squad and 2 support characters but counting as a single drop for gaining the +1 to go first. This gives you a lot of deployment flexibility and also protection from the alpha strike or from snipers whom Astra Militarum characters are particularly vulnerable to.
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