Had an idea - Ultramarines Special Forces

[Techmarine Data007]

Because the Ultramarines are a Chapter that prefers to play by the rules, not to mention that they wrote a lot of said rules.

[Chaplain ChonkE]

I sometimes wonder if we (as a general community, yes broad brush here) completely misunderstand the Codex. The Codex was always described as a ponderous tome but also an ever-expanding treatise on War by Humans, like a Swiss Army knife of military literature. Why do we always see the Ultramarines and strict Codex adherents to be dogmatic and steeped in tradition? While the Codex has its own traditions and way of doing things/OP it seems to me that the Non-Codex Chapters are the ones who should be thought of as dogmatic and steeped in traditions and rules of warfare that have remained unchanged since the Heresy. Followers of the Codex should be open to change and trying new ideas while Non-Codex Chapters throw more marines/neophytes, wolves, jump packs or terminators at their enemies. Not that any Marine or Marine commander would be bad at warfare; they are war machines and the weak/incompetent likely never reach positions to compromise the Chapter. Still... what do you guys think?

[Nym468]

Thanks for all the comments. I can't agree more. It seems short sighted of anyone to somehow believe that the wars of 40k would not require ad hoc units such as this one. As a tactical marine is proficient in all manner of weaponry, it does not seem a stretch to believe that full battle brothers would have proficiency with a sniper rifle be it a lasgun or some type of special bolter. This squad expands that thought by using Scout Sgts. as members with the most recent experience with such long range weaponry. Coupled with their extensive battle experience such a unit would invariably be a force to feared.

 

On another note, I've finished the latest figure giving him a good wash, a little detailing, and decals. I had to work all weekend so I'll post pictures later today. Progress on the prone marine is proceeding at a snails pace, I got distracted with a Deimos pattern razorback.

[Nym468]

As promised here is the first completed sniper. He's kneeling in front of the Deimos Razorback I just finished washing (just needs decals). I tried adding a silencer section to the barrel but it just made the weapon far too long.

 

 

 

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Any thoughts?

 

EDIT: As soon as I posted the pictures I realized I had forgotten about the scope for the other marine's bolter. I'll paint that up and add it later.

[Chaplain ChonkE]

I dig it! Looks like a future version of a sniper/spotter team. Kneeling pose is solid and the spotter looks like he is about to spray an area with gunfire :) Sucks that the silencer didnt work out but now that I see the rifle from a few different angles I think it works out great.

[Brother Richard]

Ever thought of a predominately blue camo scheme?

Here is a set of my Executioner scouts from Badab War as a sample.

[Nym468]

Ever thought of a predominately blue camo scheme?

Here is a set of my Executioner scouts from Badab War as a sample.

Really nice work. I have to admit that may be beyond my abilities not to mention I wouldn't dream of going back over the two I've already done.

[AGPO]

Some marines have that 'martial honour' attitude, Raven Guard and pre-Heresy Alpha Legion certainly didn't.

 

Space Marines are designed for small scale precision attacks, rather than attrition, which is a massive waste of the resources put into making them. The marines' superhuman attributes become more telling the smaller the scale of the mission. In such missions snipers in fire support roles are worth their weight in gold for eliminating sentries, weapons positions etc. The marine's accute senses, combined with his ability to stay focused indefinitely, survive in conditions inhospitable to humans and incredible martial skills, in addition to the abilities granted by his power armour would mean a Marine would be ideally suited to this role. Also consider that many of the opponents faced by the imperium are so powerful that any other human team (except the Assassins) wouldn't stand a chance of carrying out these missions successfully.

 

Imagine a Marine team being sent to take out an Autarch in the midst of his army, and destroy a crucial webway gate that is allowing the Eldar to reinforce. The mission is too crucial to trust to raw recruits, so members of the Veteran Company are chosen for their marksmanship, stealth and initiative to infiltrate the enemy position, take out the targets and get out before the enemy forces are alerted. Leading them is Veteran Sergeant Esculus, a vastly experienced officer who has long been attached to the 10th company and has nearly eight decades experience leading covert missions. Solemnly, they repaint their power armour and don the reactive camo they bore as members of the scout company. A single kneepad bears their chapter's heraldry to honour their armour. In such a scenario, heavy weapons, or even regular bolter fire will attract too much attention. Equipped with stalker shells and m40 targeters, the marines also carry an adapted version of the scout sniper rifle to provide long range covering fire as their comrades close in. Many carry meltabombs with time delay to take out heavy vehicles, sow confusion and to carry out secondary sabotage should they complete their objective. Lastly, Sergeant Esculus carries a relay becon to enable their swift extraction by Thunderhawk once their mission is completed. Knowing the odds are stacked against them, each marine makes his oath of moment alongside his squadmates and their chaplain, and mounts the drop ship unsure of his return.

[Journeyman]

Okay I think the whole idea is .... great

 

Telion is a great example of an experienced SM. Surely he interacted with others on 'covert' operations?

And the whole idea of a squad working their way deep into enemy lines to wreak havoc ..... nice!

Of course they could shoulder arms and fight their way out after if need be.

[chaplainmeliadus]

Wasn't this the idea in the old Chaos Marine codex where they could buy smeg-loads of skills, to represent their millenia of experience. Heck, even our last codex had a few purchasable skills for veterans (which I still miss).

 

I certainly think it's a good idea, and want to try out a similar squad now.

[Chaplain ChonkE]

Now I am going to have to ruin a bunch of new Wolf Scouts thanks to you Brother Richard :\

[Nym468]

Well work has kept from painting for the last couple weeks, so its good to be back. I spent a couple hours tonight finalizing the marine sniper lying prone. Currently he only has a thin coat of primer. Given the barrel chests of Space Marines this pose was not easy to replicate. Every limb had to be modified in some way. Shoulders had be to be shaved to get the right angle. The right wrist had to be cut off and repositioned. The entire lower leg had to be cut off at the knee and repositioned. The small section of armor plate around the back of the neck had to be removed. Both shoulders, the right hand, and left knee had to be pinned in place. The head also had to be pinned to give the proper angle. Right now he is sitting on a motorcycle base because that's all I had laying around that was big enough to fit his entire body. I'm going to try a terminator base to see if that will be big enough. He still needs green stuff in his joints, and shoulder pads need to be fitted before he gets his base coat. Any thoughts?

 

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[Kierdale]

I know it might be tough but do you think you could reposition the left arm so that his elbow is on the ground, making his elbow about a 90-degree angle? It would be cool if, once you've put the rifle in place, you could put a proper-looking sling on it, wrapped around the left arm to support it.

[rusty1109]

The man is wearing power armour...... he doesn't need his elbow on the ground or a sling!

[Nym468]

Finished up another member of the Hunters. I finally got around to basecoating the marine that is laying prone. He is the next guy up to be painted.

 

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[Nym468]

Two more members of the Hunters Squad have joined the army.

 

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[karden00]

About the Codex. I am of two minds. My first, earliest impression (of which I have a lot of affinity for, and to this day feel as though there is plenty, Plenty of room for it) was that it was a treatise written, compiled, composed by a mind which we cannot possibly comprehend. Guilliman was a Primarch, which by itself makes him completely out of our reach, but more importantly, the organization and execution of war was squarely his gig. It was always therefore, easy to see why a chapter could operate for 10k years using this tool as a means towards success. The Codex, like the primarchs themselves, were a little out of our understanding, at least before the Horus Heresy books.

But of course, we all grow older and the material itself undergoes expansion, things are gonna get retconned. Thats fine, because being the good Canadian that I am, I dont at all mind the "living tree" (you Canadians will get it right away) version of the Codex. Logically speaking, no document/work treatise could ever be the be all and end all, (which is why it took a PRIMARCH to do it) of all military operations, which is why it makes perfect sense to have it be something that is Always in a state of amendment.

----------------GF WONT LET ME CONTINUE MY THOUGHT, WILL POST AGAIN SOON, REST ASSURED MODERATORS, THIS WILL BE LINKED TO THE ORIGINAL POST--------------- END TRANSMISSION.