Had my first game of 8th 40k last Saturday against the Guard, man it was fun. I put the Eldar aside for just a little bit as the Tearers are nearly completed as a painted army. I finished re-basing the entire army and now have a three colour min on every model. The commission for my tanks and death company from Frontline Gaming makes for one sharp looking army. The list I ran is as follows (with one exception - I had equipped two heavy flamers on the dreadnought and the company vets were stock with one powerfist):
The rhino rush is back! Seth was a beast of a beat stick as well as a great force multiplier with his area reroll buffs. First turn the three rhino's pushed into the enemy deployment zone while the stormraven pushed a flank. I deposited the missile launcher tac squad in my back field and moved up mid field on the flanks with my Baal preds My opponents turn one saw two of my rhino's destroyed but they absorbed the entirety of the Guard's fire power. Turn two saw me crush face. The deathcompany exploded from their rhino with +1 strength from priest and reroll hits (I failed both psychic tests for 4++ save and +1 attack). The dreadnought charged and wiped out a Russ and started causing havoc with his gun line. My two tac squads were tied up in combat with his assaulting chimera's and did little.
The real MVP were my tanks. While the damage output of the Baal preds was a bit underwhelming, being able to assault and tie down large portions of my enemy paid off in spades. I made changes to the list so that the army will be WYSIWYG. While 2 heavy flamers on the dread is better than equipping the melta gun and storm bolter I did not want to hack up the model to make changes (it is another model well painted by frontline). Not too discouraged by running the melta gun: as the unit proved to be a really good at anti armour. Plus with the freed up points I was able to equip the Vet squad all with plasma pistols (I gave the sergeant a plasma and a bolt pistol in honour of Cypher).
Over all the army plays well, it is very aggressive in your face which I think is a fun way to play this game. I need to touch up the vet squad with the remodeling to plasma pistols and finish painting up my priest and banner bearer. Otherwise the army is complete and gtg for 2k points. I think this is the first time I'm playing with a fully painted army. I should have the last bits done this week, then its back to painting up my wraithguard.