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I'm starting an Ultramarines list and am very aware of Their vanilla status. I like close combat armies (I have a decent Khorne list and did Tyranids before) and would like any suggestions on close combat Ultramarine variables would be appreciated.

Marneus Calgar is huge, here. He's excellent in assault, has Eternal Warrior, 2+/4++ and 4W so he's great in combat, can tank hits for his squad against shooting, and he also gives the army the ability to auto-pass or fail morale as long as he's alive. His armor also includes a Teleport Homer, so he combines very well with Assault Terminators teleporting in to support him; either from Reserves or up to 24" away with Gate of Infinity.

The combo a friend of mine runs sometimes is Calgar in a squad of Tac Marines Drop Podding in turn 1, and a squad of 10 assault terminators (mostly TH/SS of course) deployed/moved on turn 1 on the table within 24" of where you drop, with a Librarian in terminator armor, given Gate and Null Zone. Null Zone is your other best advantage in HtH using the vanilla SM codex. Turn 1 Calgar and pals arrive and shoot something; either a nearby infantry squad with bolters, or a vehicle with their bolters, or ideally a nearby vehicle with the squad meltagun, snap-firing multimelta, and sgt's combi-melta. Hopefully you pop a tank for first blood, and are positioned so that your opponent can't immediately assault them with anything insane (like a 10 man assault terminator squad of his own or something). Turn 2 your terminators teleport over with no scatter to assist.

Calgar and terminators are really your two good assault units within the Ultras theme. Ironclads in pods are also viable, though they have some bad matchups. If you just mean Codex: Space Marines Lysander is also awesome. The rest of your army really should be shooty, using Combat Tactics to try to run out of HtH on the enemy turn so you can shoot him more on yours.

The obvious answer (which I'm sure you knew was coming) is TH/SS Terminators, or any weapons on assault terminators.

A 10-man assault squad with a PW of your choice, flamers to taste, and a jump Chaplain is probably our second best option for dedicated assault.

Last idea off the top of my head is a CC geared Command Squad, or Honor Guard if you want to really put some points into a buzzsaw unit.

It sounds like you have accepted that C:SM are not the best, and want to make it work anyway. That's fine, but you will probably get a lot of advice like "go Blood Angels"

Units that are CC-centric:
Honor guard
Command squads
Assault terminators
Ironclad dreadnoughts
BP/CCW scouts
Assault marines
Vanguard veterans
Land Raiders
Stormravens

Obviouslay some are better then others, and other units can be good in cc, but that's not their primary role. Sternguard have 2 attacks each, bikes are fast with hammer of wrath, but I categorize both of them as shooty.


The one shining light in C:SM close combat units are assault terminators. TH/SS or 2xLC both work, I like a mix, some people go pure TH. Deepstrike/foot/LR delivery methods all have their pros and cons. I like the LR personally.

Honor/command/vanguard can all be tooled up with all sorts of toys, and get crazy expensive very fast. But they can be used effectively.

CC scouts are kinda lame, but troops. And they have fun deployment options.

Jump pack marines are better then most troops and HS picks, but are a little weak vs. dedicated CC squads from other armies. Generally use them as backfield harassers. I'd put your HQs with them, particularly chaplains. This helps them out a lot. I like small squads, advancing across the table, keeping out of LOS or behind cover.

If you want to use the heroic intervention ability from the Vanguard, homing beacons help. Drop pods and scout bikers are your best place for those. As your FA slots are probably going to be full, pods is probably what you have to work with, unless you go 2k and 2xFOC

Ironclads are fun little murder machines.

If I was going to roughly sketch out a CC Ultramarine army here is a thought. (off the top of my head without my codex on hand)

1 or 2 chaplains

5 Assault terminators, LR
Ironclad, pod, beacon
Ironclad, pod, beacon

Assault marines
Assault marines
Vanguard Vets

Tac squad, w/melta, pod
CC scouts
CC scouts (in raven)

Stormraven

Obviously a rough list.

I'm probably going with the assault Terminators. Paired with Calgary or a T-armoured librarian, should make a good squad. Looking forward to putting this list together. Will keep you guys posted