Re: [Epic] Space Marine Chapters

From: <oki_at_...>
Date: Tue, 6 May 1997 09:16:52 +0800

At 02:28 PM 5/5/97 -0500, you wrote:
>> Hi guys,
>> I have a question concerning Space Marine chapters.
>> According to GW fluff, SM chapters have roughly 1000 fighting men, but if
>> you consider the huge amount of IG troops available, these numbers are
>> ridiculous.
>> Ex: Every planet recruits 1% of its population. "Fluffing", Davin VII had
>> 7 billion people (so it had an army of 70 million soldiers !). Could you
>> imagine what a 1000 space marine force could do on a planet like this?
>> NOTHING!!! Maybe destroy a few HQ's and then be completely wiped out!
>> When you read the battle for Armageddon, 3 chapters led the liberation of
>> the planet against the sprawling ork army of Ghazgull. Great! 3000 marines
>> gainst a few million crazed green-skins.
>> They say one marine is worth 10 "normal" men, but still ...
>> Comments, flames, anything...
>>
>> Paulo Pombal
>
>I've been complainging about this for years, Paulo. I was really hoping
>that GW would change some of the background fluff for the marines with
>the release of EPIC40K, but they left if the same as 2nd Edition.
>

Agree wholeheartedly with you, Allen. I always find it funny that a Captain
and a Colonel in 40k can outfight a standard SM - this despite SM being
genetically rebuilt, trained for umpteenth years, hypnotically
indoctrinated, having the best weapons (supposedly anyway) and armor (I know
3+ save, but what is it compared to a well placed melta bomb?).

But no, Rouboutte Guilliman (sp?) has to go ahead and introduced Codex
Astartes to limit the size and hamper the fighting capability of SM
chapters. A good example of unrestrained, but still not fully optimised
chapter is SW. Can you say a 'heavy' squad termies armed with assault
cannons and cyclone missile launchers. And that all their troops whether it
be tacs, devs, assaults can carry HtH weapons, so that they may properly
defend themselves if they were ever overrun/surprised ?

Heck, obviously those Chaos Marines know a thing or two. Small flexible
squad size, capable of infiltrating, packing a hell lot of firepower (if so
desired) - that is what all SM should be capable of doing. Then throw in
teleporting termies, Thunderhawks, drop pods (incoming at Mach 5 ! not the
E40K version that can be snapped fired on), battle barge or two.

But remember, if all else fails, SM chapters do have access to Exterminatus
- that would give pause to most opponents...maybe force them to take
psychological check at -1 every turn :P It is hard to concentrate on
fighting if you know your opponent is the ultimate sore loser.

Ah, the things SM have to sacrifice for game balance :P

But really, I have always seen SM as an all assault army, even though their
rapid firing is useful against other races, I do not really like the
defensive nature of it. Let's face it, even if SM all has the basic
attributes of WS 5 BS 5 (in 40k term) would not last long and be useful if
their strength is of defensive nature.

Battlefields are not like 40k universe, "let's see Marneus Calgar you have
4000 points worth of troops and equipments, since me bad guy and going to
get trashed anyway I bring 4050, OK ?" The guy would probably bring 20 000
points ! At least :P And that is just the first wave.

So in face of such opposition what role can SM play in a 40k universe.
Though the fluff do mention it - rapid assault, high mobility - it has not
translated well to game play (M 4 ?), though one do see some instances of it
- Thunderhawk, extra 5 cm for their tanks etc, but overall not very
significant - remember Epic 2nd ed, you bring 5 Thunderhawks and you are a
Cheeselord ?

Regards
Oki
Received on Tue May 06 1997 - 01:16:52 UTC