This week we’ll be looking at army lists built around the Legion Recon Squad. I’ll go ahead and admit I got a bug up my butt to make these lists after seeing Will’s Primaris Marine snipers.(Check out Forgebreaker Painting for a look at them) It seems the 40k Marine range has a bevy of recon and stealth themed units while their predecessors in 30k have JUST Recon marines and a few legion-specific units to choose from.
What the 30K marines do have is a few Rites of War that both make Recon marines compulsory Troop choices, and give them some unique features that make them a far more useful on the tabletop.
This first list sees the White Scars using the Recon Company Rite of War. Seeing as the Falcons Claws are the only non-disappointing thing about the White Scars new rules and units, I took as many in this list as I could.
HQ:Praetor + Iron Halo + Divining Blades + Digital Lasers + Melta Bombs 200 pts
Vigilator + refractor field + jump pack + artificer armor + melta bombs + psykout grenades + charnabal saber 142 pts
ELITES: Rapier Weapons Battery- 3x Laser Destroyer Arrays 165 pts
TROOPS: Recon Squad + 5x marines + 10x shotguns + melta bombs + cameleoline + power glaive and artificer armor(Sergeant only) 310 pts
Recon Squad + 5x marines + 10x shotguns + melta bombs + cameleoline + power glaive and artificer armor(Sergeant only) 310 pts
Recon Squad + 5x marines + 10x + melta bombs + cameleoline + power glaive(Sergeant only) 310 pts
Assault Squad + 5x marines + melta bombs + 3x power axes + power glaive, combat shield, and artifcer armor(Sergeant only) 388 pts
FAST ATTACK: Falcons Claws + 5x marines + melta bombs + power glaive(sergeant) 215 pts
Falcons Claws + 5x marines + melta bombs + power glaive(sergeant) 215 pts
Falcons Claws + 5x marines + melta bombs + power glaive(sergeant) 215 pts
LORDS OF WAR: Sub-Orbital Strike Wing-
3x Avenger Strike Fighters + 2x Kraken Missile Pods + Battle Servitor Control 570 pts
3,000 pts
This list takes the normal approach to White Scar forces and turns it on its head. Instead of bikers careening towards the enemy, you’ve got recon squads and Falcons Claws using Scout and Infiltrate to get right on top of your opponent by turn 2. Having Shrouded for the first game turn is a huge boost to models that have a 4+ armor save. Plus, with the Vigilator paired with the Assault Squad, everyone in the army aside from the Rapier Battery can deploy with Infiltrate and also have Scout.
For the uninitiated, the Falcons Claws come stock with Lightning Claws, can make an 18in. Scout move, and their sergeant has Hatred(Characters). With Recon armor, they’re likely going to die in the first round of close combat, but by God, they will go out with a smile on their face and blades slick with Traitor’s blood.
I picture these guys taking on Iron Warriors gunlines and ambushing sluggish Death Guard armored columns as the White Scars tried to break out of the Ruinstorm.
This next list uses the Ultramarine’s Vigil Opertii Mission ROW.
HQ: Delegatus + volkite charger + refractor field + artificer armor + melta bombs + legatine axe 120 pts
Vigilator + volkite charger + combat shield + artificier armor + melta bombs + legatine axe 135 pts
ELITES: Dreadnought Talon + chainfist + 2x melta guns 165 pts
Dedicated Transport- Legion Drop Pod
Veteran Tac Squad(Machine Killers) + 5x marines + melta bombs + 2x melta guns + 8x combi-weapons + power axe(sergeant) 425 pts
TROOPS: Recon Squad + 5x marines + cameleoline + melta bombs + 10x shotguns + artificer armor, power weapon(sergeant) 295 pts
Recon Squad + 5x marines + cameleoline + melta bombs + 10x shotguns + artificer armor, power weapon(sergeant) 295 pts
Tactical Support Squad + 5x marines + 10x volkite chargers + extra CCW + melta bombs and power weapon(sergeant) 210 pts
FAST ATTACK: Javelin Speeder Squadron- 3x Javelin Speeders + 6x hunter-killer missiles + 3x multi-melta 225 pts
Terrax Pattern Termite Assault Drill + 2x heavy flamers 100 pts
2005 pts
ALLIED DETACHMENT: Imperialis Militia
HQ: Force Commander + charnabal saber + melta bombs + Gene-Crafted and Warrior Elite 210 pts
TROOPS: Grenadier Squad + 8x grenadiers + 2x melta gun grenadiers + shotguns + vexilla + melta bombs and power weapon(sergeant) 165 pts
Grenadier Squad + 8x grenadiers + 2x melta gun grenadiers + shotguns + vexilla + melta bombs and power weapon(sergeant) 165 pts
FAST ATTACK: Sentinel Scout Squadron- 6x Sentinels + multi-melta 240 pts
HEAVY SUPPORT: Carnodon Strike Squadron- 3x carnodon tanks + auto cannon sponsons 210 pts
990 pts
This list is all fluff based. You’ve got the grizzled Ultramarine specialists guiding the legion drop outs into combat. Nothing in this force is very survivable. Instead, the goal here is to overwhelm the enemy with the sheer number of threats you can bring virtually all at once. You’ve got the termite drill full of melta vets coming in turn 1, Outflanking javelin speeders, and 70 Infiltrating infantry to deal with.
I hope these lists have your creative juices flowing. Should any of you actually make a Recon-based force or already have one, I insist you send us photos so we may Ooh and Ah over them and laud your hobby dedication.
As always, thanks for your time.
-Jared
