Greetings Brothers,
I have been carefully perusing my new codex over the last week. Worse, I have been following the rumors for the Dark Angels release, and wasting precious time.
My first response to the Codex was relief. I am enjoying the direction GW is going with the new releases. I pray that the other marines get the same love we have. For that matter, even the Xenos players should get the same love.
The new codex has so much to cover; I really don't know where to start. I suppose the best thing is to discuss the major change, first.
As you may have heard, we now have formations. You can still field the CAD. I wouldn't blame someone if they did. With the squadrons all over the new codex, I have a few CAD army ideas myself. However, the new formations are looking fun to me as well. They feel fluffy to me. I like fluffy. They also have the crunch to make them respectable. So without going into too much detail, here are the new formations:
Battle Demi Company(Core):
This is your core formation. It is composed of 1 Captain or Chaplain, 3 Tactical Squads, 1 Assault support unit(bike squad, attack bike squad, unit of landspeeders, or assault centurion squad), 1 Devastator support unit(Devastator squad or Devastator Centurion squad). This formation also has option for command squad or dreadnought squad. The Captain and chaplain can be swapped out for Sicarrius, Cassius, Khan, Vulkan, Shrike, or Grimaldus.
The squads themselves do not need be full strength, providing a great deal of flexibility to the function of the force. Also note that it's not just assault marines and devastator marines for the additional forces. With the potential for bikes, landspeeders, and centurions of both variety, this makes the demi battle company a fairly solid core force.
Also if you take two demi companies (Full Battle Company) you gain free transports. However upgrades to the transports still cost you.
Also if you take two demi companies (Full Battle Company) you gain free transports. However upgrades to the transports still cost you.
This formation's special rules:
Tactical flexibility-allow the formation access to the tactical/dev/assault doctrines,single use.
Objective secured - makes all units in this formation objective secured.
Anti-aircraft defense force(Aux):
1 unit of stalkers
1 unit of hunters
Restriction: stalker unit must be made up of 2 stalker vehicles
Special rules: skyspear auto targeting- if the hunter his a fleet or FMC the stalkers add one to their BS against that target.
Not really sold on this formation. Fliers just aren't that scary. When I see a flyer I do a mass fire with my army and try my luck at snap shots.
First Company Task Force(Aux):
This formation allows you to take units like the Terminators and Vanguard/Sternguard Veterans in any configuration. This formation grants these units fear and fearless. They can also nominate one unit for preferred enemy. This force is a great way to field Vanguards, Sternguards, and Terminators as a force without having to go with Strikeforce Ultra.
Strikeforce Ultra(Aux):
Same as the previously released dataslate.
Reclusiam Command Squad(Command):
Same as the previously released dataslate.
10th Company Task Force(Aux):
This force allows you to field Scouts on their own with Sgt. Telion and, with its special rules, any of the infiltrated units gain the concealed special rule until they move. Plus, for the first turn of the game all the units have precision shot. The best part of the unit is that scouts are regular statted marines, just with scout armor, making for a very nasty turn one.
Stormwing Formation(Aux):
Same as the previously released dataslate.
Centurion Siegebreaker Cohort(Aux):
This formation is a mix of Ironclad Dreadnought and Centurion Assault squads which grant the special rules to reroll failed AP and glancing hits against buildings.
Land Raider Spearhead(Aux):
3 Land Raiders of any variety. Grants armored behemoth, which lets them ignore all results on the vehicle dmg. table as long as they are within 6 in. of another vehicle in the formation. They also gain the ability to reroll AP and to-wound rolls against super heavy vehicles and gargantuan creatures.
Librarius Conclave(Command):
This allows you to take multiple librarians, working together, as per the Dark Angel dataslate.
Armoured Task Force(Aux):
Allows for multiple vehicles to be fielded. Return of the tank line with this task force. Chronus can be selected for one of your tanks and a tech marine must be taken in addition to any for your Thunderfire Cannons. The special rules for this formation really focus on the tech marines, giving them vehicles within 6" ignore shaken and stunned results as well as a +1 to Blessing of the Omnissiah.
Suppresion Force(Aux):
Allows for Whirlwinds and Land Speeders to work together to provide the Whirlwinds with unlimited range and rerolls to hit.
Strike Force Command(Command):
This allows you to take named captains, chaplains, chapter masters and there appropriate escorts. There are no special rules allotted for this formation.
This is the rough summary of the formations. I will go into my perceived usages of each in a later post, along with some key changes in the new Codex. For now, the Master of the Forge says that I have to go help in the yard.
ATSKNF
Torquer
First Company Task Force(Aux):
This formation allows you to take units like the Terminators and Vanguard/Sternguard Veterans in any configuration. This formation grants these units fear and fearless. They can also nominate one unit for preferred enemy. This force is a great way to field Vanguards, Sternguards, and Terminators as a force without having to go with Strikeforce Ultra.
Strikeforce Ultra(Aux):
Same as the previously released dataslate.
Reclusiam Command Squad(Command):
Same as the previously released dataslate.
10th Company Task Force(Aux):
This force allows you to field Scouts on their own with Sgt. Telion and, with its special rules, any of the infiltrated units gain the concealed special rule until they move. Plus, for the first turn of the game all the units have precision shot. The best part of the unit is that scouts are regular statted marines, just with scout armor, making for a very nasty turn one.
Stormwing Formation(Aux):
Same as the previously released dataslate.
Centurion Siegebreaker Cohort(Aux):
This formation is a mix of Ironclad Dreadnought and Centurion Assault squads which grant the special rules to reroll failed AP and glancing hits against buildings.
Land Raider Spearhead(Aux):
3 Land Raiders of any variety. Grants armored behemoth, which lets them ignore all results on the vehicle dmg. table as long as they are within 6 in. of another vehicle in the formation. They also gain the ability to reroll AP and to-wound rolls against super heavy vehicles and gargantuan creatures.
Librarius Conclave(Command):
This allows you to take multiple librarians, working together, as per the Dark Angel dataslate.
Armoured Task Force(Aux):
Allows for multiple vehicles to be fielded. Return of the tank line with this task force. Chronus can be selected for one of your tanks and a tech marine must be taken in addition to any for your Thunderfire Cannons. The special rules for this formation really focus on the tech marines, giving them vehicles within 6" ignore shaken and stunned results as well as a +1 to Blessing of the Omnissiah.
Suppresion Force(Aux):
Allows for Whirlwinds and Land Speeders to work together to provide the Whirlwinds with unlimited range and rerolls to hit.
Strike Force Command(Command):
This allows you to take named captains, chaplains, chapter masters and there appropriate escorts. There are no special rules allotted for this formation.
This is the rough summary of the formations. I will go into my perceived usages of each in a later post, along with some key changes in the new Codex. For now, the Master of the Forge says that I have to go help in the yard.
ATSKNF
Torquer
