New Marines and the Hammer of the Emperor

[librisrouge]

I've been reading people's reactions to the new Space Marines codex and the usual doomsaying and such that comes with each new release but I can't quite build up the will to care. Nothing in the new marine codex feels that threatening to me. Lets look at a few of the new additions and see if they are really something IG needs to be concerned about.

 

Grav Weapons and Centurions - The things are something of a threat to our tanks but our infantry is being largely wounded on a +5 and, despite rumors, we still get cover saves (debatable for vehicles.) Only centurions pack enough shots to reliably smack our tanks but they're limited by their 24" range. This makes them clear targets for our lascannons, artillery, and, for myself, Demolisher cannons (which insta' jib them.) They're also fairly slow so I don't expect them to close quickly without us being able to simply either move away or to engage them on our terms. Finally, they cost a bunch. We can get 2-3 Russes for the cost of one of these squads so we'll have the time to take them out before they earn their value back.

 

Vanguard Veterans - As nice as it must be for marines to finally get some proper assault veterans, these guys aren't any tougher for us than normal assault marines and cost a lot more. FIrst rank fire, second rand fire. Rinse and repeat.

 

Flyers - They already had these guys so its nothing really new.

 

Combat Tactics - The only ones I think are problematic are Ultramarine and Imperial Fist. Tactical squads re-rolling to hit is deadly with meltaguns and bolters, and bolter drill will help them chew threw blobs faster. That being said, the other tactics aren't that scary since they either help with melee (because they needed more help there) or let them grab better cover. IG doesn't care too much for enemy cover though since we have many Ignores Cover weapons or they'd have had stealth anyway (addressing Raven Guard.) I think the successful Tactics will mostly hinder out abilitiy to field infantry strong lists 

 

Overall, not much changed for the Astartes and we'll be able to address them in much the same way we always have. 

 

Stay calm and reload.

[WarriorFish]

Indeed, the new Marine codex is rather nice but fundamentally not that different from the old one. They got a buff through some new toys (mostly grav) and some overdue point drops but to us Guard it's just more of the same.

 

We never could out CC them anyway so any changes there are moot, and although C:SM is a predominantly shooty codex it doesn't really change what we do - Marine still have the quality and Guard still have the quantity and more importantly we still have lots of AP3. Though granted, find me an army that doesn't have AP3 coming out their ears these days...

 

So keep doing what you're doing and look to the Emperor for victory! :)

[cypherthefallenangel]

People are all excited about those grav guns. I just don't see it. There good against TEq and MEq and thats it. Against orks, nids, guard, etc. it blowes. It has good rate of fire but short range. It cost the same as plasma but less effective against ALL units. My Dark Angels and Chaos won't like them but my guard have little to fear. Too situational.

Against vehicles there is 16% chance that it will immobilize a vehicle on a hit and the first time you do role that 6 it doesn't even remove a hull point. as it doesnt glance or pen the tank, no hull point is removed until consecutive immobilized results are rolled.(see consecutive immobilized results brb)

and..

The Centurions.. Madusa anyone... :)

[Tankenstein_PhD]

Just the Medusa? We've got so many ways to take out Centurions it isn't even funny. Demolishers certainly will do the trick. Plasma vets are, as always, pretty good for this sort of thing. Vendettas can rough'em up as well. Then there's the Executioner, or sniping them with a Vanquisher. Devil Dogs aren't much fun for them, nor are vets with the Demolitions doctrine (dat satchel charge).

 

Take your pick, really.

[WarriorFish]

Grav's main purpose beating the snot out of MCs which is something Marines are glad to get. Heavy infantry is the next best target and while it's not brilliant against vehicles it has tactical uses in immobilising and don't forget the rules mean that it's better used against heavier vehicles. So a Marine player will have no problem turning his grav against our Russes where their AV14 is meaningless. It has a few other tricks too which you might see, being concussive but nothing much for us to worry about.

 

So I think grav is brilliant - not too good but a nice addition to the special weapons that exist already without treading on any toes. That and anything that takes MCs down a peg or two is welcome in my book, the new dynamic in the meta could turn out to be very interesting.