List Review: Kit Smith's Ironstorm Spearhead

Edit: Kit got another high placement with this list this past weekend, taking 7th at the Rise of the Empire GT in Houston TX. The list looks unchanged from the one he took first place with at the Iron Cage GT.

I'm scrolling through the Meta Monday page, and to my surprise a Dark Angels list took 1rst at a GT this past weekend! Kit Smith Hanna's Dark Angels laid low all who came before them at Iron Cage GT in Bedford Texas. Let's have a look at the list that took the top prize at that 54 person event!






+++ Oh is that just a TTS thing (Warhammer 40,000 10th Edition) [1,995pts] +++

++ Army Roster (Imperium - Adeptus Astartes - Dark Angels) ++

+ Configuration +

Battle Size: 2. Strike Force (2000 Point limit)

Detachment: Ironstorm Spearhead

Show/Hide Options: Agents of the Imperium are visible

+ Epic Hero +

Azrael: Lion's Wrath, The Sword of Secrets, Warlord

+ Character +

Ravenwing Talonmaster: Master of the Machine War [Aura], Power weapon, Twin Assault Cannon, Twin heavy bolter

Techmarine: Adept of the Omnissiah, Forge Bolter, Grav-pistol, Omnissian Power Axe, Servo-arm

Techmarine: Forge Bolter, Grav-pistol, Omnissian Power Axe, Servo-arm, Target Augury Web [Aura]

+ Infantry +

Inceptor Squad: Assault Bolters
. 2x Inceptor: 2x Close Combat Weapon
. Inceptor Sergeant: Close Combat Weapon

Scout Squad
. Scout Sergeant: Bolt Pistol, Boltgun, Close Combat Weapon
. 4x Scouts w/ Astartes Shotgun: 4x Astartes Shotgun, 4x Bolt Pistol, 4x Close Combat Weapon

+ Vehicle +

Ballistus Dreadnought: Armoured Feet, Ballistus Lascannon, Ballistus Missile Launcher, Twin Storm Bolter

Ravenwing Darkshroud: Assault cannon, Close Combat Weapon

Ravenwing Land Speeder Vengeance: Assault cannon, Close Combat Weapon, Plasma storm battery

Redemptor Dreadnought: Icarus Rocket Pod, Macro Plasma Incinerator, Onslaught Gatling Cannon, Redemptor Fist, Twin Fragstorm Grenade Launcher

Redemptor Dreadnought: Icarus Rocket Pod, Macro Plasma Incinerator, Onslaught Gatling Cannon, Redemptor Fist, Twin Fragstorm Grenade Launcher

Redemptor Dreadnought: Icarus Rocket Pod, Macro Plasma Incinerator, Onslaught Gatling Cannon, Redemptor Fist, Twin Fragstorm Grenade Launcher

Storm Speeder Thunderstrike: Close Combat Weapon, Stormfury Missiles, Thunderstrike Las-talon, Twin Icarus Rocket Pod

Eat it Gonyo - Stormraven Gunship: Armoured Hull, Hurricane Bolter 2 Hurricane Bolters, 2x Stormstrike Missiles, Twin Heavy Plasma Cannon, Twin Multi-melta

Created with BattleScribe (https://battlescribe.net)


I guess it shouldn't come as too much of a surprise to see that the list is another Ironstorm Spearhead. Unlike the last one though, Kit used more Index units than just Azrael. Azrael does make an appearance, because why wouldn't we use Azrael? I think Azzy may just be chilling in a corner to provide CP, because the list doesn't have any units he might join. Joining Azzy from the 1rst Legion leadership pool is a Talonmaster. I have to admit, it would not have occurred to me to stick a Talonmaster in an Ironstorm, but he does make a good platform for Master of the Machine War, and he also hands out Ignores Cover to the other Fly units in the list, of which there are a few.
The other Index units in the list are a Dark Shroud and a Land Speeder Vengeance. The Vengeance is not a bad include, though it doesn't seem like it would get to use its Storm Of Vengeance ability much in this list. I imagine the Talonmaster, the Vengeance, the Dark Shroud, and the Thunderstrike all hang out together and provide mutual support and overlapping buffs. 
This isn't an Index unit, but Kit included a Stormraven Gunship! I definitely did not see that one coming. However, after thinking about it for a minute, it did occur to me it could carry a Redemptor, so Kit might be using it to get a smashy walker up close and in his opponents' faces.  None of the rest of the list is very surprising. Redemptors and Ballistuses are the rage, and having a couple upgraded Techmarines following them around to buff them isn't exactly secret tech. For utility work, Kit just included the 1 squad of Inceptors and 1 Scout Squad, but it's hard to argue with a 1rst place performance. The lowest of Kit's 5 scores was 95 points, demonstrating the list was piloted with commendable skill. Congratulations to Kit for a very convincing performance!

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