|
|
when fighting against space marines army selection should comprise of:
HQ: Always arm your archon with an agonizer when fighting space marines, as it is easier to wound the marines with (4+ rather than 5+). As it allows no armour save, it is very useful against this type of foe. If you are going to include a retinue for your archon, incubi would be the prime choice, although not very cheap, they hit a standard space marine on a 3+, wound on a 4+ and the space marines get no armour save against them. Add to the fact that they will almost always strike first and you have the perfect troop for killing those pesky terminators !. Always mount this kind of unit in a raider wherever possible as they cannot use the fleet of foot ability.
ELITES: Grotesques are a great unit to use against space marines. Just watch all the heavy bolter shots bounce off :). always accompany these troops with at least 1 haemonculus because at Ld 5, the grotesques wont be passing many tests to move. Grotesques are good as screens to stop the space marine player from firing at any warrior units equipped with dark lances. With 2 wounds and 2 attacks, it is useful to get these units in to hand to hand as soon as possible, whilst trying to maintain the screen against enemy fire. If a choice is to be made between wyches and mandrakes, it is best to take mandrakes. These units are as good as the wyches in hand to hand combat, but they also get the ability to be guaranteed to be in the right place at the right time!.
TROOPS: always try to bring on the maximum 20 man units when fighting space marines. Arm about 50% of the units with 2 dark lances, and the other half with 2 splinter cannons. The dark lance units are best kept at the back, firing at the space marine vehicles, dreadnoughts and terminators, whilst the units with the splinter cannons should move forward to make best use of the splinter cannons. If you wish to include raider squads, it is best to arm them with 1 blaster and 1 splinter cannon. Both of these weapons can be fired effectively from the raider itself. When fighting space marines it is better to replace the dark lance on the raider for a desintegrator. The desintegrator has the ability to take out more space marines per shot than the dark lance.
FAST ATTACK: when using reaver jetbikes it is best to replace 2 of the splinter rifles with blasters as they have more armour piercing potential. Try to upgrade 1 of the riders to succubus wherever possible, and arm her/him with an agonizer.At the time of writing there are no helion models available, so it is impossible to advise on tactics for their use.
HEAVY SUPPORT: When using scourges, always arm them with 4 splinter cannons. This is on the principal that there is no point having jump packs if you cant use them (you cannot move and shoot with dark lances). If possible include a talos in your army. These monsters are great for taking out vehicles and dreadnoughts. All u have to do is get them into hand to hand combat. If using ravagers, it is best to arm them with 1 dark lance (for taking out vehicles) and 2 desintegrators (for taking out all comers).
TACTICS: When fighting against space marines it is best to have your warrior units armed with dark lances placed in the centre of your deployment zone, with splinter cannon armed squads on either side. Concentrate your fast units on the flanks so that they can get round the back of the space marines and force them into the centre and the waiting dark lances !! Try to get the archon and his retinue into hand to hand as soon as possible. There is nothing in the space marine army that can (on average) beat that unit in hand to hand.
