Age of Darkness Starter Series Pt 4: Imperial Fists

In this ongoing series we present an accessible and thematic starting list for each of the 18 Space Marine Legions. Each list utilizes the Age of Darkness starter set as a foundation from which to build a 2,000 point list using as few additional components as possible from readily available official plastic kits.

To build this force yourself you’ll need:

1 Age of Darkness Starter Set
1 Legion MkVI Tactical Squad
Heavy Weapons Upgrade Set – Missile Launchers and Heavy Bolters

In this instalment of our Starter Series we turn our attention to the Loyalist posterboys of this edition, the Imperial Fists. The Fists are a great choice for new players as they utilize a broad assortment of units and tactics, and make great use of massed infantry with bolt weapons. If you’re still traumatized from the days of painting yellow in days of old, fear not. Yellow paints are much, much better than they used to be and with various airbrush, underpainting, and Contrast techniques readily found on YouTube, yellow is now a very achievable color!

Once you’ve settled your nerves about painting dozens of bright yellow space marines, it’s time to start building your list. The heart of this starter army is a pair of 20 man tactical squads armed with bolt guns. Imperial Fists are masters of the bolt gun via their “Discpline and Resolve” ability, gaining +1 to hit with these weapons (and auto weapons). When combined with Tactical Squad abilities like Fury of the Legion, your Tac Squads are going to put out a huge volume of higher that is hitting on 2+ most of the time, and 3+ pretty much the rest of it! This may not sound like a lot but Str 4 hits against Toughness 4 targets as most Marines are adds up quick. Combined with Overwatch reactions when possible your Tac Squads can dish out some serious punishment. Giving them augury scanners means they’re not limited by range during Night Fighting in scenarios (quite common in Heresy) and can potentially enjoy free Interceptor reactions against enemy models coming in from Reserves via Deep Strike and the like. You’re going to have great board control from these units, one of which you can back up with a champion for a little close combat support, which may come in handy with the legion’s unique Advanced Reaction, “The Best Defence.”

Your Praetor can be used to shore up your Terminators or attached to the other Tactical Squad. His warlord trait, “Architect of Devastation” means that his unit rerolls hits of 1 while in cover that grants a Cover Safe or a Fortification. Combined with “Discipline and Resolve” this means that squad is basically just not missing its bolt gun volleys. This might be a great way to hold a backline objective if you’re concerned about infiltrators or reserve forces.

The Contemptor dreadnought is armed with a Lascannon to provide you some heavy hitting power, supported by the laser destructors on the Spartan.

As an addition to the contents of the Age of Darkness starter, you’ll be building a 10 man Heavy Support squad armed with heavy bolters. In a world of volkites, lascannons, and other exotic weaponry, the heavy bolter gets forgotten but a squad of 10 armed with these can put out a staggering 40 shots a round, hitting with Str 5. This may not sound like a big deal but when most of your targets are Str 4 (including the average Terminator), this kind of volume of fire wounding on 3+ can do some real work. Better still with the Imperial Fists “Discipline and Resolve” ability you’re getting +1 to hit. Choose their targets carefully and they will do serious damage against power armor squads. I could even see an argument for adding the Praetor to this squad to get the +1 to hit since they likely won’t be moving much. It’s an option worth considering if you can stick the squad in cover in your deployment zone with a good firing lane.

You’ll have 10 leftover marines to build and a sprue of 10 missile launchers as well which might be a great next step as you expand your army past 2,000 points. As always, let us know if you try this list out!

++ Crusade Force Organisation Chart (LA – VII: Imperial Fists) [1,999Pts] ++

+ Allegiance: +

Allegiance: Loyalist

VII: Imperial Fists

Rite of War: Pride Of The Legion

+ HQ: [274Pts] +

Centurion [107Pts]
. Champion [72Pts]: Artificer Armour, Charnabal Tabar [10Pts], Frag Grenades, Krak Grenades, Refractor Field, Volkite Serpenta [2Pts]
. Champion [35Pts]: Paragon Blade

Praetor [167Pts]: Architect of Devastation, Warlord
. Legion Praetor [167Pts]: Archaeotech Pistol [15Pts], Artificer Armour, Frag Grenades, Iron Halo, Krak Grenades, Master of the Legion, Paragon Blade [30Pts], Volkite Charger [2Pts]

+ Elites: [210Pts] +

Contemptor Dreadnought Talon [210Pts]
. Contemptor Dreadnought [210Pts]: Atomantic Deflector, Gravis Lascannon [20Pts], Gravis Power Fist with in-built ranged weapon, Havoc Launcher [10Pts], Heavy Flamer [5Pts]

+ Troops: [1,310Pts] +

Tactical Squad [240Pts]: Frag Grenades, Krak Grenades, Power Armour
. Legion Tactical Sergeant [10Pts]: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Power Armour
. . Power Weapon [10Pts]: Power Sword
. 16x Legionaries (collective) [160Pts]: 16x Bolt Pistol, 16x Bolter
. Legionary w/ Options: [20Pts]: Augury Scanner [10Pts], Bolt Pistol, Bolter
. Legionary w/ Options: [20Pts]: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Legion Vexilla [10Pts]
. Legionary w/ Options: [20Pts]: Bolt Pistol, Bolter, Nuncio-Vox [10Pts]

Terminator Cataphractii Squad [830Pts]: Cataphractii Terminator Armour, Pride of the Legion Compulsory Troops
. Cataphractii [45Pts]: Combi-Bolter, Solarite Power Gauntlet [15Pts]
. Cataphractii [45Pts]: Combi-Bolter, Solarite Power Gauntlet [15Pts]
. Cataphractii [45Pts]: Chainfist [15Pts], Combi-Bolter
. Cataphractii [45Pts]: Chainfist [15Pts], Combi-Bolter
. Cataphractii Sergeant [20Pts]: Combi-Bolter, Grenade Harness [5Pts], Solarite Power Gauntlet [15Pts]
. Cataphractii w/Heavy Weapon (1 in 5) [50Pts]: Chainfist [15Pts], Heavy Flamer [5Pts]
. Cataphractii w/Heavy Weapon (1 in 5) [50Pts]: Heavy Flamer [5Pts], Solarite Power Gauntlet [15Pts]
. 3x Cataphractii w/Lightning Claws [120Pts]: 3x Pair of Lightning Claws
. Land Raider Spartan [355Pts]
. . Land Raider Spartan [355Pts]: 2x Lascannon Destroyer, Hull (Front) Mounted Twin-linked Heavy Bolter, Legiones Astartes (X), Searchlights [5Pts], Smoke Launchers

+ Heavy Support: [205Pts] +

Heavy Support Squad [205Pts]: Frag Grenades, Heavy Bolter, Krak Grenades, Power Armour
. Legion Support Sergeant: Bolt Pistol, Power Armour
. 6x Legionaries (collective) [90Pts]: 6x Bolt Pistol
. Legionary w/ Options [25Pts]: Bolt Pistol, Legion Vexilla [10Pts]
. Legionary w/ Options [25Pts]: Augury Scanner [10Pts], Bolt Pistol
. Legionary w/ Options [25Pts]: Bolt Pistol, Nuncio-Vox [10Pts]

++ Total: [1,999Pts] ++