Intercessors or tac marines

[Paladin777]

I’ve been puzzling over whether to start with intercessors or lascannon tac marines as my main troop choice. I’d rather not go mechanized as my other army (Thousand Sons) is pretty much fully mechanized and I’d like them to play as differently as possible. I’m torn between using intercessors as main troops and devastators as my main anti-tank, or using tac marines with lascannons. I intend to have supplemental anti-tank with a couple of lascannon Dreadnoughts. Scouts will also supplement both setups.

[Charlo]

Judging from the units you've stated above... Why not a mix of both?

 

Intercessors surge forward to support the scouts while tacs hold the backline, socring objectives with a lascannon.

 

If you have to choose one though, I think intercessors are pretty awesome.

[Panzer]

Well...it definitely depends on the rest of your list but unless you really want to force a Brigarde detachment there is no real reason why you couldn't just take Intercessors and Lascannon Tacticals and no Devastators at all. ;)

[Xenith]

I’m torn between using intercessors as main troops and devastators as my main anti-tank, or using tac marines with lascannons.

 

I don't see how tac marines with lascannons could ever be a lists main anti tank, unless you spam them.

 

Why not one unit of both?

[Schlitzaf]

Obligatory promotion of his Tacticals thread analysis /selfpromotion

 

More seriously, Intercessors are mostly ‘strictly’ better than Tacticals. As Tacticals Specials are basically equivalent to Intercessors -1 Bolter and AuxGrenade. Tacticals primary advantage is being able to sit in Transports and the Lascannon/HeavyWeapon.

 

The Lascannons/Weapon is in particular something the Intercessor have no real equivalent as the Lascannon puts out raw ‘multi’ damage thah Intercessors cannot. Double OverPlasma comes to about the same because Tacticals have worse Bolters.

 

What I am trying to say, given the question at hand here. Is that Intercessors fill a relatively unique role as durable and flexible troop choices. They can shift their battlefield situation in the midfield from firefight to melee with ease. Tacticals cannot.

 

What Tacticals provide is the heavy and rapid insertion to battlefield objectives/locations with Transports. The latter due to army constraints is something your Tacticals won’t have. The former is something that can be provide in many ways throughout the codex. Devies being the most salient example.

 

Intercessors while lack the raw melee potential of Vangaurd or the Strategem access of Sterngaurd, or the raw dice of Company Veterans, at similar price, are able to put out similar effective damage with double wound count as a troop slot.

 

Intercessor are primarily a ‘fill’ role. Where Tacticals basically define how your army intends and plans to engage. Given how you load them out will influence how you build the rest of your army (have a couple squads with Lascannon might only bother with one or no Devestator Squads). Intercessors can fill what you need in your army, as midfield firefight/melee Units. To something as basically being Units that reinforce your center and run perimeter duty, and with 30” range guns can hang in backfield while taking pop shots.

 

So I tangented, I think the answer is easily Intercessors. What Tacticals provide are non-factors in your army with the specified limitations. As either other units can provide or you aren’t gonna use that.

[Pendent]

 

I’m torn between using intercessors as main troops and devastators as my main anti-tank, or using tac marines with lascannons.

 

I don't see how tac marines with lascannons could ever be a lists main anti tank, unless you spam them.

 

Why not one unit of both?

 

Even if you spam them it would be pretty tough to hit critical mass. I like to have 10-12 lascannons or lascannon equivalents in my lists. If you have those on otherwise naked tac squads that's almost half of a 2000 point army tied up in mostly immobile heavy weapons squads.

 

Edit: To answer the question at hand I've been a proponent of Intercessors for as long as they've been an option and they're only better now with the point drop and optional power sword. They hit this really sweet spot between durability, cost and combat effectiveness. I take at least 3 5-man squads in all my lists, sometimes more if the mood strikes me.

Edited January 18, 2018 by Pendent

[deathspectersgt7]

Take Both , itnercessors are great shields they soak up fire then follow up with the Tacticals .

[brother_b]

Take both. I now love intercessors. Maybe not the full primaris lore, etc, but on the battlefield they're great. I also love tactical squads. You've basically got a 5 wound lascannon/multimelta/missile launcher and special weapon that does not degrade, fits in a rhino, and has the potential to grow to 10 wounds if wanted/needed.

[Paladin777]

I thank you all for your info, and I think I am going to take brother_b and deathspectorsgt’s suggestion eventually, but I’ll start with a couple of squads of intercessors. Edited January 20, 2018 by Paladin777