Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hi all, I'm having trouble understanding something in the new Space Marine codex and if anybody can help clarify this for me it'd be greatly appreciated. On p. 167 of the new codex, under the tactical squad entry, it states that all space marines in that unit are equipped with the following wargear: power armour, boltgun, bolt pistol, frag and krak grenades. Furthermore, it states that any sergeant may exchange his boltgun and/or bolt pistol with a chainsword. Does this mean that every marine in the unit has a boltgun and a bolt pistol, or does it mean that all marines, aside from the sergeant, have boltguns, and the sergeant has a boltpistol? Does this mean that a sergeant can use a boltgun or other ranged weapon in one hand and a chainsword or other melee weapon in the other hand? I apologize if this is a stupid question I just want to make sure I get it right before building my list. Thank you.

Every model in the squad comes with a Bolter and a Bolt Pistol.

For the Sarg, you can choose to swap either the Bolter or the Bolt Pistol for the Chainsword (ending up with either a Pistol & CCW, or a Bolter and CCW).

You can then further swap weapons from the Armoury.

Thank you for the clarification kind sir. Much appreciated.

For further explanation - it WOULD be a bit silly to exchange the bolt pistol for the chainsword, since it's effectively a downgrade with no benefit. The idea is that you can give the Sergeant a bolt pistol and chainsword combo that will give him an extra Attack in close combat, but losing the boltgun as a result.
I'm not sure why it's put that way - swapping the bolt pistol for the chainsword gives no benefit and doesn't even change what options you can take from the wargear lists (in fact, you're screwing yourself out of swapping both since Ranged and Melee weapons don't let you swap the bolter).

I would imagine it's for anyone who has already put together a model (in a cool pose or whatever) without necessarily going for the most effective set of wargear.

Jervis Johnson has mentioned (in a WD article or some-such) that his angle is always to give people more options.

(Admittance of bias: I have a sergeant with a boltgun and chainsword, makes him easier to pick out in a squad...)

couldn't you also just give the model two CCW just because it looks cool with the way this is worded?

NickOnwezen wrote:
couldn't you also just give the model two CCW just because it looks cool with the way this is worded?

I'm not entirely sure if that would work rules wise but I do know that a sergeant with two close combat weapons would look like a seriously badass model.

Yes, you can replace the boltgun for a chainsword, then replace the bolt pistol for a chainsword. Net result two chainswords and no ranged weapons.

Sorry to tag onto this post but could you exchange out a Bolt Gun and Bolt pistol for a Storm Bolter and Grav Pistol?

If they're on the appropriate equipment list, then sure.