Fine-tuning Successor Tactics

[L30n1d4s]

While Space Marines have many layers of rules (i.e. Combat Doctrines, Bolter Discipline, Shock Assault, "Super Doctrines" if they are all from the same chapter, etc.), arguably the most important, and most iconic, are the Chapter Tactics that help define each Space Marine archetype.

 

 

Overall, I would say the baseline Chapter Tactics are pretty solid (maybe a couple of exceptions, like Flesh Tearers) but, on the other hand, the Successor Tactics are largely not that great, with a few being good enough that they are taken over the "OG" Chapter Tactics, but that vast majority almost never taken because they are so weak, situational, uncompetitive, etc.

 

 

Given all that, and in the spirit of the upcoming New Year and "fresh starts," here is my take on how to better balance out the current list of Successor Tactics:

 

 

1 - Bolter Fusillades -- Units with the Successor Trait have +1 to Hit when shooting with Bolt Weapons.

*Rationale: Space Marines already get lots of access to re-rolls 1s to Hit, but much less access to +1 to Hit. This would make this Successor Tactic a much more competitive choice and also appropriately reward Chapters that go "all in" on Bolt Weapons

 

2 - Born Heroes -- (No Change)
*Rationale: Very solid Successor Tactic as it is, but is constrained to just charging, so not an "auto-take" that precludes all other choices, but still very viable choice for assault focused Chapters. 

 

3 - Duelists -- When fighting against a non-vehicle/non-Titanic unit, improve AP of melee weapons by -1 (this is cumulative with Combat Doctrines)
*Rationale: Current version is pretty lackluster, especially with a Strat (Gene-Wrought Might) and Super Doctrine (one of the BT Vows) that does the same thing, so instead this takes page out of the Bloody Rose tactics (from Sisters of Battle) to give a real melee boost.

 

4 - Fearsome Aspect -- Enemy units within 9" of a unit with this Successor Tactic have -2 Ld (does not stack with itself, but does stack with things like the Reiver's Leadership de-buff rule) and must pass a Leadership Test or they are forced to fight last in melee.
*Rationale: One of the worst Successor Tactics in the old format, this would make the Ld de-buff measurably better (-2Ld at 9" instead of -1Ld at 3") and also provides a very significant advantage if the enemy does fail a Ld test (i.e. Fight Last cancels out Fights First for charging unit, let's friendly units fight first in protracted melees, etc.).

 

5 - Hungry for Battle -- (No change)
*Rationale: Another Successor Tactic that is very solid as it is, but not over-powered either, since adding +1" to Advance and Charges is quite useful, but not necessarily game-breaking in and of itself.

 

6 - Indomitable -- Units with this Successor tactic auto-pass Combat Attrition tests and unmodified to Wound rolls of 1 and 2 against them always fail.
*Rationale: Another one of the weakest Successor Tactics in the old version, this version basically combines auto-passing Combat Attrition with the "Transhuman Lite" of the old "Stalwart" Successor Tactic, making it much more viable as a competitive choice, IMHO.

 

7 - Knowledge is Power -- Librarians can re-roll failed Psychic Tests and, for each Librarian in your army, before the battle begins, roll a D6: on 1, nothing happens, on a 2-5, you gain a CP, and on a 6, you gain D3 CPs

*Rationale: Yet another very under-powered (and niche) Successor Tactic, but making it a full re-roll for all Psychic Tests and providing the ability to generate CP (which helps the whole army) makes this much more useful/viable, I think.

 

8 - Long-range Marksmen -- If a friendly Infantry unit did not move, then add +6" to the range of all Heavy and Rapid Fire weapons (except those that have a rule allowing them to auto-hit) and also add +1 to Hit for any attacks made with Heavy or Rapid Fire weapons, as long as they did not move.

*Rationale: The old rule was pretty mediocre, adding to 3" to range, so this buffs it a little further (still restricted to just Heavy and Rapid Fire weapons) and also gives a bonus to hit, similar to the Dark Angel +1 to Hit for standing still, but only applying to Rapid Fire/Heavy weapons (and not melee attacks or other kinds of ranged weapons).

 

9 - Master Artisans -- Each time a unit with this Successor Trait is selected to shoot or fight, you can re-roll one hit roll or one wound roll when resolving that unit’s attacks.

*Rationale: Not a bad Successor Tactic in its original form, but this brings it in-line with the updated format that Sisters of Battle have with one of the Argent Shroud traits and gives it a little more utility, with the option to affect EITHER a to Hit or a to wound.

 

10 - Preferred Enemy -- Select one Faction keyword: Tyranids; Aeldari; Ork; Necron; T'au Empire; Heretic Astartes; Chaos Knights. Gain +1 to wound for all attacks against a unit with that faction keyword and add +1A when within Engagement range of a unit with that faction.

*Rationale: A very situational trait (quite often you won't even get to use it, based on who you are fighting), so it better be very good when you do fight it to make it worth it, hence the enhanced effects here.

 

11 - Rapid Assault -- Units do not suffer penalty for advancing and shooting assault weapons and can choose to fire all Pistol weapons as if they are Assault weapons.

*Rationale: Keeping the original version (i.e. Advance and shoot with no penalty for Assault Weapons), but also gaining a bonus for Pistol weapons to make this a little more desirable (this means they get to shoot Pistols alongside their other weapons, if they choose to make them Assault, since they are no longer restricted to "only Pistol" or "only other types" options).

 

12 - Scions of the Forge -- Models count double the number of wounds for determining their damage chart characteristics and Vehicles within 3" of a Techmarine from this chapter can re-roll to hit rolls of 1.

*Rationale: This is not a great trait in its original form, especially given the current state of vehicles, so adding some bonus to Hits for vehicles (which are almost always not "Core") makes it a bit more viable. 

 

13 - Stalwart -- While a non-vehicle unit with this Successor Trait is within 3" of an Objective or friendly Ancient with this Successor Trait , any attacks of Dmg 1 made against that unit have -1 to their wound rolls.

*Rationale: The old version of this Trait is already combined with the new  "Indomitable" Trait above, so this is a different take on how to give a Successor Chapter a "durability" style Trait.

 

14 - Stealthy -- (No change)

*Rationale: A decent one as it stands already, and one that has precedence in other Codexes in 40K, so keeping it as it is.

 

15 - Stoic -- Add +1 Ld to units with this Successor Trait, units with this Successor Trait can shoot Overwatch on a roll of 4+, and the Overwatch Stratagem costs 0CP when used on a unit with this Successor Trait.

*Rationale: The original +1Ld is exceptionally mediocre, so adding in the ability to Overwatch much better makes this a much more viable choice.

 

16 - Tactical Withdrawal -- Units with this Successor Tactic can declare a charge even when they Fell Back and, if they do charge on the same turn they fell back, are -1 to Hit until the end of the turn.

*Rationale: A solid Successor Trait in its current form, adding in just a slight bonus to represent the enemy's surprise at them falling back and then suddenly charging again.

 

17 - Warded -- (No change)

*Rationale: With the current meta of Mortal Wounds, this is actually a pretty solid Successor Trait in its current form.

 

18 - Whirlwind of Rage -- (No change)

*Rationale: An excellent Successor Trait as it stands, as evidenced by how many Successors currently use it in competitive play (usually alongside the current version of Born Heroes).

 

 

[Tokugawa]

Stoic: suggest to delete. If you play marine, LD and morale shouldn't be problems to you.

[ADragonuFear]

A lot of these seem straight bonkers op (the potential for army wide fights last and being more terrifying than night lords?)

Keep in mind a chapter gets TWO of these. Some of these also seems like better versions of the main chapters tactics like +1 to hit making imperial fists even less relevant. Preferred enemy really just shouldn't exist as its just a list tailor tool and faction specific abilities are usually a nightmare to balance. The only decent one I can think of is the anti demon tide of the warp for grey knights as they give up their other tides to use it.

[Schlitzaf]

So a general rule of thumb army tactics are:

Basically an equivalent to a Warlord Trait. You’ll notice generwlly speaking mosf army tactics are actually another armies warlord trait or vice versa. These are litany or physic power level

[casb1965]

Hmmm 3 detachments with Knowledge is Power, all Librarian HQs that's 6CP to take but 9CP minimum back for Kip and 9 librarians on full rerolls.

 

Yep just a little OP.