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Yes I know they existed in prior editions, and yes I know they have been replaced by Sternguard and Vanguard veterans and are now redundant. those responses will be ignored, but ever since I made my Deathwatch character's model I have been thinking of ways to include them in a regular game and still keep the Roleplay "epicness" of them intact (instead of using them as nicely painted Sargents or Chapter Masters). These would go in the Elites section of all Marine Codices if you where to use them, and limited to one Veteran per 1k points in the game (kinda like how most heroes where in prior editions) and I will add chapter specific upgrades given time. First up, the Tactical Marine!

Deathwatch Veteran – 45 points Elites- limit one per 1000 points
Tactical Marine
Ws Bs S T W I A Ld Sv
4 5 4 4 2 4 2(3) 9 +3

o Standard Issue Wargear
Bolter with Fire Selector
Bolt Pistol
Chainsword
Frag and Krak grenades
Power Armor

o Special Rules
And they shall know no fear- Space Marine Codex
Fire Selector- a Fire Selector is a select piece of Inquisitional equipment granted to all Deathwatch marines, it allows the standard issue marine bolter to fire special issue ammunition listed below. Note: you can only fire one type of specialty ammunition per turn
• Dragonfire bolts
o Range 24 strength 4 Ap 5 Ignores Cover, Rapid fire
• Hellfire Shells
o Range 36 strength x ap - Heavy 1, Blast, Poison (2+)
• Kraken bolts
o Range 30 strength 4 ap 4 Rapid fire
• Vengeance Rounds
o Range 18 strength 4 ap 3 Rapid fire, gets hot!
• Stalker rounds
o Range 36 Strength 4 ap 6 Heavy 2, rending, pinning
Usually used in Stalker pattern bolters, Stalker rounds are generally used as a sniper round. Due to its use in a standard pattern bolter though, it lacks some of the punch usually granted in such a weapon. In kill team missions, this bolt is silenced and any unit attempting to raise an alarm due to this use will only do so on a 5+
Independent Character- See Main rulebook or codex Space Marines
Deathwatch Training
• Due to his extensive training the in Deathwatch, Chamber Militant of the Ordo Xenos, this marine has learned how to best kill the Alien. Ether through tough lessons, years of fighting and killing or hypnotic conditioning he has learned the weak points and failings of many known Alien species. Before the game starts, nominate one Xenos Species (Eldar, Tau, Kroot, Orks, Tyranids) and gain the Preferred Enemy special rule for that race. This is still in effect when the Deathwatch Marine joins another unit, but only for himself.

• Options
• May take a Flamer or Hand Flamer in place of his Bolt pistol for no extra cost
• May take a plasma pistol in place of his Bolt pistol for 10 points
• May take an Infernus pistol in place of his bolt pistol for 15 points (see Codex Blood Angels)
• May exchange his bolter with fire selector for a Meltagun for 5 points
• May exchange his bolter with fire selector for a Plasmagun for 10 points
• May exchange his bolter with fire selector for a Storm Bolter with Fire selector for 10 points (replaces “rapid fire” with “assault 2” in all profiles of special issue ammunition)
• May exchange his Chainsword for a Power Weapon for 10 points
• May exchange his Chainsword for a Power Fist for 20 points
• May take Meltabombs for 5 points
• May exchange his Power Armor for Artificer Armor for 20 points
• May take a Combat Shield for 10 points
• May take an Iron Halo for 25 points
• May take an Auxiliary Grenade Launcher for 5 points
• May replace Power Armor and prior options with Terminator armor for 25 points and replaces Standard Issue wargear
o Comes with a Storm bolter with fire selector and a power fist for free.
o May replace his storm bolter and fire selector with a Heavy Flamer for no extra cost
o May replace his Storm Bolter and Fire Selector with an assault cannon for 10 points
o May replace his Power Fist with a Chain Fist for 5 points
o May replace his Power Fist with a Power Weapon for no extra cost
o May take a codpiece mounted Auxiliary Grenade Launcher for 5 points (see Codex Space Marines)
• May take the “Signature Wargear” Trait (Special Rule) for 20 points
o Adds a targeter to the Deathwatch Marine’s wargear and also makes one weapon of the player’s choosing Master Crafted
• May take the “Hate the Xenos” Trait (Special Rule) for 35 points only if "Signature Wargear" was taken
o Taking this adds an advanced sensor suite and an advanced vox unit that allows the marine to easily share details of his chosen enemy with the rest of the squad he joins. It further complements his years or even decades of experience by providing a detailed analysis of the enemies to his peers, along with the marine's own experience behind the data. When this is taken, the squad the marine joins gains the "Preferred Enemy" special rule on the turn they charge the Deathwatch Marine's chosen enemy.


And yes, I didn't add Eternal Warrior in there for a reason, its to show that no matter how much fancy training or weapons you have, a lucky lascannon can tank you.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Any other marine than the Tactical marine will cost extra, base 25+ the points value by their name

Assault Marine +15 points
Ws Bs S T W I A LD Sv
5 4 4(5) 4 2 4 2 9 +3

• Standard Issue Wargear
o Bolt pistol
o Deathwatch Chainsword
 This perfect quality chainsword conveys the “Rending” special rule.
o Hand Flamer
o Power Armor
o Frag and Krak Grenades
o Jump pack

• Special Rules
o And they shall know no fear
o Deathwatch Close Combat training
 After years, or even decades of practice, this marine has honed his combat skills to a near art form. The basic principles of close quarters combat as thought by their chapter are taken to their logical extreme, where the merest movement will send a foe reeling. This is shown in the added 1+ strength in the profile, but when using special weapons that double strength (power fists, thunder hammers, chainfists) this bonus is added after the modifications.
o Independent Character
o Deathwatch Training (see above)

Options
o May replace his Bolt Pistol or Hand Flamer with a Plasma Pistol for 10 points
o May replace his Bolt Pistol or Hand Flamer with a Infernus Pistol for 15 points
o May replace his Hand Flamer with a Flamer for no extra cost
o May replace his Hand Flamer with a Heavy Flamer for 15 points
o May replace his Bolt Pistol or Hand Flamer with a Storm Bolter
o May replace his Deathwatch Chainsword with a Power Weapon for 10 points
o May replace his Deathwatch Chainsword with a Power Fist for 20 points
o May replace his Deathwatch Chainsword with a Thunder Hammer for 25 points
o May take a Combat Shield for 10 points
o May take a Storm Shield in place of his Hand Flamer or Bolt Pistol for 20 points
o May take a Iron Halo for 25 points
• May take Meltabombs for 5 points
• May take an Auxiliary Grenade Launcher for 5 points
may replace his Deathwatch Chainsword with a lightning claw for 10 points, or two lightning claws for 20 points
• May replace Power Armor and prior options with Terminator armor for 25 points and replaces Standard Issue wargear
o Comes with a Storm Bolter and Chainfist for free
o May replace his storm bolter with a Heavy Flamer for no extra cost
o May replace his Storm Bolter and Chainfist with Lightning Claws with no extra cost
o May replace his Chainfist with a thunder hammer for 5 points
o May replace his Storm Bolter with a Storm Shield for 5 points
o May replace his ChainFist with a Power Weapon for no extra cost
o May take a codpiece mounted Auxiliary Grenade Launcher for 5 points (see Codex Space Marines)
o May take the “Signature Wargear” Trait (special rule) for 20 points
 If used on the Deathwatch Chainsword, it adds another 1+ to his strength value on top of the Deathwatch Close Combat Training. The player chooses one weapon and it becomes master crafted.
 May use this instead to buy a master crafted Bolter with Fire Selector
o May take the “Death from Above” Trait (special rule) for 20 points
 When deep striking, you may deep strike into an existing close combat and measure scatter from there (Heroic Intervention). This also conveys the “hit and run” special rule while alone.


((Edit one, modified the base points cost and the cost of the Tactical Marine's ability.... er and misspelled words))

sounds interesting and full of more options than a dark eldar retinue! is the price for the tactical marine 25pts on top of buying the original model?

as for the commanding aura special rule, i'd switch it to xenos hunter since he's not really commanding anything but instead inciting hatred of a particular xenos. abilities which give units blanket preferred enemy are a bit OP and i'd switch that to preferred enemy: pick one (and must be modelled on the DW fig) for 10pts. otherwise, why have him choose in the beginnng of the game when 95% of games will only involve a single xenos type in reality?

More points. You made em cost as much as those guys you said you were ignoring, but them made them vastly better.

I see your points, i'll look into the modifications when I get back to my pc. The base cost of the tactical marine is the same as the base cost listed under Deathwatch Marine due to them being the "basis" of the other marines, so 25 points.

And my apoligies on the first line of my post. It was late, I don't mind a comparision, I just didn't want any "lolz, just use stern/vanguard noob" posts.

Two wounds is a little far fetched, but other than that, I have few issues. Even then, they suffer from Tyranid Warrior Syndrome. So... I think they are good unit though.

I enjoyed the "cod-piece mounted grenade launcher"



S_P

Wait... So for 9pts more than a Tactical Marine, they get:

- Special Ammunition
- Ballistic Skill 5
- 2 Wounds
- 3 Attacks
- Preferred Enemy against xenos
- +2 Leadership
- Access to free Meltaguns and Plasma Guns

Sorry man, but I really think you need to re-think this. Deathwatch aren't the be-all and end-all, they are specialist Space Marines, but they are not equals or better than a Chaplain, Librarian, Grey Knight etc. in stat-line.

I would recommend removing the additional wound and attack and free special weapons and rethink their purpose. Right now, they are uber-elite Space Marines for little extra that can stand up to anyone. Whereas in fluff, they should be specially trained (but still normal) Space Marines, highly trained in fighting the Xenos.

(modified)

And Space Marine Veterans all have 2 attacks base, I just included the extra attack for having a chainblade and pistol in the profile. I did take your points on the specialty weapons, as well as upping the price