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Like lore wise it seems to make sense- long distance kill shots and whatnot.
Some chapters that are more focused around stealth and all that jazz would make use of sniper riles right?
Why is it that ONLY scouts get them?
Just curious.

1. Logistically: Probably because they've always done it that way and aren't interested in making a kit for Tactical Squads with Sniper Rifles when they already have a troop choice scout squad with sniper rifles.
2. Fluff: Scout Armor is lighter and (presumably) quieter, which is more conducive to stealthy sniper deployment.

The Codex Astartes does not support this action.

 kronk wrote:
1. Logistically: Probably because they've always done it that way and aren't interested in making a kit for Tactical Squads with Sniper Rifles when they already have a troop choice scout squad with sniper rifles.
2. Fluff: Scout Armor is lighter and (presumably) quieter, which is more conducive to stealthy sniper deployment.

1. Yeah. You are probably right.
2. I could still see someone like the Raven Guard using them.

Why snipe the sarge when you can just shoot the whole squad?

From a tactical perspective, snipers are about harassing the opponent while hidden. A Battle Brother does neither. They strike hard and fast. They draw attention to themselves as Angels of the Emperor.

Outside its range and precision, a Sniper Rifle is just a standard issue gun. For other uses, a Boltgun does the same, but at faster ROF. A Battle Brother that needs to hit a small target at long range does so - but with a Lascannon. There is no role for a sniper rifle.

Bharring wrote:
Why snipe the sarge when you can just shoot the whole squad?

From a tactical perspective, snipers are about harassing the opponent while hidden. A Battle Brother does neither. They strike hard and fast. They draw attention to themselves as Angels of the Emperor.

Outside its range and precision, a Sniper Rifle is just a standard issue gun. For other uses, a Boltgun does the same, but at faster ROF. A Battle Brother that needs to hit a small target at long range does so - but with a Lascannon. There is no role for a sniper rifle.

That's a good answer.

Because mini-rockets are superior to sniper rifles in every way, especially for Codex Kick the door in and lay waste to everything, then smash it's skull with your gauntlet.

What about the stalker bolter? Both boltgun and sniper.

The furtive, sneaky aspect of sniper action doesn't mesh well with the lead-from-the-front, epic heroism flavor of the Space Marines. They aren't made into superhuman warriors just to be better in combat. Their monstrous forms and abilities coupled with their bold, heraldric colors/iconography are meant to be as much a weapon as their guns and swords, designed to intimidate the enemy and impress the message that the Emeror's best are not to be f---ed with. For that, they need to be seen, and heard, which is why most chapters only have their newest recruits in sniper roles. They're doing more of an observational training thing than a necessary combat role.

 n0t_u wrote:
What about the stalker bolter? Both boltgun and sniper.

Yeah, and we also hear tell of "on the fly" modifications to bolters to give them better range.
Isn't the stalker pattern used by just that one sergeant?

Still I love these models.
http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/en-US/Legion-MKIV-Recon-Squad

the 30k legions have recon teams with sniper rifles and camo cloaks so when there's now only chapters and each marine is a lot more expensive to create and maintain why have them running into fire wearing bright colours , their meant to be the equivalent of extra special forces you don't see seal team 6 running around in bright blue camo with gold braiding its all sneaky stuff , wouldn't that be more scary heretic guardsman on sentry duty when it come's to shift change nobody's there because the marines sneaked in and slotted everybody

 Vash108 wrote:
Still I love these models.
http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/en-US/Legion-MKIV-Recon-Squad

Oooh those are friggen pretty!

 FalseCypher wrote:

 Vash108 wrote:
Still I love these models.
http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/en-US/Legion-MKIV-Recon-Squad

Oooh those are friggen pretty!

Right? I would buy them for my 30k army but they aren't really Death Guards style. But you can bet your Waaagh i'd have these in a heartbeat if I was Raven Guard or Alpha Legion.

 FalseCypher wrote:

 n0t_u wrote:
What about the stalker bolter? Both boltgun and sniper.

Yeah, and we also hear tell of "on the fly" modifications to bolters to give them better range.
Isn't the stalker pattern used by just that one sergeant?

Stalker pattern is used pretty extensively by the Deathwatch.

 Vash108 wrote:

 FalseCypher wrote:

 Vash108 wrote:
Still I love these models.
http://www.forgeworld.co.uk/en-US/Legion-MKIV-Recon-Squad

Oooh those are friggen pretty!

Right? I would buy them for my 30k army but they aren't really Death Guards style. But you can bet your Waaagh i'd have these in a heartbeat if I was Raven Guard or Alpha Legion.

I'd probably use them as straight up scouts (or scout Sgts of various squads?) or as Veterans or something.

I, personally, would let people use those 30K Recon Marines in regular 40K games.
Provided they where well painted in camo patterns of course.

There isn't any particularly great reason. I could see a Marine setting themselves up as some sort of designated marksman within a squad, but that doesn't appear to be a capability the Space Marines really cared to develop, and from a game perspective, doesn't really fit well into their mechanics.


By the same token, entire squads of snipers the way Scout/Eldar Rangers/Ratlings/etc are set up is a bit ridiculous as well, it's just an artefact of the game functionality.

 TheCustomLime wrote:
The Codex Astartes does not support this action.

This made me laugh pretty hard.

I read a book where marines used stalker ammo in their boltguns in a couple of scenes.

Don't think it ever specified whether they were special marines or anything though.

Tactical marines can get snipers. They just happen to be armed with weapons that can snipe vehicles and infantry with equal ease



(not my models)

 FalseCypher wrote:

 n0t_u wrote:
What about the stalker bolter? Both boltgun and sniper.

Yeah, and we also hear tell of "on the fly" modifications to bolters to give them better range.
Isn't the stalker pattern used by just that one sergeant?

On the fly is heresy and stupid.
Stalker is both for that sergeant and also the Tigris Exitus pattern of it used by the Raven Guard.
Telion's one.

RG's cooler one.

Because that's HERESY!

ONly in 30k you'll find power armor marine snipers

You could model them with the Tigris pattern boltera and use raptor tactics maybe?

From a logistics point of view it makes very little sense to spend the resources a SM takes to make them a sniper. A SM costs from fluff on the order of 1000 IG troops. Sniper rifles according to fluff are not rare or pricey to make. Thus if you had to decide between 1 sniper who was approximately as good as an IG vet at shooting a sarge out of a squad or ~100 vet snipers and ~900 less talented snipers then what would your choice be?

SM also are in reality a breaching force. They are the guys you send in first to take important objectives you don't want to destroy and secure a landing spot so your other forces can be brought to the fight.

Honestly though the cost of transporting these forces is always ignored in 40K...the cost of bringing 1 million people off a planet surface would be ridiculous.

And not really relevant, given that they're using anti-gravity, fusion powered whatchmajigs, and other sci-fi super tech to do it, as opposed to chemical rockets coming off the ground.

As for why tacs don't equip sniper rifles, it's because in most cases, it's not part of their combat doctrine. In 40K, for most marine forces, that sort of role has been assigned to scouts.

Lascannon = Sniper rifle

Devastator Squad with 4 Lascannons = Snipers

Sniper rifles in 40k are not Sniper rifles, they are marksmanship weapons, the terrible statline, bad accuracy (for a Sniper weapon) and very little chance to actually get a precision shot all add up to a non Sniper semi auto marksman rifle.

Sniper rifles should just pick target and fleshbane, pinning, ap2 on a 6, always hit on a 2+, that would make snipers of any kind excellent, but not as mobile as the line infantry.

 Formosa wrote:
Sniper rifles in 40k are not Sniper rifles, they are marksmanship weapons, the terrible statline, bad accuracy (for a Sniper weapon) and very little chance to actually get a precision shot all add up to a non Sniper semi auto marksman rifle.

Sniper rifles should just pick target and fleshbane, pinning, ap2 on a 6, always hit on a 2+, that would make snipers of any kind excellent, but not as mobile as the line infantry.

Vindicare?