Best of Codex Marines

[Camael]

Hey all! I have been playing for about a year now and have built up a pretty solid base of space marines. I am fiercely loyal to the codex and was just wondering what everybody thought were the best units for me to move forward with. I have come up with a few categories that I want people's opinions on if you would all be so kind.

1) What is the best unit in the codex for picking an enemy unit and saying "F that guy" and they will at least cripple enemy unit if no win outright?

2) What's the best unit for killing hordes of enemy infantry?

3) What's the best unit for killing other space marines?

4) What's the best way to crack heavy vehicles on turn one?

5) What's the best unit for camping on an objective in your own end?

6) What's the best unit for taking an objective late in the game?

7) What is the best way to screen yourself from close combat armies?

I can't come up with any more right now, but if I do I will post them!

[Wolfshade]

In my opinion the codex works in synergy so the various elements work together but I shall try and answer your quesstions.

1) Thunder Hammer & Storm Sheild Terminators, the difficulty is getting them where they are needed, so a transport might be an option. Add an IC to the mix to make it even more killy.

2) This is the biggest trouble marines face. For me I would go for the humble Tactical Squad, flamer and either Heavy Bolter or Missile launcher. Within 12" this puts out a lot of fire power to take down larger units. Another suggestion would be a devastator squad with heavy bolters with a razorback with twin-linked assault cannons or heavy bolters, again this is quite a lot of fire power, but isn't hampered by needing to be within 12". A word to the wise the Devastators can't be in the razorback when shooting as it has no firing points.

3) Anything to deny the 3+ save, 3 man squads of bikes with 2 plasma guns and sergeant with plasma pistol is quite useful, the speed means you can be in rapid fire range throwing out 5 plasma shots a turn, though bikers are seen as sub-optimal owing to their points. The other option is make them take saves, even Terminators fail 2+ saves if they roll enough dice. Vindicators, though you have to hope the opponent is bunched

4) Heavy Vehicles there are a couple of options.
1. Missile Launchers/Lascannons - long range from Devastators, Predators or Landspeeder Typhoons
2. Drop Meltas - Drop pod Sternguard behind an enemy formation with combi-meltas and get your melta shots to the rear armour
3. Fast Meltas - Bike squad, possibly with an attack bike, tool them up with melta guns and multi melta and use the speed to get into position and fire on front/rear armour
4. Power fists/Thunder Hammers/Meltabombs - but all these require to be in close combat which in turn 1 isn't really going to be happening.

5) This unit needs to be durable and long range, it has been suggested that Scouts with sniper rifles, cammo cloaks in bolstered ruins are hard to shift, failing that any large squad in ruins will do the job.

6) This is similiar to 5 without the need for long range firepower, but perhaps with a rhino/razor back to a) get them to the objective quickly and b) block line of sight to the squad.

7) This is more to do with placement, ensure that you are behind terrain, don't be afraid to use your movement to drop back 6" if you are within charge range. Vehicles can be good for blocking assault lines. But I think it is almost universally true that it is better to charge than to be charged, but whether it is better to rapid fire bolters and be charged is situational.

[Camael]

How about: What does everybody think the best unit from each force org slot is?

[Black1705f]

I'll tell you one thing unit that I've always kind of forgotten or discounted and that's the Thunderfire cannon. A normal techmarine by himself cost like 70 some points and for a 100 you can get a techmarine with the thunderfire. The tectmarine can bolster defenses of one ruin so you can create a nice +3 piece of cover. The gun itself has a lot of firepower (4 small blasts) and even against MEQ armies it forces tremendous number of armor saves. It has 3 modes of fire that give you some options on how best to wound your opponent. In heavy cover games it can shoot airburts to negate the cover which can come in handy. Its not the prettiest mode IMHO but I find myself hard pressed not to include one especially in smaller point restricted games. Not to mention the range is good enough so it can stay out of harms.

Sternguard although expensive are pretty good now with the current rapid fire rules. They carry special ammo for every occasion. In a higher point game I always consider a squad of them. Not to mention the addition of combi meltas, drop pods and combat squads can create a pretty good deathstar suicide squad.

[Wolfshade]

Now that one is even more tricky.

It all depends on points really, if you have no restriction then the general rule of thumb is the more points you can spend the better the unit, if you are trying to shoe-horn them into a 1,500pt list it is harder. Also, how you play is a major factor. In some lists certain slots are redundant.

What sort of play style doyou like best?

[Camael]

Well, I play in a monthly 1750 tourney and pick up games just about every weekend. I really want to work on an all comers type of list that at least gives me a fighting chance in any scenario.

[schulzed]

My favorite unit for almost any role is Sternguard Vets. I almost always take a unit of 10 in a pod, with 5 combi-plasmas and 5 combi-meltas. They have the ability to take out almost any target, and if you play any kind of space marine variant, and they take an expensive unit in a land raider, they will regret it. My sternguard have landed, combat squaded, blown up a land raider with 5 combi-meltas, and then mowed down the termies inside with plasma. And after that, their special ammunition is great. Also, people underestimate them in close combat. They aren't amazing, but with 2 attacks base, they can usually hold their own. Great distraction/disruption unit, and if you take Pedro Kantor, they're scoring. Which makes them an even bigger threat.