Space Marine Codex Rumors

Since the 5th ed of Warhammer 40K was released there have been all sorts of rumors about the new Space Marine Codex that will be released. Here is a list compiled from various web sites (Bols , WebSeer) for your enjoyment. I play Ultramarines so I am interested to see what they have done with my boys in blue.

 

Basic:
You may still have variable squad sizes(6-9), but you get nothing else besides the Sgt n his options. No special n Heavy Weapons. The weapon options (free stuff) is correct if taken as a 10 man unit.

Apothecaries:
Confirmed, they do give FNP to the squad they are part of, any any attached characters!

Sternguard: All members of the squad can take combi weapons, from bolter & chainsword Rumored that all may take storm bolters and may take 2 heavy or special weapons. Heavy flamers included.

Vanguard: They may be upgraded to Honour Guard if you take a Company Master

Command Squads: These can be bike mounted, in theory you could have an all T5 command squad, with FNP, and storm shields…

Characters:
Basic Character

Chaplains are WS 5, BS 4, 3+ sv.

Librarain WS 5, BS 4

Commanders are WS6, but have limited ranged weapon options. Bike Commanders: allow bike squads as troops.

Techmarines still have Servitor Retinues(0-4 models), but may leave them as a seperate unit. The downside; they only operate on a 4+ if left alone.

Captain Lysander:
Mc’ed Str 10 Thunder Hammer [w/ +1 damage against vehicles]
Storm Shield
Eternal Warrior
Bolter Drill [grants twin linking to all bolter shots in the SQUAD he joins]
allow army to FORTIFY one piece of terrain [+1 cover save]
grants either Stubborn or Combat Tactics

Marneus Calgar
Eternal Warrior

Chaplain Cassius:
toughness 6 and eternal warrior

Captain Sicarius:
Some sort of mantle that grants feel no pain

Shrike:
Gives the army Fleet, and also allows infiltration with the squad he is attached too. He now has an Iron Halo, and pretty much the same wargear as before, but WS6.
Vulkan Estan: allows any and all Salamanders in the army to replace their Combat Tactics special rule with a Salamanders version; they get Master Crafted Thunder Hammers for free. All Melta/flamer weapons in the army, no matter their source, count as twin linked – also for free. He is the ex-4th Salamander Company Captain and is a kind of wandering champion. He has almost Inquisition-like leverage over the Salamander Chapter, as his task is to seek out and recover nine holy relics made by Vulkan before he disappeared. If all nine are recovered, it is said Vulkan will return. Estan has recovered the following three and uses them:

* Salamander Hide Cloak,
* Gauntlet which counts as a Heavy Flamer and allows re-rolls to wound.
* Spear of Vulkan is a S6 master crafted power weapon.

Pedro Cantor: grants either Stubborn or Combat Tactics, Grants ‘Hold the line’ : SternGuard vets are scoring [but NOT troops selections, still elites]

Master of the Forge:
Current Techmarine stats w BS5 and LD10-100 pts
2+ Sv. no inv.
Servo Harness for free
Allows Dreadnoughts to be taken as Heavy Support AND Elites.
Has special rule that allows for one piece of terrain in your Deployment Zone to be given an improved Cover Save by +1 at the atart of the game(fortifications or some-such).

Ultramarine Sgt Chronus
Heavy Support upgrade: confers his BS of 5 to his vehicle, and can survive its destruction to keep fighting on foot! (hence the foot slogging model)
Tank Commander Upgrade

Ultramarine Scout Sgt Telion
Scout Master Sgt Upgrade
Squad upgrade: confers his BS of 6 to one other Scout in his squad (sniper, missile launcher, etc.)
Vehicles

Landraider:
LR Machine Spirit [no longer BS2, can fire extra main weapon , may fire at 2 seperate targets, ignores stunned/shaken]
Land Raider Crusader is now cheaper but does not include the multi-melta; this option may now be purchased as a pintle mounted weapon for ALL land raiders.
Land Raider Redeemer flame cannons are S:6 AP:3 but are not Inferno Cannons; the template must touch the weapon.

Dreadnaught:
* Venerables are back to WS/BS 5.
* Ironclads have 13/13/10 armour and can take twin DCCW, Hurricane bolter, twin linked heavy flamer, and some others It also has a rule which (possibly a weapon option) called the Seismic Hammer which counts as a thunder hammer and allows difficult terrain tests to be re-roll as the Ironclad batters terrain out of the way.
* Dreads weapons options: Assault Cannon, Multi Melta, linked Heavy Bolters, linked Heavy Flamers, linked las cannon, linked autocannon, plasma cannon, DCCW, Missile Launcher, and maybe more. The linked autocannon can be purchased for BOTH arms, and possibly some others options as well.
Wargear & weapons

Thunderfire Cannon:
3 Fire modes, all fire modes are “x4 Small Blast”, one of which is STR6 AP4

Storm Shields:
Confirmed, its a 3+ Invulnerable against ALL attacks, both shooting & CC.

Honour Guard
Honour Guard (available to Chapter Master’s only) have artificer armour, bolters, bolt pistols, grenades, and power weapons. They can replace their power weapons with relic blades (S:6, two-handed power weapons) and also have various other options such as storm shields (3+ invulnerable save against all attacks) and auxillary grenade launchers (a 12” grenade launcher that can be fired in addition to any other weapon each and every turn). Marneus Calgar allows the player to field three squads of Honour Guard instead than the standard one squad.

Tabletop Performance
Combat Tactics
Playing against this in an actual game was not bad as you can still attempt to sweep the marines (as with ATSKNF, they take wounds as if they are fearless if caught). Every time my marine opponent tried it my nasty and quick assault units caught them, and Combat Tactics only forced him to take more armour saves. If the marines had been successful more often I may have had a different opinion on Combat Tactics.

ATSKNF
This has changed a little. Marines automatically rally at the begining of their turn and can act normally (they do not count as moving, and don’t get the 3″ consolidate). They still can’t rally if an enemy is within 6″. Other than that, it’s the exact same.

FAQs
When the marine codex comes out, GW will release updated FAQs for the DA, BA and BT list making some of the changes carry over to them. ATSKNF is a good candidate for this as it is written much more cleanly in the new codex.

A outbreak of peace at Pennsic

Trying to keep up with the news from the war going up in Pennsic I read through the excellent Pennsic Independent .  Whats nice is besides the web page they also do a Podcast. Be sure to check out the Peace at the War - MidRealm Herald (episode #4) Yes, peace has broken out and it will take a at least a year to sort it all out again.

 

Reading through the Web Edition the Wednesday afternoon I read the results of the Atlantian Five Man-Melee Tournament . The tournament took place yesterday with eight teams of five each. They had four matchups with it all coming down to the Thieves of Hearts, Stormguard, Caer Mear, and Death for All Occasions. The final ended with Caer Mear defeating Death for All Occasions. Caer Mear was presented silver pins and Thieves of Hearts presented with silver rings.