TAC Marines have proven to not only be fun to play, but quite popular as well! Here are my plans to expand up to 1750pts using some Forge World units.
Hey everyone, you’re all probably seen the videos of the TAC Marines going up against various power builds in the game and with a combination of a little energon and a lot of luck, come out victorious.
The army is sweet, and good fun. No repeated units, and a tool for every situation. Up until now I have been playing at 1500pts, but we’re confident that by the time we get to the BAO, the community will be ready to go back up to 1750pts. So, in anticipation of that, I am getting ready to ramp the TAC Marines up.
Also, since we allow Forge World units in our events, I am going to incorporate some fun units from FW into the army and explain why I am choosing them. Hopefully soon, we will have a video bat rep up showcasing the new A Team! We would do it sooner but we’ve been slammed with orders for 6th ed starter set orders and that is definitely more important than playing 40K! Although, I have managed to slap some paint on the models that weren’t painted, so that will look nice once we do get around to filming another bat rep.
So, here’s the new list!
| Unit | Description | Size | Cost |
| HQ | |||
| Azra Redth | 1 | 165 | |
| Troops | |||
| Tactical Marines | Flamer, M.launcher | 10 | 170 |
| Tactical Marines | P.Gun, L.Cannon | 10 | 190 |
| Tactical Marines | Melta, M.Melta | 10 | 175 |
| Elites | |||
| Rifleman Dread | A.Cannon x 2 | 1 | 125 |
| Seige Dreadnought | 1 | 120 | |
| Drop Pod | 1 | 35 | |
| Fast Attack | |||
| Attack Bikes | M.Melta x 3 | 3 | 150 |
| Strom Talon | 1 | 130 | |
| Typhoon | 2 | 180 | |
| Heavy Support | |||
| Whirlwind | 1 | 85 | |
| Vindicator | S.Shield | 1 | 125 |
| Fortifications | |||
| Aegis | Quad Gun | 1 | 100 |
| Totals | 43 | 1750 |
So first of all, the HQ. Azra Redth is the Mantis Warrior special character from the Baddab War books (and all those characters are just so cool and characterful, and not at all OP). Why would I take him over a normal, and much cheaper Libby? Several reasons.
For one he is mastery level 2 and he has access to the Divination school of powers which is awesome for Marines as they normally can’t get it. However, he has to take his special psychic power as one of his powers but thankfully, it is really useful! His power Mirage gives he and his unit Shrouding and any unit that charges them counts as making a Disordered Charge (lose their charge bonus and Furious Assault). That is pretty dang good, not crazy as he will always be with a Tactical squad, but it really helps to keep them alive and holding an objective.
Redth also has a 5++ and he is Initiative 5, but all other stats are the same. Again, nothing crazy, but a nice benefit over a normal Libby.
He also can reroll one failed psychic check per turn, which is really nice to help avoid those perils.
Redth also switches Combat Tactics for Infiltrators which is good and bad. Combat Tactics is SUPER useful, but for my list Infiltrate is not a bad substitute. It is great for the Attack Bikes and it is nice for the Tacticals as it allows them to see where to best deploy, outflank if needs be and to get a head start on heading towards objectives if needs be.
Lastly, he gives enemy units -1 on their reserve rolls (awesome when facing Flyers!) and he lets you reroll the Seize the Initiative roll. Nice one!
So in all, he isn’t all that powerful on his own, but he is a great utility and in a list like the TAC Marines, he adds a lot. I think he is definitely worth the extra points.
The Flamernaught was dropped for a Seige Dread. The Seige Dread is fantastic, one of the best units for his points, IMO. He has a Flamestorm Cannon (Strength 6 AP 3, Template) and a Heavy Flamer with his DDCW. He comes stock with Extra Armor which is nice and as a really cool bonus, if he gets a penetrating hit on a Foritifcation or Transport vehicle, any unit inside gets hit with a Heavy Flamer! Cool! And all of that for only 120pts, nice one! He rides in the Drop Pod and scares the piss out of everything.
In Fast Attack I added 2 Typhoons. I LOVE Typhoons, have since they got upgraded at the beginning of 5th. They are fantastic units and can put the serious ass whip down on any type of unit. In a pair, they can smoke infantry or take down vehicles.
The rest of the list remains the same and I think this will be a very well rounded army, and again, a ton of fun to play as it is so mobile and packs a wallop. To jump up to 2,000pts, I would add a unit of Assault Marines or Assault Terminators.
What kinds of balanced lists are you guys playing?
Watching your ”TAC” Batreps has made me dust of the marines. I think they have got a big boost in 6th with combat tactics, being able to use grenades at their normal WS and with changes to ATSKNF.
We also allow FW in my local gaming club and have been looking at the siege dread and Mortis Pattern contemptor dread. Front armour 13 (He/She eats krak grenades), BS5, 5+invunrable, 12 assult cannon shots and a AA mount. Plus the model looks super cool.
So thank you Reecius for your posts, Batreps and reigniting what got me into 40k to start with Bad Ass Marines!
Awesome, that is super cool! Glad we could help to broaden your group’s horizons!
Yeah, I seriously contemplated the Mortis, but the Rifleman is so much cheaper I opted to go with that. I can always add the Mortis in though, and my lists are always works in progress, so I will probably give it a shot.
I thought you had mentioned adding a Thunderfire Cannon at 1750… Using that Techmarine to reinforce your Aegis is a nice bonus, then throwing the cannon behind it. 3+ cover for EVERYBODY! 😀
you are not allowed to reinforce fortifications only terrain
Yup. Read the description for Aegis lines. 😉
I was going to add a T-Fire, but opted for the Typhoons instead, I think they add more to the list.
Fair enough. Though at T7 with 2 wounds and a 3+ cover save, a TFC might be a little more hardy than the Typhoons. 😉
Haha, good point! Although when played well, the Typhoons are surprisingly resilient. Mine almost always survive the game.
However, you are leagues above many of us, Reece. 🙂
Haha, not really, I just play a lot!
Maybe so. But I wager you could whoop most folks with an army of ethereals and chaos spawn. 🙂 You’ve got the skills to dictate the battle. It makes battle reports really fun to watch. 🙂
Jake took a standard Dark Angel list tonight and his Deathwing and Crusader really were too hard to wound and penetrate and I was playing Tau. Jake said if he could go to 1750 he would drop the Tactical and Rhino and add another five man Deathwing and a whirlwind to shoot Castellans.
For the Tau, I would add in another broadside, and a pair of Drone Remoras. I could then drop the Aegis and also add in another hammerhead with the Ion Cannon.
Hi Guys!
Been loving the battle reports and ncie to see some generic marines winning out every now and then (currently I’m pansying around with Eldar but will return to my marines for a local tourney in the UK soon). Loving you guys trying out the FW units as I have a few myself and its ncie to see such lovely models get some use.
One thing notice the siege dread can’t take a normal drop pod can it? Couldn’t see it in my Imperial Armour options anywhere. It’d be great if I was wrong but I think you might be limited to the FA assault pod.
Other than that keep up all the good videos!
I believe it can, but I may be wrong, thanks for pointing that out. I will look into it further.
Glad you like the reports!
No Mortis?
I don’t know if I’d exchance combat tactics for Infiltrators, though it’s always cool to have a Lvl 2 psyker in the army.
Yeah, switching for a Mortis is something I considered, but the Rifleman is so much cheaper.
And infiltrators I think is the one power I would switch for Combat Tactics. I’d rather have combat tactics, but everything else Redth brings to the table outweighs losing it, IMO.
You can’t find room for a Lucius pattern drop pod for the siege dread? It’s a nice little boost for him.
I was thinking the same thing, but I really want that 3rd Fast Attack slot.