Escalation and 40K Formations

Just over a week ago I jotted down some preliminary thoughts on Escalation. Now that people are finally getting their copies, we have a little bit more information. My biggest question has finally been answered, and it wasn't the answer I was hoping for.

Army Detachments and Lords of War

As is obvious to regular readers of this blog, I play an Ultramarine army. Although the Space Marines don't generally have direct access to Baneblade or Shadowsword variants, Super-Heavy tanks operated by the Imperial Guard or a PDF often accompany the Astartes into battle. In the story of the Battle of Macragge, we're told that the Ultramar Auxilia had a Baneblade called the Pride of Hera that was eventually destroyed by a Carnifex brood.

Although the Baneblade and Shadowsword variants are Imperial Guard Super-Heavy tanks, I had hoped that Astartes armies would be allowed to bring one as their Lord of War choice. Barring that, I had assumed that I would be able to bring an Imperial Guard Allied Detachment (which I would depict as the Ultramar Auxilia) that would supply the Lord of War. Unfortunately, the word is now out that a Lord of War can only be provided by the Primary Detachment.

Before this month, I wouldn't have been surprised by how strict Escalation is. For the sake of balance, it would have made perfect sense to me that only the Primary Detachment would be allowed to supply the Lord of War, although I still would have been disappointed that my Ultramarines would only have access to a prohibitively expensive model. However, it's hard to explain the relative conservatism of Escalation in light of the no-holds-barred nature of the recently introduced 40K Formations.

40K Formations
For those who are unfamiliar with the new 40K Formations, the idea is that, in addition to the Primary Detachment and any Allied Detachment, an army can also take along an additional detachment composed of a specific group of units. This Formation interacts with the Primary Detachment according to allies rules (e.g., a Space Marine detachment would treat a Tau Formation as Battle Brothers) but it is otherwise unaffected by normal Force Organization rules.

One word: "Broken"

Our Cabal is pretty open-minded, but Formations immediately worried us. The concern lay in the fact that they completely bypass the Force Organization of an Allied Detachment. The only thing that had previously limited allies was the fact that you were required to bring an HQ and at least one Troop. Once you had paid this "price of admission", you were limited to selecting a single unit from each of the remaining slots. This forced the player to make some hard choices about what tradeoffs he was willing to make and prevented him from loading up on only the best units from another army.

However, Formations eliminate most of the drawbacks deliberately designed into the allies rules. The first Formation revealed, Tau Firebase Support Cadre, consists of a Riptide Battlesuit and six Broadsides. It doesn't require a player to sink points into an HQ or Troops that he doesn't necessarily want. Instead, as long as he has the points and the relatively liberal Allies Matrix allows it, he can add a very powerful Elite choice and two Heavy Support choices to his Primary Detachment. Unless an opponent has brought some Formations of his own, it could be a very uneven and unenjoyable game for him.

I appreciate that GW wants to open up their rules for those who want more options (they seem to be producing a small-scale form of Apocalypse), and I'm sure that there are plenty of players who will have a lot of fun using Formations, but the Cabal has made a gentleman's agreement not to use them just to keep our games friendly.

Back to Escalation
As I was saying, the philosophy behind the Escalation rules and the concept of Formations seem to be at odds. In a game where my Ultramarines can take a Firebase Support Cadre free of any of the usual limitations that come with an Allied Detachment, why can't Marines with Imperial Guard allies bring a Baneblade? Not only is this inconsistent from a gaming perspective, but it's entirely contrary to the fluff.

I was really hoping to bring this in an allied force

I have two theories on why GW might have decided to go this way. My first is that the writers of Escalation and the writers of the Formation rules weren't quite on the same page. I assume that the authors of the former actually wanted to limit Allied shenanigans (e.g., no Tau Primary Detachment accompanied by a minimal Eldar force and their Revenant Titan). It's also possible that they wanted to increase the diversity of units on the tabletop. Given how inexpensive Baneblades and Shadowswords are (both monetarily and points-wise) and since IG can ally with just about everyone, a huge number of Escalation games could easily end up with both sides bringing some form of Baneblade.

My second theory has to do with business. Obviously, the primary intent of both Formations and Escalation is to make money. I'm sure that the rules writers and model designers also want us to enjoy the game, but at the end of the day they like to eat and have a roof over their heads, too. I previously suggested that the point of introducing Super-Heavies into regular games of 40K was to increase the demand for large plastic models. I think that the restrictions of Escalation support this idea and may indicate the imminent release of additional models.

With its high points value, the
Revenant Titan is bargain

If I worked at GW and were asked to increase demand for large plastic models, I think I would come up with something like Escalation. Not everyone has the time or the money to play huge Apocalypse games, so I would introduce Super-Heavies into the regular game. And what if the company was interested in releasing plastic versions of existing resin models, but didn't want to proceed until they were certain that there would be sufficient demand? Since many of those who play an army without its own plastic Super-Heavy (e.g., Space Marines, Tau, Eldar) would simply bring an IG allied force with a Super-Heavy tank if given the option (and might even be reluctant to buy their faction-specific Super-Heavy when it was finally released), I would require that the Lord of War be specific to the Primary Detachment.

Escalation and the Legendary Plastic Thunderhawk
To be able to compete in Escalation, some players might end up buying a resin Super-Heavy from Forge World. Fortunately, the new supplement limits armies to bringing only the "smallest" Super-Heavies. At the current exchange rate, the Tau Tiger Shark is $244, the Eldar Revenant Titan is $319, and the Tyranid Harridan is $384. These prices are much higher than the $160 GW charges for a Khorne Lord of Skulls or a Necron Tesseract Vault, but I can actually see many serious gamers saving up for them.

After looking over a few of my 2000 point lists, I've calculated that the total monetary value of the models in each list is around $650. That means that the price of most Escalation-legal Forge World models is about half that of a 2000 point Space Marine army. (And who owns only 2000 points, anyway?) At $319, the 900 point Revenant Titan turns out to be a pretty good value. It costs about 50% as much as a 2000 point army while its addition to that army would increase its total points value by 45%.

Where we really run into a problem is with the Lord of War for GW's most popular faction; i.e., Space Marines in their various incarnations. The Thunderhawk is worth 685 points and can reach a value of 775 points with the Turbo-laser destructor upgrade. The model, while admittedly much larger than many other Super-Heavy models, currently sells for over $650. That's more than twice as much as a Revenant Titan and four times as much as GW's most expensive plastic model. An upgraded Thunderhawk would cost as much as an entire 2000 point army but add only 39% to the points value of the army. In other words, Escalation limits players of GW's most popular armies to the resin-only model with the least bang for their buck.

When it comes to 40K I'm pretty stupid with money, but even I can't justify a $650 price tag for a single 775 point resin model.

Why would GW limit C:SM players to the Thunderhawk?

I think the primary reason why GW limited thousands of Space Marine players to fielding the prohibitively expensive Thunderhawk is because it won't be that expensive for much longer. My theory is that Escalation and its restriction against Space Marines taking an IG Super-Heavy in an Allied Detachment will have finally created the demand GW wanted/needed to justify making their largest plastic kit ever (which will still be smaller than some of the model airplanes I put together as a kid). I wouldn't be surprised if we saw the mythical plastic Thunderhawk by the first anniversary of Escalation.

What Do We Do Until Then?
I predict that many Astartes fans who want to participate in games using the Escalation supplement will choose to field a single Guard Command Squad and two squads of Veterans as their Primary Detachment just so they can play with a cheap Super-Heavy tank. Their preferred army will be represented by a maxed-out Allied Detachment. In fact, about a week ago I made a theoretical 2500 point IG list that included a Super-Heavy tank and Ultramarine allies just in case the Lord of War was restricted to the Primary. Even with a Baneblade or a Shadowsword, the minimized IG Primary Detachment only took up about 35% of the total points value.

Bryce has already offered to buy my Baneblade and Shadowsword models for his own Steel Legion. If I knew for certain that a plastic Thunderhawk were on its way, I would strongly consider it. Right now, though, I'm actually rather fond of the Guard Super-Heavies and will probably end up buying a minimal Guard army just so I can use them.

On Space Marine Centurions

I'm a contrarian with regards to the Space Marine Centurions. When their introduction was met with widespread scorn and criticism, I was immediately interested in them. While I wasn't a big fan of the Assault Centurions and their comically large drills, I was very excited by the Devastator Centurions. I particularly liked the Roman-style armor, which matches my Ultramarines quite well. (I'll admit that they clash with the style of other armies such as the Black Templars, though.)

GW really piqued my interest with these new units, both with regards to the models' capabilities as well as to the story behind the Centurions themselves. As I'm currently recovering from a tonsillectomy and septum reconstruction surgery and have too much hydrocodone in my system to actually work on any models, I might as well spend some time overanalyzing the new toys that GW gave us.

The Rules
What Kind of Centurions?
Recently I've been working on ways to incorporate them into my lists. I've found that I simply can't justify the Assault Centurions. While multiple S9, AP2 attacks that strike at initiative are tempting, their lack of an invulnerable save puts them at the mercy of the majority of dedicated close combat units. With his absurd number of S10, AP2 attacks, Jon's ubiquitous power klaw warboss would make short work of any Centurion Squad. Plus, Assault Centurions take up an Elite slot, which is already comically overstuffed. In my mind, Assault Centurions simply cannot replace Close Combat Terminators.

Devastator Centurions make a lot more sense. Two wounds and T5 isn't too shabby when your most common enemy will be plasma weapons and lascannons and you have cover available. They take up a Heavy Support slot, which became more crowded this Edition, but the ability to take any type of Land Raider as a Dedicated Transport makes up for it.

How Should I Arm Centurions?
In my mind, only one very specific build is actually worth it. While Centurions' basic armament is the twin-linked heavy bolter, there's little point in paying for such an expensive model just to bring yet one more example of the Astartes' most common heavy weapon. The grav-cannon is tempting, but it's a highly specialized weapon that's designed for killing Terminators or their equivalents. Its range is so short that by the time you're close enough to actually do damage to your target, your intended victim is very nearly on top of you. Twin-linked lascannons, on the other hand, have the range and strength to smash tanks and heavy infantry at a safe distance.

Then you have the secondary weaponry, which is a no-brainer. A hurricane bolter is simply three twin-linked bolters. It's only really effective at 12", making it a lousy companion for any of the Centurions' other weapons. And since Centurions are Slow and Purposeful, you can't even use it for overwatch. The missile launcher upgrade is the only way to go.

Protecting Centurions
Once I had settled on a long-range, tank-killing Devastator Centurion Squad, I become horribly aware that I intended to field a powerful unit that was going to attract most of my enemy's heavy firepower. That's not excessively worrisome when I'm playing against Sam's Necrons, Carl's Grey Knights, or Jon's Orks. Those armies don't field enough S10 weapons to make me worry about Instant Death. And a little bit of cover should protect my Warsuits from the limited number of high strength, low AP weapons that their armies field just long enough for them to do their job.

But Bryce's Tau are a different story.

I hate this guy

Bryce fields an impressive number of marker lights, all of which would be directed at my Centurions. It's also common for Bryce to field two Hammerheads (one with Longstrike), a Riptide, and three Broadsides. It would take a grand total of eight successful marker light hits to allow all four of those units to ignore the Centurions' cover. A few more marker lights and each of those units is shooting with BS5+. My three Centurions are as good as gone once those units have line of sight. If I'm lucky, the Warsuits might survive a turn or two. If I'm very lucky, I might be able to take out a couple threats and give the Centurions a fighting chance.

Taking a Land Raider as a Designated Transport
Here's where the Centurions' ability to take a Land Raider as a Dedicated Transport comes in handy. Hammerheads may be one of the biggest threats to a Land Raider, but the fact remains that S10 penetrates AV14 only 33% of the time (Longstrike increases this to 56%). The Riptide's S9 (which can only be achieved if the Tau player risks Nova-Charging the main weapon) will only penetrate AV14 16.7% of the time, while the Broadsides' S8 can only glance the Land Raider on a six. Although putting your Centurions in their AV14 metal box isn't a guarantee of survival, it does give them a decent chance.

In my mind, the allowance to use a Land Raider as a Designated Transport for Devastator Centurions has given the vehicle renewed purpose. Previously, the classic Land Raider was a odd unit that made little sense either as an assault vehicle or as a dedicated weapons platform. Although its guns are powerful, it doesn't produce enough shots to significantly whittle down the target unit that an embarked squad is about to assault. The Land Raider Crusader, with its vastly higher rate of fire and increased transport capacity, is a much better choice for transporting an assault unit. The Crusader's anti-infantry abilities complement the assaulting squad's anti-infantry role. I've discussed the concept of complementary units in a previous post.

Although the combination of durability, Power of the Machine Spirit, and two twin-linked lascannons make the Land Raider a tempting weapons platform, it has a hard time competing with the Predator Annihilator. Not only is the Predator now a full 110 points cheaper than its big brother, but a Land Raider's two twin-linked lascannons will make an average of 1.78 hits on its target, {2*[(2/3)+(2/3)*(1/3)]=1.78}, while the Predator will land an average of 2.22 hits, {2*(2/3)+[(2/3)+(2/3)*(1/3)]=2.22}. As a dedicated weapons platform, the Land Raider's transport capability is squandered and much of its value is wasted.

However, as a Dedicated Transport for a Devastator Centurion Squad, the standard Land Raider isn't forced into an assault role for which it's poorly suited, nor is its transport capability wasted by using it solely as a weapons platform. When the enemy turns up the heat, the Land Raider can shelter the Centurions from the enemy's long range firepower. When the Astartes get the chance to return the favor, the Centurions can disembark and fire (unlike their less mobile counterparts, the Devastator Marines). The Land Raider's twin-linked lascannons then complement the Warsuits' own lascannons. With this arrangement, it seems like the Land Raider and Devastator Centurions were made for each other.

"You got Centurions in my Land Raider!"
"You got Land Raider on my Centurions!"

The Fluff
This wouldn't be an Atomic Spud post without a ludicrously detailed discussion of the fluff as well as the rules. Despite early gripes about ruining the fluff (I truly wish that 40K hobbyists would complain less, especially when all they have are a handful of leaked photos and nothing else), I think GW did a commendable job of integrating Centurions into the Astartes' history. To me, it feels like the existence of Centurion Warsuits was revealed rather than awkwardly crammed into the storyline.

The Nature of Centurion Warsuits
According to the Codex, Centurion Warsuits have been in use for about 5,000 years. They aren't suits in the same way that power armor is, but more like walking vehicles that are categorized along with bikes and Land Speeders. They are often used to access tight areas that Predators or Ironclad Dreadnoughts can't.

The C:SM very explicitly states that Warsuits are not piloted by 1st Company Veterans. The suits don't interface with the Black Carapace and thus don't have the mobility and dexterity afforded to power armor or Terminator armor. Veterans are expected to be generalists and thus require the mobility of more traditional forms of armor. The Warsuits are instead considered to be specialist gear and are therefore piloted by specialists: Assault Centurions are piloted by a Chapter's Assault Marines while Devastator Centurions are piloted by Devastator Marines.

The fact that Assault and Devastator Marines are the ones piloting the Warsuits makes it even more interesting that Centurions Squads are still able to take a Land Raider of any type as a Dedicated Transport. This makes them the only non-Veteran Squad among the Codex Chapters that are allowed to so use the Land Raider, which is typically identified with the Veteran Company.

An Assault Centurion's left should pad

Centurion Honors?
The markings on Centurion Warsuits are a point of interest. On most suits of armor, a Marine's Chapter symbol is typically found on the left shoulder pad while other markings are found on the right. The left shoulder pad is considered to be the place of honor since it's the shoulder that an enemy is most likely to see when a Marine charges into combat. The primary exceptions to this rule are ceremonial (i.e., the Marine bears some honor that is held in higher regard than even the Chapter symbol) or practical (older marks of armor had reinforced left shoulder pads that prevented logos from being displayed on them).

On a suit of Terminator armor, the stone crux terminatus is displayed on the left shoulder pad since it is held in higher esteem than the Chapter logo. Notably, Centurion Warsuits also bear a large seal (often portrayed as being made of stone) on the left shoulder pad. The squad logo shares the left pad with the seal while the Chapter logo is found on the right shoulder pad. The position of this "Centurion Seal" suggests that it is in fact a very high honor analagous to the crux terminatus.

Centurion Warsuits, Land Raiders, and Vehicle Markings
As I mentioned earlier, Centurions are the only non-Veteran squads within a Codex Chapter that can take a Land Raider as a Dedicated Transport. Up until now, I had tended to think of Land Raiders as being more or less permanently assigned to the 1st Company since a) they're the Veterans and have priority and b) Terminators don't fit into any other Space Marine land-based transports. Thus, I had every intention of marking my still unbuilt Land Raider as if it belonged to the 1st Company. However, once I decided that the classic Land Raider is most useful supporting Centurion Warsuits, I decided to model the Land Raider as one that is assigned to Sicarius' 2nd Company.

I once said that with the 6th Edition C:SM "everything old is new again". It's interesting to see how much information from older works such as the Insignium Astartes has made it into the Space Marines 6th Edition Codex. For example, the new codex is more explicit than the previous codex about the fact that most Astartes vehicles are assigned to a Company as the need arises. Like the Insignium Astartes, the codex states that vehicles are marked with roundels whose color and numbering indicate which Company the vehicle has been assigned to. To show how the roundels are used, the Insignium Astartes included sketches of various vehicles, including a Land Raider:

The 3rd Land Raider assigned to the 2nd Company

The yellow roundel with the Roman numeral II indicates that the Land Raider is assigned to the 2nd Company. The Roman numeral III indicates that it's the third Land Raider assigned to the Company. Presumably, Land Raiders that are being used for Centurion transport and support duty will have been assigned to the Company prior to the mission, meaning that a properly labeled Land Raider model will bear the roundel of the Centurions' Company (in my case, I'm modeling the 2nd Company).

The roundel is easy enough to replicate; you can either paint it yourself or, if you don't mind the fact that all the roundels on the decal sheet are 2nd Company-yellow, you can use the decals. In the case of the Land Raider Crusader that will be carrying my Assault Terminators, I'm going to be painting the appropriate white roundel with a Roman numeral I.

As I was contemplating how to properly mark my Land Raider for supporting my 2nd Company Centurions, another detail that I'll have to take care of occurred to me. Do you see it?

How about now?

That's right, there's a crux terminatus molded right onto the side of the Land Raider model. While this logo wold be perfectly acceptable on a Land Raider that's transporting Terminators or other Veterans, Centurions are specifically not Veterans. They each bear a Centurion Seal, which appears to be some kind of honor, but they haven't earned the privilege of wearing the crux terminatus. I would assume that Veteran markings would normally be removed from a Land Raider that is assigned to a non-Veteran company.

When I finally get around to building it, I'm going to remove the crux terminatus from each side of the Land Raider and replace it with an appropriate logo. While just about any Chapter or Imperial logo would do, I'm considering using these two bits from the Centurion kit:

While the leftmost symbol is relatively generic, it resembles several symbols found on the Centurion Warsuits themselves. The rightmost symbol, on the other hand, is a replica of the Centurion Seal itself. I think these will be appropriate logos to display on a Land Raider carrying Centurion Warsuits.

What's 6th Edition C:SM Done To Your Lists?

I'm an engineer by profession, which means I'm a planner. (I'm a much better planner than a doer, unfortunately.) Shortly after I got into the 40K hobby in the summer of 2011, I planned out multiple 2000 point lists to help me determine what models I should buy and in what order I should build them. Of course, the release of the 6th Edition Space Marine Codex has significantly changed those lists. Fortunately, I'm stupid with money and have bought enough Marines to accommodate those changes.

Playing to your Army's New Strengths
I'm sure there are plenty of C:SM players with collections large enough to take advantage of their Chapter's newly acquired Tactics. Unfortunately, while my Ultramarines definitely benefited from the Tactical Doctrine in their first game with the new codex, the other two Doctrines were effectively wasted since the units that most benefit from them have been relatively low on my list of priorities. Between the so-so capabilities of Assault Marines and the outrageous cost of Devastators in 5th Edition, these two units have sat unbuilt on my shelves for quite some time. With Longstrike exploding my tanks left and right, 6th Edition Devastators have definitely moved up on my list of squads to complete.

The biggest change is in my Tactical Squads. Not only does the Ultramarines' Tactical Doctrine encourage the fielding of more of them, but the revised costs and rules for Tactical Squads has caused me to seriously rethink how I use them.

Tactical Squads In 5th Edition
Bryce has been playing the game since 2nd or 3rd Edition. Before I started playing and we formed the Cabal, Bryce hadn't played Space Marines regularly since C:SM's 4th Edition. He was shocked by 5th Edition's Tactical Squads and railed at the requirement that a Squad number ten Marines before it could take a special weapon. Additionally, 5th Edition effectively required you to pay for upgrades, whether you wanted them or not. The Sergeant's Veteran status wasn't actually free, nor was a flamer or a missile launcher. The cost of all these things had been incorporated into the base cost of the Squad.

Bryce has long preached the concept of complementary units; i.e., units that do one or two things well and avoid being a wasteful Jack of all trades. The 5th Edition Tactical Squad was diametrically opposed to this philosophy. First of all, you were forced to pay for the Veteran Sergeant whose primary strength was an extra attack and higher leadership. This gave you a melee-oriented character in a Squad designed for mid-range shooting. Being forced to pay (at least partially) for the special weapon wasn't a bad thing given that it often complemented the majority of the Tactical Squad's other weapons. It was the heavy weapon, though, that was the biggest offender.

Since you had already paid for (or subsidized) the heavy weapon, you felt obligated to bring it. However, in most cases there is a significant disparity between the strength, range, and capability of a heavy weapon versus a bolter. This meant that nine Marines (or four, if you had broken them into Combat Squads) were often left without a target while one guy shot at something that was either too far away or too tough to handle with the other Marines' weapons. Alternatively, the heavy weapon's shot was wasted on lighter units that were more effectively handled with bolters. Even worse, a heavy weapon was only useable (under the 5th Edition of 40K) or reliable (under the 6th Edition of 40K) when holding still, meaning that the rest of the Tactical Squad was stuck in place while one weapon took its shot. If the Squad remained mobile, as a Tactical Squad should be, the heavy weapon became useless, or very nearly so.

Before the release of the C:SM 6th Edition, I had 15 fully painted Tactical Marines: a modified Black Reach Squad (I had converted the Sergeant to carry a plasma pistol) and five additional Marines from the starter paint kit. I had recently primed a Sergeant with a power fist, two Marines with bolters, and a number of Marines with heavy and special weapons. These new models, combined with the five from the starter paint kit, would allow me to field a second 10 man Squad while also providing plenty of list-building flexibility with regards to special and heavy weapons. I had also pieced together several additional Sergeants, each geared towards melee combat. I made sure that I had enough Marine bits to be able to build a third 10 man Tactical Squad. Although I recognized that these generic Squads were inefficient, that was simply how Tactical Squads were organized in 5th Edition.

The 5th Edition Tactical Squad: Jack of all trades, master of none

Tactical Squads In 6th Edition
With 6th Edition everything old is new again and the five man Tactical Squad is back. Although individual Marines are all 2 points cheaper than before, the fact that special and heavy weapons are no longer subsidized and that the cost of a Sergeant's Veterancy is no longer incorporated into that of the Squad means that upgrading it into a 10 man, 5th Edition-style Tactical Squad won't save you any points. However, the ability to forgo the extras combined with the option to field a five man Squad with a single heavy or special weapon give you the flexibility to field cost-efficient specialized units.

With Devastator Centurions and cheap Devastator Squads available, there's little reason for any Tactical Marine to bring a heavy weapon. You can save a full 15 points by simply leaving that nearly useless missile launcher at home. And since you're not required to pay for the Sergeant's Veterancy and his extra attack, you can trade them for an equally priced combi-weapon that complements the Squad's special weapon. The end result is relatively inexpensive unit that excels at mid-range shooting, which is especially effective for the Ultramarines and their successors.

Although not a necessity, the melee-oriented Veteran Sergeant will still show up occasionally in my Squads; a forward deployed Tactical Squad can easily get tarpitted by a small but tough unit unless they have a model that's properly armed to break the impasse. I'll also continue to field at least one or two 10 man squads, although they won't be carrying heavy weapons. I see these larger squads and their Veteran Sergeants entering play via drop pods in turn one, breaking into Combat Squads upon disembarking, and using the Tactical Doctrine to do as much damage as possible early on. The Combat Squad with the Veteran Sergeant and the assault weapon, if included, would try to make a charge in turn two while the shooty Combat Squad fires at targets of opportunity.

In the meantime, the 10 man Squad(s) would be supplemented by two or three inexpensive five man Tactical Squads, each with a special weapon, a combi-weapon on a non-Veteran sergeant, and a Razorback. Each squad would be somewhat specialized: an anti-horde squad could have a flamer, a combi-flamer, and a standard Razorback with the twin-linked heavy bolter; an anti-Terminator/monstrous creature squad would carry a grav gun, a combi-grav, and a Razorback with a twin-linked lascannon; and a less specialized squad could have a combi-plasma, a plasma gun, and a Razorback variant.

The 6th Edition Tactical Squad: small, efficient, and focused

When the 6th Edition of 40K was released and the rules for rapid fire weapons were revised, I had the impression that Tactical Squads could become a much more important part of my army. With the release of the 6th Edition of C:SM, Tactical Marines saw a general reductions in points, increased flexibility in organization, and (for the Ultramarines) the introduction of the Tactical Doctrine. Now I'm actually excited about the increased potential and effectiveness of my army's basic Troop choice.

6th Edition Space Marine Codex, Part II: What I Didn't Ask For (But Will Take Anyway)

Last time I covered whether or not the new C:SM fulfilled the items on my three part wishlist. I only got a few of the things I wanted, but as is often the case, sometimes you don't know what you want until you get it. Here are several things that the 6th Edition C:SM gave us that I didn't even know I wanted.

Centurions
Who would have guessed that the Astartes would get Broadsides? I didn't ask for them, but I'll be taking at least three of them anyway. The assault versions seriously step on the toes of Assault Terminators and lack the invulnerable save that is a virtual necessity for such expensive units operating in that role (a Warboss with a power klaw could wipe out the entire squad in a single round of combat). The Devastator versions make a lot more sense, although their role also seems to overlap that of other heavy weapons platforms. To be honest, I mostly want them because I love their neo-Roman look, which just screams "Ultramarines" to me.

While the heavy weapons models are designated as "Devastator Centurions", it seems like they're competing with Predators rather than with Devastators themselves. In fact, along with the Riptide and the Wraithknight, Centurions seem like an attempt to compensate for the damage 6th Edition did to vehicles in general. As long as Gauss and haywire weapons can destroy the heaviest vehicle with relative ease by stripping off hull points and AP1 weapons can explode a vehicle on a 4+, there will be a need for units that are tougher than basic troops carrying heavy weapons while also being difficult to destroy with a single shot.

"Astartes smash!"
(yes, I've used this joke before)

While I think Centurions will work well against most armies, I worry about using them against Tau. With cover save-denying marker lights and plenty of armor penetrating weapons, the Tau can annihilate a Centurion Squad in one turn of shooting, Aegis Defence Line or not. If the Astartes get the first turn, they may be able to reduce the number of threats. But if the Space Marines go second, the Centurions better be in reserve, in a Land Raider, behind line of sight blocking terrain, or on a Skyshield Landing Pad. Fortunately they have Slow and Purposeful, so they won't be limited to snap firing if they come out of a Land Raider or from behind a wall to make a shot.

Chapter Tactics

Honestly, the primary reason I'm in this game is because I love the story. I enjoy the modelling and like the game, but if there wasn't a great sci-fi story behind it all I wouldn't even bother with it. Up until the release of the new codex, standard Space Marines had no variety despite the fact that numerous codexes, novels, etc. state that each Founding Chapter and their successors have certain specialties or characteristics. Sure, you could change up a few things if you took a special character, but the changes were usually minor and the character was expensive. (I was particularly disappointed by the weak and flavorless bonuses that extraordinarily expensive Ultramarine characters gave to the army.) The new Chapter Tactics make each founding Chapter unique while encouraging army lists that reflect the characteristics of the Chapter.

For example, despite the points reduction, I'm still reluctant to take Vanguard. They now take up an Elite slot that I'd rather fill with Terminators or Sternguard. The Raven Guard, on the other hand, are supposed to be a stealthy, fast striking army that uses an unusual amount of jump infantry. Thus, Raven Guard squads with jump packs have the Winged Deliverance Chapter Tactic that greatly increases their usefulness. With Winged Deliverance allowing them to use jump packs during both the movement and the assault phases, their jump troops can be in close combat very quickly. Thus, it only makes sense for Raven Guard players to take as many Assault Squads and Vanguard Squads as possible. In fact, if I were to play Raven Guard, I think I might eschew Terminators altogether in favor of Vanguard Squads.

The most effective combination, and one that I think Bryce will be slaughtering us with in a few months, would be a Vanguard Squad led by Captain Shrike. Winged Deliverance, combined with Shrikes' Stealth and Infiltrate rules, would make the squad a nightmare to face.

The Ultramarine Chapter Tactics, on the other hand, give one turn-only boosts to different types of squads. In one turn you can declare the Tactical Doctrine to effectively twin link your Tactical Squads while allowing other squads to re-roll ones. During a different turn you can declare the Assault Doctrine to allow assaulting units to re-roll charge distances while giving Assault Squads and bikes the Fleet special rule. And during another turn you can declare the Devastator Doctrine to give your Devastator Squads the Relentless special rule while other squads can re-roll snap shots and overwatch.

When 40K Radio first leaked the Ultramarines Combat Doctrines, they neglected to mention that you don't get to choose a single doctrine and use it throughout the game. At first I was disappointed when I found out that I wasn't going to have perpetually twin-linked Tactical Squads. Then I realized that being able to continuously use a single doctrine would be contrary to the Ultramarines' practices. The Ultramarines are supposed to be the ultimate generalists; pretty good at just about everything but the best at almost nothing. The brilliance of GW's approach is that it encourages Ultramarine players to diversify their army lists in order to take advantage of each Combat Doctrine. In other words, their armies will reflect the Ultramarines' generalist philosophy.

Chapter Relics
This is another brilliant addition that has annoyed quite a few non-C:SM players while exciting us Astartes fans.

With the new codex, GW has finally given each Founding Chapter and their successors unique rules to give them their own flavor. In exchange, you can no longer use a special character that has a different set of Chapter Tactics than the rest of the army (there goes my counts-as Lysander). This means that several Chapters are entirely unable to take special characters (e.g., Iron Hands) while others have a single character. With Chapter Relics, any Astartes player can create his own character complete with wargear befitting of a Chapter Master or 1st Company Captain. I've also noticed that they take some of the sting out of losing a beloved counts-as character. My Captain Agemman may not be able to use Lysander's rules anymore, but with the Shield Eternal I can give him the Eternal Warrior rule that was the reason I wanted a Lysander stand-in in the first place. Now I'm even happier that I decided to model my recently completed Terminator Sergeant with a standard Terminator-issue storm shield while only Agemman has the larger, fancier shield. Allowing only one character to carry the larger shield makes it easier to pass off as a relic.

The codex suggests that the Burning Blade
may have belonged to the Emperor himself

Other relics aren't much better than already existing weapons but are immensely characterful. For example, the Teeth of Terra is only a little better than a Relic Blade, but who wouldn't want to model a S6, AP3, obsidian-toothed chainsword? I love the Burning Blade with its plasma weapon-like stats (complete with a vicious form of Gets Hot) and would have liked to pair it with the Shield Eternal. Unfortunately, the wording of the codex seems to indicate that only one relic weapon can be taken per character. I know there's a lot of debate over this, with some believing that "replace one weapon with one of the following" means only that it's a one-for-one exchange. However, until GW says otherwise, I read it to mean that only one weapon can be exchanged for a relic. The combination of the two is so ridiculously powerful that I can't imagine that GW meant for a single character to be able to carry both.

I love the relic idea so much that I'm considering modelling an artificer-armored Captain Agemman (Calgar has two sets of armor, why not the Veteran Company's Captain?) who will carry a different relic. Some of the bits in the new Sternguard kit are almost too ornate for simple Veterans, but would work great for a 1st Company Captain in artificer armor. This Agemman would carry the relic blade and storm shield bits from the new Vanguard kit (which is a great source for melee weapons). I'm hoping to figure out a suitable fiery effect to represent the Burning Blade.

6th Edition Space Marine Codex, Part I: Did I Get What I Wanted?

Almost a year ago I posted my 6th Edition C:SM wishlist. A month later I posted part II of the wishlist. And this May I posted part III. These are among my most popular 40K posts ever, with almost 9,000 pageviews between them.

Now the Codex is upon us and even those Astartes fans that don't have their codex yet already know almost everything in it thanks to a constant stream of leaked information from 40K Radio. Several posters on BoLS who received their books early have confirmed that 40K Radio did indeed have an accurate copy of the 6th Edition C:SM.

My copy is still in the mail, but we've gotten enough information to see how much of my wishlist I got.

From Part I
Agemman and the Ultramarines 1st Company: Not Granted
It doesn't look like we Ultramarine players will be getting an Agemman model, nor will we be taking Sternguard as troops. I didn't have my heart set on this, though, so I'm not particularly disappointed. I can still hope that an Ultramarines Supplement might give us something along these lines, possibly by labeling the Sternguard as Tyrannic War Veterans.

GW gave us an amazing kit with the Sternguard

The High Cost of Relic Blades: Partially Granted
I loved relic blades in 5th Edition, but their effectual downgrade to AP3 made their 30 point cost unreasonable. I suggested that HQ relic blades be priced closer to 20 points. Apparently relic blades for HQs will now be 25 points. However, the Teeth of Terra relic (a chainsword with relic blade stats plus Rampage and Strikedown) and the Burning Blade relic (a power sword with the Blind rule and plasma weapon stats, complete with a nasty version of Gets Hot) are actually a lot more tempting. That and both weapons sound like a blast to model.

More Tanks, Please: Not Quite Granted
I would have liked a mid-sized Space Marine tank. While Forge World has since made one for the Horus Heresy, GW will only be giving us the anti-flyer Hunter and Stalker tanks. While I expect these tanks to be the bane of flyers everywhere, our Cabal makes little use of flyers right now. I'll pass on this tank until our micro-meta catches up.

Not quite what I wanted

Give Me a Reason to Take a Whirlwind: Not Granted
Stronger weapons, multiple blasts, anti-air capability; something to justify the presence of this tank in my army. Sorry, a 20 point deduction isn't enough to encourage me to fill a Heavy Support Slot with one. If I could have a squadron of three it would be a very different story.

I'd Like to take a Thunderfire Cannon, But...: Not Granted
My original wishlist didn't take into account the improved durability of 6th Edition artillery, leading me to suggest that a Thunderfire version of the Vindicator be produced. I'd still love to see a Thunderfire Vindicator, but the current Thunderfire Cannon is a lot better than it had been under the previous artillery rules. Apparently it also gained barrage in this edition. At the same time, I refuse to buy a $56 resin model of the cannon. I'll buy it the day it comes out in plastic, though.

From Part II
Reasonably Priced Devastators: Granted
Vanilla Devastators have been lacking from many gaming tables due to their absurd price. In addition to the two point per model price drop that Tactical Marines and Scouts will also receive, Devastator weapons are now supposed to cost about as much as Dark Angels Devastator weapons. The Dark Angels' weapons are reasonably priced, which makes this C:SM player very happy.

I bought several boxes over the past couple
years hoping they would come down in price

Venerable Dreadnoughts: Granted In a Different Way
I would have loved the ability to regenerate hull points on Venerable Dreadnoughts. However, I was willing to settle on a points reduction; I'm simply not going to pay a 60 point premium under 6th Edition's hull point rules. Now it's supposed to be a 25 point upgrade to make a standard Dreadnought (which will get a 5 point reduction) into a Venerable. BS5, WS5, and the ability to force a re-roll on the damage table is definitely worth 25 points in my opinion.

Sniper Scout Ballistic Skill: Not Granted
Apparently Scouts will be getting a 2 point per model reduction. Sniper rifles will be a 1 point upgrade but camo cloaks (which I almost always put on Snipers) will be 1 point cheaper. Other than that, Scouts haven't seen any changes.

From Part III
More Dakka: Granted (depending on Chapter)
I asked for more firepower and it looks like I got it in the form of the Ultramarine Combat Doctrines. During the turn in which the Tactical Doctrine is applied, Tactical Marines re-roll fails to hit while other units re-roll ones. The Devastator Doctrine gives Devastator Squads one turn of Relentless while allowing other units to re-roll snapshots and overwatch. Imperial Fist players get it in the form of the army-wide Bolter Drill; allowing them to re-roll ones with bolter-type weapons.

Sternguard Heavy Bolters: Not Granted

It doesn't sound like there are any changes to Sternguard heavy bolters. Or to heavy bolters in general. If GW was indeed play testing new rules for heavy bolters, they decided against using them. That's a shame; I would have liked to have more mobile heavy bolters.

Supporting Fire: Not Granted
Other than some points modifications and a few tweaks along the lines of C:DA, Tactical Marines haven't gained any new abilities.

Shooty Terminators: Not Granted
Shooty Terminators' assault cannons and cyclone missile launchers will be getting a much needed 10 point cost reduction. Other than this, there is no change. And with the exception of a 5 point increase for models equipped with thunder hammers and storm shields, Assault Terminators didn't see any changes either. As cool as it would be, there won't be any way to mix Shooty and Assault Terminators.

As a side note, I'm not exactly happy that thunder hammers and storm shields had a points increase, but I had accepted long ago that it would probably happen. The change in wound allocation rules made storm shields so useful that it only made sense to increase their cost.

Next time I'll cover things I didn't even think to ask for but am happy to have anyway.

How Big are Space Marine Centurions?

The debate on how big Space Marine Centurions are began almost immediately after the first photos were leaked. They looked rather large, so many assumed they were on 60mm bases. However, Photoshop comparisons suggested that 60mm was much too big. The logical alternative, the 40mm base, seemed too small, though. Although we have only a few days left before we find out, I've already ordered my Centurion kit from the WarStore and I wanted to figure out what my money had actually bought me.

There have been very few images that show Centurions alongside other models with known base sizes. In fact, the only one I've been able to find is this image of the Lastrati Crusade collection:

One of the few pictures that allow a comparison

Notice that the Centurions are taller than the nearby Assault Marines (one upraised arm is approximately level with the top of a nearby Marine's jump pack) but their bases are smaller than those of the Dreadnoughts behind them. With a little help from Photoshop, I was able to compare the Assault Marines' 25mm bases to a Centurion base:

Centurion bases turn out to be two 25mm bases wide

All of a sudden, the cause of the early confusion becomes clear. Centurions aren't on 60mm or 40mm bases; they're on 50mm bases.

Since there aren't any 40mm bases in the images above with which to make a comparison, I did some additional analysis to confirm that Centurions aren't on Terminator-size bases. Using Photoshop's grid feature and calculating the appropriate ratios, I was able to make a comparison with an Assault Marine:

50mm Centurion on the far left, 40mm Centurion on the far right

The Centurion on the left is scaled as if it has a 50mm base. The Centurion on the right is scaled as if it has a 40mm base. While the 50mm Centurion is noticeably taller than the Assault Marine (the upraised arm is nearly level with the jump pack, just as it is in the Lastrati Crusade image), the 40mm centurion is approximately the same height. Since we know that Centurions are taller than Assault Marines based on the Lastrati image, the larger of the two base sizes must be correct.

Knowing that the Centurion is on a 50mm base, I was able to compare the sizes of several common Astartes models:

Although slightly smaller than a Dreadnought, Centurions are still relatively large models.

More On Veterans' Helmets

Not too long ago I asked what Veteran Sergeant Helmets look like. Much of the discussion had to do the fact that the presence of a white stripe or laurels on his helmet traditionally indicated that a Sergeant was a veteran but that GW's models had become inconsistent with time. I also noted that more recent images of Veteran Squad Sergeants, specifically a Sternguard Sergeant and a Terminator Sergeant, lacked any laurels or stripes on their helmets.

While markings on Veteran Sergeant models didn't seem to follow a set pattern, the marking of other Veterans was very consistent. The 4th and 5th Edition C:SM stated that a white helmet, or white laurels painted onto a helmet, indicated a Marine's Veteran status. Although nothing written in these editions of the codex implied that the white helmet needed any additional markings, the books' model galleries showed photos of Veteran Marines whose white helmets bore blue or red laurels.

The official unveiling of the plastic Sternguard and Vanguard kits in conjunction with the 6th Edition C:SM seems to have changed things:

6th Edition Sternguard Squad

Note the utter absence of painted laurels. All we see is a single Marine with laurels molded onto his helmet. (Other pictures of the kit show that it comes with several heads with molded laurels.)

Definitely no laurels here

Is the crest meant to be a kind of stripe?

Again we're presented with a Veteran Sergeant who lacks the traditional laurels. Of course, as a Sternguard Sergeant and an obvious member of the 1st Company he doesn't need laurels to show that he's a Veteran. However, it could be claimed that the white crest is intended to replicate the classic white stripe, but it would be a very non-traditional way to do it.

The new Vanguard models are consistent with the Sternguard models:

6th Edition Vanguard Squad

This time the Sergeant is bare headed, so we can't say anything about his helmet, but the helmets of the rest of his squadmates illustrate GW's current approach to Veteran models:

Again, no laurels

In other words, Veterans' helmets often lack laurels unless they're molded onto them. Although this represents a change from how previous Veteran models were painted, it's consistent with the actual wording of the previous codexes.

To be honest, I'm glad that the laurels are no longer expected on Veteran Marines. I really wasn't looking forward to painting all those laurels on my Sternguard.

Thoughts On the New Space Marine Models

Images of the new Space Marine models have recently been leaked, along with a few rumored rules. Although I have dozens of models and squads left to build, these new kits have me pretty excited.

Space Marine Stalker/Hunter
I know very little about this anti-flyer tank, especially since rumors discussing it have been few and far between. The Stalker is said to have an Icarus Stormcannon Array, which consists of two independently targeted turrets. The Hunter version is supposed to have a Skyspear Missile.

Since I'm stupid with money, I'll probably be buying this model shortly after it comes out. However, if I have any sense left, I'll read the codex entry for it first. Our gaming group doesn't play with many flyers right now, so the Stalker/Hunter could be a complete waste of money. On the other hand, if the tank has Skyfire/Interceptor and the weapons have a decent strength (e.g., 7 or 8) it could very well be something worth taking. And if the look of the vehicle is any indication, its armor may actually be better than that of the standard Rhino. I just hope it doesn't turn out to be as worthless as the current Whirlwind.

Plastic Vanguard
Early rumors are saying that the Vanguard have seen a significant points reduction, meaning that they actually might be worth taking. Regardless of points cost, the new plastic Vanguard kit is definitely on my to-buy list.

The kit has various highly coveted parts, including several pairs of power armor-sized lightning claws. There's even one of the new grav pistols for the Sergeant. Ornate shoulder pads, decorated helmets (some with molded laurels), and fancy armor bits make this kit a bits collector's dream.

Plastic Sternguard
Unfortunately, I've not been able to find large pictures of the new plastic Sternguard models. Those who have seen them say they're even more decorated than the Vanguard Marines. The few images circulating show some interesting things, though.

Their armor is much more ornate than standard Marines and includes decorated helmets, shoulder pads, and tabards. Rumor has it that the kit contains a number of combi-weapons, with the picture above showing that at least one combi-plasma and one combi-grav rifle are included. [Update 8/10/13: on second glance, it looks like the "combi-grav rifle" lacks a magazine or obvious bolter barrel, meaning that it's probably just a grav rifle.] The picture also indicates that Sternguard continue to carry bolters (or combi-weapons) with box magazines. This has partially put to rest my irrational fear that GW might write special ammunition out of the codex.

Although I'm very excited for this kit, I'm wondering what to do with my in-progress 10 man Sternguard squad. Although I've made my own Sternguard bolters and gathered together various Veteran bits from multiple boxes, my homemade Sternguard can't match the new models for ornamentation.

My Sternguard models have only reached the priming stage, so I've decided to repurpose five of the more ordinary Marines. The remainder will get extra banners, purity seals, etc., and will be mixed in with the five models from the new kit. Rumor has it that the Sternguard kit is packed with extra bits (hence the reported $50 price tag for five Sternguard Marines versus $40 for five Vanguard Marines), some of which could go a long way towards sprucing up the converted models.

It's very possible that the five remaining Marines will be painted as a Deathwatch Squad that will occasionally see action as a counts-as Sternguard.

Centurions
These models are, by far, the most controversial. The reactions I've seen to them are overwhelmingly negative. However, I remember when the Heldrake received similar criticism until it was discovered that the model had been given an immensely powerful set of wargear and rules. Now the only criticism the Heldrake seems to get comes from those who regularly take a beating from it.

Rumor suggests that the Centurions may have some impressive stats (possibly toughness 5, 2 wounds, a 2+ armor save, and a 5+ invulnerable save). They can either be built as an assault version or a Devastator version. They're big, too. These monstrosities are similar in height to a Dreadnought, which could explain the almost Dreadnought-like price tag of $78 for three models.

Astartes SMASH!

From the picture above, it looks like assault Centurions can be armed with either hurricane bolters or Ironclad assault launchers in the chest. On their arms they carry some sort of drilling weapon accompanied by either a meltagun or a flamer. The Devastator version has heavy bolters or lascannons on the arms and either a missile launcher or hurricane bolters in the chest. Rumor says that there will also be a grav-cannon option.

The big controversy is not over their stats, but their appearance. I'm in the minority when I say that I actually like how the Centurions look. The models are obviously meant to represent the missing link between power armor and Dreadnoughts, which is probably how GW will justify their sudden presence among the tradition-bound Astartes. They're big, brutish, and ugly. In other words, they're Space Marines. The Devastator versions seem a little more graceful; the enormous drills on the assault Centurions' arms look pretty unwieldy whereas the heavy bolters and lascannons are a lot less awkward. I also believe that they'll look better when we finally get to see them from multiple angles.

As for how the models fit into the army, I don't really see the use of assault Centurions. Unless their rules are amazing or fill some unique niche, I honestly can't think of any reason to take them when Space Marines already have close combat Terminators or Ironclad Dreadnoughts to fill the role. However, if the rumored stats are genuine, and if their rules allow them to fire all (or most) of their weapons per turn, I would take a squad of Devastator Centurions in a heartbeat.

I have to wonder what the existence of Devastator Centurions means for the traditional Devastator Squad, though. For starters, I think it's obvious that standard Devastators will have to receive a huge points decrease to justify their continued existence.

First One-On-One Game vs 6th Edition Tau

Xenos scum!

Usually my battle reports go into turn-by-turn detail. This time I don't particularly feel like doing a post mortem of last game night's slaughter other than to put down a few thoughts and comments.

Observations and Lessons Learned
Read Your List Carefully
When Bryce looked at the size of my force versus his, he actually asked if it was my entire list (i.e., 1483 points). Although I thought I did, the next morning I realized that I had forgotten to field the multi-melta Dreadnought that was on the list. My plan when I made the list earlier in the week was to drop the Dreadnought within range of Longstrike's Hammerhead and attempt to disable it while footslogging my Ironclad Dreadnought. Even if the standard Dreadnought was initially unsuccessful, its proximity would serve as a distraction and possibly buy me some time. By game night, however, I was careless in reading my list and saw only "Ironclad Dreadnought" and "drop pod", having skimmed right over the Dreadnought entry.

Sometimes Your Dice Just Hate You
That game night saw some of my worst rolling since I started using the Munitorum dice. I rolled low both when we were choosing table sides as well as when deciding who was going first. I rolled a 1 or a 2 almost every time I needed to make a 3+ save or had to hit something with a BS4 Marine. When I most needed my reserves to come in, I rolled a 2. It's frustrating to know that your dice are balanced because you tested them ad nauseam but they still roll lower than average when you can least afford it.

Be Careful with Reserves

Agemman didn't even get to play

I placed Agemman and my shooty Terminators in reserves, believing that I was protecting them for later in the game. When Bryce's 1500 points of Tau started shooting, I had only 738 points on the table, 85 points of which consisted of an Aegis Defence Line and an Icarus Lascannon (had I remembered to bring the Dreadnought and that it was supposed to be in the drop pod instead of the Ironclad, it would have been 903 points). During the first round of shooting, I lost my entire Scout Squad and the Vindicator's Demolisher Cannon. The drop pod with the Ironclad came in at the second half of the first turn, but by then Bryce had significantly pared down my forces. My first turn of shooting proved to be nearly worthless while Bryce's second turn was a lot more effective. While the Ironclad survived the Riptide's shots to the side armor, I lost it to a lucky missile hit to the rear. The Terminators failed to come in during the second half of turn two, leaving me with little more than a damaged Predator, a Razorback, and a partial Tactical Squad. By the third turn, Bryce was able to effectively sweep the table clean (the Defence Line and the lascannon can't keep you in the game) and Agemman and his Terminators never entered play.

In retrospect, the Terminators would have done a lot more good had they started the game on the table. It turns out that 948 points worth of 5th Edition Space Marines have very little chance against almost 1500 points of 6th Edition Tau.

Scouts Don't Do Well Against Tau:
6th Edition Tau have the infuriating ability to deny cover in a number of ways. Since they were wearing camo cloaks, each one of my Scouts cost as much as a Tactical Marine. When Bryce's marker lights denied Telion and his squad the cover they needed to survive, I lost a 163 point unit to AP4 fire in a single turn. Clearly my army is too dependent on Telion's relatively expensive squad.

They were all dead before the end of turn 1

The Wrong Army Build
Upon further reflection, I realized that my army as currently built is an anti-Ork force; it lacks long ranged anti-tank weapons and instead focuses on close range mass killing. Instead of a lascannon Dreadnought I field an Ironclad Dreadnought with dual heavy flamers (our Ork player hates the thing). I have a Destructor-Pattern Predator with twin heavy bolters to maximize the number of shots instead of a tank-killing Annihilator-Pattern Predator. The Vindicator can kill a tank easily enough, but only if it's within 24". Usually I'm trying to land a Demolisher Cannon shell on heavy or massed infantry. Instead of a plasma gun, my Tactical Squad carries a flamer. The army as a whole doesn't field enough low AP weapons to reliably take out Battlesuits. Instead of bringing Fast Attack units that can quickly cross the table and engage a long range enemy like the Tau, I have a force that hunkers down and waits for the enemy to charge.

Obviously I'm going to have to diversify my army if I want to avoid getting stomped by the Tau on a regular basis.

The Future
My drubbing resulted from a combination of things: mostly poor strategy and planning on my part, bad luck, a limited selection of models (I'm just not painting them fast enough and I hate fielding unpainted models), and the fact that Bryce is a long time, highly competitive player. I also think that the fact that I played an older 5th Edition codex against a strong 6th Edition codex may have handicapped me slightly (i.e., it may have been the difference between a thorough defeat and the slaughter it was). The general consensus I've seen on several forums is that 6th Edition codexes are reasonably well balanced against other 6th Edition codexes, but that 5th Edition codexes may be at a disadvantage. Anyway, here are my thoughts on future games against the Tau.

Sternguard
Sternguard are practically designed to kill Tau. Long range AP4 Kraken rounds slaughter Fire Warriors, AP5 Dragonfire rounds can pick out Pathfinders in cover, AP3 Vengeance rounds are pretty handy against Battlesuits, and 2+ poisoned Hellfire rounds are useful against Riptides.

A Sternguard Marine/Tyrannic War Veteran in progress

With the flexibility granted by their special ammunition, the Tyrannic War Veteran-themed Sternguard Squad may very well be the next one I work on after I finish the Close Combat Terminators. My only hope is that the 6th Edition C:SM doesn't do something silly like eliminating special ammunition. This seems unlikely, though, given how iconic the Sternguard have become for Codex-compliant Space Marine chapters.

Devastators
If Longstrike is on the table, you are practically guaranteed to start losing tanks. C:SM Devastators could help to neutralize the Tau's anti-tank capabilities. And if you have the points available, you can add an insurance policy of five additional Marines. I'm starting to think that a Devastator Squad with a number of ablative wounds and broken into two combat squads is a lot more likely to give my heavy weapons some staying power, albeit for a prohibitively steep price.

This is where I expect GW to come through with the the 6th Edition Space Marine Codex and rectify the fact that vanilla Marines have the most expensive heavy weapons squad of any of the power armor armies. Currently, a ten man Devastator Squad with two missile launchers and two lascannons will cost you a mind-boggling 270 points. If 6th Edition C:SM Marines are priced more like Dark Angels then the same squad will cost only 210 points, allowing you to bring along a lascannon Razorback for a total of 285 points.

Cheaper Troops
One of the major shifts from the 5th to the 6th Edition is a general reduction in troop costs, usually with little to no reduction in capability (Chaos Daemons being a notable exception). This tends to give 6th Edition codexes an edge over previous ones. For instance, my army has yet to receive the 2-3 point per Marine cost reduction that Chaos Space Marines and Dark Angels have received while Bryce's Fire Warriors saw a discount with their latest codex.

I fully expect Codex Marines to get a bit cheaper in the near future. Right now two bare bones 10 man Tactical Squads cost me 340 points. Soon I expect the same two Tactical Squads to cost closer to 280 points (~300 points with Veteran Sergeants).

A More Balanced Army
Many are saying that balanced armies are the way to go in 6th Edition. Bryce's army is very balanced while mine is not. Early on in in the hobby, I made several theoretical lists and bought a huge number of models thinking that my painting would get faster over time. (It turned out that I got slower as my skills improved and I started paying more attention to detail.) Last year I bought a further $300 worth of models when I found out that GW was going to increase their prices. When Death from the Skies came out, I bought a Stormraven and two Stormtalons, thinking I'd move them up in my building queue. Sadly enough, the new codex will be out before I ever build the flyers, meaning that I'll never have actually used the supplement.

I estimate that I have between 5,000 and 6,000 points of models, only 1,600 of which have been built. I'm certainly not lacking for models.

So many unbuilt models...

Some may be surprised by what I haven't built. For example, it has taken me two years to finally start painting the Close Combat Terminator Squad I bought early on. I still don't have a finished Land Raider, I only have two playable units of Troops, and I haven't assembled a single Fast Attack unit. These are glaring limitations, but I'm finally starting to work on them.

Within my collection of unbuilt models is a well balanced army, I just have to get them to the table.