Hey all
Ive been lucky enough to sneak a peak of parts of the new
SM Codex, and as a result i have been able to update one of my lists: The Sons of Mars.
first, a little background: The Sons of Mars are a top-secret
AdMech project - they are Space Marines created illegally using stolen geneseed (either recovered from the battlefield, or taken from quality-control samples submitted by the Astartes). the project is still in its early stages: so far very few Marines have been sucessfully created and are trained ready for battle. these Marines form task forces sent on important missions (either retrieving artifacts, hunting down heretic techpriests, or collecting more geneseed). they are armed with the best weapons and equipment, and each of their Sergeants carry a Narthecium & Reductor, in order to remove and preserve the geneseed of their fallen comrades, and that of their targets too...
im in the process of building the force, using
DA Vets (robed Marines).
originally i wrote my list for 4th ed, using the 4th ed
SM Codex. it was designed to be a balanced and varied list, for friendly fluffy games. here's what i took:
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Sons of Mars - 4th ed SM Combat Patrol [400 Points]
TRAITS
Advantages: Take The Fight To Them & Purity Above All
Drawbacks: Aspire To Glory (Major) & We Stand Alone (Minor)
Tactical Squad #1 [10 models + Transport - 225pts]
Veteran Sergeant: Bolt Pistol, Power Axe, Narthecium & Reductor, Bionics, Frag Grenades
8 Marines: Bolt Pistols, Chainswords, Frag Grenades
1 Marine: Melta Gun, Frag Grenades
Tactical Squad #2 [7 models - 175pts]
Veteran Sergeant: Bolter, Narthecium & Reductor
4 Marines: Bolters
1 Marine: Plasma Cannon
1 Marine: Plasma Gun
now, with Traits gone (and replaced by army-wide special rules granted by named characters beyond the scope of
CP), the first thing to go were the Nartheciums and Reductors (now they will just be for show). Bionics are also out. i couldnt give the
CC Tac Squad
CCWs & BPs anymore, so i had to take them as an Assault Squad (without Jump Packs). this meant they couldnt take their Melta Gun. also, the shooty Tac squad had to go up to full strength now in order to take Special/Heavy weapons.
here is my preliminary draft of my 5th ed SoM
CP list (just over the pts limit, more on that below):
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Sons of Mars - 5th ed SM Combat Patrol [410 Points]
Tactical Squad [10 models - 180pts]
Sergeant: Bolter, Bolt Pistol, Frag & Krak Grenades
7 Marines: Bolters, Bolt Pistols, Frag & Krak Grenades
1 Marine: Plasma Cannon, Bolt Pistol, Frag & Krak Grenades
1 Marine: Plasma Gun, Bolt Pistol, Frag & Krak Grenades
Assault Squad [10 models - 230pts]
Sergeant: Bolt Pistol, Power Axe, Frag & Krak Grenades
7 Marines: Bolt Pistols, Chainswords, Frag & Krak Grenades
1 Marine: Plasma Pistol, Chainsword, Frag & Krak Grenades
1 Marine: Flamer, Chainsword, Frag & Krak Grenades
Rhino: Storm Bolter, Smoke Launchers, Searchlight
so i have gained:
- 3 more Marines in the shooty squad
- Pistols, Frag & Krak all round
- a Rhino that can transport either squad
- Combat Squads
i have one less Troops choice (which is a shame in 5h ed Objective games), but they have the option of splitting into Combat Squads when needed. ive lost some resilience (Narthecium & Reductor), but gained more models to start with, a Transport to cut down the time it takes to cross the board, and which can be used as mobile cover.
i must admit, i am pretty pleased with how this turned out. the Nartheciums, Reductors and Bionics dont need to have special rules in order for them to look cool and fit the theme - just like all the purity seals, scanners, scopes etc that i was already fitting to the models just for show.
im glad now that i didnt buy any more robed marines (i was worried that my force wouldnt be legal and that i would have to split it into 2 separate forces), and that i kept my 3 spare robed bodies when i sold off all the spare parts from the
DA sprues. ive also got a spare Rhino that i got cheap as part of the
DA boxed set, so thats not an issue.
the only decision left to make now is whether to drop the Plasma Pistol or the Flamer from the Assault Squad to get the list to 400pts.
the Plasma Pistol fits the theme a little better (both the heavy and special weapons in the shoot squad are Plasmas), but has a risk of overheating (and i dont have any Nartheciums anymore to negate that). if i dropped it i would have 5 pts spare, which could give one of the Sgts Melta Bombs, or give the Rhino a Dozer Blade. the added mobility from the Rhino would get the Flamer into range sooner, and the Krak Grenades all round combined with hitting Rear
AV would help with short ranged anti-tank duty. isnt a Flamer just as good against
MEQs than a single shot from a Plasma Pistol (or better, when factoring
Inv Saves/5th ed Cover abundance)?
as you can probably tell, i think i might have made my mind up. anyone fancy trying to change it? Plasma Pistols
are cool, but i themed the army with Plasma back when i could use the ignored overheat wounds due to the Nartheciums to represent it being better made, and i dont have that luxary anymore...
thoughts? (both on this decision and the list/transition in general)
cheers
~ Tim