Games Workshop has been changing armies for the longest time. What better way to reward you for building fantastic conversions to fit special rules and background armies than to allow you to "Counts As" them as the only army that counts? That's right! Now YOU can have a Counts As Space Marines Army!
Imperial Guard Counts As Space Marines
Let's start with Aventine Fly Lord's Methalor Penal Legion. It's a prime candidate for Counting As, since it has rules that will be obsolete and fancy conversions.
This is obviously a Space Marine army. It has guns and tanks. So your guardsmen have suddenly gained added value. They go from practically no save to 3+! Fancy that!
Counts-as Devastators.
Counts-as Posing Bald Marine. I almost wouldn't qualify it as a counts as army, though. He's not screaming.
But he is. Counts as screaming marine. No, I don't know what the backpack is for.
I see a bolt pistol and hear a chainsword! Assault Marine, anybody?
Of course you could always just see the real Methalor Penal Legion and forget about this business.
Necrons Counts As Space Marines
But the Imperium can't have all the fun, you say? Not enough armor to properly represent what REAL power armor would look like, you say?
Then have a taste of some CRONMARINES
Proper Cronmarines carry grenades ALL THE TIME. They pose majestically while trying to figure out how to set the fuse.
Another reason to take Cronmarines is to have big guns, and Mercer gave these Cronmarines BIG guns. Almost big enough to work as Assault Cannons. What do you mean they nerfed Assault Cannons? Why wasn't I told?
Well, now they can be Counts As'd Whatever the Best Gun is Now.
Clearly these are those Freddy Krueger Marines you hear about being so overpowered. "Why do Space Marines get to have Freddy Krueger Marines?" I see people posting this on the forums ALL THE TIME. Get over it, kiddos. Space Marines get the best toys, and Cronmarines Counts As them best.
And these Cronmarines are the horribly underpowered Sneaky Marines in the new codex. Sneaky Marines always have to have some clever gimmick in order to get a player to field them. Remember the unwritten rule of Counts Assing: If the option totally sucks, make a cool conversion of it.
I mean, really. Sneaky Marines? Who came up with THAT name?
Counts As Cronmarines also have access to rifle whips. It's like twin lashes, except cheaper to model.
To see the full extent of the (abusive) Cronmarines rules, you can read all about Mercer's Necrons.
Eldar Counts As Space Marines
Want to totally confuse your opponent? Count Ass them to death by taking models from one range, Count As them for 40k, and then Count As them as Space Marines when they take away your Exodite Dragon riders. Add source lighting effects, and you get this.
Oh yeah. You know it's good Counts As when you can't even tell what's going on from a distance.
Because they're STEALTHED. That's some good Counts As.
Very clearly a Counts As Marneus Calgar or Pedro Cantor. Can't you tell? Well, if you can't, just tell your opponent it's the only special character on the table and you want your Counts As army to Counts As Chapter (insert chapter name here). Since it's the only way to field that chapter, they'll have to accept your word for it.
They have guns and cloaks. Honour Guard. Or Scouts.
Hmm...maybe Scouts.
Guns and swords. Assault Marines.
No face = Librarian. If they say wtf, explain that when you Counts As something, it's not your fault that the changes to the Codex don't make sense. While they ponder that, roll for the psychic test.
And sometimes, you just have to make stuff up.
"My Space Marine Chapter has geneseed that makes them grow wings and the skinny shape of an elf from their shoulderblades."
Of course this is ridiculous. That's why you should look at albinoork's Exodite army instead.
Counts As Deathwing
And finally, when there's nothing else to say, show them you mean SERIOUZ BUSINESS with a Counted As'd Space Marines Army.
The Grandmaster of the Deathwing himself, complete with pimp fur coat and custom helm carrier. The Beer-helm, I think it's called on the custom wargear datasheet.
Even Terminators need Counts As trolls = Techmarines with fancy guns to keep their vehicles and equipment going.
Aaand...sometimes you just give the Terminator a big Axe. No reason. If they ask for a reason, then show them the serious business end.
Dreadnought.
Hairy Dreadnought.
Pointy Stick Dreadnought
Flamy fist dreadnought. No really, those are all options in the new Space Marines Codex. Didn't you look at it? And you call yourself a fanboi!
Assault Terminators (see? I knew I'd find a real unit entry out of this one)
But this? This you just put on the table and say "Counts As."
"Counts As What?"
"Whatever I like."
"Fair enough."
But if you're interested in knowing what any of that really is, then look at Craig's Trollbloods.
The End?
I guess so. You see, I haven't asked any of these guys for permission to use their pictures as part of this article, and I can't hide behind the false authority of ARTICLE MODERATOR forever. Sooner or later yak is bound to fire me, so I thought I'd get it out there on March 31st in case I had to pull the article on April 1st.
If any of this looked like fun to do, well, it was work but it was fun! And you can have fun, too! Take some pictures of your armies, and read about adding Army Profiles to the Dakka Articles system. Different game systems are welcome, even 40k!
