A Closer Look At Chapter Tactics by Darren Driver of The Art of Warhammer!

A Closer Look at Chapter Tactics by Darren Driver at The Art of Warhammer

While looking through the DFG Blog Network, I found an article on Space Marine Chapter Tactics that summed up everything I had thought about the new tactics, especially in comparison to the old 4th edition version of the chapter traits. The article is by Darren Driver at The Art of Warhammer, an excellent blog that I recommend you check out and follow. Darren has a lot of great paint articles and has been doing a hell of a job with his own Marines. Please check out The Art of Warhammer or read the article below and then go check out the blog, you won't be disapointed:

It's been about a month and I still haven't said anything about the new Space Marine codex, so this article has been a long time coming.

I think it's fair to say that the Chapter Tactics are the hottest thing in the new codex. Who remembers the old Chapter Traits in 4th edition? I do. They're like them without the opportunity to abuse the rules. I mean, let's face it, who didn't go with a custom chapter and use whatever tactics worked best every time? And then there were us suckers who used established chapters. Us Ultramarine fans especially had our faith tested with no traits at all.

Fortunately, in my honest opinion, Games Workshop got it right this time. You're guaranteed unique special rules that shape your army in a way that others can't. For me the best thing is, aside from the Black Templars, no chapter is limited in what they can take, but their rules will naturally make collectors evolve their armies in different  ways. I thought I'd take some time to go through each chapter tactic and what they do for their respective chapters.

White Scars: Building a Successful Army List

Master of the Forge in full servo-harness riding a bike

Un-Phasable here,

White Scars are an entertaining army for many reasons the most important being they are challenging. Given the relatively low model count in your army, you must be cunning when you command them. Since they will almost always be outnumbered, any mistakes made will be amplified and occasionally may cost you the game. That being said, they are certainly a competitive army and success is very rewarding and never out of reach.

One of the most important concepts to remember with the White Scars is your model count. If you build a 1500 point list and only have 15 models you have a problem. You would only be making victory easier for your opponent. You want to have models to wage war with. Don't get me wrong, it is certainly possible to pull off a victory with very few expensive models rather than more numerous not as expensive models. Just keep in mind your army will not be as balanced or as effective the fewer models you include. Now when I talk about model count I'm referring to models that can move and shoot. This includes bikes of course, but also includes transports (not Drop Pods), Dreadnoughts, and the models inside transports, non-transport vehicles, or any other models on foot (even though I don't take models on foot). Typically I will hold a higher priority for models that are also capable of assault since that makes them more versatile.

I include transports for two main reasons; they act almost as moving terrain that I control, and can block line of sight and provide cover to my precious bikes while simultaneously providing protection for the troops inside. Transports are important for the White Scars since you want everything to be capable of moving at the same speed; i.e. at least 12 inches a turn. White Scars are meant to be fast, Dreadnoughts are the only exception to this rule. That is why whenever I include them in a list they receive a Drop Pod, this way they are where you need them early in the game, in fact often before the bikes even arrive. Since I play White Scars with the traditional approach I never take models on foot unless they are given a transport (even Devastator Squads), everything must be mounted. When playing this way, you will always be more mobile than your foe. This will make it easier to pick your favorable battles, and seize objectives when the time is right.

Why is the model count so Important: Well, the short answer is the more you have to work with, the more possibilities you have on the battlefield. You do not want to make victory easier for your opponent by making yourself severely outnumbered. I will always count the number of models in a list before I consider trying it. If it meets my expectations I add it to the large folder of army list possibilities I have for my White Scars. I try not to play the same list twice in a row, because as you all know the Space Marines have tons of options. This helps to keep my opponent guessing, and also makes each game exciting. It's fun to have 50+ "take all comers" lists ready at any given time, although it may be a little bit excessive.

A good rule of thumb I have come up with: When I make an army list for White Scars I will typically expect approximately 30 models for 1500 points give or take a few. For 1750 points I would expect about 35-40 models. It is certainly satisfactory to have more than my guidelines suggest would be appropriate, however a red flag should go up if you have significantly less then expected with this guideline. For every high cost single model unit you include, such as a Dreadnought or Predator, you will likely need to balance it out with a less expensive per model unit such as a Tactical Squad. This will help to provide balance in your force and also help to ensure you will not be too outnumbered that you cannot overcome it. Don't get me wrong, this is not an exact science, it is merely a guideline. But remember even when I play nothing but bikes with my Scars I still have 32 models at 1500 points. The fewer high points cost models you include, the more bikes you can fit into the army.

As always feel free to comment or ask questions.