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I was wondering, since you get a techmarine with the thunderfire canon and can take servitors with him. Would a small servitor heavy weapons squad to sit at the back behind cover be worth taking? I realise that until the thunderfire cannon is destroyed and the techmarine can join them they will suffer mindlock rolls but they make for a really cheap alternative to devastators. I thought since I already have tac squads with heavy weapons, a dread and a scout sniper squad with a heavy bolter I wouldn't need devs. Someone please tell me if I am barking up the wrong tree and should throw the idea away.

There's still debate over weather a Techmarine Gunner can take servitors. If you look at the FAQ...

Page 138 – Servitors.
The first line should be changed at reprint to:
“You may include one unit of Servitors for every Techmarine or Master of the Forge in your army. These units do not count against your HQ or Elites allowance.”

Now it mentions HQ and Elites (where you find the Techmarine and MotF) but NOT Heavy Support (where you'd find the Cannon). This would indicate that theTechmarine Gunner cannot purchase Servitors.

As for the tactics, they could work but having the whole squad lock-up would be a pain.

I thought the last sentence about the HQ and elites was to clear up the idea that servitors take up elites spots, since they have their own section in the codex under elites and it was confusing. It still says "every techmarine in your army" can take servitors.

If they had wanted to rule out thunderfire techmarines taking servitors in the FAQ surely they would have explicitly stated so, rather than causing more debate.

Glorioski wrote:I thought the last sentence about the HQ and elites was to clear up the idea that servitors take up elites spots, since they have their own section in the codex under elites and it was confusing. It still says "every techmarine in your army" can take servitors.

That's the interpritation I would make. I don't think people would complain if you did so.

Glorioski wrote:It still says "every techmarine in your army" can take servitors.

After the Errata it now says "every Techmarine or Master of the Forge in your army." which will increase your options.
But is a Techmarine Gunner a Techmarine, or is he a Techmarine Gunner?

The only place it refers to him as a "techmarine gunner" is under the unit composition bit. On about ten other occasions the book calls him a techmarine. I want to say if there is any difference between the two they haven't made it very clear.

@ the op, isn't the thunderfire cannon and 2 servitors with heavy weapons more points than a dev squad with missiles?

I count 165 for the tfire cannon and two servitors with heavy bolters. A five man dev squad with missiles is 150

Glorioski wrote:I was wondering, since you get a techmarine with the thunderfire canon and can take servitors with him. Would a small servitor heavy weapons squad to sit at the back behind cover be worth taking? I realise that until the thunderfire cannon is destroyed and the techmarine can join them they will suffer mindlock rolls but they make for a really cheap alternative to devastators. I thought since I already have tac squads with heavy weapons, a dread and a scout sniper squad with a heavy bolter I wouldn't need devs. Someone please tell me if I am barking up the wrong tree and should throw the idea away.

Unfortunately, you're barking up the wrong tree and should throw the idea away. Innovative thinking there, but servitors really are just that bad. They just aren't effective enough at shooting to justify their extreme unreliability and vulnerability to various shooting threats.

Whilst the servitors themselves are less than stellar the fact that the techmarine/thunderfire will be bolstering cover saves does lend them a certain survivability. I wouldn't pin a list around the idea but it's a good way to tac a few more heavy weapons onto an existing unit. The thunderfire isnt exactly the most mobile thing on the world so for point defense it could work as a unit.

The thunderfire cannon techmarine is not an independent character when the cannon is alive, so the servitors will be dumb.

Then servitors are awful anyway. Maybe not for space wolves and grey knights.

grendel083 wrote:

Glorioski wrote:It still says "every techmarine in your army" can take servitors.

After the Errata it now says "every Techmarine or Master of the Forge in your army." which will increase your options.
But is a Techmarine Gunner a Techmarine, or is he a Techmarine Gunner?

Yes, he is still a Techmarine. As evidenced by the FAQ entry saying that he does indeed have Bolster Defenses and Blessing of the Omnissiah.


I would say TFC Techmarines can purchase Servitors. They just can't join them till the TFC is destroyed.

Ok I'm going to scrap the idea. Thanks for the advice guys.

Generally speaking, servitors for a shooting role isn't worth it unless you are trying to make a very fluffy list. Even then, they need to get in rhinos because out in the open they are dead.