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Who would win a theoretical stoush between a space marine and an eversor assassin? I was reading an old white dwarf and it had an article about them from when they were just released and it makes them sound unstoppable! even against experienced marines, and now you don't hear about them at all! so would they whoop everyones favorite marines or would the marines be able to overcome the combat prowess of the born to kill assassins?

lets discuss.....now..

Regular Marine? Eversor wins, hands down. More attacks, better Weapon Skill, higher Initiative, power weapon.

In that fight, one of them is going to be out of their element, unless of course the Space Marine is Raven Guard.

This happens in Nemesis by James Swallow.

The Eversor can deal with the Marine well enough although he seems a bit ill equipped to do so. If he had his power weapon then Eversor easy peasy.

There, I think, is a reference to a battle of Eversors against Space Marines in the BRB where a Kill Team attack the Eversor Temple to kill its Master and only a single space marine survives.

Now it all depends on how well the Space Marines were equipped and how many there were.

Oh are you talking table top or Background wise?

During Vandire's Reign of Blood, a full chapter attacked the main assasinatorium building, and opened the doors to find... 100 Eversors!

The marines won, eventually, but it was a straight up fight, and they were outnumbered 10-1 at least, so I would say, yeah.

sniperjolly wrote:During Vandire's Reign of Blood, a full chapter attacked the main assasinatorium building, and opened the doors to find... 100 Eversors!

The marines won, eventually, but it was a straight up fight, and they were outnumbered 10-1 at least, so I would say, yeah.

This is what I was referring to but it occurs before the Reign of Blood. I think you are pointing to the Wars of Vindication.



So really it depends on how big a retribution force is.

Eversors are essentialy Marines-- with combat drugs and bionics. So, less durable (still human physiology, though enhanced, no power armor) but augmented like a Berzerker and Noise Marine combined. They are generally equipped with an Executioner pistol, Neuro Gauntlet and Power Weapon, as compared to the Astartes Bolter, Bolt Pistol, grenades, and possibly Chainsword. The Eversor has a clear advantage at close range due to armament, but suffers at longer range.

So, one on one, if the marine were aware of the eversor and could get a good shot off, he would probably wiin as a bolter round (or several ) should rip the Eversor's flesh and bones to shreds. Failing that, the Eversor's tools would likely be too much for a marine to handle most of the time.

In a group, marines start to get advantages from training, whereas Eversors operate individually. Add in equipment like flamers, assault cannons, etc. and the SMs could tear throught the Eversors with relative impunity before the assasins could bring their strengths to bear. At close range, however, the advantages quickly disappear and unless the marine are trained from a CC oriented chapter (Blood Angels, Space Wolves, Black Templars, etc.), multiple Eversors hitting the lines would be devastating.

Keep in mind that an engagement on such a scale would also likely favor the SMs as they can strategize (controlling chokepoints, setting ambushes, etc.) whereas the Eversors are more or less blood crazed. It would be similar to facing Khornates.

That a mixed strike force (which is probably company size or, more likely, smaller) with no real support and not drawn from chapters known for their CC prowess can lay low an entire temple is quite impressive.

Ragnar Blackmane manages to kill a Venomen (sp?) Assassin. Apothecary Talos of the Night Lords manages to kill a Callidus Assassin.

Table top, the eversor would tear apart a SM with little effort. Fluff wise, its pretty much already stated. Depends on a couple factors that shows the victor on that one. Just keep in mind though, the assassins are just humans, with really good training and drugs and the like. Space Marines are super human monsters that were born into being the toughest fighters there is. So I tip my hat to the assassins, they are as hardcore as a Commissar if you ask me. Those guys are just terrifying

jmurph wrote:
So, one on one, if the marine were aware of the eversor and could get a good shot off, he would probably wiin as a bolter round (or several ) should rip the Eversor's flesh and bones to shreds. Failing that, the Eversor's tools would likely be too much for a marine to handle most of the time

The instance in Nemesis was different

jmurph wrote:]At close range, however, the advantages quickly disappear and unless the marine are trained from a CC oriented chapter (Blood Angels, Space Wolves, Black Templars, etc.), multiple Eversors hitting the lines would be devastating.

Some Chapters might be known for their preference for hand to hand combat but I would say that all are as dangerous as each other in this regard, but I get your meaning.

jmurph wrote:Keep in mind that an engagement on such a scale would also likely favor the SMs as they can strategize (controlling chokepoints, setting ambushes, etc.).

That a mixed strike force (which is probably company size or, more likely, smaller) with no real support and not drawn from chapters known for their CC prowess can lay low an entire temple is quite impressive.

In an Assassins temple this doesn't mean much. It's all smoke and mirrors, for even a single marine to survive on the Assassins home ground is a testament to just how bad ass they are.

Nurglitch wrote:Apothecary Talos of the Night Lords manages to kill a Callidus Assassin.

Yup, but even Talos recognizes that one wrong move and it's curtains for him

Not to mention that both in the case of Talos and Ragnar they weren't the Assassin's target, and it took some planning on Talos' part to engage the Callidus, while Ragnar made do with sheer bloodymindedness.

Nurglitch wrote:Not to mention that both in the case of Talos and Ragnar they weren't the Assassin's target, and it took some planning on Talos' part to engage the Callidus, while Ragnar made do with sheer bloodymindedness.

And Ragnar bit the assassin...

Moreso ignored the hallucinogen that the Assassin dosed him with, which was smart, removed his mobility by catching the Assassin in a bear-hug when he was supposed to be blinded and disoriented, and then chewed the Assassin's face off. Then again, considering Ragnar is by all accounts pretty incredible by Space Wolf standards, it might be unfair to Assassins to suppose non-protagonist Space Marines could do the same.

Nurglitch wrote:Moreso ignored the hallucinogen that the Assassin dosed him with, which was smart, removed his mobility by catching the Assassin in a bear-hug when he was supposed to be blinded and disoriented, and then chewed the Assassin's face off. Then again, considering Ragnar is by all accounts pretty incredible by Space Wolf standards, it might be unfair to Assassins to suppose non-protagonist Space Marines could do the same.

It was the hallucinogen that took him out. Ragnar has better senses than the other SW and so when he got hit he got hit bad...
Though catching th assassin and biting him to death was a good move.

Though catching the assassin and biting him to death was a good move FATALITY.

-Fixed that for you

Thanks for some good views on this one guys! I was referring to fluff and I am inclined to agree that the sm would win but I also believe the fight would be pretty hard for him, even though the marine would be fast and have the strength, the assassin although just human and enhanced, has been bred specifically to kill any target he is set against and would be lightning quick! and looking for any 'chink' in the armour or bad move to make his move, if the drugs wear off or his physiology tires then the marine would just eat him (literally in ragnars case)