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So I was browsing the Blood Angels Codex the other day trying to figure out how to add some new models to my Loyalist list while keeping it compatible with my Renegade list using Codex: Chaos Space Marines. And I noticed that Tech-Marines are Elite, but do not occupy Elite slots in the Force Organization Chart. This is surprising to me because I don't use Tech-Marines and so am unfamiliar with them. I am curious to see who knew about this ability to field Tech-Marines and who exploits it well (and how they do so).

They work the same way in the Dark Angels Codex. It's neat, but they're limited by 1 per vehicle you buy, so I rarely have the points to include them.

Tech marine wear many hats
They provide fire support
they repair vehicles
they can cover some melee

the problem is that they are priced at being able to do all three. In reality you can really one do one job effectively.
As far as fixing vehicles goes he's need to have a cluster of tanks around him to really be effective at that too. Maybe 3 wirlwinds?

There's nothing to exploit.

They're in the Codex for the twits who love the fluff and bought the model.

They'll be gone next Codex, so...don't add them to your army.

Why do you think they'll be gone in the next codex?

I think that in the next codex, they'll get the pendulem treatment. They'll be horribly under-pointed and overpowered.

They're no good in a crappy codex.

There's no one calling for servitors in plastic. Or techmarines.

They're so bad they don't even take up slots, but they cost a tremendous amount of points.

When the SM Codex is redone, they'll be worthless in that Codex.

Next up, enginseers in the IG. Oh right, they suck anyway!

It's part of a trend away from every imperium department gets an army or a guy in a army.

Fluff, out. Stuff that sells, in.

If dietrich is correct (and I doubt he will be), when techmarines get WS5 and cheap servitors and can join other units...sign me up!

Since I can't think of how they'd get worse, and I don't see them being critical, I see them being removed from the game or becoming a command squad 'upgrade'.

Just like the company champion, standard bearer, apothecary, medic, etc etc.

So it's your opinion that they suck (I happen to agree), that doesn't mean they'll stop making the model, or putting it in the codex.

I do think they should be in the command squad though. That's where they originally were, and that's where they should remain.

I would like to see the return of the option from late 3rd edition, where you could detach certain command squad members, and make them part of other squads. I think that would be fine. *edited for better phrasing*

Yes, that would be neat to be able to do that again.

I think for 100 points + cost of servitors, I should get either a SM character that's killy in CC or a shooty unit that's resilient like a tactical squad.

Sadly, you get neither.

So, either it goes away or it goes into the command squad.

Or for fun, it becomes a army list in white dwarf...oh nevermind, GW can't bother doing that because it confuzerizes the kiddies and we can't have that.

Okay, so far we know that Dark Angels Tech-Marines can be purchased the same way. So who knows how to exploit this ability to purchace Tech-Marines in addition to other Elite choices? gdurant says that they have three roles, but I disagree that units should have a single role that they are specifically geared to at the expense of flexibility (phun philosophy phact: the idea that each object has one purpose is sometimes called "Aristotle's Fallacy").

That said I think it is plain that a Tech-Marine's primary role is supporting Space Marine vehicles, and only secondarily adding his weight to shooting and assaults. And here I'll note that a member of a Blood Angel's Honour Guard may have the Blessing of the Omnissiah, though is less effective in applying it due to lack of Servitors with Servo-arms or a Servo-Harness themself.

As an upgrade to an Honour Guard, someone to keep the Guard's Land Raider or Rhino transport moving forward seems pretty handy, as well as having the extra Power Weapon and the Artificier Armour save.

Independently though, which is what we're talking about, a Techmarine with two Servo Arm'd Servitors, and two Gun Servitors (At least one Gun Servitor with a Multi-Melta in case someone attempts to use Tank Shock to interrupt the Tech-Marine's work seems sensible) and a Servo Harness looks like a handy guy to have around if: you have three Dreadnoughts, or simply a Space Marine force with plenty of Armour if you're willing to spare the points for a Razorback for the mobility to reach immobilized or disarmed units. In a bunker assault trailing a squadron of Vindicators seems handy since losing a weapon can emasculate a Vindicator.

Keeping a Demolisher Cannon in the fight, or keeping a Land Raider moving, or keeping the Dreadnought Close Combat Weapons in a Dreadnought squadron all seem really handy. Simply expecting a straight-up combat unit seems unreasonable since so many Space Marine units outperform a Tech-Marine in the primary roles of shooting and assaulting. But using the Tech-Marine to leverage the effect of Armoured units like you'd use a Captain for Leadership, Chaplain for assault, and Librarian for Psychic defense, then you'd have something worth so many points because the effect of repairing Weapon Destroyed and Weapon Immobilized results would pay for themselves by restoring their ability to shoot and assault effectively.

Nurglitch wrote:all seem really handy

Seem. Key word.

Actually are very useless point sinks.

Actually I've just recently started using a techmarine by himself in the full harness with a combat shield and find him to be a great addition to my army. He runs around with my libby blasting and gutting things in close combat. Nothing better than firing off both his twin-linked plasma pistol (or bolter) and his flamer before charging in to mop up the few remaining models with his 3(4 depending on gear) power weapon attacks and 2 powerfist attacks and moving on. Using him along side my libby makes for an interesting combo and threat in CC and close range shooting.

I haven't tried using him in other ways or with a servitor squad yet, because I am happy with his effectiveness in the current role I gave him.


*Edit* I should probably state that I am using it in my Ultra army not a blood angels army.

The problem with the BA/DA techmarine is that he's not an independent character, so he is unable to join anohter squad, where his effectiveness will really shine.

As it stands right now you have 3 options:

1. run him solo, footslogging and vulnerable to all manner of firing before he's dead (and unable to use his close-combat options)

2. Buy him servitors with weapons. They are decent at range, but you're wasting a ton of points on the techmarine (this could be better in 5E since his 2+ save and multiple wounds can allow him to be first priority on wound allocation)

3. give him a transport and have him follow tanks or other squads to support them. He'll be largely ineffective most of the game, but may be able to make a noticable difference alter in the game (if he's still alive)

My marine army runs with a Techmarine on a bike, with a Servo-Harness. He shadows the army's tanks, occasionally trying his hand at repairing damaged stuff, but his real role is to leap out and lay down a flame template, twin-linked plasma pistol, and a bunch of power weapon/power fist attacks all over whatever catches my eye. He frequently gets deployed near the captain on bike with a thunder hammer as a support unit, fighting off the infantry while the captain goes for the vehicles. Besides, he's a really neat conversion.

If I could get a techmarine on a bike, I think I'd be cool with that. the BA/DA techmarines do not get it as an option, and it's likely it will no longer be an option when the new Space Marines codex comes out later this year.

He is extremely unusable by DA/BA in his current form without seriously centering a big chunk of the army on making him effective; a waste of resources IMO.

Some units appear in a codex for fluff... so they are rarely used but that does not mean they will disappear. Not everyone is a power gamer that fields cookie cutter armies.

- G

Yeah, scout bikes keep showing up in the codex, and I don't think I've ever seen them used in a game.

I've used scout bikers before. They're most useful as quick assault units to disrupt the enemy line on the first turn. A tiny unit of them can be used to hold an enemy unit in place while you bring up another, slower assault unit to beat the crap out of them.

I tried a large scout army before, including scout bikes.
They got creamed in every battle.

I have a tech Marine myself which i have used in a couple of battle and wasn't overly impressed with his performance, for the points he costs and his actual ability to do anything, its unlikely he'll get his points worth in a battle, even including repairing of vehicles.

If he was well supported and kept out of trouble, he could potentially be a good model to assist in an initial charge and close combat. Will have to try this next battle and see what happens.