what to add next?

With the light at the tunnels' end approaching, I am looking to build my 1000 point Night Lords to 1500 points. How am I going to do this and with what? I have roughly 998 points in my list as is so I have 502 left to spend.

Well I think I want more troops, since I like troops and they score in 2/3 of the regular games. I have assault squads already….so I think I’ll add a tactical squad. Yes I understand the tactical squad is usually the jack o all/ master of none, but something just pulls me to them. It always has. My first Astartes army usually ran 3-6 troop choices and that was back in the day. Come to think of it, most of my armies run at least three troop choices. I likey troops!

So a tactical squad with free flamer and missile launcher plus a power fist runs me around 205 points. Yes I know the hatred of the power fist and the loss of any furious charge initiative, if I have a priest nearby; but the threat to vehicles and big gribblies is why I take them. If I can dig up/ save a few points I’ll make it a thunder hammer for +5 points more.
I think that is my first choice; a full tactical squad with a flamer, missile launcher and power fist on foot. Yes on foot. Why? Well 1st to save a few points. I already have two rhino’s, bikes and fast tanks. I have my rapid response force. I need some cover or objective sitters. This is the first job of this squad.

Second a full tactical squad puts down nice amounts of fire within 12” to 24”. It can also throw a krak missile out a turn and a flamer is a nice pre charge attack. Throwing out shots mid field and helping pop transports (non land raider of course) so the assaulters can charge the gooey insides, is the second job of this squad.

Third they are a question mark to some opponents. They can be ignored by them if they are more concerned with the vehicles and bikes. They can be targeted early by long guns if the opponent thinks them an easy target, by not being in a vehicle. They will make many hardcores shrug and see them as a waste of points.  “A marine squad in cover and on foot is no real threat to me.” Well they can be all of these things. The next job of the squad is minor, but falls under the guise of misdirection.

Finally, I like them. I guess the idea of dudes with cool armor and guns, “standing tall before the man” is a descent concept. Blame it on the novels and video games, but marines always seem to have a squad or group that defies the odds, usually on foot, and helps win the day. That is the last job of this squad, to fill the concept or “fluff” role.

Wow, I really went long on why I’m adding a tactical squad. I still have 295-ish points to spend to get me to 1500.

With the extra points I have a few options to consider.  The first is two jump squads with a melta gun. I think at 7 men strong. These run around 146 points and fill the remaining points. They would be suicide squads, but they are a little large for that. They seem to look nice to deep strike close to armor and fire off a melta. Then my rhino assaulters do their job.  They also fill the role of Raptors that the Night Lords are big supporters. They can also be used for last minute jump and run to grab/ contest objectives. They are also another troop choice…YAHOOO!! So they could be a possibility.

Next is the Sternguard in a Rhino option. I really like the ammunition options for these guys. A 7 man squad in Rhino and a couple heavy flamers is what I’m looking at. The heavy flamers are there for drive by Rhino flamethrower fun! The 30” bolter shot for support is also a nice option. Their extra attack gives them some punch in close combat, not much, but some. The transport and guys run around 245-250 point-wise.  A descent option for sure.

My last choice is the gold standard Terminator squad. The look of these just scream use me. Tactical Dreadnought armor just looks neat-o. I think a squad of 6 with an upgrade to flamer, missile or assault cannon runs 250+ points. So why take plain old Terminators?

They can deep strike in to cause problems. They can also deep strike in and die to mishaps of big gun templates.  Either way they can’t be ignored once they hit the ground. The weapon upgrade will help with that. They can hurt armor with missiles or assault cannon shots. If I go the heavy flamer route then look for them to hit soft targets with promethium and storm bolters.

Yes they only have a 5+ + and I put zero faith in that, but the 2+ regular save is fine. I don’t mind losing a guy to a melta gun. I would miss 6 guys to a battle cannon shot. So, having a 2+ save is fine and if I make the 5+ + save then even better!

Yes, I know they are all armed with power fists and not shields and hammers, the must have weapon load out. Yes they go last, but the power weapon sarge going first usually helps. I can always attack without fists at just regular strength. This is situational, especially if they get the magic green juice (Black Rage) or have a medic (Sang. Priest) nearby. So charging furious Terminators is good. The power fist isn’t bad; it just isn’t hammer and shield good. Wait it is almost the same, the difference is the 3+ + save. That is it. So yes I am losing the shield 3 + + save, but gaining a storm bolter. I can live with that.

Next is the misdirection route. These guys will be ignored until they do something cool, or will eat all sorts of fire to get them gone. I like either option, as long as I can plan around it, or on the fly.

Finally is the look of the unit. Much like marines I like the Terminator. It just seems like they should be in a marine list, either good or bad. Making these look Night Lord-ish would be fun.  A mash-up of traitor and loyalist bits should do the job, just fine. The unit cost along with the tactical squad will run my army to 1500 points.

So now I just need to decide what to add. I have settled on the tactical squad for sure, and now I have to just pick from the other 3 choices…………….