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I'm wondering how players usually equip their intercessors.
Have the doctrine changes had an impact on your loadouts or are they unchanged?

I voted mostly rifles.

That said, I’m a WYSWYG guy, and built mine before the rules changed to make the others more viable. And don’t get a lot of games in.

I still think the basic rifle is the best overall option. However, I think the other two are a lot more viable these days. I have plans to build 5 of each next time I pick up more intercessors. I’d like to include them in certain builds.

Ultramarine, for what that’s worth.

I very seldom use anything but the Autobolters, with the occasional Stalker squad. I mostly play White Scars, with occasional forays into Ultramarines, Ravenguard, and Imperial Fist. I do wonder how much of an impact favorite chapter has on that calculation for other players, and I'm quite surprised to see "mostly Stalkers" pulling twice as many votes as "mostly Autobolters".

Doctrines have not changed my primary load out. If anything they've made me less inclined to move away from Autobolters as standard, although Assault 3 is a big factor too. Point changes, Bolter Drill, and D2 have caused me to drift back and forth between "with the occasional Stalker squad" and "with the occasional Bolt Rifle squad" though.

I play dark angels so regular bolters for me, because I can use the +6" extra range in turn 1 better and then use the extra ap on turns 2 and 3.

I gravitate to regulars and stalkers, usually something like a 2:1 ratio. Ultramarines successor, but I rarely use doctrines anyways.

My main issue with the autos is the lack of AP and not really feeling I can get much use out of the Assault part, but then, I haven't played with my autos in a while, so might want to see how they play again.

 Galas wrote:
I play dark angels so regular bolters for me, because I can use the +6" extra range in turn 1 better and then use the extra ap on turns 2 and 3.

I would think that would favor the Autobolter; 24" -> 30", Ap 0 -> Ap 1 is a bigger deal than 30" -> 36", Ap 0
1 -> Ap 2, but obviously local meta, terrain collection and personal playstyle trump math-hammer calculations in ways that can be hard to explain.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Sgt_Smudge wrote:
I gravitate to regulars and stalkers, usually something like a 2:1 ratio. Ultramarines successor, but I rarely use doctrines anyways.

My main issue with the autos is the lack of AP and not really feeling I can get much use out of the Assault part, but then, I haven't played with my autos in a while, so might want to see how they play again.

The Assault part isn't really the selling point, it's moving without losing shots.

 Sgt_Smudge wrote:
I gravitate to regulars and stalkers, usually something like a 2:1 ratio. Ultramarines successor, but I rarely use doctrines anyways.

My main issue with the autos is the lack of AP and not really feeling I can get much use out of the Assault part, but then, I haven't played with my autos in a while, so might want to see how they play again.

For Ultras it’s a little odd.

Autos loose the -1 AP, but gain the extra shot. Quantity has a certain quality of it’s own.

Ultras in Tac doctrine can bolter drill on the move, so can still project a lot of bolter fire over full range, which is longer for the basic rifle. Other chapters are going to see more of a drop off if they ever need to move. So for us, the basic rifle IMHO is a lot better for force projection on mobile troops, which frankly is what I take intercessors for. If I wanted to camp, I’ve got better options (which will include stalkers once I get some)

For Strats, I think going to Rapid Fire 2 is better then automatically hitting at half range. Especially as Ultras are only 1 CP away from full re-rolls to hit on a troop pick.

I’m not going to say there is never a reason for Ultras to take autos, but it’s a much harder choice for us to step away from the rapid fire. I suspect a lot of other chapters will get more milage from them.

My army has:

17 Bolt Rifles
10 Auto Bolt Rifles
6 Stalker Bolt Rifles

Which probably seems like a strange number in both number of Intercessors and weapon choices. It is 3 full boxes of ten Intercessors and one Easy-To-Build set. As for the load outs, 23 of the Intercessors were built before the new codex. At that point, I had 17 Bolt Rifles and 6 Auto Bolt Rifles.

If and when I get another set of Intercessors, I plan to get the Stalker Bolt Rifles to 10 and the Bolt Rifles to 20. The remainder I plan on using to allow for power fist option, kit bash a Primaris Lt and Primaris Captain.

I think the Bolt Rifle still makes a solid core Troop weapon in its flexibility. To sound a little hipster, I liked the Auto Bolt Rifle before it was cool since it reminds me of the Browning Automatic Rifle (BAR), and I also kinda like light machine guns. I really haven't used the Stalker yet as they are some of the newer models I have built for the army and haven't played my Primaris army in a while.

Doctrine changes didn't affect me much at all. I already moved out of Devastator as quick as possible and usually debated on staying in Tactical or going to Assault turn 3/4 anyways. For reference, I make use of successor chapter tactics Bolter Fusiliades and Whirlwind of Rage. I don't use any marine supplements.

The Newman wrote:

The Assault part isn't really the selling point, it's moving without losing shots.

You posted while I was typing. Less of an issue for Ultras.

The Newman wrote:

 Galas wrote:
I play dark angels so regular bolters for me, because I can use the +6" extra range in turn 1 better and then use the extra ap on turns 2 and 3.

I would think that would favor the Autobolter; 24" -> 30", Ap 0 -> Ap 1 is a bigger deal than 30" -> 36", Ap 0
1 -> Ap 2, but obviously local meta, terrain collection and personal playstyle trump math-hammer calculations in ways that can be hard to explain.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Sgt_Smudge wrote:
I gravitate to regulars and stalkers, usually something like a 2:1 ratio. Ultramarines successor, but I rarely use doctrines anyways.

My main issue with the autos is the lack of AP and not really feeling I can get much use out of the Assault part, but then, I haven't played with my autos in a while, so might want to see how they play again.

The Assault part isn't really the selling point, it's moving without losing shots.

The autobolter, being assault, only gain 3 inch in range due to the DA doctrine in turn 1 (unlike heavy and rapid fire that gain 6"), and gain AP 1 in turn 3 and afterwards, i.e. too late to be useful.
Normal bolters are 36" AP -1 turn 1 and 30" AP -2 turn 2 & possibly 3. Them being 36" means that they outreach other marine army (except for stalker bolt rifle). So yeah, like Galas, as a DA player, I don't use the autobolt rifle.

I've given the standard Intercessors Bolt Riflea, and Lieutenants Stalker Bolt Rifles (before they were cool) for back field sitting.

 Nevelon wrote:

 Sgt_Smudge wrote:
I gravitate to regulars and stalkers, usually something like a 2:1 ratio. Ultramarines successor, but I rarely use doctrines anyways.

My main issue with the autos is the lack of AP and not really feeling I can get much use out of the Assault part, but then, I haven't played with my autos in a while, so might want to see how they play again.

For Ultras it’s a little odd.

Autos loose the -1 AP, but gain the extra shot. Quantity has a certain quality of it’s own.

Ultras in Tac doctrine can bolter drill on the move, so can still project a lot of bolter fire over full range, which is longer for the basic rifle. Other chapters are going to see more of a drop off if they ever need to move. So for us, the basic rifle IMHO is a lot better for force projection on mobile troops, which frankly is what I take intercessors for. If I wanted to camp, I’ve got better options (which will include stalkers once I get some)

For Strats, I think going to Rapid Fire 2 is better then automatically hitting at half range. Especially as Ultras are only 1 CP away from full re-rolls to hit on a troop pick.

I’m not going to say there is never a reason for Ultras to take autos, but it’s a much harder choice for us to step away from the rapid fire. I suspect a lot of other chapters will get more milage from them.

You do make a good point about shooting on the move with UMs, how ofter other chapters are going to want to shoot on the move depends a lot on the local playgroup. We're always playing missions and I favor WS over UM so I almost certainly assigning more than the average value to firing on the move.

You're probably right about the strats. A single 5-man putting out 20 shots is always good, 15 shots autohitting at 12" is situationally brilliant but at 1000 you're a heck of a lot less likely to still have 2 CPs when it comes up. Not that I ever have enough CPs to use either of them anyway.

Autobolters are critical for BA. I can see the rest of the chapters not needing them.

https://youtu.be/VkhJ-qZEYJc

Shame he mixed up his slides but the maths is pretty interesting. Personally I think the auto bolters are the best option but then I mostly stick a squad of ten intercessors to form a meat shield for my salamander aggressors running up the board!

 kingheff wrote:
https://youtu.be/VkhJ-qZEYJc

Shame he mixed up his slides but the maths is pretty interesting. Personally I think the auto bolters are the best option but then I mostly stick a squad of ten intercessors to form a meat shield for my salamander aggressors running up the board!

Yeah, watched his video too. Don't understand why he doesn't fix the video and re-release it? Open up video editor software of choice, swap the slides? Meh. Anyways...

Things depend a lot on the chapter you are using. In a pure vacuum with no strategems or Chapter Tactics, seems the Auto Bolt Rifle (ABR) is the clear winner. The Grenade Launcher was a bit surprising. Yeah, it's only 1 point, but according to the charts... the only time it's better then an ABR is versus a very specific T5 model with multiple wounds. Otherwise, again, ABR is better. Yeah, it's only 1 point, but if I take it, I'd be tempted to use it when it's obvious that it's pretty subpar to the standard ABR.

Things get all kinds of muddled up when you start adding in chapter tactics and the fact that you can't stay in certain Doctrines anymore.

The thing to take away from all this: Each Chapter will favor a certain type of weapon over others, and some will want to take a particular type depending on your strategy and tactics used during the game.

From the video that was linked (If I recall correctly...)
Ultramarines: Bolt Rifles
White Scars, Dark Angels, Space Wolves, Blood Angels- Auto Bolt Rifles
Imperial Fists: Auto Bolt Rifles, maybe Stalker Bolt Rifles*
Iron Hands, Salamanders: Stalker Bolt Rifles

If you are a close combat army that wants to advance, or move around a lot, take Auto Bolt Rifles. If you have bonuses for moving and shooting heavy weapons, take Stalker Pattern. Ultramarines have a couple strategems for Bolt Rifles and they are able to fall back and still shoot, which would be four shots for them. Imperial Fists are in a weird place. That first round in Devastator Doctrine makes Stalker Pattern Bolt Rifles really, really nasty. After that, not so good. The IF player will have to figure out for themselves if that one round of Stalker fire is worth reduced effectiveness when you shift into Tactical and eventually Assault doctrines.

Autobolters but I play blood angels so there is little use for the other ones.

When i run my Imperial Fists i think im running them with Autobolters, but i would like to run a plasma squad or two as well for the lols.