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Hey all! Thought this may be useful. So I'll just drop it here.
Chapter Approved – Tactical Squads
The Tactical squad is the back bone of any space marine army. With its versatility and survivability, it is able to step into just about any role and fulfil its job.
“Of the Tactical Space Marine, bedrock of his Chapter and paragon to his brothers, I shall tell thee.
He shall be steeped in the lore of battle and schooled in all manner of weapon and strategy. With combat blade, boltgun and grenade he shall assail the foe.
But there are mere tools: a Tactical Space Marine’s true weapons are his courage, his wits and his dedication to his brothers.
He will bring his foe to battle in a manner and time of his choosing, never himself caught unready or ill-prepared for the task at hand. In defence he shall be stalwart as a mountain, a bulwark stood firm against the enemies of Man. In attack he shall strike with the weath of the Immortal Emperor, felling the foe without mercy, remorse or fear.” ---- From the Teachings of Roboute Gulliman as laid down in the Apocrypha of Skaros.
Ok, with the theatrics out of the way, it is time to ask and attempt to answer the most important question of all. How can I harness this power in my armies? In this article I hope to be able to show you some of the most useful ways to use the Tactical Squad and how it can fulfil its role in the army. In order to do this, I will split the article into five sections each will be named after the main options in the Codex: Space Marines.
Numbers
A basic Tactical squad consists of 4 Space Marines and 1 Sergeant. This squad is equipped for most if not any situations, however, in these number, you will often find that the squad will get shot down easily under a single round of fire. The other possibility is that they will be ignored. Five Space marines do not provide much of a threat, but if they can sneak around the field, they could provide an excellent escort unit to run units of the board while the rest of the army ‘layeth the smackdown hard’.
However if you want to elevate this unit from a small scale recon and escort unit, the option is there to purchase five more marines. This will allow the squad to sustain more incoming fire power and losses before running, whilst also laying down a startling amount of fire power of their own. Having a squad of ten marines also gives you access to special and heavy weapons, including a free flamer and a free heavy bolter, missile launcher or multi melta.
Special Weapon
There are three options which will allow the tactical squad to become more specialised for a certain task.
- The Flamer will allow you to take the fight to the enemy, burning the enemy out of cover and killing multiple enemies in a single turn. Obviously this weapon is going to be best utilised against enemies where you are outnumbered and their weak Toughness and high armour save will make them ripe for burning. But as I have said already, the flamer is often a good deterrent for the enemy hiding in cover. Knowing that they will not get their precious cover save, it forces the enemy to either leave the terrain or alter its actions to counter the threat.
- The Melta Gun will allow you to go on the offensive once more, but instead of hunting the enemies troops, you will be hunting their armour. The melta gun is the bane to just about any armoured target. However, with a short range you need to get close to do damage, and the closer you get, the higher the rewards. If you can get within 6”, you will make any tank commander fear you. Nothing adds up to the satisfaction of your tactical squad blowing up an enemy land raider or Leman Russ battle tank.
- The Plasma Gun is the all purpose special weapon. With its moderate to high strength, it is able to take out armoured transports or put the fear of the God Emperor into any heavy infantry, but watch out. Its strength and versatility come at a cost, with it being the most expensive special weapon and the chance that the gun will over heat and kill its user.
Heavy Weapons
As I have said, these options allow you to further specialise your squads. With the ability to do a spot of heavy tank or heavy infantry hunting, these options will help you take on anything, but from a longer range than the special weapons or the simple bolter. As I have said, having a squad of 10 men gives you access to a free Heavy Bolter, Multi Melta or missile Launcher. So lets look at those first.
- Heavy Bolters will add enough punch and extra fire power to make even a swarm of Hormagaunts think twice about getting close. This weapon is often overlooked in favour of the missile launcher, but its moderate strength and high rate of fire plus its reliability make it a good option.
- Multi Melta, this is the heavy anti tank weapon that will transform a tactical squad from a firing squad to a dedicated tank killer. With twice the range of a Melta gun, it enables you to take the enemies down with out getting so close, but as with its smaller cousin, the closer you get, the higher the rewards.
- Missile Launcher, this is often the most popular choice. With its versatility of taking down either armoured targets or infantry due to its two missile types, this weapon makes for a great all round squad. Often you will see this weapon using in tag team with a plasma gun to make a squad great at either holding the line or going on the offensive.
So with the free options dealt with, there are two other heavy weapons you might want to consider, both with very different jobs on the battle field.
-Plasma Cannons add the heavy strength of its smaller brother whilst adding more range, but also giving you a template. This weapon is ideal for blowing chunks out of heavy infantry squads such as terminators or other tactical squads. This weapon is also relatively cheap making a viable option for most tactical squads.
- Las Cannons are the dedicated long range anti-Tank weapon for the Space Marines. They have a high strength that will make most armoured targets worry. However, firing only one shot and a relatively high points cost, they need to ideally be hitting most of the time to be worth the investment.
Sergeants
Sergeants are the best of the best. Having fought for centuries and survived countless battle fields. Sergeants are rightfully charged with leading the Space Marines into battle. They are also afforded some of the best equipment in the chapters armoury. Ranging from Power Weapons to Storm Bolters and from Plasma Pistols to Power fists, lets look at the options available to these heroes of the Imperium.
- Chain Swords are the basic combat weapon of the Space Marines. For free you can give your Sergeant an extra attack in close combat.
- Combi-Weapons can provide a single shot that will support the job of the rest of the tactical squad. However, can we really justify 10pts for a single shot that might not even hit? We have the options of a flamer, plasma or melta shot. Which could make the enemy brake quicker, but I would prefer to spend the points on something else.
- Storm Bolters provide an extra shot in shooting phase. Putting out 2 bolter shots whilst still being an assault weapon, this gun will make the following assault that much easier.
- Plasma Pistols provide the same punch that the Plasma Gun provides but at a shorter range and allowing you to assault after shooting.
-Power Weapon. Now this is where it begins to get interesting. With a weapon that ignore enemy armour saves in close combat, you can quickly thin the enemy ranks and turn the tide of battle in your favour quickly. And for a very reasonable 15 pts!
- Power Fists are the close combat anti tank weapon that will get the job done. Now we strike against the weakest armour value of enemy tanks, it becomes that much easier to fight against an armoured strike. Plus nothing looks cooler than punching a tank causing it to explode.
- Melta Bombs allow you to plant a powerful charge on the enemy tanks that will 8 time out of 10 cause sever damage. With the anti tank capability of the Melta Gun, this bomb is fantastic when used to take on the enemy armour in combat.
- Teleport Homers are a much more of a support upgrade. Instead of directly affecting the Sergeants squad, it helps the rest of the army. Directly making it easier for terminator armour bearing units to enter the field close to the enemy with out scattering, this upgrade is the unsung hero of many armies. But you do pay rather well for the bonus!
Transport
The final option for the Tactical Squad is for a transport. Three options with very different uses which make for a tough decision.
- Rhinos are the basic transport tank for any Space marine army. With a transport capacity of 10 men, this tank will allow you to taxi your whole squad across the board under the relative safety of a steel wall around you. And for a measly 35 points, this is a very popular option. Once you have dropping off your contents, the transport tank is able to either taxi another squad, or block of line of fire by parking in the way effectively acting as mobile impassible terrain.
- Razorbacks are a more specialised variant of the Rhino chassis. With a lower transport capacity of 6 men you are able to transport half of your tactical squad (Providing you combat squad them) and a special character. However, instead of carrying the whole squad, you are paying for a heavy weapon on top to suit the role of the squad inside. Once your cargo has disembarked, you are able to provide fire support with your heavy weapon whilst blocking lines of fire.
- Drop pods are often the most popular transport for a combat orientated army. With the ability to land on the thick of battle without needing to worry about scattering onto the enemy and combined with the ‘Drop Pod Assault’ rule, you are able to get into the enemies face immediately.
So now, with all these options available to you, what will you do? The door is open, will you step through?
Chapter Approved – Tactical Squads
The Tactical squad is the back bone of any space marine army. With its versatility and survivability, it is able to step into just about any role and fulfil its job.
“Of the Tactical Space Marine, bedrock of his Chapter and paragon to his brothers, I shall tell thee.
He shall be steeped in the lore of battle and schooled in all manner of weapon and strategy. With combat blade, boltgun and grenade he shall assail the foe.
But there are mere tools: a Tactical Space Marine’s true weapons are his courage, his wits and his dedication to his brothers.
He will bring his foe to battle in a manner and time of his choosing, never himself caught unready or ill-prepared for the task at hand. In defence he shall be stalwart as a mountain, a bulwark stood firm against the enemies of Man. In attack he shall strike with the weath of the Immortal Emperor, felling the foe without mercy, remorse or fear.” ---- From the Teachings of Roboute Gulliman as laid down in the Apocrypha of Skaros.
Ok, with the theatrics out of the way, it is time to ask and attempt to answer the most important question of all. How can I harness this power in my armies? In this article I hope to be able to show you some of the most useful ways to use the Tactical Squad and how it can fulfil its role in the army. In order to do this, I will split the article into five sections each will be named after the main options in the Codex: Space Marines.
Numbers
A basic Tactical squad consists of 4 Space Marines and 1 Sergeant. This squad is equipped for most if not any situations, however, in these number, you will often find that the squad will get shot down easily under a single round of fire. The other possibility is that they will be ignored. Five Space marines do not provide much of a threat, but if they can sneak around the field, they could provide an excellent escort unit to run units of the board while the rest of the army ‘layeth the smackdown hard’.
However if you want to elevate this unit from a small scale recon and escort unit, the option is there to purchase five more marines. This will allow the squad to sustain more incoming fire power and losses before running, whilst also laying down a startling amount of fire power of their own. Having a squad of ten marines also gives you access to special and heavy weapons, including a free flamer and a free heavy bolter, missile launcher or multi melta.
Special Weapon
There are three options which will allow the tactical squad to become more specialised for a certain task.
- The Flamer will allow you to take the fight to the enemy, burning the enemy out of cover and killing multiple enemies in a single turn. Obviously this weapon is going to be best utilised against enemies where you are outnumbered and their weak Toughness and high armour save will make them ripe for burning. But as I have said already, the flamer is often a good deterrent for the enemy hiding in cover. Knowing that they will not get their precious cover save, it forces the enemy to either leave the terrain or alter its actions to counter the threat.
- The Melta Gun will allow you to go on the offensive once more, but instead of hunting the enemies troops, you will be hunting their armour. The melta gun is the bane to just about any armoured target. However, with a short range you need to get close to do damage, and the closer you get, the higher the rewards. If you can get within 6”, you will make any tank commander fear you. Nothing adds up to the satisfaction of your tactical squad blowing up an enemy land raider or Leman Russ battle tank.
- The Plasma Gun is the all purpose special weapon. With its moderate to high strength, it is able to take out armoured transports or put the fear of the God Emperor into any heavy infantry, but watch out. Its strength and versatility come at a cost, with it being the most expensive special weapon and the chance that the gun will over heat and kill its user.
Heavy Weapons
As I have said, these options allow you to further specialise your squads. With the ability to do a spot of heavy tank or heavy infantry hunting, these options will help you take on anything, but from a longer range than the special weapons or the simple bolter. As I have said, having a squad of 10 men gives you access to a free Heavy Bolter, Multi Melta or missile Launcher. So lets look at those first.
- Heavy Bolters will add enough punch and extra fire power to make even a swarm of Hormagaunts think twice about getting close. This weapon is often overlooked in favour of the missile launcher, but its moderate strength and high rate of fire plus its reliability make it a good option.
- Multi Melta, this is the heavy anti tank weapon that will transform a tactical squad from a firing squad to a dedicated tank killer. With twice the range of a Melta gun, it enables you to take the enemies down with out getting so close, but as with its smaller cousin, the closer you get, the higher the rewards.
- Missile Launcher, this is often the most popular choice. With its versatility of taking down either armoured targets or infantry due to its two missile types, this weapon makes for a great all round squad. Often you will see this weapon using in tag team with a plasma gun to make a squad great at either holding the line or going on the offensive.
So with the free options dealt with, there are two other heavy weapons you might want to consider, both with very different jobs on the battle field.
-Plasma Cannons add the heavy strength of its smaller brother whilst adding more range, but also giving you a template. This weapon is ideal for blowing chunks out of heavy infantry squads such as terminators or other tactical squads. This weapon is also relatively cheap making a viable option for most tactical squads.
- Las Cannons are the dedicated long range anti-Tank weapon for the Space Marines. They have a high strength that will make most armoured targets worry. However, firing only one shot and a relatively high points cost, they need to ideally be hitting most of the time to be worth the investment.
Sergeants
Sergeants are the best of the best. Having fought for centuries and survived countless battle fields. Sergeants are rightfully charged with leading the Space Marines into battle. They are also afforded some of the best equipment in the chapters armoury. Ranging from Power Weapons to Storm Bolters and from Plasma Pistols to Power fists, lets look at the options available to these heroes of the Imperium.
- Chain Swords are the basic combat weapon of the Space Marines. For free you can give your Sergeant an extra attack in close combat.
- Combi-Weapons can provide a single shot that will support the job of the rest of the tactical squad. However, can we really justify 10pts for a single shot that might not even hit? We have the options of a flamer, plasma or melta shot. Which could make the enemy brake quicker, but I would prefer to spend the points on something else.
- Storm Bolters provide an extra shot in shooting phase. Putting out 2 bolter shots whilst still being an assault weapon, this gun will make the following assault that much easier.
- Plasma Pistols provide the same punch that the Plasma Gun provides but at a shorter range and allowing you to assault after shooting.
-Power Weapon. Now this is where it begins to get interesting. With a weapon that ignore enemy armour saves in close combat, you can quickly thin the enemy ranks and turn the tide of battle in your favour quickly. And for a very reasonable 15 pts!
- Power Fists are the close combat anti tank weapon that will get the job done. Now we strike against the weakest armour value of enemy tanks, it becomes that much easier to fight against an armoured strike. Plus nothing looks cooler than punching a tank causing it to explode.
- Melta Bombs allow you to plant a powerful charge on the enemy tanks that will 8 time out of 10 cause sever damage. With the anti tank capability of the Melta Gun, this bomb is fantastic when used to take on the enemy armour in combat.
- Teleport Homers are a much more of a support upgrade. Instead of directly affecting the Sergeants squad, it helps the rest of the army. Directly making it easier for terminator armour bearing units to enter the field close to the enemy with out scattering, this upgrade is the unsung hero of many armies. But you do pay rather well for the bonus!
Transport
The final option for the Tactical Squad is for a transport. Three options with very different uses which make for a tough decision.
- Rhinos are the basic transport tank for any Space marine army. With a transport capacity of 10 men, this tank will allow you to taxi your whole squad across the board under the relative safety of a steel wall around you. And for a measly 35 points, this is a very popular option. Once you have dropping off your contents, the transport tank is able to either taxi another squad, or block of line of fire by parking in the way effectively acting as mobile impassible terrain.
- Razorbacks are a more specialised variant of the Rhino chassis. With a lower transport capacity of 6 men you are able to transport half of your tactical squad (Providing you combat squad them) and a special character. However, instead of carrying the whole squad, you are paying for a heavy weapon on top to suit the role of the squad inside. Once your cargo has disembarked, you are able to provide fire support with your heavy weapon whilst blocking lines of fire.
- Drop pods are often the most popular transport for a combat orientated army. With the ability to land on the thick of battle without needing to worry about scattering onto the enemy and combined with the ‘Drop Pod Assault’ rule, you are able to get into the enemies face immediately.
So now, with all these options available to you, what will you do? The door is open, will you step through?
