Recommendations Against Crimson Fist

Last night, I was playing against a newer SM player who fielded a ton of Crimson Fist.   While I cannot recall the exact list, it was approximately the following:

HQ:
Lvl2 Librarian (telepathy) in a Command Squad

Troops:
6x 10-man Tactical Squad (2 Heavy Bolters 4 Plasma Cannons, combat squaded)

Fast Attack:
10-man Assault Squad (Combat Squaded)

Heavy Support:
2x 5-man Devastator Squad (2 Las, 2 Missile)


I wasn't playing any actual optimal list since he's a newer player and I was trying out a lot of different things (sadly, my Soulfright was a waste).  However, the sheer number of 3+ saves and bolter fire raised some interesting situations for my T3, 5+ save models and AV10 vehicles.

While Crimson Fist isn't the most competitive of armies, I'm curious to see what people would recommend to combat such a shooty MSU army.

EDIT: Accidentally posted this to Rules instead of Tactica. Reported and asked for it to be moved. >.<

I'm assuming you're not looking for a TAC list in response. Tailoring, I'd look for the following.

Medusae would obviously be a good choice, particularly against his command squad. Similarly dissie ravagers, voidraven bomb and implosion missiles, decent size squad of reavers with caltrops for high strength hits on the charge. I'd also say the Cronos wouldn't be a bad move, the Spirit vortex template is AP3 (though only S3, but still large blast).

For stuff you might see more in a TAC list, any dark light weapons will strip their armour saves, and if you can deploy to hit those plasma cannons you should have fun. Oh yeah, and jink with your transports, I managed to keep one raider alive through over 80 shots (including plasma and krak missiles) thanks to jink + night shields. He doesn't seem to have taken our nemesis - flame weapons so use that to get within rapid fire range and you should be forcing morale checks on those combat squads (they might rally automatically, but they should fail about 1 in 3 morale checks, more if you take armour of misery, and the run moves could easily put them out of rapid fire range in return)

Wow 60 marines is a lot. I often run 30 Salamanders and they can take some serious punishment let alone double that!

I can see that being tough to deal with simply due to numbers. I would say dissies are your friend in this situation. 2 Ravagers with dissies, raiders with warriors and dissies, a razorwing etc. Some serious amount of dakka would probably help.

My close friend runs a howling griffons army which brings an awful lot of heavy bolters. And they just shred my DE if I make a mistake. Was significantly easier with old nightshields!

But I would go for missiles, dissies and splinter-spam. Ravagers would undoubtedly be your best friend here!

Yeah I know a player that plays with 100 marines. That tactic is getting popular. It's ugly, haven't played against it but I have seen it.

His list sounds very similar to a DA list I've ran a few times. At least the regular SM arent stubborn or fearless, lol. That makes break tests a pain....

You could use a squad of Talos or Cronos for some additional AP2 goodness, in addition to what the others mentioned about the Ravagers and RW. Taking items that are anti-power armour is not really an issue for the DE/Eldar kin.

now that im looking at it 100 marines would be a pain in the ass......(still love DE though)

The Red wrote:

now that im looking at it 100 marines would be a pain in the ass......(still love DE though)

Corpsethief claw formation with a couple chronos behind it. Bam! Those 100 combat squaded marines just turned into 20 victory points!

" Look at me, now back to the game board! The marines are now victory points! Anything is possible when you use coven formations instead of girly monkie detachments! .... I'm on a Chronos."

The red, are you me before not coronation lol