What are the Best Firstborn Units for Ultramarines pls?

[N1SB]

Hi Brothers, when I started in mid-1st ed, the 4 main Chapters were already Blood Angels, Space Wolves, Dark Angels and Ultramarines.  The artist of our group of friends was Blood Angels, the one who played D&D with his older teenage brother and friends was Space Wolves, another guy was Dark Angels, while I was Ultramarines.

 

With the upcoming release of the plastic Mk VI Beakies that were the main Marine Armour in 1st ed, I'm planning on coming home in some way or another.  In that 1st ed spirit, I've been thinking of using only Firstborn Units.  What are the best options please?  I'm happy to run things as, say, Tyranid Veterans or even Centurions (like they're in Mk VI armour underneat those exoframes), Razorbacks are cool even though iirc they came out in 2nd ed (it's still the old Rhino chassis).

 

I'm thinking of something for Crusade, so will be using Power Levels in case that makes a difference.  My HQ will be a Librarian.  I'm very open to ideas, thanks in advance.

[Captain Idaho]

Good topic to discuss.

 

For Ultramarines at present in 40K I'd say the best Firstborn units are:

 

• Terminators. Specifically I quite like Relic Terminators as they have a combination of good melee weapons (read Lightning Claws) and Twin Bolters.

 

AP-1 Twin Bolters is astonishingly good and you combine this with Teleporting in and a Commanding Oratory Chaplain for a 1-2 punch of shooting one target and charging another.

 

• Vanguard Veterans. Always good to provide a fast moving attacking element. Give them Storm Shields and Lightning Claws enjoy.

 

• Bikes. Seriously they're good. They are fast and have decent weapons with 3 wounds a piece. They also enjoy bringing bolters as much as Terminators.

 

• Company Veterans, Storm Shields and some Storm Bolters. Another good one.

 

• Tactical Squads aren't terrible if you give them Grav Cannons, whack a Storm Bolter and Chainsword on a Sergeant and you got reasonable firepower. Not brilliant but you can find good mileage out of this Troops choice.

 

• Devastators. 4 Grav Cannons or as was told to me by esteemed Frater here and is totally a great idea... 3 Grav Cannons and a Multi-melta. In Tactical Doctrine they can be accurate too.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Smash captains and MMAB are great choices as well.

[Charlo]

Seal of Oath is an incredible bit of wargear that makes something like Pod Devastators really powerful.

 

Interestingly, because of the "count as stationary" bonus on the tactical doctrine, you could also put the devastators in Rhinos for an old school feel.

 

A Grav cannon/ Multi melta in a tactical squad takes on some additional flexibility too!

 

In a more casual setting I really like missile launchers. They give excellent flexibility, great for something like Crusade.

[FormelyKnownAsSmashyPants]

 I’d start with Tacticals, Assault Marines and Devastators. From a fluff point of view at least, they’re the meat and potatoes of any firstborn marine army especially Ultramarines.

[Captain Idaho]

Competitively speaking though, Assault Marines are eclipsed by Vanguard.

 

@ Blac Blow Fly: cor how did I forget Smash Captains! They're powerful in any army.

 

I've been used one with the Censured Helm, for sweet sweet rerolls all round. Against anything Marine based you also get +1 to hit and wound.

 

Another good option is a Captain on a bike with Vengeance of Ultramar and the Paragon of War Warlord Trait. 12 shots, 8 of which reroll wounds and any 6s to wound also cause a Mortal Wound.

[Charlo]

Yeah, sadly assault marines just don't bring anything to the table.

 

I guess if you're set on it; a couple flamers, evicerators and a combi on the sergeant isn't bad, but they're more of a skirmishing unit to bully things like guardsmen equivalents. Or deal like, OK damage to a backline.

 

You'd probably be better off with a Tactical squad in a drop pod for damage.

[jonjacob]

I have been combat squad assault marines for enemy back field scoring as of late, mostly octarius data and table quarters. If the new secondaries are anything to go by I may have to revise this strategy. But I use mostly as a distraction and objective interceptor.

I was surprised how ineffective and effective they can be. I used 10 to beat on truckk boy 5 mega nobz. Born of desperation i shot at them with over changed plasma pistols and bolt rounds, jump pack assault to landed some serious mortal wounds, and finished with chainsword. Not sure i'll ever be that lucky again.

 
 

[Prot]

I do think just the basic hammer/shield termie is still a very capable unit. That +1 to hit strat with chapter master re rolls or the Seal of Oath is just a very potent combo.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

I think you need at least eight to get the most bang for your buck.

[Emurian]

My mate surprised me in the sm mirror match with his landspeeders as they dont degrade. I alpha strike it down to w1, sure enough in his turn he melts 7W of my redemptor dread.

 

Apothecary is also a valid option in combination with your terminators.Reviving terminators just feels good.

[jonjacob]

So multimelta dev where good for me today. Took three and some an extra body. Did in a Contemptors Galatus and Achillius. This was at combat patrol level.