Questions About Generic SM Vanguard List

Hello all,

I have started a Raptors army with Vanguard Spearhead as the detachment in mind. I’m trying to make some competitively-informed decisions with my army building while still sticking to rule of cool. I am trying to stay away from using UM epic heroes but if Vanguard really doesn’t work with purely Generic SM, just tell me. I have some questions about SM Vanguard:

  1. Can 2x Gladiator Lancers, 6x Eradicators + Biologis + Captain, 1x Repulsor w/ Las Weapons be a good enough substitute for the Uriel + Dev Centurions combo you see in most competitive UMVanguard lists? I like the idea of the combination but I’m just not too keen on Dev Centurions from an aesthetic standpoint.

  2. How will the Gravis Captain leading the Eradicators compare to Calgar? Obviously comparing points wise Calgar brings much more overall, but I’m wondering if the Gravis Captain will be OK, considering I get points to spend elsewhere.

2.1 How much will a lack of CP generation hurt me? I know Vanguard is a CP hungry detachment, I would appreciate some views on how useful the free CP ability Captains have is compared to actually generating a CP with Calgar.

  1. Is my lack of melee going to hurt? I feel like Vanguard doesn’t lend itself to melee so would rather keep a shooting focus - but I’m willing to put maybe JPIs somewhere to introduce some DS anti-chaff melee threat and more actions utility to the list.

Any and all advice is greatly appreciated - I am pretty new to 40K but looking to still. I understand I won’t have the min-maxed list without UM characters but still looking to build a strong list that won’t be a pushover. Here is my current list:

CHARACTER

Char1: 1x Apothecary Biologis (70 pts) 1 with Absolver Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon

Char2: 1x Captain in Gravis Armour (105 pts) 1 with Master-crafted Heavy Bolt Rifle, Master-crafted Power Weapon Enhancement: The Blade Driven Deep (+25 pts)

Char3: 1x Librarian in Phobos Armour (70 pts) 1 with Bolt Pistol, Force Weapon, Smite • Warlord

Char4: 1x Lieutenant (65 pts) 1 with Close Combat Weapon, Bolt Pistol, Master-crafted Bolt Rifle

Char5: 1x Lieutenant with Combi-weapon (100 pts) 1 with Combi-weapon, Paired Combat Blades Enhancement: Shadow War Veteran (+30 pts)

OTHER DATASHEETS

3x Eliminator Squad (85 pts) • 2x Eliminator 2 with Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon, Las Fusil • 1x Eliminator Sergeant 1 with Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon, Las Fusil

6x Eradicator Squad (200 pts) • 3x Eradicator 3 with Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon, Melta Rifle • 1x Eradicator Sergeant 1 with Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon, Melta Rifle • 2x Eradicator with Multi-melta 2 with Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon, Multi-melta

10x Hellblaster Squad (230 pts) • 9x Hellblaster 9 with Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon, Plasma Incinerator • 1x Hellblaster Sergeant 1 with Close Combat Weapon, Plasma Incinerator, Plasma Pistol

3x Inceptor Squad (120 pts) • 2x Inceptor 2 with Close Combat Weapon • 1x Inceptor Sergeant 1 with Close Combat Weapon, Assault Bolters

3x Inceptor Squad (120 pts) • 2x Inceptor 2 with Close Combat Weapon • 1x Inceptor Sergeant 1 with Close Combat Weapon, Assault Bolters

5x Incursor Squad (80 pts) • 4x Incursor 4 with Bolt Pistol, Occulus Bolt Carbine, Paired Combat Blades • 1x Incursor Sergeant 1 with Bolt Pistol, Occulus Bolt Carbine, Paired Combat Blades

5x Scout Squad (70 pts) • 1x Scout Sergeant 1 with Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon, Boltgun • 4x Scouts 4 with Bolt Pistol, Boltgun, Close Combat Weapon

5x Scout Squad (70 pts) • 1x Scout Sergeant 1 with Bolt Pistol, Close Combat Weapon, Boltgun • 4x Scouts 4 with Bolt Pistol, Boltgun, Close Combat Weapon

1x Gladiator Lancer (160 pts) 1 with Armoured Hull, Icarus Rocket Pod, Ironhail Heavy Stubber, Lancer Laser Destroyer, 2x Storm Bolter

1x Gladiator Lancer (160 pts) 1 with Armoured Hull, Icarus Rocket Pod, Ironhail Heavy Stubber, Lancer Laser Destroyer, 2x Storm Bolter

1x Repulsor (180 pts) 1 with Armoured Hull, Hunter-slayer Missile, Repulsor Defensive Array, Twin Lascannon, Las-talon

1x Storm Speeder Hailstrike (115 pts) 1 with Close Combat Weapon, 2x Fragstorm Grenade Launcher, Onslaught Gatling Cannon, Twin Ironhail Heavy Stubber

General game plan: BDD infiltrate Eradicator blob with Biologis and Captain. Scouts Infiltrate to screen for blob

Lieutenant + Hellblasters in the Repulsor targeting elite infantry

Inceptors target Oathed infantry

Phobos Lib + Eliminators pick off Terminator/Light Vehicle profiles with Dev Wounds

Combi LT for actions with Vect as an extra nuisance

Gladiator Lancers in the backfield. If a scout squad survives turn 1, redeploy to help screen backfield.