The Sons of Russ: Loganwing for Ard Boyz, a Second Look.

I previously wrote a Sons of Russ article about running Loganwing for Ard Boyz.  I proposed 3 different builds that all utilized Terminator Armored Wolf Guard exclusively.  One build had 3 Land Raiders, one was all Drop Pods, and the third (my favorite) had 40+ foot slogging Wolf Guard Terminators.  Unfortunately I don't think any of those will be very good for the Ard Boyz semi-finals this year :(

I took a second look though at my current Missile Spam list and thought about how I could use Logan and Wolf Guard to really max out the number of missiles I fire a turn.  What I came up with is after the break.

Aw Logan, I wish WGT weren't so over costed...

I really liked the list I took to the first round of Ard Boyz.  It is a pretty powerful build and I know how it plays backwards and forwards.  The list makes great use of massed missiles, Las Cannons, Plasma Cannons, and Plasma guns, with Melta (of course) thrown in for good measure.  This is what is looked like:


HQ:
Njal
Rune Priest: Living Lightning, Murderous Hurricane
Troops:
7 Grey Hunters: Meltagun, Mark of the Wulfen, Wolf Banner, Rhino
7 Grey Hunters: Meltagun, Mark of the Wulfen, Wolf Banner, Rhino
7 Grey Hunters: Meltagun, Mark of the Wulfen, Wolf Banner, Rhino
5 Grey Hunters: Plasmagun, Las/Plas Razorback
5 Grey Hunters: Plasmagun, Twin-linked Assault Cannon Razorback
Elite:
3 Wolf Guard: 3x Combimelta/3x Powerfist
Dreadnought: Plasmacannon/Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon
Dreadnought: Plasmacannon/Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon
Fast:
Speeder: Multimelta/Typhoon Missile Launcher
Speeder: Multimelta/Typhoon Missile Launcher
Speeder: Multimelta/Typhoon Missile Launcher
Heavy:
6 Long Fangs: 5 Missile Launchers, Las/Plas Razorback
6 Long Fangs: 5 Missile Launchers, Las/Plas Razorback
6 Long Fangs: 3 Missile Launchers, 2 Plasma Cannons, Las/Plas Razorback

19 Missiles, 4 Plasma Cannons, 6-12 Plasma Guns shots, 9 Melta shots, 4 Lascannons, a turn.
68 Models, 23 Kill points.

With only a 1/3 possibility of having to play a KP mission I like this list even better.  If I take it to the Semi finals though I will more than likely be replacing Njal with Bjorn so I have a 75% chance of going first.  Something that is particularly important for mission 1.  I got to thinking though about how 1 or 2 more missiles a turn would have really helped bring down a few pesky Stormravens or put a couple more wounds on units that got to my lines with just a few too many models left.

So I looked to the list and said how can I get more missiles?  1 option was more speeders, but speeders are flying tissue paper and when they are in a squadron they are even worse.  I could put Hunter Killer Missiles on all the vehicles but that is expensive and they are a one use only.  The Dreads could replace the DCCW with Missile Launchers, but they are a single shot and the DCCWs have proven to be invaluable in this list.  That leaves me with WG in TDA with a Cyclone Missile Launcher.  68 points, and I need to have 5 other WG for one.  That is another big tax on this list.  I resigned myself to the fact that I probably wouldn't be able to get more missiles in this list.  So I went back to the drawing board, how can I get the most missiles cheaply?  Logan!  I can take 6 WG squads, 4 with PA at 18 points each and then the TDA WG with CML.  That unit is ____ points!  I could also take 8 PA WG and then two TDA WG with CML, and that is still only ____ points!  Here is a list with  near max missile spam utilizing maxed out WG squads.

HQ:
Grimnar
Rune Priest JotWW, Storm Caller
Troops:
2x 10 WG 8 in PA 2 in TDA w/ CMLs
1x 10 WG 8 in PA 2w/PF and Combimelta 2 in TDA w/ CMLs
2x 8 GH: MG, PW, MotW, Banner, Rhino
Elites:
3x Dreads with PC and Heavy Flamer
Heavy:
2x 6 Long Fangs w/ 5 ML
1x 6 LF w/ 3ML 2PC

2500 points 25 Missiles per Turn/ 5 PC per Turn/ Minimal Melta though/13 Kill Points/72 Models

The key to Ard Boyz Semifinals victory.

So why do I like this list besides 25 Missiles shooting a turn?  It breaks the current Mech Meta.  Melta Heavy armies are mitigated by the fact I only have 5 vehicles, and you don't really want to get that close to the dreads.  The list foot slogs sure, but in all the missions it is not that necessary to get into the enemies deployment zone.  Why no Razorbacks for the Long Fangs?  Well I have been using them without and playing DoW missions, the only mission where the RB are all that useful.  Since I can't shoot first turn anyway, walking and running into position (if I am smart about it) has proven just as effective as using a transport.  I have a version of this list I used successfully at both the 1850 and 2k level which utilized only Wolf Guard in squads of 5 with 1 CML.  It was good but I think for Ard Boyz, and 40k in general these days, the MSU route is a poor choice.  Larger units are more survivable, and more potent in terms of both the shooting and assault phases than small units.  Overall the list has some major advantages but like any list it has exploitable disadvantages.  As long as I am aware of both I feel I should play the list well enough.  I still haven't sold myself on taking this list over my Bjorn or Njal shooting lists but I am getting a much better vibe from Logan at the moment.

With the Ard Boyz Semi-finals fast approaching we are starting to see a lot of finalized lists floating around the web, whether as actual lists or lists to throw people off it is shaping up to be an interesting year.  What are your thoughts, on Logan, Missiles, and Ard Boyz prep and lists in general?