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I'm a big fan of the UM fluff, probably the only guy on here.

With UMs coming out soon in the 5th Horus Heresy book (battle of Calth)

I'm assuming they wont have any special units like the other legions. unless FW decides to change the fluff.

I'm sure theyll get a relic Contemptor Dread with "U" symbols, but can anyone else think of anything new theyll get besides Upgrade kits, Guilliman and a special character HQ or two?

You are right, you're the only one

My guess would be some kind of special veteran squad with different weapon options and a set skill to differentiate them from the common vet squads of other Legions. Perhaps even a UM specific terminator squad. Every legion has at least two and I would expect no less for the UM since essentially this is their book and they haven't been covered at all thus far. Also likely I think would be more than two special characters but I would expect the extra guys to be nothing as special as guys like Sevatar. Maybe Loken class characters to add a little fluff to the games but nothing game changing. They will of course get the obligatory two captain level characters who will come with actual force changing rules.

I'm thinking something pointing towards the Codex Astartes, maybe a proto-Codex Tactical squad with mixed weapons, or a Calth Veteran squad with And They Shall Know No Fear (having been psychologically hardened by he campaign).

Why wouldn't they get special units? There was no Codex at the time. Technically the Ultramarines should have access to better formations and units in a lot of areas, simply because they were the only ones benefitting from the wisdom and superior strategic/tactical acumen of the spiritual liege.

from what I read they were very vanilla back then as well.

Well, they may get Sternguard/Vanguard as a distinction instead of just Tactical veterans, and they may get 40k style Tactical squads (with one special and one heavy) as an option. The way I see it, the Ultramarines then should be on the way to Codex Astartes, as even if the Codex wasn't finished yet, I'm sure Guilliman would have been implementing changes to his Legion as he worked out the best tactics for a given situation.
I can also see there being some kind of Praetorians squad, like an upgraded Honour Guard unit.

For unique equipment, I reckon they will get Cyclone missile launchers for their Terminator squads, in addition to the usual Legion options. Not really sure about other equipment.

Johnnytorrance wrote:
from what I read they were very vanilla back then as well.

Vanilla was a player-created term in 2nd Edition because Codex: Ultramarines was the "base" Space Marine army list, and didn't get all the fluffy/silly units that the other codex books did like Furioso Dreadnaughts or Wolfguard. Thus it was boring, or "vanilla".

This is more of a player-perception based on the comparative strengths of the codex army lists (some of the lists being C:SM+1) rather than how they were depicted in the fluff. The Ultramarines always had a host of solid special characters, and even some specialist/veteran units like the Tyranid Hunters. Heck, it might be cool if the Ultramarines were the only list to get ATSKNF in 30K to represent their heightened discipline and sense of purpose compared to the lesser legions.

I was thinking that their Legion tactics could be ATSKNF and Combat Squads, but seeing as morale-boosting special rules, like stubborn, are a big thing in 30k, I doubt their entire army will get it, that is too much of an advantage. However, I could well see IC and maybe certain elite units getting ATSKNF. Combat squads would make sense though.

At the very least a specialist bodyguard unit.

Every primarch had a elite company or formation.
World eaters too but hey where a different story.

Now that Forge World is finally getting into Ultramarine 30K stuff, I will certainly be buying from them outside of a few random parts. Honestly, I doubt we will see any custom units considering the way the Ultramarines function prior to the Codex Astartes. It'll probably just be an honour guard. I personally, will be perfectly content with an upgrade kit containing some UM specific torsos, shoulderpads, and helmets.

Every legion has gotten special legion-specific units. The Ultramarines will too.

I read something about a Breacher type squad with Gladius slots in their shields in the Tempest seminar stuff. So I'm guessing that's one of them. And I dunno what the other would be. I'm also curious to see their legion rules.

I think giving them ATSKNF would ruin the balance

I'm not sure. Death Guard and maybe Salamanders (will have to check) already ignore fear.

 ImAGeek wrote:
I read something about a Breacher type squad with Gladius slots in their shields in the Tempest seminar stuff. So I'm guessing that's one of them.

That's such a dumb idea.

They're taking one of the dumbest scenes from Betrayer and turning it into a miniature?

I like the idea *shrug*

See, this is where they turn the Ultramarines into Space Wolves.

The Ultramarines are supposed to be Space Marines with a Greco-Roman Classical Era theme. Not Classical Greco-Romans with a Space Marine theme.

A dedicated scutum and gladius formation makes zero sense in the 30K universe. Especially for dynamic shock troops like Space Marines.

Eh. If anyone's gonna handle it right, it's Forge World. And I think I read they're armed with Power Axes so the Gladius slots are just for backup or even just thematic.

Johnnytorrance wrote:
I think giving them ATSKNF would ruin the balance

Agreed if it is an army-wide rule, but I think it is very likely specific units will get it, like HQ choices, elite units and Guilliman himself.

the ultramarines of the heresy ear where the most disiplined and orginized of the legions. this is why they had greater numbers then the other legions. because of their orginizational advantage. I'd expect to definatly see rules to reflect this advantage,

Straight up ATSKNF would be too powerful, but I think giving them an ability that allows UM units to fall-back out of a combat at the end of the fight phase and auto-regroup at the start of their turn would be fluffy but not too powerful- kind of like a proto ATSKNF.

"Through Discipline, Victory. <-- working title

Units with this special rule may choose to fail morale tests. If they choose to do so, the unit falls back as normal, and automatically regroups at the start of their next turn. If choosing to fail a morale test in combat, they are immune to being destroyed in a sweeping advance, and instead simply fall back. The victorious unit consolidates as normal."

Well I'm a die hard XIII fan too.

They should get some Honour Guard type unit, they have their liaison characters that integrate the Auxilia-like troops, maybe a fleet officer tie in.

Personally I want a model and rules for Tetrach Eikos Lamaid, even more than Guilliman. IMO there's five solid HH UM characters that need rules.

Primarch Roboute Guilliman
Aeonid Thiel
Eikos Lamaid
Marius Gage
Remus Ventanus

Maybe that'll be their thing. Lots of characters instead of special units.

Dang, that's a lot of dudes but very possible. Theil can be like a Sgt chronus, add one sgt in a tactical squad to upgrade to him. You have to have Ventanus, a tetrarch and maybe a contemptor dread.

Apparantly the characters are the Dreadnought Telemechrus and 'an important captain' according to people who were at the seminar. And the Breacher squad and Honour Guard for their units. http://battlebunnies.blogspot.co.at/2015/02/notes-from-tempest-seminar.html