Space Marines are undoubtedly one of the most common armies played in Warhammer 40,000. I would say that, on average, 1/3rd of all armies you play against will be some form of Space Marine army. However, with the new full-sized codexes for Space Wolves, Blood Angels, Dark Angels, and Black Templars, you could find yourself against a myriad of different types of Space Marines.
Described here though is the regular bread & butter Space Marine Tactical Squad. Every Space Marine army will be fielding at least 1 of these squads (with the exception of Scout armies, but that is truly the exception, and I have never seen one fielded). Even though some armies will have special rules that may modify how this squad functions, there are basic changes that will require that you shift your strategy marginally.
For example, Space Wolf squads will benefit from the Counter-Assault special rule, which take away many of the advantages of assaulting – specifically, the bonus attacks. This means that you cannot count on as many of your troops surviving an assault. Plan accordingly, and this should not be too much of an issue. It’s still better to charge rather than be charged, but it may not be worth it to throw low-initiative troops at them (like a stray, low-model count squad of Orks).
To sum up the Tactical Squad I need only 2 words – “great” and “flexible”. This can describe the Space Marines as a whole, but it’s because their basic troop is the template for almost every model in their army (each one being a minor change from this basic template).
Tactical Marines have a high save (3+), a good toughness (4), and the “They Shall Know No Fear” special rule. These stats alone account for most of their points cost. It means that, no matter what, a Tactical Squad is going to be a threat down to the very last man, and that it’s not going to be any small task getting there. This unit’s survivability means that it can contest objectives even when gravely injured, and can resist the Massacre! result better than most other armies.
Tactical Squads now, under the new 5th edition codex, are better than ever thanks to the new “Combat Squads” special rule, allowing Space Marines to split up a maxed-out Tactical Squad into 2 squads. When they do so, it’s important to remember that although the squad takes up 1 slot in the Force Organization chart, they will function effectively as two distinct squads.
***Combat Squads, being only 5 models large, can sneakily grab an objective. Even these 3 models can claim and/or contest this objective.***
Tactical Squads (or their Combat Squad) will be designed for a purpose before the game begins. Space Marine players have to choose their special weapons in advance, and this will lock that squad in to a certain role. If they’re armed with a flamer and a Sergeant with a power weapon/fist, then you can be pretty sure that the squad is assigned to move around and engage in assault moves. If they’re armed with a Lascannon, they’re almost certainly anti-tank/monstrous creature.
You’re likely to run into many that carry Missile Launchers. They’re cheap, and can support the army in an anti-tank or anti-infantry manner. They’re not quite as good as the Heavy Bolter for fighting infantry (actually, they’re almost as good if not better in some circumstances), and not quite as good as the Lascannon for tanks, but their flexibility and low-cost really makes them shine.
Of special note is the Squad Sergeant. I like to think of the Sergeant as a special weapon model more than a support model when it comes to Space Marines. Since the Sergeant comes automatically with any squad, the only real difference is how he's armed. Most commonly you'll catch Sergeants with a Pistol and Power Fist, but don't let that fool you into thinking that's all you'll see. Many players will sacrifice the extra attack for a combi-weapon (plasma or flamer). These potent weapons can give the squad a small pump to handle a variety of opponents. Keep your eyes peeled for these combi-weapons, as they often come as a surprised to the unprepared.
The Tactical Squad’s basic armament, the Bolter, is also an incredible weapon – one that well-respected by many players. It has a good strength compared to most other small-arms, good range, rapid fire for close-range, and an AP that means a lot of non-Space Marine armies are going to lose their saves to your basic weapon. That’s quite a punch. Not only that, but Tactical Squads come equipped with Bolt Pistols too! Even though they are not carrying a close combat weapon (CCW), the Pistol is incredibly handy. It allows a Space Marine squad to effectively obtain a 3rd attack each when charging (1 + 1 for charging + 1 for the pistol shot).
However, Tactical Squads must be cautious when using the pistol. If an enemy is just within reach of a charge, a few pistol shots and a flamer could allow their opponent to remove the first line of troops, preventing the assault. Use this information wisely.
Finally, Tactical Squads also are able to take a myriad of transport options. I’ll cover transports again in the future – but to sum it up quickly, they are allowed a Drop Pod, a light transport, and a heavy transport.
With Combat Squads, the most logical option for me would be to take the heavy transport option – the Razorback. The Razorback is everything the Rhino is, and more, and while carrying a combat-squad, the 6-model maximum restriction is easily overlookable. Remember, having an extra weapon makes the Razorback harder to kill and neutralize as a threat.
The Rhino is the classic Space Marine transport. Rhinos can carry a full Tactical Squad. This is most useful for assault-oriented armies, so if you see a Rhino, you can bet that the Space Marines will try to use this to bring in a large squad of ready Space Marines.
Finally, the Drop Pod is useful, and allows incredible tactical options at the beginning of the game, and does it all for a real bargain in points. However, it is stationary (auto-hit in close combat), and the Tactical Squad will not be able to re-embark to go somewhere else. Drop Pod forces are likely to land right where you don’t want them. If their entire force is embarked in Drop Pods, then prepare for a Drop Pod Assault Force (more on that in another article as well), otherwise, try to keep an eye on where would be a good spot for them to land. Plan your strategy accordingly. One of the biggest mistakes to make is to allow a single Drop-Pod to completely destabilize your army’s momentum. A Drop-Pod and the Tactical Marines within are expensive (close or over 200 points). If you can deal with it without letting it disrupt much of your army, you’re golden.
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