Ragnarok

Space Marines Astra Militarum

My take on command-based Ragnar. Simple, but effective.

No shiny toys or Machiavellian tricks, just solid command, solid combat, solid shields/events.

With nine 1-for-1s and six 2-for-2s, plus Promotion, this deck can dance with the best of them during the command phase. Sentinels are also very good here as they can cap/threaten planets and then move if faced with an opponent's warlord, or when needed for an important battle, or indeed to swing a battle.

The solid command presence is backed up by the usual SM core units - Cardinis, Veterans, Librarian are some of the best units out there imho.

Heavy shields, indomitable, halos give the deck staying power, whilst crushing blow forces through vital kills.

Like other command-based versions of Ragnar, this deck is not designed to hunt enemy warlords. Ragnar's ability is a bonus and a good threat to help you bully enemy planets. Sentinels are imho one of, if not, the best, sig units out there and add a lot to this threat whilst also giving you versatility.

I've left Catachan Outpost out as it provides neither command presence, not shields, and hunt is a minor part of this deck.

DPA is another controversial exclusion. Arguably 31 units is overkill and 3 could be dropped for DPA just for the shields, but that is primarily what it would be in this deck, shields. Its hit-rate isn't super-high with these units and a missed DPA is painful whereas shields can often swing a battle just as much.

Overall much of this deck is about guarantees. Sentinels can guarantee surviving sniping, and guarantee being in the battle if needed. Crushing Blow guarantees damage, Indomitable guarantees survival etc. Well nearly, of course Nullify etc. exist.