Anti-Air Options for Space Marines.

[Abominable Plague Marine]

Hey guys, I wanted to talk about Anti-Air options for Space Marines.

First of all, I don't see any Interceptor in the list. Sure you could squeeze in a Aegis & Quadgun, which I'll probably end up doing anyway, but what are the other decent options?
There is the Hunter, seems reliable in that when it hits, high probability of penetration.
Then there is the Stalker, it's gunna hit but the chances of it doing more than pepperin it's target, slim.
So there is the option to go for Flakk Missile firing Devastators, I'm not sure these are the solution I'm looking for.

Next you've got the spray and pray approach.......
Drop the Flakk Missiles on the Devastators and if target presents, shoot and try and hit them with the 1 extra strength, still got a pretty good chance of a hit.
Same goes with the Centurion Devastators, Missile Launcer & Twin-Linked Lascannon or even the Grav-cannon.
What about the Stormtalon Gunship, after it comes in, target of opportunity vs Fliers, Twin-Linked Assault Cannon & Skyhammer Missile Launcher is a cheap good option, maybe.

So folks, say your piece, what is your 'go to' option for Anti-Air in the Space Marine Codex and why?

Cheers, in advance.

[Wolfshade]

Aegis w/ Quad gun is really quite efficient.

Stalker - I quite like this option, it is virtually a mobile Aegis w/ Quad gun. So you can move forward and not need to hold back, but obviously if you have an objective in your deployment zone this isn't an issue and as you say it doesn't have the interceptor rule. The ability to split fire is a risk but can be useful with friendly rolls.

Hunter - Similar to the stalker, but it has the armour bane rule and savant lock (similar to heat seeking missiles) I think this is brilliantly fluffy :) I can imagine a flier with a couple of markers doging the missiles as they try and score a hit.

Devastators - If they do have the flakk upgrade, then I would probably end up sitting them behind my aegis w/quad gun with the sarge firing the gun so that is ok and gives all of them a dedicated anti-air. Though this becomes a bit of a point sink if there isn't much flier actions.

These are what I would consider to be a "defensive approach".

Then the easiest way to take the war to the flyer is with your own flyers. This has the advantage that they are useful even when there are no enemy fliers.

Stormtalon - Much cheaper than the storm raven (which i think was the best anti-flier previously) and has the escort so they can arrive at the same time to minimise the damage to interceptor. It isn't too shabby against infantry targets either.

Stormraven - Very good anti-air option plus being able to transport troops and a dreadnought make it multi-purpose, though that comes at a cost.

For me the choice is the stormraven as it gets my dreads and assault troops up close and personal quickly. Though it's expense makes me also consider dropping it for the Hunter, possibly not quite as good as the Stalker but I love the savant rule.

[Abominable Plague Marine]

This is probably going to sound like a real noob question, but what makes the Stormtalon & Stormraven so dangerous Anti-Air if they don't have Skyfire?

[Wolfshade]

All flyers have the skyfire rule it is part of the Flyer special rule, so do fling Monsterous creatures IIRC.

[Tyrendian]

This is probably going to sound like a real noob question, but what makes the Stormtalon & Stormraven so dangerous Anti-Air if they don't have Skyfire?

them being flyers, and thus automatically having Skyfire when you want them to :)

[Popsical]

Best space maureen AA unit: land raider helios.
Has skyfire and interceptor.
Can move 12" and still shoot at bs.
Has av14 and 4hp.
Can knock out the most powerful units in 40k with its godhammers and missile launcher.
Can carry 6 maureens into combat.
Can shoot 2 different targets a turn with good chances of killing both.
And finally starts the game on the table and doesnt suffer from the fort placement rule **** up.
Simples.

[energongoodie]

If Forge World is allowed I love a Mortis Contemptor Dread with Assault cannons and a cyclone missile launcher :)

[Maelstorm]

If Forge World is allowed I love a Mortis Contemptor Dread with Assault cannons and a cyclone missile launcher :)

This...

Or.

Forgeworld: Space Marine Air Defense Missile Launchers (ADML) at 35-ish points apiece (3 Max). Skyfire, Interceptor and Heat Seeking (twin-linked). You can also take an air defense command platform for another 35-ish points and allow each ADML to hit a different target.

http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/Warhammer-40000/Space_Marines/Space-Marine-Support?filter_reset=1

Drop them behind an Aegis Defense line or better yet onto a Landing Pad for an Invulnerable save. You DO NOT have to park a model next to it and they cannot be co-opted by your opponent.

[Haighus]

Also the SM storm Eagle for FW units- flyer with twin-linked lascannons, potential for twin-linked multi melta or typhoon missile launcher, and a large blast missile launcher, which can be POTMS at another target. Also has 4HP.

[Abominable Plague Marine]

All flyers have the skyfire rule it is part of the Flyer special rule, so do fling Monsterous creatures IIRC.

I suspected as much but cannot find it in the rule book, page/paragraph reference please?
As far as I can see there is no "Flyer" special rule and Skyfire isn't listed as a special rule under Flying Monstrous Creatures either.....

[Nabterayl]

I suspected as much but cannot find it in the rule book, page/paragraph reference please?
As far as I can see there is no "Flyer" special rule and Skyfire isn't listed as a special rule under Flying Monstrous Creatures either.....
Page 81:

Flyers can choose whether or not to use the Skyfire special rule at the start of each Shooting phase.

[DWest]

I suspected as much but cannot find it in the rule book, page/paragraph reference please?
BRB pg 81, "Special Rules" says that flyers may choose whether to use Skyfire at the beginning of each shooting phase.

[Abominable Plague Marine]

~face palm~ and there it is, thanks muchly.

[SaveModifier]

I suspected as much but cannot find it in the rule book, page/paragraph reference please?
As far as I can see there is no "Flyer" special rule and Skyfire isn't listed as a special rule under Flying Monstrous Creatures either.....

its not a Universal Special Rule, its a unit type, its in the descriptions of unit types, a Zooming Flyer gets to choose at the start of a turn if it going to have Skyfire or not, so it can either shoot at ground targets or other flyers.

[Paul David Luke]

Could also go with using the devastator doctrine on Ultramarines to give snapshot re-rolls (which marginally more than doubles your chance of hitting sans-skyfire). With a Devastator squad and a few combat squads with heavy weapons it should be possible to down an aircraft in that turn. (plus if you are going second and the flyer comes on at first opportunity, this is probably the perfect turn to use that doctrine anyway)

[DWest]

Additionally, it doesn't specifically say in the BRB that Flying MCs get to choose to use Skyfire, but in the FAQ, page 6 (of version 1.5 at least), it does say "yes, FMCs should get to choose Skyfire while Swooping". So there's where that rule was hiding, if anyone is curious.