Having trouble with space marine tactics any good ideas

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**George**

I have a bout 2500points of space marines but in most battles i struggle with using the right units at the right time or place

Has any one got any good tactics or ideas

**Lordhat**

Well, without a list of exactly WHAT units/models you have answering this will be hard. Instead, why don't you come up with a style of play you'd like to exploit (Since marines can do just about anything) and we'll help you out with units/tactics that would help a bit more. Also an average points range would help, as Marines perform differently at different points.

**Mellon**

Here goes some very general ideas for playing spacemarines. A good start is to trust your infantry. A well equipped tactical squad only costs around 200 points and they are very forgiving to play. I usually have one tactical squad for every 500 points in my army. Stay in cover only when facing lots of heavy weapons, you have an excellent armoursave. Use few and not expensive characters as support for your squads. Hold one powerful and mobile melee-unit (assault squad with a jump-pack chaplain, or a Captain with Commandsquad in a razorback/rhino, or possibly even a terminator assault-squad in a landraider) behind your lines to countercharge the enemy spearhead. Have at least two mobile squads (tacticals in rhino, jumppack, bikes, landraiders etc) to contest/take objectives far away and hit enemy artillery.

Make sure your squad knows what their primary job is, but don't be afraid to let them do something else if needed. For example: A tactical squad with a missile launcher, a melta gun and a powerfist is primarily there to shoot enemy infantry and take objectives. But they can also hit enemy tanks and they can fight pretty OK in close combat.

Focus your fire. Disable one enemy unit at a time. Some units stop being dangerous when there are only two or three models left, others you have to destroy completely.

Use your numbers. You will often be outnumbered. Deploy tightly, never leave a squad out on it own.

Something like that might get you started. But I agree with Lordhat. Tell us what you like to play and we can help out better.

**StormHalo**

Here's a tip, don't play against the Daemons of Chaos.

:-P

**Lordhat**

mellon wrote: A tactical squad with a missile launcher, a melta gun and a powerfist is primarily there to shoot enemy infantry and take objectives. But they can also hit enemy tanks and they can fight pretty OK in close combat.

By the loadout I would say this squad's primary purpose would be to shoot armour, with anti-infantry as the secondary and CC tertiary. But I agree with the premise, don't be scared to change the focus of a unit mid-game. Adaptation is how you win games. My own advice from another thread:

Lordhat wrote:I think this has become the most important rule in 40k 5th ed. Don't be afraid to lose ANY unit you field. I catch a lot of flak about my 'overcosted' Vangaurd squad, how they 'die too easy' and 'don't make their points back'. The latter REALLY gets my goat, as outside of tournaments, the points you pay are meaningless to the result of the game. A VV squad is one KP. So is an Assault Terminator squad, so is.... you get the point. Each unit you field should have a purpose for that game. The combination of purposes should lead to the win. If your units do what you planned on them doing, instead of what your opponents plans on them doing, then they have 'made their points back', regardless of what, if anything, they have killed.

Sure I've had a few games where my VV's didn't do a lot, (but they always accomplish their mission, even if it is to inflicts several wounds and then die), but I've also had a few games where they have killed triple their points worth of models (after accomplishing their task).

As long as you have a good strategy, that can flex to the changing battle, and clear goals for each unit, don't be afraid to give up "VP's" to get the win.

**wuestenfux**

StormHalo wrote:Here's a tip, don't play against the Daemons of Chaos.

:-P

Well, take a Librarian with nullzone.

We need an army list to be more specific.

**StormHalo**

I've just recently added a Librarian to my list, Wuestenfux. ;-)

Lordhat, how many Vanguard Vets do you field and with what weapons? Do you use drop pods or jump packs? I am considering adding them to my list in the future but was unsure whether their cost was justified.

Sorry to hi-jack your thread, George.

I'm new to my space marines personally, so you're much better served getting your advice from the dakka vets. However, I have seen my cousin have a fair amount of success with his rhinos. He can hide his tac squads while also giving him a means to rush an objective later in the game (if the rhino survives). Consider transports to make your units just THAT much more survivable and quick.

**Lordhat**

Sent you a PM StormHalo