Efficiency of Tactical Marines

Last month I reviewed Scouts, so to continue the troop series, I will now talk about tactical marines.  Before 6th edition, I never took tactical marines.  5 Assault marines in a cheap razorback (or free rhino) gave me more points for other things.  Now that you have to get out the vehicle, I have started taking tactical marines again.  I actually haven't done any math-hammer yet (but I will), it is entirely possible that 5 assault marines hiding in razorback for 4 turns and then getting out is better, and more efficient after all (yes they will get shot, but how much enemy firepower will the absorb, and the vehicles are practically free), but for now....

The Blood Angel Tactical marines are the same as pretty much every other tactical marine squad, except there is a 1 in 6 chance that they are fearless.  While fearless rocks this edition, it doesn't matter a lot for objective camping tactical marines; as long as you make sure they are 12.1" from the edge of the board, they will rally and be able to resume their task.

This brings me to tactics of tactical marines.  A unit cannot really be evaluated without considering what you are going to ask of it.

1. Camping Back Objectives - The traditional use of tactical marines.  Drop them in the backfield, and shoot anything that comes close.  This is a job that over-laps with one of the uses of Scouts.  A lot of people use scouts in this role, because they are cheaper, and people are trying to save points - but lets look at the costs: A scout with a cammo cloak costs the same as a tactical marine.  While the first 5 scouts are 15 points cheaper than the first 5 tacticals, by the time you add a missle launcher for 10 points, you are saving 5 points by taking scouts.
So for 5 points more, you get a unit with BS 4, with an AS 3 most of the time, instead a unit with BS 3, with a save of 4+ (armor and cover), but keep in mind that the tacticals are still going to have cover save of 5+.  The Scouts have longer range (with sniper rifles), but the tacticals are more deadly at close range and melee, and if you have troops sitting on an objective, they are eventually going to be at close range to the enemy.

2. Mid-Field Control - Tactical Marines are good for mid-field control for the same reason that the same reason they are good at camping back field objectives - they are durable, and get more dangerous the closer the enemy gets, and can hold their own in melee.  From the middle of the board, their 24" range will offer them a lot of targets, and the enemy generally will not be able to ignore them to go for your back-field.

3. Enemy deployment zone invasion - This is a new use for BA tactical marines.  Generally, if you want marines in the enemy deployment zone, you take jump troops.  This unit is there to support those troops.  They load 10 marines into a transport, and rush the enemy.  On turn 1, our rhino's can move 24" (although I would probably only go 12", depending on how far back the enemy deploys).  So turn 1, move to middle of the board (11-12" from enemy deployment).  Turn 2, move 6", then unload troops 6" closer.  By now you should be in rapid fire range on enemy.  By itself, 1 unit is not a huge threat, but imagine 3 units of tactical marines rapid-firing into the enemy's deployment zone, while your assault marines are landing nearby to flame things and set up charges.  Since combat squads can ride in the same vehicle, you can even have 1 CS with MM going after vehicles, while the flamer or plasma gun goes after the troops.
The only "set back" to this plan, is that you need to take multiple units of tactical squads, each with a rhino, and rhinos for our tactical squads are more expensive than anyone else's (because they are fast, even though fast doesn't help us here, because we don't want the enemy to be able to charge our rhinos).  You are almost losing a whole tactical squad for 3 transports.

I mentioned equipping the tacticals.  I personally prefer MM and Flamer, as both choices are free.  If our missile launchers get flakk missiles, then I will probably swap out the MM for a ML.  A lot of people like plasma guns, and if you are going to leave the marines in the back or middle field, I can see where it would be useful, especially if everyone starts foot-slogging terminators across the board.  That being said, I like the free versatility provided by the flamer.  Too often, the enemy gets troops to my objectives, so having the ability to flame them before charging, or getting the free hits when they do charge is good for me (additionally, I have never taken a plasma weapon that did not kill its user by the end of a game).  So my preferences aside, I will talk about each weapon option.

Flamer - Great.  Its Free.  Free hits against chargers.  Ignores cover (if you are defending or attacking an objective, you are probably doing it through cover).  Less useful for back field defenders, as it won't get used.

Meltagun - Good.  It is a decent weapon no matter where you put it.  Up front, good for killing Meqs, parked vehicles, characters.  In the middle, it makes it even more difficult for you opponent to just go around you.  In the back it is the least useful, but you will still occasionally get something in the backfield that you will want melta for.  Downside - although cheap, it is not free.  The melta guy is often the first to die, because making sure he is close enough to get the 12" shot often makes him the first casualty to enemy shooting (although this is more likely user error).  The biggest reason I don't take the melta gun on tacticals is because by the time tactical marines are withing 12", they can charge with melta and krak grenades and usually get the job done.

Plasmagun - Good.  Everyone is making a big deal out of plasma, because of how dangerous 2+ saves are because of the change to power weapons, but I don't see how that effects shooting.  Very few ranged infantry weapons had AP2, and that hasn't changed.  If you weren't using plasma before, there is not really a reason to use it now - weight of fire still kills 2+ at a range, just like always.  Again, I am not a big fan of plasma because for me it always explodes, and I always fail my same.  But, as more people make MEQ and TEQ foot-lists, plasma might start being worth the points / risk.

Heavy Bolter - OK.  I consider the heavy bolter as a vehicle mounted weapon.  It is not much better than a boltgun, especially inside 12".  Str 5 can glance a lot of vehicles of flyers, but just barely, and it won't happen enough to be worth it (especially now that 1 glance won't neutralize a vehicle like it did before).  There is nothing wrong with the heavy bolter, it just isn't as good as the other free options available to tactical squads.

MM - Great.  Its Free, it has the same range as a bolt gun, and is as good or better at popping MEQs and TEQs on foot.  It is also good for popping vehicles (of course) at a range, and has the best chance of a snapshot taking down a flyer in 1 hit..

Missile Launcher - Great.  It's Free.  It has a long range, so you have some threat over a large area.  It is decent for anti-horde and anti-MEQ, as well as popping most vehicle.  It may eventually get anti-aircraft capability.

Plasma Cannon - OK.  Great against MEQs and TEQs, especially of they are Deep Striking nearby.  however, it is a small template, so if they spread out it has limited effectiveness.  The scatter could also threaten your own nearby support units.  You risk "gets hot!", and it is the only weapon tactical marines can take that DOES NOT get to snapshot on the move.

Las Cannon - Good.  It is not free, but it has the longest range, and the highest strength.  If you were going to camp an objective in the backfield, this would be a fine choice.  The only reason it's not Great, is because it is only slightly better than the missile launcher, which is free, but if you know that you are going to need that extra punch - because you are like to face TEQ, Landraiders, etc, then there is nothing wrong with taking a Las Cannon.

Upgrades for the SGT - These are a lot more situational, and preference based, but I will still offer thoughts on each of them:

Chain Sword - Eh.  A long range support unit would be better off with a boltgun than a pistol and sword, as it will hurt the unit's primary mission of providing fire-support (I know you could keep the boltgun and the sword - but what's the point?)  If you were going to be close up to enemy, and worried about your melee performance, then it would be ok, but again, just ok.

Stormbolter - Good.  If you have 3 extra points, and don't plan on being in melee, there is no reason not to take this - although I would take it on other characters first.

Combi-Weapons - Situational, I never take them.  To me, they are like taking missile on rhinos;  occasionally, 1 special weapon shot will come in handy, but I would rather spend the points on something that contributed more consistently.

Plasma Pistol - Ok.  With the character ability to choose their target on a 6, it could come in handy, but if you are that close, you are about to be in melee (probably in a challenge), and anything that makes a SGT more expensive, and doesn't help him win the challenge (thereby protecting those extra points), is Meh in my book.

Power Weapon - Ok-Good.  If you plan on being in the backfield, then you are better off with a boltgun.  Although the power weapon could take the place of a pistol, and be more useful than a chainsword in that situation, its a decent chuck of "upgrade" points that you hope don't make their points back (because if the sword turns out to be worth it, it means a unit you didn't want in combat was in combat).  In a unit that is going to be mid-field forward, the power weapon and a pistol is a strong choice.  You have a decent chance of winning challenges against other SGTS and non-melee oriented characters.  Since the SGT can be singled out in combat, I suggest the power sword over the other options.  Anything worth fighting in a challenge is at least armour 3, but with 1 wound and no invuln save, if you are going last in the challenge, you are probably not going at all (so no axe)

Power fist - Ok.  Besides being more expensive then the power axe, it suffers the same problem - you are probably never going to get to use it.  For those rare times when you "need" the extra strength, against vehicles, dread, monsters, etc, you can probably use a grenade, at initiative, instead.

Melta Bomb - Great.  In most cases it can do what you'd want a power fist to do, for a lot less points, and it won't take away attacks when you don't need it.

Teleport Homer - Situational (does it work in a vehicle?) If you were pushing forward, into enemy deployment zone, and wanted to drop terminators instead of assault marines, I would take this (as the bigger risk of scatter, combined with density of units in area make deep striking there much more risky).  If it does not work in a vehicle, I guess on turn 1 I would drive 6", then unload 6".  I guess you could then run another (average) 3".  Then, on turn 2, the terminators could land 6" away without scatter - basically giving you a 21" scatter free zone - unless your enemy realizes what you are doing, and you don't have enough other things on the board to draw his fire.  Actually I think this might be a pretty strong tactic for some other armies, but to make it worthwhile you would probably need multiple units of terminators, and I would rather take assault marines, since they are scoring for us.
(although I might math-hammer it to see if maybe adding 1 squad of assault terminators to support my assault marines might not be worth it).