Goatboy’s 40k Thoughts – Can We Make a Marine Horde Work?
Goatboy here again and today I want to go back to looking at Marines. Not just a few Astartes, but BUSHELS of 3+ armor .
I know we haven’t been seeing them much as of late and I feel it is due to the annoyance of the Heldrake that is keeping them at bay. Instead of waxing on that subject I have decided to try and make it work with the tools we have with some of the Marine codexes. Who knows if the armies are worthwhile and as usual this is just an experiment with just trying to fit in as many boots on the table top as we can.
I don’t want to do drop pods as there are too many times the locked in nature of the drop pod leaves you to the evils of the Heldrake. Plus a crafty opponent will be able to mitigate some of the tricks you can use to try and keep from getting burned alive. I do think that one model is what keeps a lot of marine armies safe and sound in their foam prisons. So with that in mind – let’s start with the first list.
(Yes you see the CTRL C/CTRL V – these lists are thought list so they are basic in nature at first and with playing you can tweak and add. Yeah the HQ choices for Rune Priest are due to my local metagame where MC Smash (Sorry…) is very popular so anti Psychics are very good)
Space Wolves
Viking Horde of Doom Version 1.01
HQ: Rune Priest, Terminator Armor, Meltabombs – Murderous Hurricane, JaWs
HQ: Rune Priest, Terminator Armor, Chooser of the Slain – Living Lightning, JaWs
HQ: Rune Priest, Terminator Armor, Chooser of the Slain, Meltabombs – Living Lightning, Murderous Hurricane
HQ: Rune Priest, Terminator Armor, Chooser of the Slain, Wolftooth Necklace – Living Lightning, Storm Caller
Elites: Wolf Guard Terminators X 6, Power Maul X 6, Cyclone Missile Launcher
Elites: Lone Wolf, Terminator Armor, Power Maul, Chainfist
Elites: Lone Wolf, Terminator Armor, Power Maul, Chainfist
Troops: Grey Hunters X 10, Plasma Gun X 2, Wolf Standard
Troops: Grey Hunters X 10, Plasma Gun X 2, Wolf Standard
Troops: Grey Hunters X 10, Meltagun X 2, Wolf Standard
Troops: Grey Hunters X 10, Flamer X 2, Wolf Standard
Troops: Grey Hunters X 10, Flamer X 2, Wolf Standard
Heavy: Long Fangs X 6, Missile Launcher X 5
1850
Basically you have two Terminator Armor Saves in each Grey Hunter squad so you can place them in the areas where they can take the brunt of the burning. If you need to live a turn you can burn the Wolf Standard to try and tank as much as you can so your models can survive and shoot the Dragon in the butt and anything else.
The 4 Rune Priests are a lot and you can add in Wolf Guard or Wolf Priest if you prefer. This list is again bent towards the competitive side of things and dealing with what I see. Lots of Daemons and Eldar so the 4+ FU is very powerful locally. The two Lone Wolves are there to run up, get in the way and cause problems like they normally do. I went with a Chainfist/Power Maul combo as it allows me to be annoying in all sorts of ways.
Blood Angels
Now let’s go to another old codex that we don’t see too often – Blood Angels. This one can do something similar with the priests as well. I think it bears looking at as it will control the table top and always get a save most of the time with FNP.
HQ: Librarian, Terminator Armor
Elites: Sanguinary Priest X 3, Terminator Armor X 3
Elites: Sanguinary Priest X 2, Terminator Armor X 2
Troops: Death Company X 10, Power Maul X 2
Troops: Tactical Squad X 10, Plasma Gun, Lascannon
Troops: Tactical Squad X 10, Plasma Gun, Lascannon
Troops: Tactical Squad X 10, Flamer, Missile Launcher
Troops: Tactical Squad X 10, Flamer, Missile Launcher
Troops: Tactical Squad X 10, Flamer, Missile Launcher.
Heavy: Predator, TWL Lascannon, Lascannon Sponsons
Heavy: Predator, TWL Lascannon, Lascannon Sponsons
1850
Another midranged army designed to sit in the middle, cause problems, and hopefully shoot a lot. Plus it uses Tactical Marines. Who doesn’t love Tactical marines. You get the added Benefit of having FNP all over the place as well. This is just another look at making huge and fat units of Marines.
Dark Angels
What about the new book? Dark Angels. How do they horde up and utilize wound allocation with 2+ save jerks leading from the front?
HQ: Librarian, Terminator Armor
HQ: Librarian, Terminator Armor
HQ: TechMarine, Powerfield Generator
HQ: TechMarine, Powerfield Generator
Elite: Dreadnought, TWL Autocannon X 2
Troops: Tactical Squad X 10, Plasmagun, Lascannon
Troops: Tactical Squad X 10, Plasmagun, Lascannon
Troops: Tactical Squad X 10, Flamer, Missile Launcher
Troops: Tactical Squad X 10, Flamer, Missile Launcher
Troops: Scouts X 10, Sniper Rifles X 10, Camo Cloaks X 10
Troops: Scouts X 10, Sniper Rifles X 10, Camo Cloaks X 10
Heavy: Predator, TWL Lascannon, Lascannon Sponsons
Heavy: Predator, TWL Lascannon, Lascannon Sponsons
Heavy: Predator, TWL Lascannon, Lascannon Sponsons
Yeah it looks boring as all get out but that is a ton of boots on the table top. You don’t have FNP but you do have 4+ inv saves until the Tech Marine eats it. The Scouts are designed to outflank, get your line break and set up shop somewhere to sell homemade candles or something. You should have enough long range firepower to hurt things if needed and you should be annoying enough to take awhile to knock out of their zone. You do need to watch for the Land Raider Build – but that is such a big win to big loss style list that it becomes hard to justify in a 5 round event.
The Wolves have the easiest time getting some 2+ save jerks in units and I still feel they are the best of regular marines (not counting Grey Jerks). I am just trying to think how to fit in Marines in the new environment. I know there are lists but if you don’t see a ton of bodies on the table top with 3+ armor then it just doesn’t feel like a marine army. Here is hoping the new book fixes things.
Chaos Marines
Oh and for fun – how about an CSM horde that isn’t cultists/zombies.
HQ: Terminator Chaos Lord, Power Maul
HQ: Fabius Bile
Troops: CSM X 20, Plasmagun, Autocannon, Meltabombs
Troops: CSM X 20, Plasmagun, Autocannon, Meltabombs
Troops: CSM X 20, Flamer, Missile Launcher, Meltabombs
FA: Heldrake, Baleflamer
FA: Heldrake, Baleflamer
Heavy: Predator, Lascannon Sponsons
Heavy: Predator, Lascannon Sponsons
Heavy: Predator, Lascannon Sponsons
You basically create 3 Fearless blobs of guys – 2 from the IC joining and one from the Enhanced warriors. This is again a mission list and not a crush your face list. Still the Dragons can just randomly win you games.
So there you go – a bunch of marine lists I am sure will generate a cry of boredom. Marines are in a weird place right now where the Xenos are finally coming back to dominate again. There needs to be a lot of changes to help Marines along.
Have you found some decent marine lists that are not just full of non marines? 3+ Boots are what we think of when we see the marines so come up with some lists in the comments.
