As I have often posted, the Scions are a favorite of mine, and while mulling over 7th edition and thinking on tactics to use, I noticed something that is actually quite good. Scions/Storm troopers are famed for their aerial assaults and this is something that they do quite well as their own army or as part of a greater Imperial Guard army and there are some rules that make this a more viable tactic.
First off valkyries and vendettas are where this tactic is going to revolve around. As you may know valkyries have the ability to drop troops out using grav chute insertion, which is a good way to get guys out without having to go into hover. The risk is that if they scatter then they all have to take a dangerous terrain test. This can be a bit of a risk, luckily scions have a rule that helps out a bit.
Move through cover is the key here, as in addition to the other bonuses, models with this rule automatically pass dangerous terrain tests. So even if you scatter your guys will be fine. This is a big boon to them and makes them a unit of choice for both valkyries and vendettas. They can fit into vendettas and have full squad in a valkyrie.
Throwing in the auger that allows you to deep strike and not scatter (which grav chute counts as), you can have a very mobile and rapid striking force that minimizes a lot of the risks when dropping.
How they can work well is a few ways. In an Imperial guard army they are good for either vendettas or valkyries, having a couple squads with melta guns to drop out and eliminate targets, or plasma guns for monster hunting. Having a command squad in a Scion platoon can ride along in a vendetta with full weapons, and then a second squad or two in valkyries that are fully manned. Scions can score now in 7th (whether AM or Tempestus) so are very useful and can be a tough bug to dig out.
In a full on Scion army, you can go air heavy and drop a large number of squads out mid game to take objectives and protect your squads from fire. Have a taurox or two with augers to keep your drop accurate and if some scatter, as long as they can be deployed they won't have to worry about dangerous terrain.
There is some advantages with going with main IG for this though, with the advance and fire order. This is good because the squad can drop out of the valkyrie, shoot, and then run to get some distance and not be all bunched up. This works for deep striking as well. This lessens their vulnerability when coming out of deep strike and grav chute as they won't be bunched up for a nice big blast template.
With scions, don't be afraid to drop them in terrain and don't worry about dangerous terrain tests, these guys just ignore it, so as long as you don't scatter onto a unit and suffer a mishap or can't be deployed by grav chute, these guys will be fine. They are a great unit and have multiple ways to use them and are at home in the air.
GG
I hadn't though about that ''Move Through Cover'' thing, yet I'm doing 3 scions squad with 3 valkyrie ! That's GREAT news. Thanks alot for pointing that out ! I already wanted to do massive drop, now it's gonna be much more effective !
ReplyDeleteI doubt that you do not scatter with an "Augur Array". RAW: "If you attempt to bring a unit on from reserve using Deep Strike and so on..."
ReplyDeleteActually your unit is not coming from reserve. They jump out of the aircraft.
Your "Move through Cover Hint" is awesome. I haven't thought about that yet-
Cheers, Tim
Grav Chute deployment uses the deep strike rules and thus should benefit from Augur Array. The "bring a unit from reserve" in the augur array rules is (shocking, I know) confusing language from GW. Hopefully some FAQ will clear it up. Don't count on it. The best bet is to have a conversation with your opponent before the game about it, and if he doesn't want you using it that way, have another 25 point option ready to go.
DeleteThere has already been a pretty much consensus on similar items like the space marine beacons(whatever they are called) that do the same thing and rule for jumping out of storm ravens. They are essentially the same rule except replace storm raven with valkyrie. Most have allowed that to be used and the auger arrays work the same way, so it should be fine. As above, discuss with opponent and be prepared if he disagrees
DeleteThe airborne formation seems to be the best way to field Valkyrie Scions now. I just have not been able to use Scions effectively while deepstriking, as they lost the reroll they had on scatter. However, they get this back with the Valkyrie formation. It is a very expensive formation, but it really is worth it.
ReplyDeleteI did not see this formation. Where is it found?
DeleteIt is found in the actual militarum tempestus codex after all the individual units are listed
DeleteSorry, I'm a fairly novice player, but as the augur array works for deep striking would it not be more cost effective to drop the valkyries and just deep strike from reserves? Or use servo skulls with a cheap inquisitor rather than the augur? It just seems a bit expensive when they can already deep strike and there are cheap options to get them where you want reliably, and they have the move through cover rule to avoid mishaps?
ReplyDeleteYes and no, it would be cost effective, but you lose flexibility with the loss of valkyries. One: Valkyries are great and bring mobility and firepower, and Two: you aren't stuck with only deepstriking, you have the option to change your tactics based on army you are facing.
DeleteServo skulls can work, but they are easily countered and its not as simple, they may not be in the position you want to drop. An Auger is on a vehicle, which you can move to wherever you need it to be.
Move through cover doesn't negate mishaps per say, it just ingores dangerous terrain tests, which is part of mishaps. You can still be destroyed or go back into reserve if you scatter onto an enemy unit, or be destroyed in the case of grav chute insertion
Oh, I forgot to ask. How works for you volley guns? I mean for command squad, not taurox... Im still not sure if them or plasma guns... they seems to me good, but I cant imagine not moving with the scions and Salvo...
ReplyDeleteI like them so far, and its not too bad ot move them around, they still get 2 shots apiece. Get them into a good position early and they do work. The 4 plasma guns is good as well. I like having one of each command squad, one with volley and one with plasma, they both work well and complement each other.
DeleteI've played my first game with storm troopers and the hot shot volly guns on the command squad decimated the death company I was against, I would of struggled with anti tank without some guard allies, not having a vendetta in the scion dex is a real killer
ReplyDelete