Unit of the Week: Rubric Marines

[Xenith]

++Thousand Sons Unit of the Week++

++Rubric Marines++

New codex, new discussions about units! As we already have in other faction sections, I'm starting up a Unit of the Week series for Thousand Sons, where each week we select and dissect a datasheet found in the book, and discuss how we use the unit in-game, favoured loadouts and combos, essentially how to use these units best. What have you found that works, and what doesnt? Please try to stick to the idea of making the unit in question work, as opposed to pointing out other units that might do a better job - we'll get to those in time!

This week, we start with the core Troops choice of the codex, and the iconic model in any Thousand Sons army, the Rubric Marine - we'll get to other units in time as we all unpick the codex and get some games in.

What are you thoughts, and how best would you use the unit?

• To compliment a list, or to build a list around? Will the beta rules affect your list(s)?
  
• What size unit? Will you be running multiple units?
  
• What <GREAT CULT>, loadouts, spell and Stratagems support do you prefer and how much does it depend on the above choices?
  
• Are you buffing this unit? If so, how?
  
• Uses in Matched, Narrative and Open Play
  
• How have they fared for you in-game?
  

Over to you.

++Thousand Sons Unit of the Week Index Link++

Edited August 16, 2021 by Xenith

[Dolchiate Remembrancer]

Ill get the ball rolling.

 

Fluffiest way to play them: 9 man squad.

Comes in at just under 200 points with an extra cabal point being generated by the icon of flame. No soulreaper canon though, im still not sold on it.

[Karhedron]

Starting with the basics, I think that there are 2 basic configurations that look promising. The first is a 5-man squad with Soulreaper Cannon, Icon of Flame and Aspiring Sorcerer to taste. I see these squads as durable Objective holders, moving up and/or proving covering fire as necessary.

 

The second is a full 10 man squad, all equipped with Warp Flamers and deployed in Reserve with the Webway Infiltration stratagem. They can deploy within 9" of a target meaning their 12" guns are now perfectly in range for 10D6 auto-hitting flamer blasts. Add Wrath of the Wronged for +1 to-Wound against particularly tough targets. Add Pyric Flux for +1S against T4/5 and T8 targets. With the strat + psychic power, they can bracket a Knight or wipe out a 5-man squad of Terminators or Bladeguard Veterans

[Xenith]

Gut feeling is that 5 man units with icon of flame is a trap - while an icon in 9-10 dust units makes up for the loss of cabal points running MSU gives. I'm on the opposite side of the fence to dolachite on the soulreaper - 10pts gets you an extra 3 shots at better S and AP than the inferno...though I guess 10pts more than that gets you 2 more shots + 2 more wounds to the unit. Maybe the Reaper is better when the unit is already maxed out?

[Trokair]

I have used the full sized Flamer unit, with Pyric Flux on the AS to great success so far.

 

Out of the three games I played so far twice I used Risen Rubicae to deploy the midfield, then on the first turn advanced them and eliminated a high priority target / open up one flank and take an objective from the opponent (in a game where holding the objective in the opponents deployment was important). The other time I Used Webway Infiltration to basically do the same thing, just on turn two instead of one.

 

Going forward I think it very much depends on the table, mission and opposing army as to whether I would Rise them or Webway them.

 

For note, those three games where crusade, so points did not matter, but I am inclined to at least consider one such units in larger Match play games because of the damage potential/disruption of the enemies deployment.

 

 

As for inferno bolter units, I am leaning towards a mix of two 5 man and one 10 man units, with the 10 man moving up for midfield objective grabbing, this however is just theory so far. As it would need to be at least a 1500p game I think.

 

 

Soulreaper cannons, I haven’t taken it In the flamer squad, but do intend to take it in the other squads. To me it means that the squad has the means to threaten light vhechils/monsters as well as tough infantry in adtionto the general infantry threat of the rest of the squad.

 

Also, and this is in part local meta, but there are several orks and deathguard players (and one ravenwing/deathwing and one gravis heavy marine player) that I need to worry about, and against them Soulreaper seem necessary with its S6.

Edited August 16, 2021 by Trokair

[Rune Priest Jbickb]

Ill get the ball rolling.

 

Fluffiest way to play them: 9 man squad.

Comes in at just under 200 points with an extra cabal point being generated by the icon of flame. No soulreaper canon though, im still not sold on it.

Why no Soulreaper Cannon? Can take em in any squad size now.

 

 

I've been looking hard at the flamer block 10 man web way infiltrators too with all the buffs as necessary. That looks like a powerful point and click delete a unit scalpel type squad. That paired with a couple 5 man bolter squads with soul reapers are gunna be my first runs at my 3 troops

[Karhedron]

I agree, the Soulreaper Cannon looks like a solid upgrade for 10 points. With DE skimmers in the meta and T5 Orks looking like a menace, Heavy 5 S6 Ap-3 is a solid profile for the evolving meta, particularly on a unit that ignores the penalty for moving and firing Heavy weapons.

 

Heck, if regular Marines could take them I would happily spam them.

[WarriorFish]

Now I have the codex and have read through it... I think the Icon of Flame is nice to help pad Cabal Points to make sure you can spend them more freely, as well as be good for some floating points that are always tricky to find homes for with Sons. As nice as the Cabal stuff is I'm not convinced they're worth chasing to the detriment of the overall army.

 

I think the full squad with supporting smaller ones is a good plan as it adds versatility in movement and objectives, but I'm not sure if going all out on the large squad is viable. At least long term as opponents would adapt, but a nice tool in the armoury to spring on people from time to time (keep them on their toes :P )?

 

My plan is the same from years ago - 10 model squads with flamer and cannon. A classic set up I know, but I thought it offers some flexibility without overly breaking the bank and with 20 Wounds should be quite durable - I don't know how effective this will be but I'll be able to expand plans when I get the fourth box to spice things up

[Prot]

Great ideas folks. Nice input.

 

What about thinking beyond the Rubrics themselves? What do you think compliments them, or has great synergy with them? 

[WarriorFish]

I think as the bread and butter of a list - as much as there is such a thing for Sons? - they should generally go well with most things. Providing some chaff clearing and screening for your heavier hitters like a Helbrute should be solid work for them, plus of course benefiting from the strength the support can offer in return (i.e. mostly AT).

 

As an alternative, what about in tandem with some goats? The Rubrics clear ground with their shooting, with the Tzaangors to either jump in to intercept a unit to protect the Rubrics from assault or range out to achieve a nefarious goal (objectives, or more likely bullying a shooting unit in combat)?

[GreenPlasma]

Hard question to answer, because an army needs to be built around a concept of operations and knowledge of the opposing force. That means you need to tackle the question of “purpose”, essentially what effect do we desire from them? And this is where it gets interesting.

 

- MSU threat overload with Smite, 4x Warpflamers and Temporal Surge (credit to Mushkilla)

- Backfield presence and defence, support by fire with 30” range (Forewarning, Empyric Guidance)

- Infiltrating debuff unit, spotter (Protégé, Perplex/Curse, Warp Sight)

- HQ escort (Weaver, Glamour, Guardian/Phalanx)

 

That customization is very much a good thing, but it makes them difficult to discuss when you separate them from their intended purpose. Neat piece of trivia though, the Coruscator benefits from an extra shot on Fusillade and has synergy with the Orrery.

[Skerr]

For me I am starting at 3 five man squads. One will be all flamers including the pistol. Though I easily see testing a 10 man with 1-2 five man depending on size.

 

For spare points I think a 10-20 man squad of goats is a good screen as well.

 

However in my first game I am going with a dedicated rhino with double inferno combi and flamer. I need to reread the rules on embark/disembark but using a rhino as a screen.

 

Question in regards to strats that support this troop choice. Can the strat Aspiring Magister be taken more than once? (I assume so)

Edited August 20, 2021 by Skerr

[Mushkilla]

For me I am starting at 3 five man squads. One will be all flamers including the pistol. Though I easily see testing a 10 man with 1-2 five man depending on size.

 

The pistol is nice in theory but it's not assault. So you don't end up getting as much use out of it as you would think. One of the key advantages of warpflamer rubrics is they are on average 50% faster (7-12" rather than 6") than regular rubrics because they can advance and shoot. Downside is it means that warpflame pistol won't see as much use.

 

It's still not a bad upgrade as you can use it when moving with Sorcerous Facade (though on the larger squads you often can't get all the flamers in range when coming in from reserve, so the pistol doesn't always see use there either), if you get stuck in a protracted combat, when you spend CP to overwatch and when you spend CP to Inescapable Forewarning.  

 

In my case where I run a large number of warpflamer rubrics squads I find taking pistols adds up, it's half an icon of flame after all. 

Edited August 20, 2021 by Mushkilla

[WarriorFish]

The warp flame pistol seems lacklustre to me, especially given the cost. If you're loading up on flamers the pea shooter variant isn't going to add much, if you're looking to add some more firepower on the Sorcerer I'd go plasma pistol - that gives you a bit of versatility and higher strength at least. As one of the strengths of the flamer squad is being able to move faster if you need the opportunity to fire it isn't great so I'd save the points - that's half an Icon of Flame as Mush says (or almost another warp flamer in another squad).

 

Having read more from others and done some small list experimenting I'm really coming round to a flamer squad. Not a full flamer squad as that's a bit pricey (and I don't have the models yet anyway), but maybe a smaller squad to act as a reinforcement unit? Advancing to move quickly and lay down some flame support should be good, especially with suitable buffs and other nefarious tricks that can be pulled.

[Mushkilla]

Having read more from others and done some small list experimenting I'm really coming round to a flamer squad. Not a full flamer squad as that's a bit pricey (and I don't have the models yet anyway), but maybe a smaller squad to act as a reinforcement unit? Advancing to move quickly and lay down some flame support should be good, especially with suitable buffs and other nefarious tricks that can be pulled.

 

Yeah the advance is the fun part. Roll low don't move, roll high surprise your opponent. The look on your opponents face when a unit they thought was going keep hiding behind a wall moves 18" is really fun (6 on the advance and an extra 6" for temporal surge). Great for zooming onto objectives too.

 

Part of me wants to try Cult of Prophesy as a good roll on the Divine the Future and you have a guaranteed 5-6" advance and unlike miracle dice you don't have to use it before seeing the roll, so you still get to fish for a better advance and substitute the dice afterwards if needed.

[Cleon]

Apologies if this is off-topic, but it seems the closest to thread to the topic and doesn't deserve it's own thread....

I see a lot of people suggesting smaller (usually 5 man) units of Rubrics - what are you doing for the extra Aspiring sorcerers? is it 'already had enough from when more units were needed', 'kit bash an extra from the box with spares from the exalted sorcerers box' or 'just use an exalted sorcerer'? There don't seem to be enough parts on the Rubric kit to make 2 Sorcs from the box.

[Karhedron]

I see a lot of people suggesting smaller (usually 5 man) units of Rubrics - what are you doing for the extra Aspiring sorcerers? is it 'already had enough from when more units were needed', 'kit bash an extra from the box with spares from the exalted sorcerers box' or 'just use an exalted sorcerer'? There don't seem to be enough parts on the Rubric kit to make 2 Sorcs from the box.

As you say, kitbash with spare parts from the ES kit is probably the easiest approach.

[Xenith]

While the warpflamer units seemed amazing, I had good results with a unit of 5 with bolters hanging back on my home objective. I'd probably supplement with a soulreaper to increase output. With the pressure from my forward units, they largely went untouched, and I trust 5 rubes with an objective more than 10 cultists or Tzaangor, and they also have the range to contribute. The low CaP power for a free command point might be a great choice on this unit.

[WarriorFish]

I see a lot of people suggesting smaller (usually 5 man) units of Rubrics - what are you doing for the extra Aspiring sorcerers? is it 'already had enough from when more units were needed', 'kit bash an extra from the box with spares from the exalted sorcerers box' or 'just use an exalted sorcerer'? There don't seem to be enough parts on the Rubric kit to make 2 Sorcs from the box.

As you say, kitbash with spare parts from the ES kit is probably the easiest approach.

The Exalted Sorcerers box is indeed the way to go - gives you spares bits so you can spruce up a few Rubrics to make them Aspiring Sorcerers My box is mostly gone now so I'm not sure on exact numbers, but you should be able to make two extras at least

 

I think small squads have merit whatever you arm them with, it depends on the rest of your army overall as to how well it works. If you have three small squads then you'll probably have trouble, but if you have more, or supplement with larger squads and/or SOT etc there shouldn't be an issues.

[Xenith]

What do we think of a Rubric unit with Sorcerer, WFP, 3x rubrics with warpflamers and one soulreaper? There's a 4pt premium for the reaper over the warpflamer, it gets 5 shots which is above average for the flamer, and will get about the same hits on average, but with better S and AP - with the option for the reap stratagem. 

[WarriorFish]

I think the SRC having got a much needed boost is always worth considering for Rubrics, such that the question should probably be why you shouldn't? That extra Strength in particular in an army that has limited options for upgrades, you need to take what you can get. I still don't think the pistol flamer is worth bothering with especially on a flamer squad. With lots of better flamers in the squad is it really that important to get a few more piddly shots in? Especially given the price difference in an army that needs to squeeze each point.

 

Until the WFP feels less like a token presence because the bit comes in the box set I'm not sure my opinion can change

[Trokair]

Having a Soulreaper  in a MUS Flamer squad is something I have considered, but at the moment I have not got a spare soulreaper model,  so would have to wait until I have non-crusade game and mix and match two units to try it out.

 

There is also the downside that the Flamer squad can freely advance, while having the Soulreaper would mean forgoing its attack if you want to advance.  

[Prot]

That's a good point. I've only had one game with the flamers since the codex dropped, and I agree the ability to advance and fire with these is pretty sweet.

[Xenith]

There is also the downside that the Flamer squad can freely advance, while having the Soulreaper would mean forgoing its attack if you want to advance.  

 

That's the clincher, I think. 

[Rune Priest Jbickb]

I was thinking of deep striking them with a strat, but I think advancing them might be better, especially if tge board will let me hide em early on. Flamer squad is actually the next thing on my build list I think.