Space Marines: Part Deux

Hello everyone I hope all is well.

So due to demand here I am with a Space Marines codex "review" part two I wanted to take a different approach to part two because originally I wanted to only touch on what jumped out at me immediately but apparently some people care about what I think. I know, i know, don't ask me. For this part I will directly answer the questions that were asked as well try to cover some viable builds for a couple of the more popular chapters.

1) What do you think of the Assault Centurions?

This unit had a lot of potential it really did but to put it plain and simply they are very ugly models and are really nothing more than overcosted meganobz with much less efficient delivery systems. If you could deep strike them in, and take them in units of one they may be worth taking but the investment to make them worth a damn is just too much.


2) How do you like the new tanks? 

I am still kind of up in the air about this. The tanks are super cheap but their usefulness is fairly limited. The stalker is one shot that has a neat mechanic if you miss but all the flyer has to do to remove the token is fly off the table. The hunter I may consider taking only because wave serpents are popular right now but when you consider you can spend 20 more points and get a quad gun on the aegis line which gains you an awesome wall and interceptor......yeah I don't know I think the hunter has a place but it's probably in the; I have no more points to spend category. 

3) Sternguard 

Yay, I can say good stuff. Sternguard are great for many reasons that very simple; their weapon load out flexibility means they can do anything to do with a gun, they can be transported in any vehicle and there is a good argument for why it is awesome, any chapter can find a use for them, and the kit is just amazing. Look at all those bits!

So what does this all boil down to? To me the Space Marine book is bitter sweet; as mentioned in Part I; the chapter tactics are amazing and make several viable builds which seems to be the trend of the 6th edition books. Unfortunately with this awesome mechanic comes the fact that this book is at a similar power level and feel to the last book in that nothing is bad, but nothing is great, it is just good. It is still a vanilla book that can get boring or require spamming to do very well but the book is not designed to be points efficient with spamming. It is funny and I hate to seem uncertain but I can't really say bad things just like I can't say "ZOMG, this is going to change everything??!?!" The exception to this possibly being some list tweaks to easily game Grav weapons. FMCs save points by not taking armour, Riptides take shield drones for a majority 4+ save, etc. etc.



On to what is most likely the most interesting bit: viable list archetypes.

Salamanders: Move over pod wolves? With the errata giving command squads special weapons this gave a huge boost to salamanders because you get moar and cheaper flamers. A drop pod Salamander list can put down an absolutely devastating alpha strike that not even pod wolves can match.
Most common units: Command squads, Sternguard

White Scars: Cheap bikes, tons of special weapons, uber alpha strike, uber whenever strike. The white scars to me are the obvious build to go with for competitive play. For 135 points you can 5 bikes with two grav guns with hit and run, scout, and are scoring with +1 to hammer of wrath and jink saves. 

Iron Hands: I like the iron hands because they breath life into vehicles again. I would see a vehicle heavy list sitting on a skyshield with techmarines fixing everything being a real pain in the butt to kill and I could actually see some hunters being of use here. You can make a really reliable firing base when all your vehicles have It will not die, a 4++ save and techmarines fixing what ales them on a +1 to the repair roll. Oh yeah 3 Stormravens with it will not die is pretty decent as well. 

Ultramarines: Take one of everything and Tigurius

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