5th edition is coming out *grumble* and with it a crop of new forces and figures July 2008.

5th Edition Rulebook
Space Marine Strike Force
Chaos Space Marine Strike Force
Necron Warrior Phalanx
Tyranid Assault Brood
Moonscape Craters (Terrain)

I started years ago with Ultramarines, and since then have seen the many benefits of going with another chapter, many of which I consider to be cheesy (more on that in another module perhaps).

I liked the Ultramarines because they were instantly recognizable, prolific, if not overly done, and Codex Astartes Standard.

That settled I had as much as 1500 points fleshed out before I quit playing. Now that I'm back in, I'm rebuilding for 1000 points (in my opinion, the best size for a medium sized game that shows off variety, and yet doesn't make an unwieldy mass of troops/units).

I wanted my 1000 points to be flexible for a variety of missions, but they focus on Cleanse (my favorite), particularly an Alpha Cleanse, but if people want to do Gamma or Omega I won't quibble. I have more to say about these also, in later modules.

I'm also considering new paint schemes/chapters/second foundings, etc. so they will be codex standard but not necessarily Ultramarines.

1000 Point Space Marines - Standard

This army focuses on table coverage to maintain control of the table's firing corridors while having the flexibility to get to take other quarters.

HQ - Chaplain on bike - 105

Elite - Dreadnought w/Assault Cannon - 105

Troops - (Assume all tactical squads have sergeant with boltpistol/chainsword)
(1) Tactical Squad - 8 man with Missile Launcher - 130
(2) Tactical Squad - 8 man with Missile Launcher - 130
(3) Tactical Squad - 8 man with Lascannon - 135
(4) Tactical Squad - 8 man with Lascannon - 135
(5) Tactical Squad - 5 man with Plasma Gun - 81
(6) Scout Squad - 6 man with 4 sniper rifles, 1 Heavy Bolter - 113

Fast - Attack Bike with Multi-Melta - 65

Total Points 999

This permits me a fair 9 squads. I have 5 troop squads to hold the original quarter, to cover the middle, to strafe along the boundaries of quarters 2 and 3, and generally cover the whole table at range. I have a variety of fire from Bolters, Missile launchers, Lascannons and Sniper rifles to permit pinning, tank killing, tough troop disposal, and big squad disposal.

The Chaplain and Attack Bike would be separate, allowing me to draw fire, but also to work together at speed, and to provide additional assault support to the Chaplain.

The remaining troop squad gives slower cover for the bikes, but would work with them in assaults, provide crossfires and hold quarters if the bikes need to go elsewhere.

The dreadnought will be my pincushion for crossing the crossroads in an attempt to slow down my opponents.

Variation 1:

I've considered a heavier bike group as a variation.

HQ - As above - 105

Elite - As above - 105

Troops -
(1),(2) and (3) as above but add one marine to (1) and (2) and give one squad a plasma gun - 431

Fast -
(1) 3 bikes, 1 with plasma gun - 111
(2) 3 bikes, 1 with plasma gun - 111
(3) 2 bikes, 1 attack bike with Multi-melta - 135

Total Points - 998

This force is deployed much the same way. The 3 troops take hold in zone 1, covering the middle and strafing whichever zone the bikes are not going into. They can also provide cover for the bike.

Meanwhile, the 3 squads of bikes and the Chaplain move in and flank/surround any units that enter their quarter, able to stay at range or get into assault as needed.

The dreadnought would keep the same role as distraction/pincushion.

Frankly, I like this as a White Scars force and may develop it as such.

Variation 2:

This is a far more defensive, shooting-heavy variation using one of my favorite units, the Predator Annihilator.

HQ - Same - 105

Elite - Same - 105

Troops -
(1),(2),(3),(4) and (6) as in the standard force - 643

Heavy -
Predator Annihilator with Lascannon Sponsons - 145

Total Points 998

Again, 8 squads. Troops are laid out much like the standard group, Dreadnought goes rampaging, but the troops can move in an overwatch formation, missile launcher squads move on even turns, lascannons move on odd turns (or vice versa) to permit them to get into quarters without giving up too many firing opportunities. The Chaplain would go to where the fight is, while the Scouts and Predator hold the middle.

Alternately, these forces can stay put and let the enemy come to them, using the dreadnought and chaplain to harass advancing shooting groups and letting the entrenched troops and heavy obliterate advancing assaulters.

That's it for this force. Its pretty straight forward, with a lot of flexibility, which is one reason I like Codex Space Marines. I'm still keen to make the bike variation a White Scars army because Mongolian looking marines on bolted-laden choppers is just so right.

After having studied the 4th edition rulebook, and having had similar thoughts when I was playing 3rd edition, I realized that I needed to follow some standard rules if I was going to be more successful.

These are a few of them, which I will try to make clear, and add to over time.

1. Vehicles aren't worth the points - Some folks can't live without vehicles, and there are a few exceptions, but overall, having vehicles (or anything with an armor value) isn't worth the points. Look at a rhino for example. Its main purpose is to keep troops inside alive and get them to another part of the battlefield quickly. The typical response to seeing a rhino on the table is to kill it with the biggest weapon possible, as quickly as possible. Almost any glancing hit will make the rhino worthless for at least a turn. Any penetrating hit, regardless of the result, forces the occupants to disembark in 4th edition. Furthermore, if the vehicle is destroyed completely, the troops inside, or any outside who just disembarked or were flanking the vehicle when it went up become potential casualties. Any survivors are now on foot, minus the expensive rhino which didn't do much in the first place. The common response is armor and smoke, but even then a rhino can be slowed to the point of pointlessness. You don't have to destroy a rhino to kill it, you just have to slow it down, etc. Squads of units on foot make the opponent pick and choose his targets, as opposed to putting a big red flag on the table. Vehicles and dreadnoughts just shout "Blow me up!" Don't make it that easy for your opponent. In some cases, the expense is justified. I love the Predator, and if you keep it in the back where it belongs, with good shooting channels, its great. Dreadnoughts are cheap and powerful if you can get the enemy to come to you. Out in the open, its dead meat. With 4th edition in mind, I found the Rhino, or any other transport to be obsolete, unless you are incredibly lucky or your opponent is just poorly trained in fundamentals.

2. Ramp up your troop numbers. As a rule of thumb, you should have 4-5 squads for every 500 points fielded. Some armies will do far better, like IG due to their cheapness and organization. Still, most armies should be able to field about 8-9 squads for a 1000 pt game.

And I'm talking non-cheesy squads. As a space marine player, this was generally considered any 5 man squad not in a razorback or multiple squads of single speeders or attack bikes. My 2000 point force above is generally considered non-cheesy, but fields 16 squads for 2000 points. Naturally, the more self-reliant squads you have, the more targets your opponent has to choose from, giving you more opportunities.

3. Master shooting or assaulting or be prepared to fail at both. Some armies get bogged down in not having enough squads (see 2.) because each squad is a jack of all trades, with every possible piece of wargear and weapon, while not being particularly great at shooting or assaulting, or being out of position to do one or the other. I like to have squads with clear roles, so that shooters shoot, and assaulters assault. In a pinch, a squad might be able to do the contrary role, but this is usually at a distinct disadvantage. Why break them down like this?

The answer is simple. Shooting squads should be taking on assault squads at range, and assault squads should be taking on shooting squads up close. This seems obvious, but as a result, shooting squads should be maximized to do the most damage per opportunity to prevent an assault squad from getting in range. This means heavy weapons to destroy transports and whittle down tougher troops, multi-shot weapons to thin out bigger squads, and plenty of troops to survive misfires, counterattacks and the like.

In the same vein, assault troops need to have power weapons piled on and plenty of attacks to maximize every assaulting opportunity.

Some players feel they need to give their shooty squads some assault chops in case they get assaulted. This is usually a bad idea because it ramps up the cost of the squad, limiting the number of squads, and even then since you are at a disadvantage against a manufactured assault squad, you'll lose anyway. Better to organize your troops so that assaulters can bail out shooters, and shooters can clear a path for assaulters. Trying to make your squads too all-purpose usually leads to wasted points.

One of the greatest inclusions in 4th edition for Space Marines is that now Space Marine Troops Squads can add 1 plasma cannon for 20 points.

That's huge! Plasma cannons kill just about everything and do it with a small blast template. At about half the cost for a devastator squad, its also more efficient. If you have a shooty marine army, you can't have enough plasma cannons.