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A few questions from someone who has never played a single game of 40k:

1. How good are Heavy Bolters when compared to the other heavy weapons options in tac squads?
2. How good are assault cannons at all?
3. How good are Terminators in any style(CC or Ranged)
4. How good are Assault marines?
5. Should Predators run autocannon and bolters or lascannons?
6. What is a good all around Dreadnought payload?

From my understanding Meltas and Flamers are very strong. Sadly MultiMeltas are expensive bits to buy($13 from the warstore)

I'd like to get into 40k and marines seem like a safe and easy way to do it. Ideally I'd end up with a Tau army but I want to get a feel for the game first.

I'm not 100% familiar with 5th Edition marines, but here's my take on your questions, in order:

1. They're good cheap anti-horde, but they have a low strength, plus flamers are more effective (shorter range, but no to hit roll)

2. Much less good than they used to be. (Got nerf batted with 5th Edition)

3. Assault Terminators are ridiculously good. Particular the Hammer & Shield ones.

4. Not good enough for their points. You're better off going with terminators, or just mechanized tactical marines

5. autocannon and bolter (aka DakkaPreds), hordes are so much more prevalent now.

6. Depends on the rest of your army. I like Salamanders, so I run Multi-meltas with Heavy flamer DCCW (Love the AoBR set for that)

1) heavy bolters are golden at long range. Flamers are good to, but hordes are generally CC armies so you want to thin ranks before getting too close

2) while not as good as 4th they are still effective. Assault cannons actually are better against AV14 then lascannons neither is super effective BTW. Terminator squads can get 2 of these babies potentially. though the Clyclone missile launcher is better.

3) I second Chaplains feelings

4) Assault squads are ok choices. they are better in Objective missions as they can distract and contest. if they could take melta guns they would be better tankhunters

5) again i second chaplains feelings

6) an assault cannon, DCCW and heavy flamer is the best all around load out. Venerable with TL-lascannon and missile launcher is the most accurate gun platform the SMs can get. Ironclads with 2 flamers are pure win as well

Don't worry about the MM bit being expensive... IMO the multi-melta isn't very useful on a foot soldier, because he can't shoot it on the move and it has a short effective range. It's best used on something that can move it into position quickly like an attack bike, landspeeder, or a dred in a drop pod. I love the MM+HF Dreadnought in a pod because dropping him into the backfield can totally disrupt the other guy's plans.

Ill give my two cents

1. Hvy bolters are lame for a tac squad though it is free so is a ML which has anti-horde (3' Blast) and anti-vech (s8 shot) at a 48' range go with the ML over the HB. Only use a MM in a tac squad if its Podding and you have vulkan otherwise i wouldnt. Now your Plasma cannon option is a good one to as the blast will always land on the table and it can kill almost anything but the toughest MC's, IC's, and Vechs.

2. Assualt cannons are great as you are able to reap carnage on MC's and basically anything (on 6's it renders) its just a great all around shooting weapon only second to plasma weapons and autocannons i love Auto-Cannon's.

3. Assualt termies are monsters they have 3+ inv and TH's that means if you dont kill them in the first round they are gonna kill you more then likely few units can hold up to them in cc (issue is getting them to the front lines) reg termies are nice to have but i feel that their roles can be filled better with other units. But they are still a serious threat none the less and a unit full of PF's and storm bolters is nice to have. They arent much pt wise either just 200 pts for 5.

4. Assualt marines are good if you use them well but they are best used as support they wont be the top of your opponents list to kill (which makes them some what useful as they arent really focused on from shooting) but are basically flying marines.

5. Predator's should only be ran in one of three ways imo
A) Dakka Pred- 85 pts of Infantry/Light Vech terror has a Auto-Cannon and side hvy bolters (a favorite here on dakka as well)
B) the One Twenty pred- 120 pts and it has a Auto-Cannon and side las-cannons this is my favorite and the most bang for the pts they can kill any vech on the field.
C) Annihilator pred- 165 pts of pure lascannon death has a TW-Lascannon and side lascannons that's 3 lascannon shots your raining down a turn.

6. Dread load outs all depends.
A) MM/HF dread (Sally Dread)- Great in drop pods better if vulkans in the army makes both weapons twinlinked. These are versatile Dreads they can fight inf and vechs pretty well its also pretty cheap.
B) RifleMan Dread- My favorite it has two TL-Auto-Cannons's and rains death from 48' away (4 twin-linked s7 shots Ap 4). Its great against light vechs and sniping units that are in the back of the army (Command squads, hvy weapon teams etc..) and can move into position but is terrible in cc.
C) Assualt cannon and DCCW Dread- this is a good dread its not costly and is great at mowing down inf but still works better if used in a DP.
D) V-Dread with Plasma Cannon- Now this Dread i like but isnt the cheapest or most bang for your buck im only mentioning it as its the best dread to use a Plasma cannon on but is a point sink (it'll be better to use a tac squad with a Plasma cannon instead but if you need a armored Plasma cannon this is the best way to go)
E) There are many other variations but these are the most effective for the points others are used for personal preference be it for the fluff or the looks.

this is really a tactics question, but here goes:

Heavy bolter is O.K. but it's pretty bad considering the more powerful weapons availible.

It's a cheap anti-horde weapon.

Assault cannons are good, and can occasionally score lucky kills/damages, they're pretty much unavailible, and you'll never find more then 3 or 4 of them, if you're luck.

A better anti light vehicle/anti horde weapon.

Terminators are excelent for both ranged assaults and close assaults, they're perfect for taking on powerful units, and soak up alot of damage before they're killed.

Assault terminator marines E: assault terminators are EXCELENT. they're almost impervious to any attack and can kill even the hardiest of foes with hammer or claw.

Predators is different, you want anti-horde/light vehicle? go with auto/bolter. you want anti tank? lascannon.

dreadnoughts are really up to you, if I could suggest, maybe a plasma cannon and DDCW with storm bolters, but for a better all-rounder I'd also suggest missile launchers and Lascannon