Space marine Tactics

[Duke]

So I wanted the Tactics section to be a little more about tactics....

As such here is this thread, what I wanted to do is collect all the dirty tricks, army list combinations and so forth that have worked for you in your Space marine armies. This isn't a thread where I am looking for a specific answer so much as Im looking for you to say something meaningful.

have at it people, what are some of your favourite marine tactics/ tricks/ list combinations?

Duke

[Duke]

I have found lately that I really like assault squads... I know what your thinking "Assault squads ar teh sukc!"

What I have been doing is this:

Assault Squad-
- 2x flamers
- P. Fist
- Rhino

I have really begun to like this squad, especially with Rhino drive bys... Many times they have wiped out Terminator squads and the like by simply forcing them to roll a lot. They get even better when combined with Vulkan in the list.

I have given them a P.Fist because they have the bodies to lose so that the P.Fist can attack. In combat squads I run a power weapon because I have found that my fist will die before he gets a chance to attack (usually). If I take a p. wep then I take melta bombs as well for that extra little anti-tank.

Duke

[Chumbalaya]

Interesting idea, shame I don't have any bp/ccw fellas on foot to try it. For drive by burnings though, allied SoB or Sternguard might be better. You can also give your Tacitcal Squads a flamer and combi-flamer, plus they're still scoring and pack a multi-melta.

One of my favorite Dreadnought variants is the dual TLAC (Morts, Rifleman, dakka, whatever). 4 S7 AP4 shots at 48" and TL BS4 that can move and fire. Death to transports for pretty cheap.

I also like throwing a huge unit of 10 shooty Termies in front of my normal mech list, give them 2 cyclones and make people deal with them.

[Herald of Nurgle]

Kantor Circle of Doom: Kantor enters a Rhino or Land Raider, and is surrounded by assault units of all varieties within his +1 attack range. Add with a He'Stan force for more hilarity as those TH/SS termies hit with even more force. In a Sternguard army, you can make up for not having that additional CCW.

Salamander Steel Cage: He'stan and Master of the Forge, alongside two 10 man Tactical Squads with MM/Flamer. Rest of the points are spent on Drop Pods for those Dreadnoughts you want to take. He'Stan and the Master can join the Tacticals.

[fuzzbuket]

tactics (BA) (sorry about my spelling)
1) ][ : teleport homer+ bionics +digis +plas+ artiface, refractorfield
5man assault squad powerfist shield
rhino
as many DS units as you can

all in BA rhino zoom to enemy pop smoke then DS DS DS
2) the =][= lord above is nigh unkillible and under 150pts:D (with accolyytes and battle servs its leathl)
3)2/3 Dcomp ven dreds in pods at the most 21 S10 attacks on the charge:D
4) wall of iron= use 3+ drop pods to wall off enemys (eg gaunts) that camt hurt the pod in a cornor terrain helps

[Duke]

@ Chumby: I saw a buddy of mine run a TLAC x2 dread. It seemed quite interesting, I think I might try it as a "rhino puncher." Once I get my Space Hulk Termies painted I might just try the 2 Cyclone ML thing as well. I played a game recently with a Cyclone in it and holy crud those things are irritating when you run a Mech list. Also, good thought about the Tac Squad, the only thing is that because of the combi- flamer it doesn't have that "rinse and repeat," feeling. I also feel that with the unit packing a MM I would be too tempted to shoot it and not do my drive-bys... But I do like the scoring aspect.

@Herald: I haven't seen many people use the MAster of the forge, how has he worked so far? What about all the dreads? do you find any trouble with objective based missions?

One other thing I have been liking is TL Hvy Bolter razorback spam with combat-squaded tac units. It gives me the "I guess Ill throw a few dice at that." feeling.

Duke

[therealjohnny5]

personally a big fan of the MotF. He can throw a hurt down in CC and is great for trailing behind my two Vindicators with a servator squad and fixing them up while i drop 2 S10 templates on my opponent...or throw him on a bike with Conversion Beamer and now you have a mobile shooting monster

One combination i like is the Terminator armor Librarian with Gate and a full shooty Termie squad, 2 Cyclones or whatnot, at least 3 Drop pods with Beacons and scout bike squad with Tele homer, and a sniper\ assault scout squad with Tele Homer...nasty. Or you can go with Sternguard and just use Drop Pods...take one for every squad you can and drop them all over...works great.

And @Duke, bro i love assault squads, i run two full ones whenever i can with my RG army...cheaper than vanguard minus the power weapons, but them with a chaplain or Kantor and watch the troop crushing pain. With Kantor in a LR they would come out with 44 attacks i believe...that'll kill anything, especially if you add in a honor guard or Chaplain...forget about it.

[Herald of Nurgle]

@Herald: I haven't seen many people use the MAster of the forge, how has he worked so far? What about all the dreads? do you find any trouble with objective based missions?

Duke
All about the fluff and the fun, not the missions. It's one of those reasons why I run a 49 model Nurgle force at 1500, lol.
Master of the Forge is fun when you're facing static forces or those which suffer even from the low strength stuff. Dreads are there simply because I love running 6 in one game lol.

[EmperorEternalXIX]

The Master of the Forge, for my money, is the best HQ in the book. He's dirt cheap, his weapon has insane range, he bolsters a cover (works really nice with a Telion squad with camo cloaks for a standing 2+ save), and though he tends to die alost because he stands alone (though you could probably give him servitors for some ablative shooting wounds) his Conversion Beamer will do some damage to distant vehicles. Deploy him up high and watch the tanks cave in under his -5" scattering str10 ap1 blast.

He will often be targeted and relatively easily destroyed, but that is a lot of fire not aimed at your men for the first two turns.

[Duke]

I like this thread a lot already!

I have never had the guts to run a Master of the Forge (MotF). But throw some servitors with him and cover him behind Vindicators and it might be fun!

Duke

[Mike X]

I have found lately that I really like assault squads... I know what your thinking "Assault squads ar teh sukc!"

I field a 9-man squad of assault marines with a plasma pistol, and a combat shield for the sergeant.

It has its drawbacks, but I've had success with it.

[Pedro]

I have had great success with a librarian with the avenger power with a unit of sternguard in a rhino. I have used them 4 times now and only once have they failed to wipe out a 10 man squad and even that time they killed 9. the librarians flamer template usually kills 4 or 5 then the sternguard mops up.

[angel of the emperor]

I have found that BA assault and vetran assault squads en masse with the DC, Corbulo and Dante will wreck someones day hard.
currently i run 3x 5 RAS, 1x 5 VAS, 6 DC, Corbulo and Dante
your opponent loses 1 bs and ws when within 6" of dante, everyone within 12" of him on your side gets preferred enemy, and any of your units within 12" of Corbulo gets furious charge and the DC always count as rending.

[Herald of Nurgle]

A popular tactic for many SM players around here happens to be the Epistolary Ring of Fire.
A Gating/Avenger Epistolary with 5 Sternguard - these guys have HFs, CFs, and other fiery things.

Very nasty.

[Duke]

I just built a list with that 5 man sternguard plus avenging librarian. Do you do anything to keep them from deepstriking horrbily ( scout bike squad?)
duke

[mercer]

I play Imperial Fists and a list which has worked for me is a tooled up close combat Captain with two Assault Terminator squads in Land Raiders. Throw in Tactical Squads in Razorbacks and a Sternguard.

[therealjohnny5]

I just built a list with that 5 man sternguard plus avenging librarian. Do you do anything to keep them from deepstriking horrbily ( scout bike squad?)
duke

yeah the scout bike squad, combined with tactically dropped pods. i commonly run 5 pods even if i drop them empty. A nasty combo against hordes and tight infantry is the missile launcher drop pod with LB. couple of those up close and mid field and now you have an army busy trying to destroy drop pods so your librarian and sterns will stop popping around shooting the snot out of everything...

also the Master of the Forge on a bike with conversion beamer makes for great fun....

[Duke]

I have always wanted to try the scout biker but never can convince myself to do it. Next time Ill give it a run.


I have a feeling that the scout biker trick will only last once because people will shut it down after seeing the combo the first time.

Duke

[therealjohnny5]

I have always wanted to try the scout biker but never can convince myself to do it. Next time Ill give it a run.


I have a feeling that the scout biker trick will only last once because people will shut it down after seeing the combo the first time.

Duke

that;s one reason i combine it with other infiltrating scouts or drop pods. however if you use a large squad of scout bikers with Grenade launchers they can do some real damage while zipping back and forth. it should be worth while for you. or if you want to be really sneaky deploy an empty Razorback or Rhino near a scout squad (i'd go assault) with homer and scoot them around in heavier armor...do that with a couple squads....yeah...a couple of those can make for a bad day....

Landspeeder storms are also an option...just keep moving them all out for that extra cover save...viola Eldar Marines...