Help with MSU list (outside my normal way of doing things)

I'm attempting to make an 1850 MSU list that takes into consideration quite a few of the comments on the board.  Any comments and suggests are welcome.

Meta here is primarily Maelstrom.  Quite a mixed bag of players, with relatively low number of marine players.  I typically run the supremacy cards with a large amount of objective grabbing requirements.

The general thought was MSU objective grabbers with balanced Anti-Tank/Anti-Infantry.


DE CAD

Archon /w WWP and Blaster  (attaches to Fire Dragons below)

5x Warriors /w Venom 2x Cannon
5x Warriors /w Venom 2x Cannon
5x Warriors /w Raider Dark Lance
5x Warriors /w Raider Dark Lance
5x Wyches /w Raider Disintegrator
5x Wyches /w Raider Disintegrator

5x Mandrakes
3x Grotesques (Spiritseer [below] joints them)

3x Reavers /w Caltrop
3x Reavers /w Caltrop
3x Reavers /w Caltrop

Ravager /w 3 Dark Lances
Ravager /w 3 Disintegrators

Craftworld Allied Detachment

Spiritseer  (hangs out with Grotesques somewhere in my deployment zone)
3x Windriders /w 3x Scatter Lasers

Aspect Host
6x Striking Scorpions - Boss /w Claw
6x Fire Dragons - Boss (deploys through WWP)
3x Dark Reapers - Boss



Grotesques were a last minute addition as I had around 100 points to fill out.
Spiritseer could be swapped for an Autarch (Fusion Blaster or plain).  I could also include a Farseer on foot.
I could drop the Grotesques, 1 Scorpion, and 1 Fire Dragon to free up quite a few points.


Other models that could be included:
2x DE bombers
2x DE fighters
pretty much any character
Incubi
Wracks
Dire Avengers
1x Wave Serpent
Wraithknight
Wyches, Warriors, and Mandrakes could be fleshed out with numbers and special weapons.

It seems to me, Myrvn, this is an attempt at a take-all-comers list, which I find do not work due to lack of focus. For example, why are you including 5 Mandrakes? Don't get me wrong, I use Mandrakes myself, but I don't see what you hope to achieve with one squad of 5.

I am not sue why you are taking Wyches, either? Especially with Striking Scorpions elsewhere. Their boats might be handy for objective grabbing, but I doubt that they will last very long, or do much damage.

A second squad of Windriders? Another dual-cannon Venom? These would give you more punch, I think.

I find that a Talos or two in the backfield are good for sitting on objectives and making your opponent think twice. They are quite durable.

Just a few thoughts.

A lot of the specifics are due to what models I have... :-/ but I'm willing to expand if necessary. It is a take all comers. And I agree I have no theme. Which is why I need the assistance :-)

With the rough basics of this list, what would you focus on for a theme to flesh out?

I've been meaning to buy another Windrider squad and Venom. It hasn't happened yet. If I did run another Windrider squad I'd be curious on scatter lasers or straight up objective grabbing.

Mandrakes... Would you just go with 3x? A larger squad? Drop them entirely? 5x seemed like a happy medium for durability and usefulness. I have used a squad of 8 in the past with good results. Two squads of 3x? A lot of local meta is Xenos, so AP4 is very good.

Wyches - I ran outrof warrior squads. I have 3x full squads of wyches waiting for a supplement or new codex... They were mostly to fill space for the MSU approach. If this list works out a bit I may buy a few more boxes of warriors. Unfortunately all the squads are painted with different squad markings, so it is difficult to just use other models for a squad (other than proxy play testing).

Would the Grotesques fill the role of a Talos in the backfield? I have a Talos mostly painted that I could drop in. My Cronos needs a bit more pinning to complete. Otherwisei could swing a Dark Artisan. But I'd need to drop quite a few points and it didn't seem to fit the MSU theme.