Battlefield roles

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

I’ve seen a lot of posts all over various socials asking “what color to paint X unit’s helmets” of “what battlefield role is X unit”

 

and often a lot asinine and shallow responses that are flat out wrong.

 

I know I’ve in the past argued aggressors should be close support but I’ve since changed my mind based on more in-depth thought.

 

 

battleline- average mobility, average shooting often below average melee.

 

fire support- most effective when utilizing some sort of specialized guns, range of those guns irrelevant, average or below average mobility.

 

close support-mobility/stealthy rules/abilities/stats, or they’re most effective when in melee.

veterans- they have guard or veteran in their name lol

 

all other definitions I have seen or heard people try to give always have outliers like inceptors or aggressors. This covers everything as far as I can tell.

(last one was just to be funny.)

[Marshal Reinhard]

Eh, its not really a field for opinions as such. I mean, sure, everyone and anyone can have an opinion on what battlefield role any given unit has, but there's one official answer in the form of what GW has on the boxart. 

 

Aggressors have the fire support emblem marking them as such, how anyone feels about their guns is pretty much irrelevant. 

 

Reivers may be an "elite choice" (is that even relevant anymore?) In past editions of the game but have always been painted as close support, which decides what they are in universe and thus how to paint them if you're following the official schemes. 

 

They literally wear their roles on their sleeves (shoulders)

 

 

Edited September 7, 2023 by Marshal Reinhard

[Paladin777]

Fully agree with Marshall Reinhard if you are insistent on adhering to Canon, however they're your dudes and ultimately you can paint them how you want. 
 

I'm doing a Blood Angels third company, and up until 10th edition I fully intended on adhering to the company roster of 12 battleline, 4 close support, 4 fire support units. However, with the arrival of 10th edition (specifically tactical Marines being relegated to 10 man squads only), I found that I no longer want 12 squads of battle line units! So instead I'm substituting two of the battle line for close support for 10 BL, 6 CS, and 4 FS. 

 

You can do the same if you'd like. Your dudes do not have to be canon/codex compliant(referring to the Codex Astarte's, not the space marine Codex) to be playable!