The Tallarn So Far....

So, I have nearly painted my 2000pt Tournament List but on the road to optimisation I have extra stuff painted too.

I like to name my characters and vehicles and if you think that's weird then that's probably because it is.

 Captain El'Houni (Company Commander), named after a mate of mine who helped with the Arabic names for my tanks, this guy is loaded out with classic Tallarn weaponry - a Plasma Pistol and Power Sword (or scimitar!). I often give this guy the Blade of Conquest Relic just to make him even more epic and also to have some close combat ability if the need arises (which it often does).

 This guy is an absolute boss. His finest moment was when he was charged (and he was already on 2 wounds left) by a Khorne Daemon Prince and survived. I had to make 4 saves against the Malefic Talons and failed 2. I rerolled one with a command point and it resulted in a 6! I then used his warlord trait reroll (Grand Strategist) and rerolled the other fail into another 6! He had miraculously survived and by doing so prevented consolidation into the Leman Russ Conqueror just behind him (So the behemoth could still shoot next turn - this moment was arguably game-defining). He has killed Kastellan Robots in combat and blasted characters away with his always overcharged Plasma Pistol (Fortune favours the brave it seems).

 Master of Ordnance Al'Khafeet. This guy has some hidden utility. Due to being almost entirely useless after he fires his Artillery Barrage first turn he is simply left alone and being a chracter is difficult to target.

 I give this guy the Relic Kurov's Aquila as he is an officer and therefore eligible. He doesn't need to do anything but stand at the very back of my lines with a Basilisk and generate me CPs on a 5+ throughout the battle. (Sadly optimisation forced me to drop this guy and fit in a Techpriest Enginseer to help maintain the 8 Vehicles in the army.

 Lieutenant El'Aurens (Platoon Commander) is a true raider. When I run a Plasma-toting Veteran Squad this guy leads them to the battlefield and gives them orders to blow themselves up less frequently. Now he gives orders to Infantry Squads and always outflanks with a unit. He can order them to Move, Move, Move! to grab a key objective or to shoot lots to try and kill something.

Gilbert the Primaris Psyker offers me the Psychic support every competitive Guard army should have. Nightshroud and Psychic Maelstrom are his current powers but I am considering switching Psychic Maelstrom out due to it's high casting roll. This guy has stood back-to-back with Captain El'Houni and also has killed a Kastellan Robot in combat - Beast!

 Command Squad (The 42nd Hunters): Comprised of marksman from the Infantry Company these guys give me a Sniper who sometimes does awesome stuff and a BS 3+ Lascannon!! Nobody shoots these guys because I have so many tanks but they are the secret gem in the force and always serve me well. The Vox-caster is a must as these guys, unlike the rest of the Infantry stay at the back so my officers can stand near these guys and give orders out 18" or do the opposite when at the front with the rest of the Infantry. The Sniper in his very first game achieved Hero status. He shot at a Stealth Drone unit that had infiltrated alongside a Ghostkeel. Rolling a 6 to hit and a further 6 to wound he killed the first drone with the mortal wound. The second drone failed it's save! This guy killed two Stealth Drones with 1 shot and claimed First Blood, allowing the rest of the force to shoot the Ghostkeel on -1 instead of -2.

The 'Dune Vipers' (Tempestus Scions) have served me well. small points cost and dropping two meltas in place when I need them is great stuff. These guys have won me battles, I'd take more but Infantry are so much cheaper and take more firepower to kill.

 3 of the 5 Infantry Squad (2 on the Painting Table). Some Plasma for the Outflanking unit and the underrated Grenade Launcher on another these guys are mainly chaff but should never be underestimated. The 'Take Cover' Stratagem helps their durability and being Tallarn they are excellent board control and objective grabbing units.

 The 'Jahim' or 'Inferno' in High Gothic is a Leman Russ Conqueror with 3 Heavy Flamers. Not many Guard players would recommend this but I have found it to be devastatingly effective. The rerolls to hit that the Conqueror gets due to it's Coaxial Storm Bolter makes it so good. and getting close means Heavy Flamers are fantastic too. Nobody wants to charge you and you can destroy hoards whilst still firing the Battle Cannon and those bigger targets. This guy in one battle killed Two Predators and an Imperial Knight, I have yet to paint the accolades on the tank

 All my Tanks are equipped for long drawn out combats in dire weather, so have a number of survival items on the tank including water tanks, blanket rolls and ammunition.

 The 'Tanin' (is another Conqueror and is deployed in the same unit as the 'Jahim' above.

 'Mitraka' (or Hammer) is a Leman Russ Stygies Vanquisher. Much like the Conqueror it has a Coaxial Storm Bolter for rerolling goodness. If it remains stationary in gets +1 to hit on it's main gun. The Lascannon helps it fulfill it's role as a Tank Hunter. the potential for 3d6 damage is there and it's not as unreliable as a normal Leman Russ Vanquisher.

 'Sayad' or 'Hunter' is another Leman Russ Stygies Vanquisher as I always feel tanks look good in multiples and it's always a good idea to take more than one of an effective unit anyway.

 Armour-Captain Idris (Tank Commander) rides atop an Executioner. Ancient technology combined with a tendency to blow are proof that Idris is a phenominal tanker. His arsenal has been supplemented with sponson Multi-Meltas, a Hull-mounted Lascannon and a Hunter Killer Missile. With a focus on anti-tank and anti-heavy infantry this tank 'Jallad' is a beast.

Tanks look super cool in numbers! Also recently added to the force  was the Basilisk 'Rashah' which you can find the last post!

Let me know what you think of the army so far!