I asked Dutch as to whether I could do this, and he said yes, but i should post it here and if it's good enough it will get moved the Librarium. He said Vash should have the last say on this.
The space marines are lucky in that they have many different types of vehicle, all with distinct roles. In this Tactica I will include: Vehicle uses, values, upgrades, who should ride in them and sneaky tricks. I will being purely using vehicles from the Codex, so no FW or Apoc. .
The Vehicles
Rhino
The rhino is a commonly used vehicle, which has weak armour but a large troop capacity. It is best used for moving Tactical squads around the table. It is weaker in the new rules, as the idea of a 'rhino rush' has been weakened, though not destroyed. The rhikno is a bargain, and it is best you put veteran/tactical squads in it. Don't ever forget their fire points, as many people forget these, and are suprised when the Devastator squad in the rhino their lasguns can't hurt starts killed the units that can.
Remember that Rhinos are one of the easiest non-skimmer tanks to kill, and that they should be used with caution.
The Rhino Rush is when one or more rhinos will drive towards an enemy at full speed using smoke launchers. The rhino is unlikely to be killed except by determined fire, and will probably be able to get in range to use drop its cargo. The most common cargo will be 10 Tactical Marines, who then unleash Bolter death of the enemy. Using this tactic even isolated sqauds can cause serious damage. Most enemies do not have the firepower to take out several tanks per turn, but even so, the Crew Stunned result can really ruin your day, so extra armour is a prime investment.
Drive By Best worked with Tactical/Veteran marines, this tactic is very simple and plays to the Space Marine's strengths. You drive the rhino towards and enemy, before letting the marines out of the side doors. The marines then unleash a hail of fire, before getting baxk into the rhino next turn and driving away. This tactic works brilliantly against armies with small units of lightly armed CC warriors (Eldar howling banshees are perfect targets) who you can wipe out in a turn.
Rhampage Often a rhino's squad will disembark (say after a Rhino Rush) without intending to come back. The does not make the rhino obsolete. Stay on the lookout for lightly armed, low Ld enemy untis (such as conscripts) and Tank Shock them. The value of a Rhino chasing away a unit on an objective is huge.
Blockade Near end game? Got a unit of Fire Warriors (example) setting their scopes on that 40% casualties scout squad (example) sitting on the objective? Drive a rhino inbetween them. Providing you put it quite close the the scouts, the rhino will force the Fire Warriors to move, quite possibly putting them out of range. If the example enemy squad has a heavy weapon, they may shoot the rhino out of the way, but smoke launchers can stop this. Remember: every shot hitting the Rhino is a shot wasted for your opponent.
Razorback
The Razor back is also very easy to kill, be hopefully you can kill enemy tanks with anti-armour weapons with Devastators etc.
Many of the rules of the rhino apply to the Razorback, but here are some things you should think about:
Which weapon? Choosing which weapon to have on a razorback can be tough, but you should let the squad that's in it make the choice for you. If the squad has no heavy weapons, give the RB twin-linked lascannons, to get rid of any tanks that are looking at them in a funny way. If the sqaud has their own heavy weapon, give the RB a heavy bolter, to lend them the couple of extra kills that could win a combat.
Cheap Predator The Razorback can easily be played as a cheap predator, staying at the back with its dedicated devastator squad, shooting enemy tanks, ready to drive its squad away if those incubi come too close.
Drop Pod The drop pod itself is often overlooked as a tactical boon, more often the units inside are considered the most improtantant. Many enemies will even overlook the fact drop pods are killable, and that they fight back. The deathwind launcher is very good against orks, and can wipe out a squad per turn with a little luck.
Wait until enemies turn their back to your drop pods, then hit them with Str 5 in the rear parts. They are unlikely to single handedly do much, but can soften enemy units up nicely.
However, the drop pod has several BIG disadvantages. 1) It is immobile, so your opponent always get halh its points, meaning it is quite likely to be, on its own level, a large loss.
Dreadnought
The dreadnought is a figurehead of the space marines, huge wise and ancient. They can either be used as tanks or as super soldiers, depending on your tactics.
Obviously the Dreadnought is slow, and has weak rear armour, so it it better in tight spaces.
I was a devastator... Give a Venerable Dreadnought a missile launcher, tank hunter and twin-linked lascannons and you'll have an excellent tank hunter.
Can't touch me... Send a dreadnought into combat against any unit that numbers 9 people or less and has low strength (again howling Banshees) and watch as he tears the Sushi out of enemies who can't escape, and can't hurt him. Harlequins, Howling Banshees, Rough Riders... all will bow down before the dreadnought!
He's a big lad... Send a normal dreadnought to walk along with any infantry squad. He can act as a supoort, augmenting the squad's strengths and weaknesses. Simple, but so effective.
Land Speeders
Land speeders are easy to kill, but then they weren't built for toughness....
The Tank Hunter The land speeder isn't a tank- it's an anti tank. Use it to fly around at bearkneck speed, popping shots at enemy vehicles, eliminating threats.
Keep away! Take a squad of 3 land speeders with heavy bolters, and fire at an enemy from 36 inches away. Most enemies cannot fight back at this range, and if they try to close the gap, just fly away.
It came from above... Deep Strike a LS behind an enemy firebase, and harass them constantly. Force them to turn there attention away from the real threat, and make them waste ammo and man power taking down a distraction.
Vindicator
The vindicator does just what it says on the tin: vindicates things. You have to be wary however, as many enmies will take advantage of its puny range, simply avoiding it, or blowing it to pieces in turn 1.
The real war is in the mind... People are scared of Vindicators. Simply as that. They will direct lots of fire at it in a desparate attempt to take it out, often failing to do so. If you use smoke launchers to stop them doing to much damage, they will waste huge amounts of fire trying to kill a tank that, whilst powerful, is not going to single-handedly win the game for you. If the enemy conserves his fire on other targets make him pay the price: VINDICATE HIM. It's a win-win situation.
I don't thing we should go there... Enemies with weaker shooting may simply avoid the vindicator completely, staying well away. Use this to your advantage and funnel enemies in an area where your combat units can batter them. Give the vindicator LOS to an objective, and wipe away anything that dares go there. It's as simply as that.
Predator Annihilator
Bang, bang, you're dead. The Predator is quite tough, and is basically a good all rounder. It is unlikely to single handedly do much though.
Smite Me the PA really only has one use-tank hunting. Luckily, it is very good and tank hunting. Concentrate its fire on 1 vehicle, destroy it, then move on.
Predator Destructor
Bang, bang you're all dead. Same disadvantages as Annihilator.
Smite Them The destructor is good at killing multiple heavily armoured enemies, and can also be a good tank hunter. Remember that Autocannons are actually very good against light vehicles.
Whirlwind
Whoooosh slam, ow! The mother of all barragers, the whirlwind combines tactical flexibility with a decent, but weak shot. However it is as tough as a rhino, and easily killable, even by basic troops.
Vengeance or Castellan? It is often hard to choose what kind of missiles your whirlwind should fire, and the choice is yours, but personally I almost always pixk Vengeance, as it simply kills people, rather than requiring the fiddly touches of Castellan.
Blow me up Scottie! The greatest virtue of the whirlwind is its ability to hit units that though themselves safe. Pick a 4+ armour save unit behind a rock and make them pay for their cowardly ways!
It's safe here... There is almost nevert a disadvantage to hiding a Whirlwind behind a rock, so do it. Don't make that face.
Land Raider
The land raider gives new definition to 'Brute Force'. However, they are extremely expensive.
Tough Land Raiders are difficult to kill, so leaving them stranded is less likely to be a problem.
Boom! Splat! Land Raiders should be used to provide cover fire for whoever is inside them. Enemies with power weapons and tanks are the biggest threat, and are often the most obvious thing to kill.
Must be a tiny thing, hidden behing the Raider.. A land raider can provide cover for two alrge sqauds, and is about as tough as a bunker, use it as moveable cover, with a squad inside and squads behind.
Land Raider Crusader
50 Cent would be proud to roll up in one of these. nHowever they are even more expensive.
Chocolate Box Put 5 assault terminators with Lightning claws with a chaplain in the crusaders and bring them safely to the enemy. Then all hell breaks loose.
This is how we ride! Any sqaud will fit/work well in a crusader, but assault units are the best, as the frag launchers really give them a boost. I recommander Assault marines without jump packs, command squads, terminators and veterans.
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Topic: Space Marine Vehicle Tactica (Read 1307 times)