2000 PT Salamanders

This is the list I'm building towards. I have extra units to consider as options but I think I've settled into a basic "all-comers" list that I can use in a tourney setting.

HQ - Vulkan
HQ - Librarian w/ Null zone & Avenger
EL - 5 assault termies w/ TH/SS
LRR w/ multi-melta & extra armor
EL - Iron clad dread (seismic hammer w/ melta gun; DCCW w/ heavy flamer)
Drop pod
EL - Dread w/ twllc and twlac, exrra armor
TR - 10 man tactical (1 missile launcher, 1 melta gun; sergeant has CCW and melta bombs)
Drop pod
TR - 10 man tactical (1 missile launcher, 1 melta gun; sergeant has CCW)
Rhino
TR - 10 man tactical (1 missile launcher, 1 melta gun; sergeant has CCW)
Rhino
FA - 3 attack bikes w/ multi-meltas
HS - Predator w/ autocannon and lascannon sponsons

Thoughts?

It looks fairly solid and isn't full of razorbacks. It has an autocannon. I like it.

In terms of being balanced against all-comers, would it be worth swapping something out the predator or attack bikes for something with an ordinance template? You're sorted for mechanised/ heavy infantry, but a guard/ork/tyranid horde might cause trouble.

A vindicator would give more anti-tank fire as well as a template but is short ranged and mostly static. Also, everyone and their mums seem to use them because they have a massive gun on the front. Whirlwinds are cheap and can have a stab at blowing up light transports if they hit, but are much less useful against heavy infantry.

Of course, if no-one you know has a horde army, and I don't know many poeple with the money or patience to build one, then it's fine without the big booms.

The list looks strong, but I think Speeders would be a better choice to use instead of the bikes because of how versatile they can be with both a Melta and Flamer on them.

This may seem a bit bias, but I think that you should definitely rock out a Master of the Forge for the simple fact that it's a Techmarine and to legitimately bust out about 5/6 Dreads into your list for kicks.

I was also going to say Land Speeders over Attack Bikes if you are trying to build a strong list. I would also say they are a bit more... "fluffly" than Attack Bikes, as I've never seen a Salamander bike force.

Other than that, my friend plays a very similar list, but with no Predator/Attack Bikes, but some Sternguard and occasionally a Vindicator or Assault Marines. He does pretty well, assuming he can hit with his meltaguns.

Oh, and his tacticals usually have flamers and multi-meltas. I assume it is to have both twin-linked, but I'm not positive of his reasoning.

According to the Salamander fluff they don't use bikes much and use speeders even less because of the high gravity on Nocturne.
Then again, that was written before they got jet black skin and extreme red-eye.

I prefer bikes because they can cling to cover/other vehicles. With my Space Wolves I used to run them in the shadow of the rhinos and then pop out when the grey hunters needed some anti-tank. But it is just personal preference/tactics. 'Walk softly, and carry a big gun.'

Hmmmm, you could use speeders in place of the bikes. Or if your able to, put a thunderfire cannon for that extra anti-horde element. i cant remember what it counts as so im not sure you can put it in, other than that i see you have a LRR, which will help against anything including hordes.

Thanks for the inputs Brothers. The land speeder vs bikes choice is something I've been toying around with still. Both choices definitely have its pros and cons. Bikes are cheaper so I can have more of them than speeders and I tend to run my bikes similar to Brother Sai -- they follow in the wake of the LRR and another rhino to get within range of targets.

As for the vindicator, that's definitely an option I would use to swap the predator with if I'm facing hordes. However, if I can only field 1 list, I will most probably use the predator to give me some long range fire power. The iron clad and the redeemer should be able to handle things up close while the other dread and the pred serve as firing platforms and provide long range fire support.

The thunderfire cannon is definitely a good (and cheap) choice for anti-horde.

Ok, after several playtests against Kyrox's CSM and proxied-SW, some changes I'm considering below. I like both lists but am not sure which one would be more "tournament fitting":

List 1
HQ - Vulkan
HQ - Librarian w/ TDA & SS (null zone & avenger)
EL - 5 Assault termies (3 TH/SS, 2 LC)
LRR w/ mm & ea
TR#1 - 10 x SM (1 flamer; sarge has PW)
TR#2 - 10 x SM (1 ml, 1 mg)
TR#3- 10 x SM (1 ml, 1 mg)
Razorback w/ twllc
FA - 3 attack bikes (all hb's)
HS - Vindicator w/ siege shield
HS - Predator w/ autocannon & hb sponsons
HS - LR w/ ea

Libby goes w/ termies in LRR; Vulkan joins TR#1 in LR.
Up to 6 scoring units; 12 KP

List 2
HQ - Vulkan
HQ - Librarian w/ TDA & SS (null zone & avenger)
EL - 5 assault termies (3 TH/SS, 2 LC)
LRR w/ mm & ea
TR#1 - 9 x SM (sarge has combi-melta & PF)
Rhino
TR#2 - 10 x SM (1 ml, 1 mg)
Rhino
TR#3- 10 x SM (1 ml, 1 mg)
Razorback w/ twllc
FA - 3 attack bikes (all hb's)
FA - 1 LS w/ mm
HS - Vindicator w/ siege shield
HS - Vindicator w/ siege shield
HS - Predator w/ autocannon & hb sponsons

Libby joins termies in LRR; Vulkan joins TR#1 in rhino.
Up to 5 scoring units; 15 KP.

Kinda debating whether a 2 LR for a C: SM army is considered cheese but it is so much more reliable (I know I'm biased coz I use dual LR's for my GKs )