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Techmarines


Giga

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I really love techmarine/motf models and fluff, but I can't for the life of me think of a really good way to use them.

 

One of my ideas is to attach a tech-marine with servo harness to a 5 men sternguard squad in a razorback. This costs ~240 pts - 25 points more then a 6 sternguard squad with a powerfist and razorback, but it also adds a flamer, a twinlinked plasma pistol and two servo arm attacks in addition to the techmarine's normal melee attacks. Thus the techmarine fulfills the anti-MC/vehicle role in the squad, complements the anti-horde capability with his flamer, and can harm light vehicles and MCs with his plasma pistol. The techmarine can also repair the razorback should it be disarmed/immobilized. Finally, he has a 2+ save and is an independent character which makes him flexible ie. I can join him with other squads, depending on the opponent and the situation on the battlefield. Then there's bolster defenses, too. It seems worth the additional 25 points, overall...

 

What do you people say? What are your ways of using the techmarine?

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I also really like the fluff and looks of Techmarines. However, I still need to buy one of the new ones. I only own the old one, with just a servo-arm and poweraxe. I ran him in one game, tagging along footslogger style with a Venerable Dread. My plan was to use him to repair any hits the Venerable couldn't shrug off. Unfortunately, they both got stuck in against a Chaos Sorceror and his unit of Plague Marines. The power weapon attacks carved up the Nurglites, but the sorceror busted up the Dread with a meltabomb, and then force-weaponed the Techmarine into dust. Never got a chance to repair the Dread!
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My biggest problem with the techmarine is this: he has one attack. This of course isn't counting his servo-attacks. However, since he's an IC, he's not a "hidden" powerfist and thus your opponent could choose to pummel him with regular attacks until his save fails which won't take long. In this role I'd rather have the Vet. Sgt. powerfist 9 times out of 10 than an 80-something point guy who gets singled out in melee.

 

So far the only way I see using one is the "free" one that comes with the TF cannon :D

 

It really is a shame too, my Iron Hands are running with barely any dreadnoughts or techmarines this edition. The other choices are just better.

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Their servo-harness is immensely powerful, but techmarines lack the stats to compete anywhere else. The best choice would be a MotF, he has a nice statline and can be pummeled a bit more with 2 wounds. Its not a bad idea to give the sterngaurd a techmarine attachment. Normal techmarines just don't cut it with the statlline of a normal marine.
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I like the sternguard and techmarine. Normally I run mine as a MotF w/ 2 tech servitors. They follow some important unit around and repair it. I often find it preferable to start him in base to base behind the biggest vehicle in case it gets popped turn 1.
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You could just swap out a regular unit (like tacts, dervs or Stern) to give their Razorback to the Techmarine and servitors, just use them as an ordinary devastator squad and use their ranged weapons or share the transports.

 

Maybe you don't need to put them in vehicles at all, you could just run them under the cover of your other vehicles to decent terrain. Once there they will have good fire lanes and will be near your front vehicles should they need to be repaired. Granted that they can't have more than 2 heavy weapons which makes weapon choices limiting. Might be better to have them with no weapons at all so that your Techmarine can have extra cheap wounds while he repairs nearby vehicles. The question is is it worth spending 120pts to bring a basic Techmarine with 4 basic servitors in for a chance at repairing your vehicles?

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The question is is it worth spending 120pts to bring a basic Techmarine with 4 basic servitors in for a chance at repairing your vehicles?

 

Depends on how killy your vehicles are, or how reliant you are on them for mobility. I'm not sure I'd bother in a mechanized infantry list. But in a list where a lot of your firepower is in Dreadnaught and/or tank form, absolutely. Techmarines feel like a great guardian unit for a fire battery of Whirlwinds. They also make great trailers for Vindicator linebreaker squads.

Don't waste them chasing down basic Rhinos full of tacticals.

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Base chance to repair for a MoTF is 5, each servy lowers that by one, so I take 2 heavy weapon servitors to lower the roll by 2 to a 3+, and a 3rd servitor to lower it to 2+. its only 90 points for all of the servitors, and with running 5 dreadnoughts, its worth it.
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If only that unit could take a razorback transport...they would almost be worth taking. :devil:

 

A custom Razorback repair truck, to get Doc Ock there quickly, which could 'Donate' its weapon to a 'Weapon destroyed' vehicle, dripping with cranes, toolboxes and a Pirelli calendar!

 

I think I can feel a house rule, a custom build and a diorama coming on..!

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I suppose, if facing overwheming heavy firepower, a Thunderfire Cannon Tech Marine could simply declare the gun scuttled (giving those points to the enemy,) and then reinforce another squad as an IC. or go repair something. The servo harness weapons can be fired on the move and still assault, and he has 2 servo arm attacks. He's pretty much equal to a Terminator.

 

 

Sure, not the greatest option, but anybody see why it wouldn't work?

 

Warprat ;)

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