Warhammer 40K Tabletop XXV: Friends Are Better Than Wraithknights.

[Lord Ruby34]

I'm having trouble deciding on what list I'd like to play for the 500 point portion of the escalation League at my local store. Which one of these do you like more?

Spoiler: Tau Empire

Show

CAD

HQ: Ethereal 55
Homing Beacon

Troops:
Fire Warrior Strike Team 108
12 Fire Warriors

Fire Warrior Strike Team 90
10 Fire Warriors

Fast Attack:
Pathfinder Team 44

Pathfinder Team 44

Elite:
Crisis Battlesuits 159
Three Suits
2 Cyclic Ion Blasters, Advanced Targeting System
2 Cyclic Ion Blasters
2 Cyclic Ion Blasters

500/500

I'm also not sure I want Cyclic Ion Blasters on the Suits. Would Plasma be better here?

Spoiler: Tau Empire 2

Show

CAD:

HQ:
Commander 152
2 Guns (tbd), Drone Controller, Target Lock, 2x Gun Drone

Troops:
Fire Warrior Strike Team 76
Six Fire Warriors, EMP Grenades, Missile Pod Turret

Kroot Carnivores 70
Sniper Rounds

Fast Attack:
Piranha Squadron 200
5 Piranhas

499/500

Here the Commander joins the drones as the Piranhas act as a Mobile wall.

There was also the consideration of some sort of Blue Tide list, but I don't actually have enough Fire Warriors for that.

[Saambell]

As something really silly, I decided to make a Space Wolves List with no thunder wolves and no flyers that cant be copied by Codex Marines.

BEHOLD: The Avalanche

Spoiler: 1850 SW Avalanche

Show

Wolves CAD
Wolf Lord: Runic, Frost Axe, Storm Shield, Melta Bomb (Warlord)
Rune Priest: Hood, ML2
15 Blood Claws: Power Fist
15 Blood Claws: Power Axe
15 Blood Claws: Power Axe
15 Blood Claws: Power Axe

Wolves CAD
Rune Priest: Hood, ML2
Battle Leader: Runic, Storm Shield, Thunder Hammer
15 Blood Claws: Power Axe
15 Blood Claws: Power Axe
15 Blood Claws: Power Axe

Some have called Blood Claws a "Ork Boy Mob with Power Armour". I took this to heart, and made a sort of copy of the Greed Tide. It dies to any Flyer or Armour, or AP3 template/blast. But there's 109 Bodies on the ground, which is more than most marine lists. The Runic Priests try to either get Storm Caller off the Tempestas domain, or go for some Biomancy powers. I could drop a Claw pack and up the axes to fists, and maybe get some kind of anti air/anti armour, but why lose boys for toys?

This is a total joke list. But it kind of does show (in a round about route) that Space Wolves are either using Thunderwolves, their flyers, or you use Codex Marines. Because besides Blood Claws, TWolves, and the flyers, Space Wolves are just an inefficient Codex Marines.

[Vaz]

Yet another thing that shows SW should be folded back into Space Marines books.

On the bright side, a use for those Skin Wolves I bought.

[Tome]

I'm having trouble deciding on what list I'd like to play for the 500 point portion of the escalation League at my local store. Which one of these do you like more?

Spoiler: Tau Empire

Show

CAD

HQ: Ethereal 55
Homing Beacon

Troops:
Fire Warrior Strike Team 108
12 Fire Warriors

Fire Warrior Strike Team 90
10 Fire Warriors

Fast Attack:
Pathfinder Team 44

Pathfinder Team 44

Elite:
Crisis Battlesuits 159
Three Suits
2 Cyclic Ion Blasters, Advanced Targeting System
2 Cyclic Ion Blasters
2 Cyclic Ion Blasters

500/500

I'm also not sure I want Cyclic Ion Blasters on the Suits. Would Plasma be better here?

Spoiler: Tau Empire 2

Show

CAD:

HQ:
Commander 152
2 Guns (tbd), Drone Controller, Target Lock, 2x Gun Drone

Troops:
Fire Warrior Strike Team 76
Six Fire Warriors, EMP Grenades, Missile Pod Turret

Kroot Carnivores 70
Sniper Rounds

Fast Attack:
Piranha Squadron 200
5 Piranhas

499/500

Here the Commander joins the drones as the Piranhas act as a Mobile wall.

There was also the consideration of some sort of Blue Tide list, but I don't actually have enough Fire Warriors for that.

For list 1, do you know if you'll be playing missions that use Kill Points? If you aren't, there's no reason not to split them into three separate units. And yes, plasma would largely be better. Ideally you'd want a mix of plasma and missile pods/cyclic ion blasters, which you can get even in one unit thanks to target locks. Or you can just give the fire warriors turrets to pop vehicles with and go with all plasma.

I'd also be extremely wary of the Ethereal giving out a free point in such a small game.

For list 2 the Piranhas jump out at me as being a waste. Without fusion blasters they're not really bringing anything offensively that your fire warriors can't already do better and in larger quantities. Relying on gun drones, when you already have fire warriors for S5 is also... ehhhhhhhh.

In my mind, at 500 points you really need to hit the following points:

• Anti-GEQ (T3-4, Sv 5+). For Tau, this means our standard S5 AP5 shooting. Maybe a pie plate or two or some flamers. It's pretty easy to hit this one with just some fire warriors and maybe some markerlights.
• Anti-MEQ (T4, Sv 3+). You've gotta be able to kill marines, and in my mind that means AP 2-3 guns, preferably backed by markerlights. Ionheads, Riptides, Plasma Rifles etc. One unit of plasma or one pie plate should do, just make sure you have an answer. This should also cover any 2+ saves or monstrous creatures you encounter in a pinch.
• Light Anti-Vehicle (AV10-12). Chimeras, Rhinos etc. You're going to encounter them. You probably want missile pods somewhere in your list for this, but other weapons like Seekers and fusion blasters can also do. Will likely be good for any MCs you encounter. S5 does not count for this.

[Lord Ruby34]

For list 1, do you know if you'll be playing missions that use Kill Points? If you aren't, there's no reason not to split them into three separate units. And yes, plasma would largely be better. Ideally you'd want a mix of plasma and missile pods/cyclic ion blasters, which you can get even in one unit thanks to target locks. Or you can just give the fire warriors turrets to pop vehicles with and go with all plasma.

I'd also be extremely wary of the Ethereal giving out a free point in such a small game.

Markerlights. Two squads can use the same amount of markerlights more effectively than three. Honestly, I'm also not worried about the extra point from the Ethereal. People keep telling me 500 point games usually end with someone getting tabled, so that's what I'm trying to do.

For list 2 the Piranhas jump out at me as being a waste. Without fusion blasters they're not really bringing anything offensively that your fire warriors can't already do better and in larger quantities. Relying on gun drones, when you already have fire warriors for S5 is also... ehhhhhhhh.

Yeah. This was an idea I scribbled out in class. I don't really like all that much either.

In my mind, at 500 points you really need to hit the following points:

• Anti-GEQ (T3-4, Sv 5+). For Tau, this means our standard S5 AP5 shooting. Maybe a pie plate or two or some flamers. It's pretty easy to hit this one with just some fire warriors and maybe some markerlights.
• Anti-MEQ (T4, Sv 3+). You've gotta be able to kill marines, and in my mind that means AP 2-3 guns, preferably backed by markerlights. Ionheads, Riptides, Plasma Rifles etc. One unit of plasma or one pie plate should do, just make sure you have an answer. This should also cover any 2+ saves or monstrous creatures you encounter in a pinch.
• Light Anti-Vehicle (AV10-12). Chimeras, Rhinos etc. You're going to encounter them. You probably want missile pods somewhere in your list for this, but other weapons like Seekers and fusion blasters can also do. Will likely be good for any MCs you encounter. And no, S5 does not count for this.

How much of the second one can be covered by weight of fire? The plan was that saves get failed, so if I can generate enough wounds marines and such will still die pretty fast.

[Tome]

Markerlights. Two squads can use the same amount of markerlights more effectively than three. Honestly, I'm also not worried about the extra point from the Ethereal. People keep telling me 500 point games usually end with someone getting tabled, so that's what I'm trying to do.

Good point. I guess I'm too used to using formations to keep up BS and spread around Markerlights.

How much of the second one can be covered by weight of fire? The plan was that saves get failed, so if I can generate enough wounds marines and such will still die pretty fast.

Some but not all. You're also counting on the plasma/ion/etc. to pull double duty against monstrous creatures, vehicles and terminators if you need them to. Which is generally a thing in a 500 point list, most of your guns need to be able to pull double duty.

My own list for 500 would probably look like this. It's not an optimal list, because the optimal list involves taking a Riptide at 500 points and I like having friends, but I think it covers most of the bases with the units I really like.

Spoiler: Tome's 500 point list

Show

FARSIGHT ENCLAVES COMBINED ARMS DETACHMENT

HQ
Cadre Fireblade - 60 Points

TROOPS
Fire Warrior Strike Team (x10) - 110 Points
Bonding Knife Ritual
+DS8 Tactical Support Turret W/Missile Pod

XV8 Crisis Team (x2) 116 Points
Plasma Rifle x2, Flamer, Bonding Knife Ritual

XV8 Crisis Team (x1) - 58 Points
Missile Pod x2, Early Warning Override, Bonding Knife Ritual

FAST ATTACK
Drones (x5) - 70
MV7 Marker Drones

FORTIFICATION
Tidewall Gunrig - 85 Points

TOTAL: 499 Points

Fireblade joins the Strike Team and hops aboard the Gunrig. Fireblade fires the Railgun and Split Fire lets you point it at the right target. Riding the Gunrig doesn't count as moving, so Volley Fire and the turret are always active. Volley Fire and re-rolls from the gunrig are good together.

The turret is mostly there for when you use your fire warriors to crack tanks or just adding some more shooting for a reasonable price that doesn't have to take up space on the Gunrig (just let it be destroyed and then redeploy it after the Gunrig has moved).

The crisis suits and marker drones play JSJ to stay alive, business as usual. If there's no MEQs the plasma team bust out the flamers.

A bit torn on whether the Markerlights are better than another plasma suit. Testing required.

Anti-GEQ is the 20 pulse rifle shots re-rolling 1s and the submunition shot from the gunrig.
Anti-MEQ is the plasma team.
Anti-Vehicle is the missile pods and railgun.

[Lord Ruby34]

Well, I am committed to playing actual Tau Empire, so my revised list looks similar to the original list one. The Ethereal loses the Homing Beacon, And two suits become plasma, the third gets two Cyclic Ion Blasters and Target Lock so he can more effectively share markerlights if firing at the same target. It still might just be better to take him as a Monat and the other as a squard of two.

[Tome]

Well, I am committed to playing actual Tau Empire, so my revised list looks similar to the original list one. The Ethereal loses the Homing Beacon, And two suits become plasma, the third gets two Cyclic Ion Blasters and Target Lock so he can more effectively share markerlights if firing at the same target. It still might just be better to take him as a Monat and the other as a squard of two.

That sounds like it'd work pretty well. It'd be worth a few test games on the ion suit placement though. At least 500 point games are pretty quick.

Another variant to test might be switching the CIBs for missile pods, since their range makes firing from wherever the plasmas need to be less of a problem.

[Requizen]

Moving away from Deathstars (as I've only had middling success with either the Conclave or Orikanstar), here's an idea for a MSU Necron list that's CAD focused to gain access to .

Spoiler: Necron MSU

Show

CAD
Cryptek - Chronometron

Immortals x5 - Gauss
Immortals x5 - Gauss
Immortals x5 - Tesla
Immortals x5 - Tesla
Warriors x10

Flayed Ones x11

Tomb Blades x5 - 3+, Gauss, Ignores Cover
Tomb Blades x5 - 3+, Gauss, Ignores Cover
Wraiths x6 - Coils

Heavy Destroyers x2
Heavy Destroyers x2
Heavy Destroyers x2

Canoptek Harvest
Wraiths x6 - Coils
Spyder
Scarabs x3

1849/1850

So the ObSec is pretty slow, but that is workable with Objective placement and using the fast units to deal with backline. Like all MSU lists, the idea is to just flood the table and have too many threats to reasonably handle. We have durable troops (Chronometron Warriors are actually just the most durable things in the game point for point imo), fast assault units, fast bikes, and good shooting. It's a bit light on big guns (only the Heavy Destroyers can deal with high T targets), but the Wraiths should be able to tie things up at least long enough for the myriad of other units to fight the rest.

The other idea was to do something similar, but wiggle in a Decurion for anything not ObSec, but I'm not 100% on that list yet. There's a lot of Warriors and Immortals that you have to bring without ObSec to get anything good, but I'm sure there's a way to make it work.

Not that straight Decurion MSU is bad, just that Adepticon makes ObSec so necessary that it's basically suicide not to take it.

[Voidhawk]

I'm having trouble deciding on what list I'd like to play for the 500 point portion of the escalation League at my local store.

Spoiler: Tau Empire 2

Show

CAD:

HQ:
Commander 152
2 Guns (tbd), Drone Controller, Target Lock, 2x Gun Drone

Troops:
Fire Warrior Strike Team 76
Six Fire Warriors, EMP Grenades, Missile Pod Turret

Kroot Carnivores 70
Sniper Rounds

Fast Attack:
Piranha Squadron 200
5 Piranhas

499/500

In 1000 points, summoning is very good. In 500, summoning loses you friends. However, you did say

People keep telling me 500 point games usually end with someone getting tabled, so that's what I'm trying to do.

With that in mind:

Spoiler: Missiles Over Friends

Show

CAD
Ethereal, Blacksun Filter, 2 Marker Drones - 79pts
7 man Strike Team, Shas'ui, 2 Marker Drones - 97pts
10 Kroot - 60pts

Piranha Firestream Wing
1 Piranha, Fusion Blaster, 2 Seeker Missiles - 66pts
1 Piranha, Fusion Blaster, 2 Seeker Missiles - 66pts
1 Piranha, Fusion Blaster, 2 Seeker Missiles - 66pts
1 Piranha, Fusion Blaster, 2 Seeker Missiles - 66pts

Total: 500/500

Should be pretty hard to get tabled turn one: Piranhas bubble-wrap the Strike Team and Kroot guard the Piranhas. After that you're spawning 8 Harrassment-Drones a turn or blasting everything with Seeker Missiles and Fusion. I tried to fit in a decent number of Markerlights for firing Seeker Missiles, but I'm not certain I've assembled the CAD the best way possible. Might be better to put in an Aegis line or Tidewall, and trade the Kroot for more Firewarriors.

[Tome]

Should be pretty hard to get tabled turn one: Piranhas bubble-wrap the Strike Team and Kroot guard the Piranhas. After that you're spawning 8 Harrassment-Drones a turn or blasting everything with Seeker Missiles and Fusion. I tried to fit in a decent number of Markerlights for firing Seeker Missiles, but I'm not certain I've assembled the CAD the best way possible. Might be better to put in an Aegis line or Tidewall, and trade the Kroot for more Firewarriors.

You could switch out the CAD for a drone net. I think there's just enough points to make it work there.

[Voidhawk]

You could switch out the CAD for a drone net. I think there's just enough points to make it work there.

You have to drop a Seeker Missile or Fusion Blaster to do it, but it can be done. However it means:
1) You have to make a drone your Warlord, and it doesn't get a Trait,
2) 16 Drones with LD7 are your only board presence while the Piranhas are reloading,
3) Mono-Drone units are "always non-scoring" vs Objective Secured Strike Teams and Kroot, so you'll never hold an objective.
4) When the Piranhas are reloading, you can't fire missiles.

I think it'd be actually better to have some Pathfinders if at all possible, because their markerlights are BS 3 and they can take special weapons. But I don't know of any cheap formation-ways of getting them. In the end, I just decided having the Piranhas fire their own missiles most of the time was the better bet.

[Yaktan]

I feel like you want to max out the drones you get from the piranhas, which means having them on and off every turn, with no chance to shoot missiles.

How about this list?

Drones > Friends

Spoiler

Show

CAD
HQ:
Ethereal--50 pts

Troops:
Breachers x10--190 pts
--D-fish, sensor spines, disruption pod

Strikers x5--55pts
--Missile Turret

Firestream Wing
1 Piranha--40 pts
1 Piranha--40 pts
1 Piranha--40 pts
2 Piranha--80 pts

Total: 495 pts

Or drop the extra piranha for fusion blasters in case someone else brings AV.

[Requizen]

For those who don't know, LVO is this weekend and they are streaming it!

http://www.twitch.tv/frontlinegaming_tv

Schedule here. There are some kinks to work out since this seems to be the first year they're trying this. I've just got it on in the background of work, but will probably watch VODs if there's a game I'm interested in. I know at least a couple players that are there, so it'll be cool if they get on stream.

[Lord Ruby34]

I feel like you want to max out the drones you get from the piranhas, which means having them on and off every turn, with no chance to shoot missiles.

How about this list?

Drones > Friends

Spoiler

Show

CAD
HQ:
Ethereal--50 pts

Troops:
Breachers x10--190 pts
--D-fish, sensor spines, disruption pod

Strikers x5--55pts
--Missile Turret

Firestream Wing
1 Piranha--40 pts
1 Piranha--40 pts
1 Piranha--40 pts
2 Piranha--80 pts

Total: 495 pts

Or drop the extra piranha for fusion blasters in case someone else brings AV.

Yeah, that's a pretty good list. However, I'm not bringing it for the same reason I'm not bringing a riptide. Friends > Winning.

[Cheesegear]

How do people make Scout Sergeants? Since they don't wear helmets I'm not entirely sure how to do it, aside from going "That one."

[Blackhawk748]

How do people make Scout Sergeants? Since they don't wear helmets I'm not entirely sure how to do it, aside from going "That one."

Give him a Helmet? Or a Beard, ya go with the Beard.

[Cristo Meyers]

How do people make Scout Sergeants? Since they don't wear helmets I'm not entirely sure how to do it, aside from going "That one."

I use the head with the visor. There's only one in a box and it's easy enough to point out on the table.

[LeSwordfish]

How do people make Scout Sergeants? Since they don't wear helmets I'm not entirely sure how to do it, aside from going "That one."

I put all my sargeants on 30mm bases. For Scout sargeants - use different hand configurations? Borrow Sternguard boltguns? Bolter in one hand, knife in the other?

[Drasius]

Fancy basing is also an option.

[Cheesegear]

For Scout sargeants - use different hand configurations? Bolter in one hand, knife in the other?

Boltgun in one hand, Bolt Pistol in the other. For a Scout to get a knife, he needs to trade in his Boltgun. But, you've got an idea.

Fancy basing is also an option.

Not really.

It's been a week, so...#doingit.

Spoiler: 5.5 Hours for one step

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Spoiler: Washing Not Washing

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[bluntpencil]

How do people make Scout Sergeants? Since they don't wear helmets I'm not entirely sure how to do it, aside from going "That one."

Aside from using the helmetless Sternguard, old man, heads, you could use a red skull transfer to show his Iron Skull honour which all Sergeants have?

[bluntpencil]

Wow...

It looks like, with Ragnar Blackmane's Great Company, Space Wolves might just become rather frightening with Drop Pods - free Drop Pods for everyone! All arriving Turn One!

[Cheesegear]

It looks like, with Ragnar Blackmane's Great Company, Space Wolves might just become rather frightening with Drop Pods - free Drop Pods for everyone! All arriving Turn One!

It doesn't have ObSec. Hard pass.

[bluntpencil]

It doesn't have ObSec. Hard pass.

The inclusion of Counter-Charge, or 'Supportive Fire for Manly Men!' is cool, though. Also, re-rolls for Claw units.

[Cheesegear]

The inclusion of Counter-Charge, or 'Supportive Fire for Manly Men!' is cool

I can't even imagine how that helps. You'd need to bunch all of your units together so your random rolls for Charge distances actually work, then you'd have to roll anyway. It doesn't help at all against a shooty army (e.g; Pretty much any army that isn't KDK, Orks or Grey Knights - not particularly notable armies in the meta).

Those Legendary Greatpacks have to be something special. 'Cause the vanilla Greatpack is nearly all tax. No, wait. All of the mandatory units are tax, and you get one unit max of Thunderwolves. Here's hoping that one of the Greatpacks - Legendary or otherwise - has Objective Secured. Otherwise the Space Wolf Decurion is a huge dud.

Also, re-rolls for Claw units.

They're WS3. They need it. Claw units suck. I suppose making them barely playable is an improvement in the literal sense. But, already, everyone already knows that the list to come out of this Campaign will be the current Wolftron that already exists, plus the Wulfen Formation. Unless there's Objective Secured somewhere. Then you take that Formation, plus Wolftron, plus Wulfen.

[Drasius]

The really interesting one to me as a Tzeentch daemons player is the nice buff to fateweaver (since he knows all the Tz powers and now there's a str D one), but also the interesting implications to daemons in general now that they've lost the grimoure if you use the new book and not with the new daemoncurion, the +/- 1 to the warp storm means fateweaver isn't as needed either.

The daemoncurion bonus that controls objectives even when they're not on them is a large boon to mono-khorne armies since they never really wanted to have anyone (bar the skull cannon, and even then it was often better moving up) haging around camping objectives. Now you don't have to and will be awesome for maelstrom. It's a pretty decent boon to any army without pink horror batteries to be honest, and really, it's the next best thing to ObSec. Have a daemon unit wander vaugely near and objective and it's yours forever unless someone camps some ObSec on it, in which case you charge them with something.

The Tz Paradox relic is pretty rad, stopping perils and maybe shifting a failure into success. Scourge of souls is pretty rad on a LoC/prince since Smash should over-ride the AP = initiative and fleshbane is win. The Str 5 AP3 flamer is a bit meh for 20 points since it's not torrent. Even if the grimoure is gone, if you can get cursed earth off, then you can combo with the new 3++ relic and Tz re-roll 1's for a prince/LoC that only str D is going to remove. Oracle disk is great if it works from reserve, since you can just go 2nd, reserve your screamerstar and immediately come on turn 1. Even if the wording says you can only come on turn 2 earliest, at least putting your main combat block and casting power into reserve isn't going to screw you had by not coming on until turn 4.

I'll be annoyed as hell if the cleansing flame ripoff is WC2 since it's stuck with D6 str and warpflame and if the Str D shot is WC3 instead of 2 there's going to be unending rage to make Khorne jealous as to why grey knights have better psychic powers than the manifestations of the lord of magic.

The 4 DP formation will be very interesting if there's some good warlord traits, and they're finally T6 (until you lose a prince)!

The khorne relics are looking good. Hitting on 2's in a challenge is pretty win, but the real talking point is the skullcutter; AP2, 6's to hit are Str D for 30 points. Finally there can be something other than a D-thirster! Pretty damn rad for a herald too since he can hide in a big unit of hounds, or possibly even a blood hunter in a unit of crushers depending on how it's worded. Crimson crown is already shouting out for combos with KDK, cause that's a lot of attacks. The axe that causes models to re-deepstrike in on a 4+ is going to be a nightmare to handle rules-wise for a unit of multi wound infantry. The -1 str armour is practically made for princes, since now you can't instant death them via str 10 (does it reduce down the hit from a str D hit [counts as str 10 for instant death purposes] to stop instant death there too?)

As for the wolves, that 7 result on the wolfen table in combination with thundercav is insane, especially if having multiple wulfen units staks the +1 on the chart. 24" move and 2d6 charge, possibly before your opponent has had a chance to do anything? Man, that's gonna wreck some serious face, even on hammer and anvil!. PotMS on Vindicators is a nice touch, but being forced to take land raiders to get it isn't. I guess if you're already taking one for your wulfen, it isn't much of a tax, and prefered enemy (or tank hinting!) pseudo-fast vindicators aren't terrible.

The free drop pods all coming down turn 1 cements the wolves as masters of the drop pod assault, but their wolfcurion bonus sucks balls. The charge-in-the-enemies-charge-phase for 2 wolf-frost-murder-gladius' is cool, but not great, and certainly not worth taking 2 of their ****ty formations for.

Their psycher wyrd sorceror conclave is a bit rubbish since tempestus is not great, but with a full conclave, that WC3 power shunts out 6d6 str 7 shots with tesla shock. Could be worse, but doesn't appear to be too broken for the points cost.

[bluntpencil]

I'd be surprised if Claws don't get WS and BS 4...

[Cheesegear]

The daemoncurion bonus that controls objectives even when they're not on them

Eff that noise. It's so good.

The Tz Paradox relic is very rad

Fixed.

Scourge of souls is very rad on a LoC/prince since Smash should over-ride the AP = initiative and fleshbane is win.

Tzeentch Daemons in Melee! Go team, go!

The khorne relics are looking good.

Indeed.

As for the wolves, that 7 result on the wolfen table in combination with thundercav is insane

As far as I'm concerned, it's the only good thing to come out of the book. Since Wulfen come in Formations, there's no taxes to taking them, and just them. Meanwhile, you grab your Champions of Fenris Detachment and go to town.

The free drop pods all coming down turn 1 cements the wolves as masters of the drop pod assault

Only if it has Objective Secured.
Otherwise I'd vastly prefer my Gladius that has free Drop Pods and ObSeccing everything on the board. The problem with having everything come down on Turn 1, is that there will only be so many good places to put your Drop Pods. It's too much of a good thing. You can't drop on an Objective twice, you can't fit two units into 'that hole over there'. About half of your Drop Pods are going to land in your own DZ anyway, so why have the Drop Pods in the first place? Especially if you have to pay so many taxes.

but their wolfcurion bonus sucks balls.

Nearly everything, everywhere, has terrible taxes attached.

[Drasius]

Fixed.

Tzeentch Daemons in Melee! Go team, go!

Depends on how it's worded. If it's 1<-->2, 3<-->4, 5<-->6, then it's situationally useful to cancel perils but ensure the power goes off, if it's 1<-->6, 2<-->5, 3<-->4, then it's totally amazeballs since getting summoning or incursion off on 5 dice with a 100% success ratio on your first attempt before dtw is amazing, doubly so if you manage to cast on the first attempt since the second cast will also have a 100% chance of going off and so on and so forth.

The thing about melee Tz daemons is that they have no other option since their shooting is all done via horrendously inefficient witchfires when simply summoning or buffing has a much better return and the Tz powers are pretty terrible, doubly so when warpflame is considered, triply so when you remember that T5+ is the new black and handing out +1 fnp like candy isn't smart. The real shame is that that the main drawcard for Tz players (mainly being that they get to shoot mind bullets) is totally ruined by the fact that our mind bullets suck balls (exept the new str D if it's WC2), the fact that psychic witchfires generally suck due to the unending points of failure (Required dice, Manifest, perils, deny, hit, wound, saves, fnp), you can't spam witchfires like you can other shooting weapons, the range on witchfires is terrible and in a shooting edition, the shooting focused god has some of the best melee units.

7th is the absolute worst if you want your Tzeentch army (either flavour) to actually psychicly pewpew the enemy, which only fuels the rage that in an edition where psychers are king, the god of psychers, the literal manifestation of magic, sucks at psychery. Maybe that's why khorne keeps getting all the things?