Getting Started: Battleforce Army Lists
As we discussed in episode 1, and promised in episode 2, here’s seven 500-point fully force-org compliant army lists that can be built from the contents of their army’s respective battleforce boxes. Originally, we were going to only have six, but we were able to build a Blood Angels army as well. We don’t promise that these are the most effective and optimized 500-point lists, but they’re easily buildable and will give you a taste of how each army plays.
Each list is provided as a PDF generated from Army Builder, and includes as much rules reference as possible for easy use. Click on the army name to view/download the list.
To build this list, you’ll have to cobble together a Captain with a jump pack, but you should have enough Death Company bits available to easily build one with an infernus pistol and lots of Blood Angels iconography. Just paint him red and gold instead of black and red. The basic plan is to run the Captain with the Assault Squad, and split the Tactical Squad into two halves – one (with the flamer) riding around in the Rhino, and the other (with the missile launcher) sitting back and taking potshots.
Again, you’ll be building a Chaos Lord out of spare parts, but between the extra marine parts and the Possessed sprue, you should be able to build something appropriately menacing. Throw the Lord into the Rhino with the Berzerkers while the normal Marines put out fire support with their heavy bolter.
If you like bikes, this is the list for you. Everything you need is provided as-is in the box, so building this one should be easy. Use Sammael to soften up tougher targets, and send the squad with the attack bike to take out armor/heavier targets. You won’t have many models – only 8 – so make each one count.
Another squad where you’ll be building a Captain from spare pieces, but this one is simpler than the Blood Angel Captain. The list is similar to the Blood Angels list, but with a few key differences. First, put the Captain in the Rhino with the flamer half of the Tactical Squad, instead of with the Assault Squad. Second, infiltrate in your Scouts to lay down fire with the heavy bolter. Otherwise, it’s very similar.
The last list where you’ll be building your HQ piecemeal, but again it’s a simple one. Put the Wolf Lord in the drop pod with the 9-man Grey Hunters pack, and leave the other one out running on foot to harass the enemy. Infiltrate the Wolf Scouts and have them pop up from behind. This one’s all about popping up where you’re least expected.
This is a pretty standard Tau list. Let your HQ and elites do the heavy lifting, use your Kroot to screen off the enemy and/or sit on objectives in cover, and use the Fire Warriors to zoom up to provide fire/contest objectives where needed.
You’ve got two HQs to provide plenty of synapse range. Put the Tyranid Prime with the devourer in with the Termagants, and put the one with Rending Claws in with the Hormagaunts. Let the Genestealers come in from the sides via outflanking to give your opponent a nasty surprise.
