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Can Space Marines missile launchers target aircraft? How do they provide AA defense?

They technically can I believe.

Space Marines usually get air defense the way other special forces units do: by not being there when the air strikes arrive.

Their primary mission is deep striking vital spots either in, or behind enemy lines, doing lots of damage, and pulling out before the enemy can bring their big guns and air support to bear. Things usually go badly for them if the enemy has a chance to focus on them. Their armor makes them nearly immune to small arms fire, but they are as vulnerable as anyone to ordinance.

That is why you don't see full on battle tanks and artillary in SM forces.

That being said, they DO have some means of defending themselves. They have fighters in the form of StormTalons, and StormRavens and Thunderhawks can help with air defense in a pinch.

But in the end, air superiority is rarely if ever a goal of the Space Marines. When attacking they deep strike and pull out before the enemy can turn on them, and if a defense is needed the IG are really the ones to call.

I believe assault cannons can target aircraft.

Whirwind Hyperios is an anti-air weapon.

SM's have a few AA systems:

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Hunter#.T79-ttVYvX4

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Whirlwind#Whirlwind_Hyperios

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Hyperios_missile_launcher#.T79-6tVYvX4

http://wh40k.lexicanum.com/wiki/Tarantula#.T79_HtVYvX4


Orbital bombardment would also target enemy airfields.

What is the SMs primary air superiorty craft?

Do they bother with such?

Thunderhawks are more then capable of dogfighting, although it would mostly be passes with the Heavy Bolters(which are mounted on Turrets)

The missiles would also be able to be used to shoot aircraft down.

THs are more multi role though no? Whilst they can do the job they arent going to be as optimal as say a Nightwing.

Do marines have a dedicated AS craft?

They don't have a dedicated Fighter platform.

Thunderhawks fill that role as well as others(and do it quite well)

Air superiority? I'm sorry, I can't hear you from my Battlebarge...

Kaldor wrote:Air superiority? I'm sorry, I can't hear you from my Battlebarge...

This.
Also after the drop down the Thunder Hawks will stay as air support, usually that means making attack runs and such to weaken strategical targets, but if the enemy bring aircraft the TH gunships are more than capable of dealing with them.

Well if not. Space Marines would be known as the blue things invading the grey city which was easily spotted from the air, and Empy the gigantic man clad in gold who perished in a bombing-raid.

I'd say the Marines have Air defense capable systems and craft, but nothing in a dedicated Air Defense/Air Superiority sort of role. Instead they make do with what they have and rely on the speed of their assault to negate the enemy's ability to muster air forces in time.

I suspect tat for the most part they need to rely on the Imperial Guard and Imperial Navy to provide air defense and air superiority in any protracted campaign.

As has been mentioned,the thunderhawks,stormeagles,stormraven and stormtalon could provide AA cover.
Also,the hyperios and hunter ( EPIC game AA vehicle ).

The Land Speeder Tempest is a dedicated gunship/air superiority fighter

Eh ... gunship, yes. But "air superiority"? That's like calling a Mil-Mi HIND an interceptor.

Drop Pods. Aimed at enemy aircraft.

I feel like this is a discussion of what the US Armies air superiority craft is. They have aircraft, various gunships, transports, escorts, etc. but they don't have true air superiority craft because that is the air forces job.

The marines have craft to support them in their role, as rapid, heavy assault special forces. And they have ways to fight off any aircraft that might be in the area.

But thunderhawks, stormtalons and the like, while they CAN fight off token air resistance, are not air superiority fighters. They are multi-purpose support craft that lean towards ground support. They couldn't stand up to focused fighter attacks any more than the marines can stand up to focused heavy artillery attack. That isn't their role.

The Imperium has an 'air force' to handle that. Is it called the Aeronautica Imperialis or is that just the name of the game?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
As for 'I don't need air superiority, I have a battle barge', space superiority is not something that is always the case. In fact, if the Marines are getting involved, a commander should probably assume space superiority is not an option.

For example, planetary defensive weaponry can pose a massive threat to the ships of the IN and SM, and have to be disabled before a real invasion can begin. Whose job do you think that is? In this scenario a battle barge would fly in, deposit its assault force, and get out before it takes too much damage. The Space Marines would then attempt to disable defensive systems to allow for a full scale invasion.

Another likely scenario is that the enemy also has spacecraft and orbital defenses. Again, the battle barge would do a rapid insertion and get out, or possibly engage the enemy fleet, while the assault forces completes objectives, opening up a hole for retrieval.

Spacecraft aren't the 'solves all problems' solution that Star Trek presented them as. Ground, air, and naval units still have their place.

I'd like to think that the Chapter fleets have dedicated interceptors similar to the Navy. The Chapter's Marine air assets are dedicated to ground support, not air superiority.

Honestly, the correct answer is: GW isn't full of military historians or theorists, and the idea never occurred to them because it wasn't a model they were trying to sell.

in BFG the only strike craft SM fleets operate are Thunderhawks and Thunderhawk Annhilators. They are superior to generic strike craft.

Marines have enough to kep their landing zones and areas of operation clear. True air superiority is delivered by the Imperial Navy.

Zookie wrote:Can Space Marines missile launchers target aircraft? How do they provide AA defense?

The Space Marines are a Rapid Assualt force ment to be used in conjunction with Imperial Guard . That is why the Space marines have no TRUE battle tanks and such . in a Space Marine Assualt Imperial Lightings would be providing cover fire , But i would Assume that There Are some Specially Modifyed Razorbacks with Anti-aircraft weaponry . And Yes Missile Launchers can hit Aircraft ( example RPG-7) it is harder to hit Aircraft with manual fire but you can still hit them . Over all i think The only Aircraft Spacemarines would have to worry about are the Elder and some Ork fighters but those would be tied up by IG support considering IF the IG were in the combat area

As mentioned SMs are only meant to form the "tip of the spear" in imperial engagements, they have to work in conjunction with other imperial offices to be effective (there simply arnt enough marines for more than one front/ garrison duties). If air superiority is actually needed, the imperial navy should be on hand to lend fighters. And before someone mentions something about battle barges providing air support, try hitting a fast moving target from several hundred kilometres away with any degree of accuracy (lasers might be of some effect tho). As for marines themselves, thunderhawks and AA whirlwinds can act as air defence for a rapid ground attack.

Grey Templar wrote:in BFG the only strike craft SM fleets operate are Thunderhawks and Thunderhawk Annhilators. They are superior to generic strike craft.

Only compared to other space superiority fighters. Compared to the much smaller air superiority fighters the large and incorrectly armed Thunderhawks ( a turbolasers is great against a target the size of a 747, but against a small fighter? probably not so much ) are at a disadvantage which is represented within the rules by them having no aa weapons.