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So I'm just about midway through overhauling my piles of Marines into one giant Space Sharks...School(?) and came to the horrible realization that i cant really come up with a solid list for them. Original plan was to use a maxed out sky hammer, for every reason from competitiveness to the concept just making me giddy, with something scary on the table to pincer and distract from all sides, but Tau interceptor has made me very nervous about trying this. Now I'm starting to realize if i actually want to make any use out of the chapter tactics, i have to load up on tacticals to make the most of it, which is something none of my lists have had before. I'm thinking maybe a Tyberos lead around assault with speed and metal boxes as cover, but considering my meta is 2 Tau players, Eldar, guard and then Orks....that probably wont last to long.

Does anyone have anything that's working for their Sharks now a days?


Just FYI, In terms of models i not to proudly pretty much have at least one of everything for marines, and then a total of three Knights (two GW kits fully magnetized and a FW Lancer).

I see it running 1 of 3 ways.

Either you go full marine swarm with everyone charging blindly up the table.

You switch to black Templars who have a much better chapter tactic, and units.

Or you just go all out with skyhammer like this:

2k charcaradons
CAD c:SM
Tyberos, The Red Wake
Red brethren Assault terminators: 5x two lightning claws, LC sarge, Land raider crusader with multimelta
Tactical marines: 7 marines, flamer marine, sergeant. All with +1 ccw, rhino
Tactical marines: 7 marines, flamer marine, sergeant. All with +1 ccw, rhino

Skyhammer Formation
Assault marines: drop pod, 8x marines with extra ccw, eviscerator marine, eviscerator sarge
Assault marines: drop pod, 8x marines with extra ccw, eviscerator marine, eviscerator sarge
Devastator marines: drop pod, 4x grav cannon with grav amp, Sarge with combi grav, armorium cherubim
Devastator marines: drop pod, 4x grav cannon with grav amp, Sarge with combi grav, armorium cherubim

Should be like 1998 points if my math is good. Can't handle flamers, but should destroy most tanks and stuff the turn everything comes in. Then tyberos just brings up the rear, mopping up like the walking blender he is.

Thanks for the reply. The 2k list is actually VERY similar to what i came up with, the only difference is at the time i was planing 4 grav cannons 4 multi meltas with matching combi sarges.

I'll admit I've debated running them with different tactics, and even as space wolves (although it would be hard to justify tossing 5 dudes on giant wolves into an army named "sharks" haha).

Basically this has confirmed my thoughts that, much like anything *FUN* and fluffy, the shark tactics are pretty trash. Thanks again.

If you want to include tactical marines, you could try the “other” skyhammer: the Skyhammer Orbital Strike Force. 3 tac squads in pods (and a random speeder or three). You get to pick a point, and get to re-roll hits and wounds of 1 within a foot of it. Not going to call it the most competitive of options, but it’s thematic and pairs well with the other half of your army.

Plus, with space sharks, I can totally see modeling a little chum bucket for the marker. 12” feeding frenzy!

You aren't making the most of the Chapter Tactics with Tactical Marines. You get the most of it from Rage eventually obtained and Tyberos giving everyone +1S. He also gives excellent defense to a pure Carcharodons Centurionstar. Nowhere near as competitive as the regular one but oh well.

Max out on Bikers and Scouts (both the Shotguns and CCW loadouts work). If you REALLY want Tactical Marines:
1. The Sergeant and one Marine buy an extra CCW and the other three switch out their Bolters for the CCW. This part gets a Melta Gun and Combi-Grav.
2. The other half gets a Grav Cannon.
3. Combat Squad them once they leave the Pod.

Oh by no means do i WANT tacticals haha, just started trying to include them because after scouring old posts i felt i had to include them to make the most of the chapter. I realize that Sharks are far from the most competitive of the marines, but i was hoping to see just how much i could squeeze out of them.

A Tyberos lead centstar has been floating around my brain for a while now. I even thought about assault-cents for a bit. Maybe i can get some shenanigans going with a conclave?

The issue here is that I'm trying to play a melee focused force, in an army built for shooting, in a primary meta that's myself and two tau players haha. The struggle continues

The Centurionstar is worse than normal because you won't get Draigo and Tigrus/Loth. However, with spamming enough Librarians and a single Captain with the Shield to tank things and Tyberos as a meat grinder, you actually do...okay. incredibly unfluffy but incredibly fun.