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I may just have been having bad luck, but ever since I used them, I've never liked them. Sadly, I need a Fast Attack unit most likely for my Salamanders army. Are they a good idea? If so, what's a good setup for them in 6th Edition?

Bikes and Stormtalons are better Fast Attack choices. Sadly Assault Marines just aren't worth it if they can't score.

Sure they're worth it. You just can't expect them to do a lot. They've "only" got two attacks at marine stats, so they are not CC powerhouses. But, I think they make good rapid-response troops and tarpit troops. They can tie up a moderately powerful squad for a couple of turns at the very least, they can contest objectives, and they can mop up weakened enemy units.

So, yes, I think they're worth it. Try using them a few more times, but try to re-imagine their purpose.

But neither can bikes or Stormtalons. Stormtalons are good firesupport. And bikes aren't really my thing.

So... As a shooter squad? How would I set them up if I wanted them to be rapid response?

Maybe think about taking Blood Angels allies which allows you to take Assault Marines as a Troops choice.

 Alkasyn wrote:
Maybe think about taking Blood Angels allies which allows you to take Assault Marines as a Troops choice.

With Meltaguns and possible Furious Charge, too!

My brother likes to change things up often, and so I see Vanilla assault marines on the table every now and again. And I must say, honestly, they arnt that spectacular unless a Chaplain w/jump pack is in there.

I would use C: SM Assault troops to harry the enemy, and keep them off balance. Don't expect miracles from them, but if they can distract from you nice big hammer coming around they can be really helpful.

I'm not picking up a new army just to grab a squad of Assault Marines. Even if I have considered BA before, I'm past that stage. I have BT to be my CC SM army

Hmm.. Right now, Assault Marines aren't sounding like a game changer. Nor do they sound worth their point cost. Maybe if I kept them cheap, but even then I'm sure they wouldn't earn their points back.

There's no way I'd take assault marines in my vanilla marine list; it takes away a fast attack slot that could (should) just be a speeder or stormtalon instead.

Dude, if you're playing Salamanders, you're using Vulkan, ya? Land Speeders with a MM/HF kit are amazing anyways ...better yet when both guns are TL. Or you can take MM/MM Speeders; also savage with Vulkan. They may not fit the fluff, but they fit the strategy. They're going to be one of the better units in your list with Vulkan at the helm. Hell, they're one of the better units in the codex anyways.

C:SM Assault Marines aren't great, unless you tool them up and put a chaplain in them, but then they're also crazy expensive.

As mentioned, a MM/HF speeder is a sick option for Salamanders.

OR a dual HF or dual MM since now a Land Speeder can fire 2 weapons each turn. Redundancy is never a bad word.

The dual HF on the speeder is a real nice option. Crispy infantry and the ability to harass armor by dual flaming the rear armor value 10 to strip off HPs.

I have a buddy who has a catch phrase "MELTA FAIL" and not cause he rolls crappy on armor pens

Dual either MM+MM or HF+HF will straight up PWN whatever you need PWND, maybe on of each?

A friend of mine uses a 12-man unit of vanilla assault marined to harass. They are good to tie up lootas and long fangs, And can reach the backfrield to assault artillery relatively well. Now that you can get armor saves against dangerous terrain, you can also jump them from cover to cover with far less risk.

It would rock if they were scoring, yes, but I can see ways to use them.

There is a Space Marine captain, Elam Courbay, who can make them scoring. I like his gear, but not enough to invest in him.

Investing in two Land Speeders could work. Each with a MM and HF. I like variety.

How are Stormtalons? I have no idea how they work, or where their rules are.

The only way I could see throwing a squad of Assault Marine in my army is just a minimal squad w/ a flamer, which is only 110pts.

 Demdiddydizzy wrote:
There is a Space Marine captain, Elam Courbay, who can make them scoring. I like his gear, but not enough to invest in him.

Investing in two Land Speeders could work. Each with a MM and HF. I like variety.

How are Stormtalons? I have no idea how they work, or where their rules are.

The only way I could see throwing a squad of Assault Marine in my army is just a minimal squad w/ a flamer, which is only 110pts.

The stormtalons rules are in junes white dwarf.

As for assault marines? I sometimes stick a five man squad in my list as a distraction, if you can deep strike in the right place your opponent will be forced to shoot his important guns at you. Well, in my experince anyway.

Didnt we have this thread last week?

In short- They are bully units. They pick on weak choppy units. If you have a solid CC unit (ass terms?) fighting another CC unit, then sure their extra 4 S4 attacks (including HoW) each comes in handy. But don't attack solid CC units. The other FA choices are less punishing to use/learn, and are more competitive. Also one is a flyer so why not?

I'm seeing a stormtalon becoming part of this army, due to flyers (seriously starting to hate them, having to waste points shooting em down...)

I will have hammernators in my Salamanders army, so perhaps a small squad of assault marines could give them some CC support?

I would think Land Speeders would be punishing to learn, as they're some of the most frail vehicles Space Marines own.

As a blood angels player I feel that they work extremely well for myself.

But I'm playing the vanilla codex. I don't get all those awesome extras that Blood Angels get

And I'm not picking up Blood Angels. I don't know what kind of army I'd make anyway. I had the idea for a Sang Guard army or a DC army... Buuuut I'm still working on Vanilla SM, Black Templars, Grey Knights, and soon I'll be working once again on my Chaos Space Marines.

They are a perfectly acceptable troops choice. When downgraded to denial only, they fall off of my "acceptable" scale for semi-competitive.

Shadow captain corvidae of forge world fame is your man for that. But if you are a fluff stickler (a trait I respect) then there isn't anything in salamanders for them.

Embrace the salamander way of battle. Spend more points on elites and buy some more assault terminators. Or deep strike some MMHF speeders.

 Demdiddydizzy wrote:
I'm seeing a stormtalon becoming part of this army, due to flyers (seriously starting to hate them, having to waste points shooting em down...)

I will have hammernators in my Salamanders army, so perhaps a small squad of assault marines could give them some CC support?

I would think Land Speeders would be punishing to learn, as they're some of the most frail vehicles Space Marines own.

The trick to using speeders is to just have them try to get the job done, and not care if they die. If you take the basic MM/HF speeder, you just put the nose up against a tank that costs 4 times what you do and pull the trigger on the MM. Anything else you do that game is just gravy. The typhoon/HB is another popular option. It's job is to be an irritating harassment unit, but not so irritating as to draw fire. Stay out of bolter range, so if they want to swat it out of the sky, they need to use real AT weapons. And any shot they take at the speeder is one not being taken against your rhinos/dreads/tanks.

And that's the same mindset you need to keep with codex assault marines. They are an irritating harassment unit. They are a backfield threat that can't be ignored, and the firepower diverted to them is shots not hitting critical targets. Our FA picks have always been a little on the "meh" side. Unless you were playing a bike list, it's just been for a splash of fast melta, or a little extra fire support. No stand out stars, just a few supporting units. Now with flyers and storm talons, this has changed a bit.

And it's good to mix your list up a bit, include things your opponents don't expect. Keeps them on their toes and the game fun.

I plan on running Vulkan to annoy my enemy with lotsa melta weapons.

I will be including some Assault Terminators at 1500-2000pts. With a Redeemer too! (mostly cause it's the cheapest, and fits the fluff)

Currently, my list at 1000pts includes (not to any specifics):

Vulkan or a Master of the Forge

2 Tact Squads (or 1 Tact Squad and Sniper Scouts)

A suicide DP MM Dreadnought

A Sternguard squad in a DP

Things I'm thinking of adding are Hammernators, a Redeemer, a Stormtalon, Assault Marines, Land Speeders (1-2), Vindicators (2). And I might upgrade my Dread to an Ironclad.

Would that new Predator Infernus be a good idea for my army?

I think assault marines could do some good in my army. I do need something to annoy the enemy with. Same with a Land Speeder. Both units could distract my enemy from my Hammernators and my other expensive units later on at higher point games. They both could become assets to my army.



Automatically Appended Next Post:
Here's my list right here, just wrote it up:

http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/0/472509.page#4699258

 Demdiddydizzy wrote:

Things I'm thinking of adding are Hammernators, a Redeemer, a Stormtalon, Assault Marines, Land Speeders (1-2), Vindicators (2). And I might upgrade my Dread to an Ironclad.

This is the list almost exactly that I plan on trying out. Post up how effective it is if you don't mind.

I will when I eventually add them

But first, I gotta test my 1000pt army. Then decide what to bring at 1500pts.

I love assualt marines, but kind of like everyone else said, soften a unit up in the back field or just any unit, and then finish them off with the assault marines.

I might add them to aggravate the enemy. But they definitely don't seem like my go-to unit.

They're the cheapest way to get a Rhino to stick an infantry character in.

That is true. But sadly their options probably aren't good enough for that transport.

 Demdiddydizzy wrote:
That is true. But sadly their options probably aren't good enough for that transport.

They wouldn't have to take it. put them in a rhino and have it deploy turn 1 next to the unit you want to be in the rhino.
They disembark and the other unit embarks.