Space Marines win fights by showing up exactly where it hurts. So, new Detachments always matter more than people expect.
Additionally, the 500 Worlds Titus release is leaning into classic Astartes strengths. However, it is doing it with some spicy rules twists. This is a summary of an existing article, and it covers all three incoming Detachments it mentions.
Orbital Assault Force: Deep Strike Everywhere and Hit Hard on Arrival
If you want the most Space Marine moment possible, this is it. So, it is Drop Pods slamming in and the enemy instantly regretting deployment. The Orbital Assault Force is built around pinpoint insertion and immediate damage. Additionally, it hands out Deep Strike to units that normally have to jog.
The Detachment rule, Rapid Drop Deployment, starts during battle formation. So, you pick a number of ADEPTUS ASTARTES units based on game size. You get two in Incursion, three in Strike Force, and four in Onslaught. Those units gain Deep Strike, and that is already scary.
Then the rule juices your first turn after arriving. So, if a model was set up that turn, it rerolls wound rolls of 1. Additionally, if it disembarked from a Drop Pod that turn, it also rerolls hit rolls of 1. That is a clean damage bump, and it stacks nicely with alpha strike plans.
The funniest part is the wording. It just says ADEPTUS ASTARTES units, excluding Titanic. So, yes, you can Deep Strike something chunky like a Land Raider. Therefore, the Detachment invites you to get silly in the best way.
Movement tricks show up again in the Enhancements. So, you see Scout, redeploy options, and charge rerolls on arrival. Additionally, Terminators get a cool mobility moment too. Dedicated Gunship lets a Terminator character pull their unit off the board once per battle. However, it only triggers after your opponent’s Fight phase, and only if you are not in engagement range. Then you go into Strategic Reserves, ready to hit another angle later.
The Stratagems scream “hit the head, then vanish.” Tactical Decapitation gives your unit Precision for a phase, and it also adds +1 to hit versus Character units. So, it is a leadership sniping button, which fits the drop assault fantasy. Meanwhile, Blind Screen is your survival tech for the clapback turn. It triggers in your opponent’s Shooting phase, after targets are declared. Then it keys off a nearby SMOKE Vehicle or a Drop Pod within 9 inches. Your units gain Stealth, and they also get Benefit of Cover. So, your fresh arrivals are not just standing there naked.
Bastion Task Force: Battleline Flexibility and Auspex Marked Kill Zones
Not every Marine plan is “yeet from orbit.” Sometimes you win by being impossible to shift. So, the Bastion Task Force leans into BATTLELINE units and objective play. Additionally, it makes your basic squads feel like tactical glue.
Its Detachment rule, Interlocking Tactics, makes Battleline shockingly flexible. So, your Battleline can shoot and charge even after Advancing or Falling Back. Additionally, they can start Actions after Advancing or Falling Back too. That alone makes them mission monsters.
Then comes the scanning loop. Each time a Battleline unit attacks, you pick an enemy unit it hit. That enemy becomes auspex scanned until end of turn. Then, any Astartes model attacking an auspex scanned unit rerolls hit rolls of 1. So, your Battleline spot targets, and the rest of the army gets cleaner output.
The Enhancements push command and mission play. Bombast Omnivox is a CP engine. So, when the bearer’s unit is targeted by a Stratagem, you roll a D6. On a 4+, you gain 1CP, and you add 1 if the unit is Battleline. Additionally, putting this on a Captain gets extra cheeky. Rites of Battle discounts a Stratagem, and you might still refund CP anyway.
Hero of the Chapter looks simple, but it is sneaky. While the bearer is leading a unit, the bearer gains the BATTLELINE keyword. So, you can make a unit qualify for Battleline-based rules and missions. Additionally, it can change list building pressure in a big way.
The Stratagems keep the scanning theme rolling. Guided Disruption triggers after a Battleline unit attacks. When it scans an enemy that is not a Monster or Vehicle, that target becomes pinned. So, it loses 2 Move and takes -2 to charge rolls until your next turn. That is brutal control for an army that already plays angles well.
Heresy Undone is the “go now” button. It targets a non Battleline unit and lets it shoot and charge after Advancing or Falling Back. However, there is a catch, and it is a fair one. Every attack target and every charge target must be auspex scanned. So, you need your Battleline to tag the enemy first. Then your melee units launch like guided missiles.
The Third Detachment: Ultramarines Objective Brawling, Held for the Faction Pack Drop
The book also includes a Detachment for Ultramarines specifically. So, it is themed around brawling over objectives during the reclamation of the 500 Worlds. The text jokes about recent “pro Macragge protestor” drama. Therefore, it says it will wait to show it until it lands in the Space Marine faction pack. Then it immediately points out that the pack update is happening right now, via the downloads page.
Summary
Orbital Assault Force is for players who want maximum shock assault. So, you Deep Strike extra units, you spike damage on arrival, and you protect the drop with Blind Screens. Meanwhile, Bastion Task Force is for players who want Battleline to do everything. Additionally, it turns basic squads into scanners that feed rerolls to the whole army. Finally, there is an Ultramarines focused Detachment aimed at objective brawls, and it is being pushed through the faction pack update.
If you love Marines that feel tactical instead of random, these rules hit the mark. So, pick your flavor, and start practicing deployment mind games now
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