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So myself and my friend swapped our armies for a small 500 points battle, meaning I was playing as Space Marines, while he was using my Imperial Guard. Having never read the codex before, my list building skills wasn't the best but I did give it a crack. My first thought was how ludicrously expensive everything was.

I took a 9-man Tac squad with melta attached to a Captain who had a combi-melta and powerfist, all in a rhino, and a 10 man tactical squad with a missile launcher and flamer. He took a Leman Russ, 2 squads of vets, one with 2 plasma guns and one with 3 plasma guns, a Heavy Weapon team of all AC's (He deployed everything before I realised that he had to have had a platoon for them, but it was just a friendly game so I let him take them) and a Company Command Squad. I get first turn and shoot straight for his Leman Russ with my Rhino, ending my turn hiding behind a building. My 10 man Tac squad run up to cover to get the cover save from plasma. I shoot my Space Marines at a squad of Vets and take down a few and force them to run a wee bit back. On his turn he fires everything at the 10 man squad as the rhino is out of his LOS and only one or two Space Marine die. So far so good, the Space Marines are living up to their history of durability.

I run the rhino up beside his Leman Russ and use the Rhino to block LOS of them from the other guardies. I fire my two melta guns at the Leman Russ but because they're 12" away they only get the single armour penetration dice and I manage to score a "Crew - Shaken" result. Not the best, but at least he can't fire it again. My other squad shoot at the vets in range, but they now grab a cover save and he manages to lose very little. Next turn and he drives his Leman Russ away and fires all his Vets at my 10-man squad. They're slowly getting eaten up in attrition so I decided to break cover and try and get my guys into combat so he can't use his plasma or make use of his BS4. At the same time, I shoot at (and do no damage) to his Leman Russ, then assault it with my power fist (also doing no damage).

I killed one squad in combat with my 10 man squad, then was destroyed by all his heavy fire. My Captain's squad was demolished soon after.

Now, I know that I hadn't played them before, and it was probably me that was terrible, nor did I look at all the options as we both made fairly rushed lists, but it seemed to me that it was very difficult to actually do anything substantial with Space Marines. I guess it could have been the small points limit don't suit Space Marines, or that Tactical Squads wouldn't have been the best bet, but I was left thoroughly dissatisfied with my experience with Space Marines.

Space Marines aren't terribly balanced at 500 points. Try 1500-1750.


Also, tactical squads can't have special weapons unless they're ten members strong.

Yes space marines can suffer on patrol battles. And if your used to Imperial Guard it can take a bit of getting used to the points cost for upgrades etc. Though it is doable. Try thinking out of the box and you can make a decent 500 point list. Maybe try going close combat or something not tactical squad?

Edit: For a 500 point skirmish Ive used this before when using my friends marines

1 Chaplain - Digital weapons, Meltabombs, Jump pack
130 Points

1 scout sergeant - Sniper rifle
4 Scouts - 1 heavy bolter, 3 sniper rifles
85 Points

1 scout sergeant - Sniper rifle
4 Scouts - 1 heavy bolter, 3 sniper rifles
85 Points

1 Dreadnought - Twin linked Autocannon, Extra armor, Dreadnought close combat weapon
130 Points

Landspeeder - Multimelta
70 points

Great for spanking infantry and intercepting armor.

Ahhh, that is certainly a far stronger list. I forgot about scouts, no doubt their smaller points cost would be superior to Tactical Marines.

I'll hit him with that next, thanks!

Hope it comes in use. I used sniper rifles as I like them. In such lower points cost battles you can get good use of boltguns. Remember the scout heavy bolters have hellfire rounds meaning you can stand a chance at taking down any character nicely. And yeah in 500 point fights they're a good way to have some troops and a load of points left over to get some heavy hitting units on the table. If you wanted you could likely get a decent sized assault squad with jump packs if you wanted to go that route.

You opponent also took the perfect list to beat space marines. Five plasma guns, three autocannons and a LRBT in 500pts is going to be hard for any marine list to beat.

The basic tactical squad is pretty underwhelming. It's best used as a relativly cheap but durable objective scorer/heavy weapon/melta gun platform, while the rest of the marine army does the heavy lifting. They're not bad, but having two such squads in 1500 can be limiting, let alone at 500pts.

Compare that to the IG, where Vets are one of the genuine threats.

Polonius wrote:You opponent also took the perfect list to beat space marines. Five plasma guns, three autocannons and a LRBT in 500pts is going to be hard for any marine list to beat.

The basic tactical squad is pretty underwhelming. It's best used as a relativly cheap but durable objective scorer/heavy weapon/melta gun platform, while the rest of the marine army does the heavy lifting. They're not bad, but having two such squads in 1500 can be limiting, let alone at 500pts.

Compare that to the IG, where Vets are one of the genuine threats.

AV14 in a 500pt battle is a dick move, plain and simple.

Marines are fine in 500pts. Just use these simple tips!

Use a Librarian, 100pts and two powers = golden

Tacticals are alright, put one in a Rhino and use another one as fire support or...

Take two five mans in Razorbacks with a Librarian as the HQ, you'll have enough points left over for some Land Speeders, it's a pretty sweet list and it can still deal with your friends LRBT if he does deside to take it. MM Speeders are dope.

Libby = 100

Tac Squad w/ Razorback = 130
Tac Squad w/ Razorback = 130

MMHF Land Speeder = 70

430 pts,

Either add heavy weapons to the Razorbacks or take another LS

Peace