Intercessors

[Paladin777]

I've got twenty intercessors with regular bolt rifles (built around halfway through 8th Ed), and while I know that by the numbers, they tend to be the underperformer of the loadouts. A couple days ago I looked into the possibility of snapping out the 'bolt rifle' part, and found that would be nearly impossible without severely damaging the base part.

 

For what it's worth, I want to get a box of Phobos marines (probably make one unit of incursers, and one unit of infiltrators, but I'm still going back and forth on that one), as well as a box of heavy intercessors (not sure whether to go executed or hellstorm on those guys either at the moment).

 

My question is just how bad do they underperform as compared to the other two (I'm looking for actual tabletop experience more than mathhammer. I can mathhammer up with the best of them myself). I don't play competitively, but I also do my best to play fully WYSIWYG.

 

I'm sure that this has been discussed ad nauseam already, but I just wanted to hear from people who may have been in my situation.

Edited January 15, 2022 by Paladin777

[Dont-Be-Haten]

Truthfully, for the points if you're looking at intercessors vs other troops they are middle of the pac. Point for point assault bolters are still better, but there's nothing wrong with the BR. Especially if you aren't playing competitively. If you were, assault intercessors, infiltrators and incursors are all better options.

 

Edit: to justify this, I'm speaking from an 8th perspective. However for 9th tactics; I've watched several discussions amongst tournament players and listened to a few pod casts on the subject.

 

While thats not first hand experience second hand from watching bat reps etc gives me the confidence to reply.

Edited January 15, 2022 by Dont-Be-Haten

[Majkhel]

I honestly always abhorred the idea of shape of magazine or existence of the scope on a weapon being relevant from the WYSIWYG point of view. I tried to make a squad of box-magazine Intercessors, but now I happily mix them as like. When I built Heavy Intercessors, I purposefully mixed magazines as I liked basing them on the feel I imagined for a particular marine.

As for the question, Bolt Rifle Intercessors are a little better at touching something from further away while holding objectives. Extra point of AP is often nice as well. They are OK

Edited January 20, 2022 by Majkhel

[Dont-Be-Haten]

Also, there's some older threads that go more into detail for you. Personally I think it's okay to run whichever variant you want and should be fine. Intercessors aren't going to be your heavy lifters anyway.

[Paladin777]

Thanks for the answers guys, I appreciate it. I'm hoping to finish painting the second two squads (being squads 3 and 4) today.

 

Any suggestions on the heavy intercessors when I get to them (executor vs hellstorm)?

Edited January 16, 2022 by Paladin777

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

Just call them autobolt rifles and no one will be likely to argue. The difference in model terms is almost nonexistent

Thanks for the answers guy, I appreciate it. I'm hoping to finish painting the second two squads today.

 

Any suggestions on the heavy intercessors when I get to them (executor vs hellstorm)?

3 shot variant I think that’s the hellstorm?

[Paladin777]

Just call them autobolt rifles and no one will be likely to argue. The difference in model terms is almost nonexistent

 

while that's true, I'm personally a stickler for that sort of thing when it comes to my own models.

 

 

3 shot variant I think that’s the hellstorm?

Yes, that is the hellstorm, and thanks for the input. Edited January 16, 2022 by Paladin777

[Helias_Tancred]

It matters little with regular intercessor squads from my experience. The additional shot sorta evens out with the -1 AP especially in turn 2 when it goes to -2. I've also had a squad of intercessors with stalker bolt rifles within Dante's chapter master re-roll absolutely murder opposing marines, 2 wounds at -2 was a bit rough on them ... so /shrug? I like all three but as a Blood Angel I prefer the auto bolt rifle or the rapid fire variant.

 

As for heavy intercessors, same thing. They are there to absorb punishment and hold the objective. My Blood Angel ones are geared with the auto 3 shot ones, and I built my Dark Angel squad geared with the rapid fire standard versions.

[Xenith]

1) Intercessors are so ubiquitous and the variant parts so small that I dont think anyone could reasonably argue with you if you just used the bolt rifle armed models as the assault version.

 

2) ABR's do something that the others dont, which is advance and fire. Tactical doctrine lets you emulate the AP-1 from the bolt rifle, but the bolt rifle can't advance and shoot. With that, your base marines are suddenly moving 8-13" per turn, which can catch people off guard. BA don't get the benefit from this as much as white scars, say, but getting into the middle of the table, fast, is what we generally want.  

[Dont-Be-Haten]

From what I havr understood to be the main constant since 2009~10 is ObSec trumps most everything else. So if you want a cheap 100 point unit to hold the back line stalker or ABR variants are at a high chance of at least doing something, where as assault bolters need to be in the fray/midfield where I'm more inclined to drop an expensive heavy intercessor squad with hellstorm bolters as that anvil piece.

 

That being said, I also like the aggressive feel to assault bolters on one squad of interecessors.

Edited January 19, 2022 by Dont-Be-Haten