Goatboy’s 40k Thoughts: Is the AM Book too Good?
Goatboy here. If you follow the current 40k meta you better expect a storm of army men hitting the tabletop.
In fact if you expect to have any chances at an event you better have a way to deal with the current build style of massed bodies mixed with embedded Smite production. This army style is currently the main focus of the Chaos/Chaos Soup builds we see near the top but expect the upcoming AM book to throw that for a loop with its superior Order/Regiment/Stratagem combinations. I think the Chaos Soup builds are much easier to play but the strong generals will have massive amounts of boots on the table mixed with cheap characters to keep the engine running.
Nerfs and Buffs
Sure there were some nerfs in the new book – but it isn’t a complete overhaul from what we currently see. They just really added good rules and abilities on top of an already strong chassis of destruction. Heck they even helped fix the Leman Russ battle tank where we might actually see it on the table top. I love the fact the Russ might be good. Its one of those tanks that every true blue IG/AM player probably has in their collection. It has sucked for so long and to finally actually be decent is great. I just wish all the other parts weren’t so darn good.
The book did fix some things. Plasma gun Command squads will be fewer now as those units cost more to carry the potent damage dealing gun of 8th edition. Conscript squads are not nearly as big now and do not take orders nearly as well which is a good thing. They also added a good deal of layering with Regiment abilities, Orders, and Stratagems so while good it does give the army a lot of depth that some of the other armies do not have. I don’t know how good that will be – but I get the feeling that it will only truly show its power in the hands of a competent general. It isn’t an auto win style army. But we’ll see – they could also give us a bonkers Eldar book that wrecks everything I think about the game currently.
Meet the New Astra Militarum
I expect most AM armies to be a few squads of Conscripts, Taurox’s to bring some Leaf Blower Love in, a mixture of Scions or Elysians for deep strike damage abilities, and finally the right amount of characters with the Commissar, Primus Psyker, and Officers to let the orders flow. That doesn’t take up too many points which is again one of the issues with the book. You really get a ton of models on the table top – which lets you play a lot more loose and losing models won’t nearly be an issue. Mix in some potent Forgeworld options and you start to see where this army might get a bit out of hand. I do hope the push for Regiment abilities will lessen the amount of Imperial Soup armies on the table. It gets kinda annoying when the Saint is leading such a crazy mishmash of characters. Sure it feels like their last campaign book but in a hope to push a competitive scene where every army is worthwhile – lessening some of the options would be a good thing.
The big tanks – Stormlord etc – did get a nice boost in this book. It does feel like a lot of the fringe stuff that was never taken and just filling up a collection is finally going to be decent enough to maybe show up. Just like the Russes and other tanks – the return of a decent Armored company has got to make those people who bought that old Armageddon Leman Russ box happy. I am kinda worried that Leaf Blower like list is going to come out – but with extra options like deep strike murder units, better tanks, and the sheer weight of dice ruining the current picnic of 8th edition and the dominance of a lot of Chaos soups.
Dealing with the Militarum
As a non AM player – what am I to do with the new “mean dog” on the playground? I think my bad guy armies are going to have to look at a lot of movement tricks, deep strike assaults, and fast options to survive. The two big Evil Primarchs seem to really need to go first every time – which makes them a lot less reliable with the new IG. It makes me feel like some Rhino Zerker squads, Deep Striking Terminators, and maybe the tricky special sauce that is Warp Talons would be good to bring an overwhelming fist of death to your opponents plethora of army men. You need to have bodies, board control, and enough punch to remove units quickly. A lot of the game can be won by not just removing opponents units but causing the opposing general to rethink their plans, get scared, and force them to become more timid.
How Good Is It?
Is it the best book out right now? I think for certain players it will be – but for someone like me it just doesn’t fit. It is a great example of how 8th books will be though. You have multiple layers of abilities that you have to be on top of and use to complete your missions. I think the only army that feels neat enough for me is the massed Russ army because I love throwing tanks around. In fact – lets look at a pure tank build to see if there is enough to get me excited to bring an Army Men army to the table top.
Goatboy’s Armored Company
Rules – Only Leman Russes for Vehicles – maybe some Conscripts to help get up some Command Points.
Spearhead Detachment – Regiment Cadian
HQ: Pask – Punisher Gatling Cannon, Heavy Bolter, Heavy Bolter Sponsons – 221pts
Heavy: Leman Russ Battle Tank, Battle Cannon, Heavy Bolter, Heavy Bolter Sponsons – 168pts
Heavy: Leman Russ Battle Tank, Battle Cannon, Heavy Bolter, Heavy Bolter Sponsons – 168pts
Heavy: Leman Russ Battle Tank, Punisher Gatling Cannon, Heavy Bolter, Heavy Bolter Sponsons – 166pts
Spearhead Detachment – Regiment Cadian
HQ: Tank Commander – Demolisher Cannon, Lascannon, Multi-Melta Sponsons – 267pts
Heavy: Leman Russ Battle Tank, Punisher Gatling Cannon, Heavy Bolter, Heavy Bolter Sponsons – 166pts
Heavy: Leman Russ Battle Tank, Punisher Gatling Cannon, Heavy Bolter, Heavy Bolter Sponsons – 166pts
Heavy: Leman Russ Battle Tank, Battle Cannon, Heavy Bolter, Heavy Bolter Sponsons – 168pts
Battalion Detachment – Cadian
HQ: Commissar Yarrick- 130pts
HQ: Company Commander, Kurov’s Aquilla – 30pts
Troops: Conscripts X 30 – 90pts
Troops: Conscripts X 30 – 90pts
Troops: Conscripts X 30 – 90pts
Heavy: Heavy Weapon Squad X 3 – Mortars X 3 – 33pts
Heavy: Heavy Weapon Squad X 3 – Mortars X 3 – 33pts
Sits at 1986 points so you could get some Wargear on stuff. I didn’t want to do the common thing of a ton of Primus Psykers backed up but just a blob of dudes. The 90 Conscripts are there to keep your backfield fine as your tanks move up, get involved and do some damage. I thought the idea of the murder machine at 24″ made for an interesting Tank Commander. It might be better to make Pask like that – but I feel the idea of doing a ton of bullets with Pask feels better. Plus its 8 Leman Russ tanks. Doesn’t that sound like a blast to drive all over the table top?
It looks like we got 2 more books from the listed 3 coming and another 2 more if they are going to complete the rumored 10 new books for the end of the year. I am interested to see what Nids brings to the table as I feel they have a lot of room to get 8th edition’d up with Hive Fleets and interesting play style rules.
Until next time – keep my armies Chaos.
~How would you deal with 8 Russes?
