Is footslogging Space Marines viable with the new codex?

[Mik-l]

I really like the idea, of line after line, of power armored super soldiers and dreadnoughts relentlessly advancing across the battlefield laying down precise and deadly fire, showing no remorse and no fear.

I was thinking of creating a infantry focused army of marines. They would primarily focus on boltguns, heavy bolters, combi-weapons and some heavy weapons to take down heavy vehicles. Dreadnoughts would also be cool and thematic as they advance along with the infantry.

 

With the new chapter tactics, stratagems and warlord traits there are several different directions this army could take. By designing it around infantry and dreadnoughts, all units would benefit from chapter tactics. And with the new defenders of humanity ability, tactical marines will be very hard to steal objectives from.

 

Chapter tactics:

Ultra Marines: Can fall back from combat and shoot, increased leadership helps. This would help as the infantry squads would be vulnerable in melee.

Imperial Fists: Ignoring cover saves will be helpful when dealing using small/medium arms against a defensive/static opponent.

Iron Hands: (Ignore damage on 6) With mostly infantry/dreadnoughts these saves are going to increase the survivability of the army by 15%! Very helpful in absence of transports.

 

Strategems:

Ultra marines: Reroll hitrolls of 1 for one infantry unit (reroll all failed hit for tacticals/intersessors). Helps units outside range of characters

Imperial Fists: Hit rolls of 6 with all bolter weapons gives an additional shot for one unit. This is very thematic. Works best with Sternguard Veterans.

Iron Hands: Heavy weapons not effected by movement. This only effects vehicles(dreadnoughts).

Other strategems like Hellfire shells, flakk missile and Wisdom of the Ancients will further increase their deadliness.

 

Warlord Traits:

Storm of Fire: Wound rolls of 6 increase AP by 1.

Ultra Marines: 33% chance regain used command points

Imperial Fists: Increased cover saves against ap-1

Iron Hands: 6 to hit gives extra hits for warlord.

 

Example Imperial fists: Captain (with storm of fire), Lieutenant, and possibly a company ancient. Any unit within 6" would reroll 1's to hit and to wound, wound rolls of 6 give AP +1 (to bolt weapons), ignore cover, and for one CP a single unit can get additional attacks for each hit roll of 6 with bolter weapons. If these characters are supported by to 10 man units of tactical marines or Sternguard, with plasma and combi-plasma, they could potentially put out a devastating amount of rapid firepower. The threat of heroic interventions should help make chargers vary. This unit would be unaffected by movement, they could hold an objective forever. Add a dreadnought to this mix as it also benefits from most of these bonuses, and you have a very credible threat to monsters and vehicles.

 

I would love to hear what you guys think and do you have experiences with similar ideas?

Edited August 5, 2017 by Mik-l

[d36williams]

That is pretty similar to a list idea I'm working on. I would consider adding Rhinos for when you have to grab objectives quickly, but also cutting off line of sight or preemptively charging a CC army while they are still at some distance. I'm also intending to use jumppack marines to add some speed, for whatever purpose. My army will be based around Pedro Kantor, include some Aggressors in the gun line for powerfist attacks, and 3 squads of Devestators. I'm trying to include a lot so I'm obviously coming up on a points limit, but I would also like to include a Dreadnaught and Scouts if I can. 

[Boldthreat]

I hope its a viable strategy.  Here is where my thought process is at:  Criticisms and thoughts welcome... 

 

2000 Points.

 

IF Chapter Tactics

 

Primaris Captain - Master Crafted Stalker Bolt Rifle

Storm of Fire Warlord Trait

Primaris Lieutenant - Master Crafted Auto Bolt Rifle

Primaris Lieutenant - Master Crafted Auto Bolt Rifle

Primaris Apothecary

10 Man Intercessor Squad - Stalker Bolt Rifles

10 Man Intercessor Squad - Auto Bolt Rifles

10 Man Intercessor Squad - Auto Bolt Rifles

10 Man Hellblaster Squad - Plasma Incinerators

10 Man Hellblaster Squad - Plasma Incinerators

6 Man Inceptor Squad - Assault Bolters

3 Man Inceptor Squad - Assault Bolters

 

So a few notes.  I know I am lacking any kind of dedicated close combat capability.  This army is also trying to milk Bolter Drill (which is not all THAT great) as much as it can while using a Primaris only list (a purely thematic choice that I like for fluffy reasons but in actuality robs me of Sternguard Squads and Centurions {which in my opinion benefits the most of Bolter Drill}).  

 

The plan is to maximize my own cover as much as possible while completely ignoring the opponents ability to use it himself.  A pretty static gunline meant to drown the opponent in as many shots as possible.  The Captain and a Lt will be parking in the back with the 10 Man Stalker Bolt Rifle squad and a Combat Squad-ed Hellblaster team close by as well.  The mid-field will consist of the rest of the Hellblasters trying to move into rapid fire range and two 10-man roaming Auto Bolt Rifle squads to contest/secure objectives.  The other Lt will stay in this area as well.  The Inceptors are there to use Meteoric Descent en mass and try to delete problem areas where they arise... and praying that 36 Bolter Drill Heavy Bolter Shots backed up with another 18 Heavy Bolter Shots (all ignoring cover) are enough to deal with said problems.  My hope is that they can delete a unit and at least tie up some while the rest of the army attempts to maximize the Hellblasters Rapid Fire Capabilities.  

 

This is all theory-crafting at this point.  I know no plan survives when your opponent disagrees with you lol.  Im gambling that every model in the army having at least 2 wounds a piece and 2 attacks standard mean that I am pretty hard to shift and remove from any defensive positions or contest midfield objectives.  I am also praying that 20 Plasma Incinerators are up to the task of taking on any high toughness models... because they are all I got in that regard.  Anyway that is 63 infantry models in a 2000 point game.  

[Lemondish]

I wonder if you'd benefit from swapping one of those Autobolter Intercessor squads to Reivers for some extra on demand deep strike action. Equip them with the carbines and they're basically the same thing, but are cheaper, can deep strike, have better pistols and abilities, but don't benefit from DoH. You have a lot of unit drops, so one less might help you get closer to first turn there. Plus, those models are so sweet. 

 

I also wonder if you could fit in some Aggressors. Those guys put out an awful lot of dakka, but also aren't chumps in CC. They aren't exactly dedicated to that role, but they're pretty strong nevertheless. 

 

I'm really interested in doing a similar all Primaris IF army, so please share how it performs!

[TrexPushups]

Might benefit from finding room for the ancient.

 

Punishing people for shooting your marines is very handy.

 

The standard of the emperor resplendent makes it even better.

[Boldthreat]

So I went back over the list planning on taking some of Lemondish's advice and it looks like my initial list was 150 points or so over the limit... grumbles...

 

But I think I was able to come up with something slightly different and within the 2000 point limit:

 

2000 points (I think I am sure this time...)

 

Imperial Fists Chapter Tactics

 

Primaris Captain in Gravis Armor

The Armor Indomitus Relic

Storm of Fire Warlord Trait

 

Primaris Lieutenant

Master Crafted Auto Bolt Rifle

 

Riever Squad - 10 Man

Bolt Carbines

Grav-Chutes

 

Aggressor Squad - 5 Man

Auto-Boltstorm Gauntlets 

Fragstorm Grenade Launchers

 

Intercessor Squad - 10 Man

Auto Bolt Rifles

Power Sword

 

Intercessor Squad - 5 Man

Bolt Rifles

 

Intercessor Squad - 5 Man

Bolt Rifles

 

Hellblaster Squad - 10 Man

Plasma Incinerators

 

Hellblaster Squad - 10 Man

Plasma Incinerators

 

Inceptor Squad - 5 Man

Assault Bolters

 

-----------------------------------------------------

 

This drops me down to 62 Infantry Models in a 2000 point game.  Instead of 9 Inceptors that drop from orbit it will be 5 Inceptors and 10 Rievers with Grav Chutes.  I lose my Apothecary and 1 Lieutenant... but I gain a 5 man Aggressor Squad that I plan to couple with the Gravis Captain I was able to purchase as well.  The plan is for the Gravis Captain to have the Storm of Fire Warlord Trait and the Armor Indomitus.  

 

I had to split one of the Intercessor squads into 2, 5 man squads so I could still use the Battalion Detachment and gain the 3 extra command points.  

 

So how does the updated... and points correct list look for a Footslogger Army?

[Lemondish]

Unless I'm missing something key, I only count 1900 points out of all that. That gives you the option to do what Trex suggested and add in that Primaris Ancient. You could also add another Inceptor to make that squad 6 again. Ends up at like 1999 I think.

 

Alternatively...the benefit of that Primaris Ancient also opens up some other, more complicated options for netting another CP, but it takes some more wiggling to get and may not be quite as clean. You already have the Batt, but if you wiggle some more you could get a Vanguard detachment going there with the Reivers, Ancient, and Aggressors. Taking the above suggestion into account regarding keeping the Inceptors at 6 total for Bolter Drill, it would take something like dropping the Aggressors to 4 total (3 + 1 sgt), adding a second LT, and dropping the Captain to a Primaris instead of Gravis armour. I think that ends up being 2002 points, though, so it isn't perfect. Swapping the 10 man Intercessors down to Bolt Rifles gives you some power swords and grenade launchers to throw in there (now that they are 1 pt per the errata).

 

So, add the PS to the Cap and three nade launchers to the 3 Intercessor units and you end up with 1999 as long as everyone is using the Rifles, but you had to give up that mobility and weight of fire you seem to really like with those auto bolters. But, that 1 extra CP gets you to 7 total (3 starting, 3 Batt, 1 Van), which means you have a buffer option for using the Auspex Scanner to mess up anybody dropping by you. Could use that 1 CP for the Primarch's Wrath on someone, too, if you're into doubling up on Relics. 

 

True head scratcher.

Edited August 10, 2017 by Lemondish