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I have been trying to think of a few ways to equip them to field them in a small game, (750-1000pts) and it really doesn't seem practical. With the weapon upgrade to Sonic Blaster, they become more expensive than any of the other Chaos Marine troop variants, and the benefit doesn't seem like all that much. You have the initiative bonus, but it really doesn't make a difference if you're going to have them using the Sonic weapons cause they will be at range. It seems like these are the gimpiest of all the specific chaos marine troop types, especially compared to the others who get psykers, toughness, or attack/WS bonuses.

Am I missing something, or are these guys just as bad as I think they are?

at smaller points i do agree they get pricey and you are pressed to see the bonuses. that being said in my disciples of sodomy army (2000 points) i have the following:

10 noise marines all sonic blasters, champ with SB, PW and doom siren

10 noise marines all sonic blasters, champ with SB, PW and doom siren

6 noise marines, blastmaster, champ with PW

6 noise marines, blastmaster, champ with PW

the sonic blaster makes the unit very flixible. loads of dakka if you stand still, still alot if your looking to charge. but at smaller points i would prolly run a unit of 6 with blasters and a PW champ.

I run a unit of 5 or 6 all with sonic blasters and a blast master in all points levels. They're great for playing around on my side of the board and keeping objectives. For the same number of points, I'd rather have the blast master than the power weapon champion.

Noise Marines get I5 and Fearless for 20 points. There is nothing wrong with 5 of them in a rhino, just with bolters, especially at smaller points levels.

Noise marines are very good. The amount of fire they can lay down can be staggering. With sonic blasters, not only do they get an extra static shot at 24", but also extra range while moving (not to mention having assault weapons) this means that they are very good for taking objectives. Thier extra I makes them good in combat against MEQs, and thier firepower makes them good against hordes. Blastmasters even let them be good against vehicles and MCs.

I run two squads of 5 with sonic blasters and blastmasters in my usual 1000pt army, and they never fail to disappoint

Well, I'd take 2 six men squads in Rhinos each of which led by an AC with doom siren.
Add a winged DP with lash.

Footslogging NM are not worth it unless you play non-competitive.

whitedragon wrote:Noise Marines get I5 and Fearless for 20 points. There is nothing wrong with 5 of them in a rhino, just with bolters, especially at smaller points levels.

I have to agree. I field 6 man NM squads in Rhino's for my lower point games. 5 points each for first strike against most MEQ and fearless is a bargain.

Do you use Sonic Blasters or no?

I am thinking the heavy sonic weapon is sort of a waste of points, compared to when it can get you almost two more NMs for the cost.

For my two cents in small games ive got to say a 6 man squad, no sonic blasters, doomsiren very yes ,power sword on champ, very yes, Rhino very yes. You drive up, pop out and drop a template of doom on a squad (( very worth it if aginst marine equvilants)) and rapid fire with the rest of the marines, which if used this way is almost as effective as paying for thoes sonic blasters, if whatevers left of the unit assaults you, you have a unit that will likely strike first with a few nasty power weapon attacks waiting for them. As a sub note this squad is a little top heavy as the noise champion costs a fairly big wack of points, but their effectiveness as a sudden shock troop is hard to argue:-)

Ask Redbeard.


Seriously.


From what I remember, basically you keep a small squad, sonic blasters all around and Doom Siren on the champ. Give it a rhino. Either sit still and shoot away or run up and be aggressive with them. Move, shoot blasters on assault mode, use the ap3 heavy flamer from the champion, and then charge in with 2 I5 S4 attacks from each marine plus whatever the Champ uses. They are a fairly versatile unit that can shoot and assault just as well.

wuestenfux wrote:Footslogging NM are not worth it unless you play non-competitive.

I hope you're joking. Fearless MEQ in cover with 3 shots at 24" plus the blastmaster is about all I could ask for in an objective holder, and they can still contribute from the back of the table.

I usually run them kinda like ghetto combat squaded SM. 5 in the cover with blastmaster and sonic and another 5 with Doom Siren PW in a rhino. If I am feeling silly i put a havoc launcher on the Rhino to make it feel like a razorback.

tastytaste wrote:I usually run them kinda like ghetto combat squaded SM. 5 in the cover with blastmaster and sonic and another 5 with Doom Siren PW in a rhino. If I am feeling silly i put a havoc launcher on the Rhino to make it feel like a razorback.

Havoc launcher rhinos are actually one of the greatest strengths of the CSM codex, but people just don't realize it. My havoc launcher rhino took out nearly all of a storm guardian squad and a vyper jetbike with holofields in my game today, earning its points twice over easily.

willydstyle wrote:

tastytaste wrote:I usually run them kinda like ghetto combat squaded SM. 5 in the cover with blastmaster and sonic and another 5 with Doom Siren PW in a rhino. If I am feeling silly i put a havoc launcher on the Rhino to make it feel like a razorback.

Havoc launcher rhinos are actually one of the greatest strengths of the CSM codex, but people just don't realize it. My havoc launcher rhino took out nearly all of a storm guardian squad and a vyper jetbike with holofields in my game today, earning its points twice over easily.

What kind of Eldar player uses Storm guardians or Vypers?




I don't personally advocate the use of Havoc launchers(Rhinos are very cheap armor, so I like to play them to their strength), but if you like them their are worse things you can pay points for.

Railguns wrote:

willydstyle wrote:

tastytaste wrote:I usually run them kinda like ghetto combat squaded SM. 5 in the cover with blastmaster and sonic and another 5 with Doom Siren PW in a rhino. If I am feeling silly i put a havoc launcher on the Rhino to make it feel like a razorback.

Havoc launcher rhinos are actually one of the greatest strengths of the CSM codex, but people just don't realize it. My havoc launcher rhino took out nearly all of a storm guardian squad and a vyper jetbike with holofields in my game today, earning its points twice over easily.

What kind of Eldar player uses Storm guardians or Vypers?




I don't personally advocate the use of Havoc launchers(Rhinos are very cheap armor, so I like to play them to their strength), but if you like them their are worse things you can pay points for.

Granted, the guy wasn't the best Eldar player, but Storm Guardians have their use as close-range special weapons guys (the flamers are much better than the meltas). The fact of the matter is that for those 15 points you're getting an efficient anti-infantry weapon that can work against AV10 vehicles too (hey land speeders sure are popular nowadays). "They're cheap so they should stay cheap" isn't a statement that means much, as in list building you should be trying to get the most killiness for your points, and the 15 points spent on a havoc launcher is more damage than you're going to get for 15 points of stuff added to most other units.

15 points is an extra plasma pistol on most units. If you are using multiple Rhinos then the saved points can go to something else depending on what you need, especially in points-strapped lists that use plague marines n such.

Railguns wrote:15 points is an extra plasma pistol on most units. If you are using multiple Rhinos then the saved points can go to something else depending on what you need, especially in points-strapped lists that use plague marines n such.

And IMO plasma pistols are a far less optimal upgrade for any unit for the same points cost.

Unless it kills a terminator or puts a few valuable wounds on an MC. I see plenty of Khorne Berserker squads with plasma pistols.

Railguns wrote:What kind of Eldar player uses Storm guardians or Vypers?

One who is fun to play with

Noise Marines are not super worth it in smaller games as some have said.
They are viable because they can do any role well. Shooting, assault, objective capturing, shock troops...

IMO they are best used when a big squad jumps out of a Landraider, shoots 16 bolter shots, three blastmaster shots, and a doomsiren, then assaults for 3 initiative 5 attacks each.
That should effectively wipe out almost any average unit in the game.

willydstyle wrote:

tastytaste wrote:I usually run them kinda like ghetto combat squaded SM. 5 in the cover with blastmaster and sonic and another 5 with Doom Siren PW in a rhino. If I am feeling silly i put a havoc launcher on the Rhino to make it feel like a razorback.

Havoc launcher rhinos are actually one of the greatest strengths of the CSM codex, but people just don't realize it. My havoc launcher rhino took out nearly all of a storm guardian squad and a vyper jetbike with holofields in my game today, earning its points twice over easily.

Absolutely. Last game I played, my immobilised rhino took Yriel down to one wound with a havoc launcher and had the last laugh as it exploded and killed him. Ha.

I love the havoc launcher because not only does it provide some nice horde defense, but it also give you 2 options with the rhino.
1. Drop off the squad. Now move the empty rhino around and threaten infantry with the launcher. Who is going to waste anti-tank shots on an empty rhino? Few players, unless they have lascannons to spare (IG)
2. Drop off the squad on the objective and set the rhino up slightly closer to the enemy. Havoc launcher/combi-bolter away at them. Then, when they get close, tank shock.

Honestly this thing is a steal at 15 points, especially for noise marines in small squads, who could get overwhelmed by hordes.

I'm toying with the idea of combi-meltas on my Rhinos. Not the most reliable, sure, but it might just make that innocent Rhino something to fear when an opponent forgets about the empty transport just to have it run up and close-range melta a tank after it drops off its troops. May be a bit too short ranged for a vehicle that may get immobilized or destroyed early on but it is a cheap upgrade that might pay off.

I have had tremendous success with havocs on my blastmaster rhinos.
5 X NM, 1 BM, 4 SB in a rhino w/ hovic launcher.
Sit on the rear objective and shoot away.

NM are great vs loyalists and other I4 or less troops - as was previously stated, nothing wrong with 6 of them with bolters and a champ in a rhino at low points levels.