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Tactica Virtuoso: Fighting Space Marines
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Intro:




Codex: Space Marines
When battle brothers renounce their oaths to our glorious Emperor, they should be met with purity and clarity. Hesitating on the eve of battle will simply bolster their strengths! You know yourself and your allies well. You know how to command your own troops to victory while minimizing their weaknesses. Now you must focus on your own weaknesses in order to address those of your enemy because to see your own weaknesses is to see the weaknesses in those traitors that dare raise arms against the Emperor!




Fighting: HQ
You are already aware of the myriad of Headquarters staff that populates our fine Chapter. Brother Captains, Chaplains and Librarians often take to the battle field, while our glorious Chapter Master oversees our every action. These staff to name but a few are a key part to any Chapter of the Space Marines, and learning that the skilled masters of our own Chapter are flawed by their very nature will aid you in combating those who turn their back on the Emperor.
It is common to perceive any member of a Chapter’s Headquarters to be a high threat, and often this is deserving, however they are often not the highest priority on the battle field, and should only be targeted by units both capable of taking them out quickly and effectively.

Be cautious when Headquarters staff takes to the battlefield atop a Marine Bike or Jump Pack, as he can quickly outflank your men before delivering a punishing blow against Marine and Vehicle alike!

Headquarters staff typically move along the battle field accompanied by other units of Marines. This affords them greater protection against incomming fire while they inspire those around them to greater levels of fury and zeal. It is only natural to have to cut your way through ranks of the enemy's finest Marines only to face the Headquarters staff after all others have been slain. Of course, always shoot at the enemy should the chance arrise, however unless your forces consist of expert marksmen that can target individual Marines in a unit, the only other time your Marines will get a chance to directly target the Headquarters staff of the enemy is in close-combat, and it is here that they generally excell.

Should the Headquarters staff of the enemy get too close for comfort, always deny them the glory of the charge and strike first. Glory to those that best the enemies greatest!

Chapter Master
While our Chapter Master is by far the most skilled, intelligent and diverse brother in our Chapter, his primary skills lay in close-combat, where no other can equal his finesse and expertise. He also has access to the most diverse arsenal within his Chapter, and can call upon the most experienced warriors at his disposal.
Regardless of the fact that any Chapter Master should know better than to turn his back to the Emperor, whatever weapons he brings to bare against his brothers or the armour that he wears in battle or the method that he chooses for his attacks against us, he is susceptible to the high-strength ranged weapons that we rightly revere in our own arsenal. Plasma, Melta and Lascannon are the downfall of any Chapter Master, with the latter two being so potent they can vaporize a Marine in single beat of our twin-hearts! A stray Krak missile is also more than capable of incapacitating any Chapter Master should it break his armour!

Should the worst ever happen, and the once great Master of any Chapter fall to the ruinous powers, meet him at range with Plasma Cannon, Multi-Melta, LasCannon and Missile Launcher. His blessed Iron Halo will permit a certain amount of protection, but it can only protect him for so long.
Only under the direst circumstances should your brothers meet him in hand-to-hand combat. When possible, our entombed fallen brothers, the Dreadnoughts of our Chapter, should be used to lock the fallen Master in close combat, and even then, pray that he is strong enough to stop him, and pray for the fallen Master, should he realise the error of his ways before it is too late.

Honour Guard
Those once hero’s of the fallen Chapter, the Honour Guard, are formidable foes in close combat. Armed with powerful melee weapons and the finest Power Armour, they are certainly difficult to best in close-combat. A Dreadnought may be capable of slowing their advance, however I implore you to make use of Plasma and Melta weapons whose searing power is capable of vaporising the armour that protects them. Should an Honour Guard unit approach your marines, deny them the glory of the charge and charge them yourself! Your brothers may just live long enough to take some of those traitors with them!

Company Captains
No less a threat than a Chapter Master, a Company Captain is a master of many arts, especially in close-combat. Able to draw on the same arsenal of his own Chapter Master, a Company Captain can take arms against us in a wide variety of ways, yet he is still naturally susceptible to the same high-strength ranged firepower that his Master fails against. Meet him with Plasma, Melta and Lascannon when possible, while favouring our revered battle brothers, the Dreadnoughts, for tackling him in close-combat. Again, the Iron Halo of the Captain will protect him from much of the damage, but it is not invincible and will falter through overwhelming fire.

Command Squads
Apothecaries are known for their blessings in battle and how capable they are at maintaining a Marines life, and this brings many problems when fighting a Command Squad.
Command Squads are capable foes, able to take a variety of ranged and close-combat weapons to the field in order to tackle their enemy in any manner they feel necessary.
Assess the enemy Command Squad. Observe what weapons they bare before you engage them. Should they field close-combat weapons, meet them with Plasma and Melta fire! Should they field ranged weapons of any kind, charge them with holy Power Weapons! The key to fighting a Command Squad is to strike with weapons from which there is no recovery! Favour Power Weapons in close combat, while yield Plasma, Melta and Lascannon from afar, as these will cause wounds too grievous for the fallen Apothecary to heal.

Librarians
Librarians are a fearsome foe. Their intelligence and cunning are matched only by the myriad of powers from when they draw their strength. Never underestimate a Psycher, as they are powerful regardless of your thoughts on them.
Librarians are capable of utilising up to two unique powers in battle, as the training and concentration required for each power is so immense that to push them selves further would be their downfall. This affords us some measure in which to deal a blow to the ruinous Psycher.
Meeting him in close combat is dangerous at best, as his skills with the archaic Force Weapon are great, but without the protection afforded by an Iron Halo, he can be downed by a single Power Fist. Should the Librarian bare Tactical Dreadnought Armour – Terminator Armour – then cleanse him from afar with Plasma and Melta fire!
Always be vigilant when fighting a Librarian, as his Force Weapon can quickly engulf its target in other-worldly flame and smite even the strongest of hero.

Chaplains
Brother Chaplains should know better than to follow the whispers of chaos, for their lives are devoted to preaching the word of the Emperor, not turning against it!
These blasphemous whore-sons deserve purging for the crime of treason of the highest regard! Rape the fallen Chaplain the blessing of his life and meet him with every weapon you have at your disposal.
Deny him the glory of the charge and make your assault against him, favouring Power Weapon artefacts in close combat, or blessed Plasma at range. His once holy Rosarious shields him, but it will fail him for his crimes!
Should the Chaplain dare to don Terminator Armour, favour a ranged engagement and strike him with every Bolter shot you can muster!

Masters of the Forge
It is no surprise that a Master Techmarine will follow his brothers down the path of ruination when he leads such a sheltered life with the mindless drones and servitors of his Chapter. The relics he can bare in close combat strike with deadly power, while at range the Conversion Beamer is by far the most powerful arcane weapon a Chapter can bring to bare. He also wares sacred Artificer Armour, protecting him from all but the must punishing weapons.
Engage him in close combat, striking fast and in great numbers, as his most powerful combat skills are also the slowest to strike. With enough attacks against his armour, he will fall before he has a chance to react.



Fighting: Elites

The elite of any Space Marines Chapter are to be feared. Able to yield the Chapter’s most devastating weapons in greater numbers than that of the Headquarters staff, Elite units fight with the passion and zeal than outmatch their peers.

Typically more able in close-combat than at range, Elite units should generally be fired upon from the safety of cover, however if the situation calls for more immediate measures, striking fast from the shadows performs just the same.

In all examples, close-combat with Elite units of Space Marines can often result in failure without the proper support that other units of Space Marines can offer.

Elite units often favour arrival via Deep-Strike. Be aware of this and be ready to counter it. When a unit arrives from Deep-Strike, ensure massed fire gives it little reprieve, as their arrival in such a manner will give them little chance to duck for cover!

Terminators
Space Marines honoured enough to wear Tactical Dreadnought Armour – Terminator Armour – are often some of the most grizzled veterans the Chapter can muster. Terminator Armour is rare and extremely expensive for a Chapter to acquire, so its loss on the battle field is something many Chapters are not willing to risk, yet those twisted by the ruinous powers often field what ever they consider the most powerful in order to achieve their terrible goals, so always expect a unit of Terminators to take to the battle field when fighting Space Marines.

The exceptional protection offered by their armour is no match for holy Bolter fire. Indeed most Bolter rounds may skim off the ceramite composite layers of their armour however believe in the Emperors guidance and allow any unit to fire on the fallen Terminators.

Their Storm Bolters and Power Fists are powerful indeed, and the Heavy weapons they can bring to bare are often fearsome; however they often number no more than five, so should fall quickly. Plasma and Melta fire will almost certainly help against Terminators.
In close-combat, favour Power Weapons, as they cleave through the protection of the enemy with some ease.

Assault Terminators
Similar to regular Terminators, should a Terminator be considered ‘regular’, Assault Terminators yield close-combat weapons, forsaking firepower for brute strength and protection from their twice-blessed Storm Shields which grants them un-paralleled protection from even a mighty Demolisher Cannon!

They are still, however, often found in numbers no greater than five and just as susceptible to a lucky Bolter round as ‘regular’ Terminators. When wielding Storm Shields, do not waste precious Plasma fire on these twisted Terminators, instead mock them for their petty reliance on protection and strike them with every Bolter round you can muster.

Avoid close-combat with them where possible, especially against Terminators with Lightning Claws!

Sternguard Veterans
Sternguard Veterans are troublesome at best. The unique Bolter rounds that they share with our very own Sternguard can fire great distances, ignore our armour or penetrate the cover we fire from. They cannot, however, provide them with an edge over our faith in the Emperor and the blessings he affords us.

Meet them with Holy Bolter and Chainsword, afford them no mercy. Should one of your heavy weapons teams struggle for a target, target these blasphemers and put them out of their misery! A good Plasma Cannon shot will make short work of them all…

Dreadnoughts
By far the most troublesome Elite unit is the Venerable Dreadnought. Formerly blessed and revered for the occupant’s efforts in service of the Emperor, a Venerable Dreadnought is skilled and armoured to such a degree that destroying it is a strategic problem in its self. Bombard it with Melta fire, it will burn eventually. Assaulting a Venerable Dreadnought is not a good idea until its weapons have been destroyed!

The increased protection of the Ironclad Dreadnought brings about a similar challenge, however the blessings granted to the Venerable Dreadnought far exceed a simple increase in armour! Strike the Ironclad from afar with Melta and Lascannon until it is turned inside out. Do not assault the Ironclad until it is immobilised or better, with its weapons destroyed, and only then assault it with Melta bombs and Power Fists – Krak grenades are useless against this behemoth!

Finally, the standard pattern Dreadnought. It is a monster in its own right with a wide variety of weaponry at its disposal, yet not as well protected as the Ironclad, or as blessed as the Venerable. Krak missiles are effective at dealing with Dreadnoughts, though Melta and Lascannon are far more promising.

Always be aware of any variant of Dreadnought’s ability to rout units in cover, and always anticipate their arrival via drop-pod assault! Never be caught off guard and always be prepared to have the fallen Dreadnought marked as a priority target!

Techmarines
These Mechanicus recluses are often considered to be little in threat, yet this is unfounded and wrong. The ability for the Techmarine to reinforce the ruins that shield the enemy from our purity causes inconvenience, yet the potential to deliver armour-shredding attacks from his Servo-arm or Harness causes much concern. Still, it takes effort for the Techmarine to swing those servo-arms. Effort that grants us a moment to strike first!

A single Plasma round will toast a Techmarine with ease, however the use of holy Bolter and Chainsword will cleanse this foe with little tenacity.

Servitors
The mindless constructs forged out of combining men and machines are of little concern. Their numbers are small, their arms are weak! Meet them with Heavy Bolter, Heavy Flamer or Assault Cannon for a quick and easy kill!
In close combat, be mindful of their servo-arms, as they strike like a power fist!

Legion of the Damned
The chances of these deranged Marines showing up are so slim they hardly deserve note. Should they show their traitorous faces and take arms against you, bother not with Plasma and Melta fire, for their armour is blessed by the Chaos Gods themselves! Instead, fire every Bolter and pistol you can find, then throw stones and harsh words should you run low on ammunition! They will then fall like any other traitor-Marine!




Fighting: Troops

The backbone of your army is its troops, and this extends to the enemy as well! See to it that their troops are slain in good order and you will have little trouble with whatever else survives your righteous fury!

Tactical Marines are worrisome, as their skills and flexibility can match your own! Scouts, hidden well in cover can also be cause for concern over a prolonged battle, however your own Marines will serve you and the Emperor until the final breath escapes them. That is a power no traitor can claim!

Tactical Marines
Taught to be flexible, trained to fight as the battle permits, Tactical Marines are your greatest asset and biggest concern. The myriad of ways they can be deployed, and the vast arsenal of weapons they can wield make them a formidable foe.
Arm your Marines with Plasma and Melta weapons, honour your sergeants with Power Weapons and take the fight to the enemy!
Stay mobile while fighting against Tactical Marines. Force them to come to you while you maintain rapid Bolter-fire on their ranks. When they get too close, launch your own assault and meet them in glorious combat. Be mindful of Power Fists, as they could land a devastating blow against your forces. They will fall and they will die because their faith in damnation is their failing!

Scouts
The initiates of any Chapter are more skilled than any normal man, yet they lack the skills to compete toe-to-toe with a Marine.
Rout Scouts from cover with Flamers then meet them in close-combat. Their basic armour is nothing compared to a Heavy Flamer! The honourable Dreadnoughts of your own army make light work of Scouts!




Fighting: Transports

Rhino
The steadfast Rhino, beloved APC of any Chapter. It is strong and sturdy, yet Bolter fire is stronger! Should any unit consider coming to the field within the armoured walls of a Rhino, ensure your heavy weapons greet them first! Force the enemy to walk to you by taking down their Rhinos early. Regardless of their contents, Rhinos pose a serious threat to the balance of the battle, so deal with them swiftly.
Bolter fire to the rear armour is effective, however a single Krak missile or Lascannon shot as the battle begins will stop a Rhino in its tracks, and with any luck, kill a few of its treasonous occupants as it explodes!

Razorback
This armed APC is more dangerous than the honourable Rhino. Should any traitor consider cowering within the armoured might of a Razorback, give them the finish they deserve. Focus your Lascannons and Missiles on the enemy Razorbacks and ensure they don’t get a chance to fire first! The limited room in a Razorback means only the most revered Marines will be transported within its armoured confines so deny them its safety and make them walk to you! Should you fail to take it down early, a simple Bolter round to the rear armour has a fair chance at taking out the Razorback

Drop Pod
Drop Pods are a dangerous tool to both the enemy and the occupants. Their arrival on the eve of battle should always be expected and anticipated.
There is no way to stop these high-speed transports from deploying their payload other than through the use of the LandSpeeder Storm, as its Jamming Beacon will ensure the enemy deploy further away than the enemy would want.
Allow them the moment to deploy, let them take arms against you. Regardless of what comes from the Drop Pod Assault, they cannot make it into close-combat with your forces.
As soon as you can, unleash your firepower and engage the enemy in combat while they are still organising their ranks! Should the armoured might of a Dreadnought appear through the smoke and rubble of the Drop Pod Assault, dispatch it quickly with Melta fire to ensure it causes little trouble ever again!

Always be mindful of the weapons that a Drop Pod may have. The Deathwind Launcher is a very effective weapon. Should it be causing problems, do not hesitate to fire on the Pod – it may explode and take a few of the enemies with it!




Fighting: Fast Attack

The primary threat of Fast Attack units is that they can strike without warning and over great distances, leaving you little time to counter their advances. They are generally devastating at the roles they are designed to fulfil, and often more than capable of taking down units over twice their size or value. These are, of course, the reason why you yourself will field Fast Attack units on the battle field, however learning the optimal way of countering these units will make it easier for you to destroy them, while mastering the art of keeping your own units alive!

Assault Marines
Assault Marines are highly mobile, offensive units, able to deliver devastating blows if left to reach your units. Able to unleash up to three times as many attacks on the charge compared to a Tactical Marine, Assault Marines are a big threat that need to be dealt with quickly.
Plasma works well, however any weapon is quite effective against Assault Marines. Should they get too close, make sure you deny them the charge and launch your own – its better to match them than give them the advantage!
Without a PowerFist in their ranks, an Assault Squad is little match for a Dreadnought too!

Vanguard Veteran Marines
Elite Assault Marines, Vanguard Veterans some of the best when it comes to close combat. Often equipped with several Power Weapons and Plasma Pistols, you need to act quickly in order to bring these menaces down without error. Their ‘Heroic Intervention’ can be troublesome too, so anticipate this from the enemy and be ready to counter-charge should you need to.
They pack more of a punch than Assault Marines, but they are blessed with the same armour, making them just as vulnerable to Plasma and massed Bolter fire.

Land Speeders
Land Speeders are fast moving reconnaissance vehicles, able to move great distances quickly then unleashing a volley of fire before disappearing. Land Speeders are very weak, protected by hopes and dreams instead of steel armour! Their weapons may be powerful, but they fall from the sky from so much as a stones throw!

Space Marine Bikes
Space Marine Bikes are as mobile as Assault Marines, yet better protected! If left to advance along a flank, they could quickly overrun a position and begin a catastrophic retreat of your forces – and that isn’t acceptable!
Identify them early and be prepared to strike out at them with every weapon you can bring to bare on the fallen Bikers. They are effective in close-combat too! So be careful in melee. Launch your own assault on them to deny them the glory of the charge and send those traitors packing!

Attack Bikes
Attack Bikes are more powerful variants of the Space Marine Bike, with better ranged weapons and the same potent kick in close-combat. They need to be dealt with quickly, thankfully their numbers are small so taking them down should be far from difficult for a few Melta-shots.

Land Speeder Storm
This variant of Land Speeder is designed more to support a unit of Scouts than provide a stable fire-base. Just as weak as a standard Land Speeder with reduced skills thanks to it being piloted by Scouts, they are hardly worth your notice unless you plan on Deep-Striking near by.
If you see one heading towards your troops, dispatch it quickly and force its occupants to walk to you under heavy fire!

Scout Bikes
Scout Bikes are very much the same as Space Marine Bikes, just worse! Take advantage of their lack of skills and poor armour by toasting them with a Heavy Flamer, or filling them with holes from an Assault Cannon! Be mindful of their ability to carry locator beacons which may be used to bring in reinforcements.
Expect these turncoats to strike early in the battle, but watch as your more experienced Marines rout them and destroy them.




Fighting: Heavy Support

Devastators
Devastator Marines are very much the long-range masters a Space Marine Chapter. Able to bring a variety of weapons to bear on their enemies, there really is only one way to deal with Devastators, and that isn't in a fire fight!
Advise your neophytes to infiltrate into a good position on the eve of battle and have them assault the Devastators while the fight is young! If possible, strike with a unit of your finest Assault Marines, as they will make short work of those big guns. Do not deploy a Dreadnought from a Drop Pod against a Devastator squad unless you are certain it will out-gun them. A Tactical Unit being deployed via Drop Pod could however cut them down with the holy Bolter!
Regardless of what weapons the enemy Devastator unit take to the field, close-combat is the fastest way to make them pay for their treachery!

Thunderfire Cannons
These archaic weapons are the bane of those who fight against them. Their indirect fire makes dealing with them a hassle, yet they are very much susceptible to small arms fire and close combat. The TechMarine that man's this gun can be cut down by Bolter fire, or beaten down in close combat. Without the gunner, the gun is useless. Try and avoid a frontal assault, instead, favour striking at long range with LasCannons, Snipers or Missile Launchers, or assaulting from cover with Scouts or Assault Marines. Deploying a unit via Drop Pod against this unit could also prove beneficial.

Land Raiders
There are many variants of Land Raider, yet they should all be dealt with in the same manner. The cleansing power of Melta weapons are the only true way of taking down a Land Raider, and the weapon needs to strike fast in order to keep it away from the rest of your army. A Multi-Melta equipped Dreadnought, arriving via Drop Pod can make very short work of a Land Raider, as can Multi-Melta equipped Attack Bikes or Land Speeders. If you cannot field Multi-Meltas, then LasCannons, Melta Bombs and holy Power Fists are your next best options, thought assaulting a Land Raider Crusader should be your last resort!

Predators
The main armoured force of any Space Marine Chapter consists mostly of Predators. They are the unsung heroes of every Chapter, able to lay down suppressive fire or rip apart armour in seconds. They have only one weakness, and that is their rear armour. A unit of Tactical Marines or a Dreadnought deployed via Drop Pod behind the enemy Predator can quickly turn the vehicle inside out. Melta, Multi-Melta, LasCannon and even Plasma weapons can wreak havoc on a Predator. If the vehicle is too stubborn to die to weapons fire, assault the vehicle with what ever you have at hand. Power fists, Krak Grenades, Melta Bombs, even sticks and stones will make a dent against the rear armour of a Predator.

Whirlwinds
Whirlwinds are an annoyance at best. Their indirect fire causes some minor complications, however if your men get close enough, the vehicle simply cannot target them, and this is their biggest weakness. Get within assault range and the vehicle is harmless to its attackers. Combined with Rhino-like armour, it should be simple to take it down. If you manage to destroy its weapon, leave the beast to rot and focus on something that still has teeth.

Vindicators
Vindicators are exceptional weapons whose technology pre-dates the great crusades. The immense blast from the Demolisher cannon is enough to vaporise any foe and destroy any armour. The unfortunate consequence for this power is poor range, and this can work to your advantage.
A unit of Assault Marines or Bikers can move further and faster than a Vindicator, and the speed at which they cover ground means they can be on-top of a Vindicator before it gets a chance to shoot.
If your LasCannons or Missile Launchers are without a target, allow them to unleash on the Vindicator from the safety of range, favouring their side armour. If those weapons are busy with other targets, then quickly strike at the Vindicator with Assault Marines and Bikers with holy Power Fists and the cleansing Melta Bomb and the Vindicator will quickly turn inside-out!




Summary

As millennium after millennia of war continues across the galaxy, brother Space Marines continue to fall to the ruinous powers, regardless of what awaits them in Chaos. When they do fall, they must be met with intelligence and planning instead of reckless abandon!
Plasma and Melta weapons make easy work of traitors of all shapes and sizes however this is often not an option. When short on Plasma weapons, the blessed Bolt Gun will continue to tare through their ranks with ample frequency to ensure they receive the Emperors justice.
Each vehicle in a loyal Space Marine army is outfitted with purpose. By forcing those who have fallen from the Emperors light to use their vehicles in a way that doesn’t fit their purpose is to beat them with tactic, not strength. Often this means striking in a way that exaggerates their weaknesses while emphasizing your strengths. Other times, it simply requires a little tactical planning in order to either avoid them or ensure they are met with overwhelming fire power before they ever get a chance to strike.

The Emperor will guide you, brother. Do not sway from his teachings, do not renounce your beliefs and do not give in to the temptation of the ruinous powers. Only with purity in your heart and clarity in your mind will you defeat the foe!

Tactica Virtuoso: Fighting Space Marines
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Codex: Blood Angels





Dante
The Chapter Master of the Blood Angels and possibly the oldest living Space Marine in existence. With a host of potent and blessed wargear, Dante is one very frightening foe on the battle field. Should he ever fall to the Red Thirst, do not attack him in close-combat, for to do that would be suicide! Instead, rely on ranged weapons to stop him. Plasma and Melta fire will make short work of him once it gets passed his Iron Halo, though watch out for his Perdition Pistol!
Dante always takes to the field wearing a Jump Pack, so you really need to focus on him early in order to survive the encounter as he’ll be amongst your men very fast.

Mephiston
The most famous Psycher in existence, considered more powerful than Varro Tigurius in many respects. Mephiston is a monster in Marine form!
Able to shrug off most damage, Mephiston is extremely tough to take down without Plasma and Melta weapons. A Dreadnought with Close Combat weapons has a chance to kill him out right, though be warned – in close combat Mephiston can unleash enough attacks to take down a 10-strong unit before they strike back!

Lemartes
Lemartes is considered a solid, stable Marine. As the most senior Chaplain in the Blood Angels Chapter, his skills and knowledge are second only to the Chapter Master himself. Equipped with the Death Mask and a Jump Pack, Lemartes can quickly bring death to any foe.
Because of the dangerous nature of this Chaplain, it is often advisable to take him down early at range, better to have him killed early than risk facing him in close-combat later in the battle. Be prepared to pour a fair amount of firepower into Lemartes, failing that, assault him with a Dreadnought to keep him locked in combat for a long time.
Lemartes often accompanies his Death Company into battle. When he does, take him down as quickly as possible.

Corbulo
Corbulo is an exceptionally skilled Apothecary, able to heal wounds in battle, while boosting nearby marines with the effects of the Red Grail which he carries.
Corbulo is a capable combatant however his skills lay in enhancing nearby Marines. Take him down quickly if you want to fight at close range, or generally ignore him, focusing on the units he will always keep close to him.
The Red Grail provides invulnerability from Plasma and Melta weapons so do not waste them on him. Instead, favour your honoured Bolter and drive him back!

Tycho
Tycho is a half-crazed Marine whose disfigurement has driven him over the edge far too often. If this man is even alive, do not fear him, for most of the time he believes he is fighting Orks! Instead, strike at him quickly in overwhelming numbers, or unleash volleys of Plasma fire on him until he learns the error of his ways.

Honour Guard
The Blood Angels Honour Guard have a variety of unique abilities at their disposal, each of which dilutes the potential abilities they share in close-combat. Avoid striking them in close-combat when they are accompanied by their Chapter Master or others of his stature, as the combined blessings of their wargear and skills will cause problems, even for the most hardy of Marines! Instead, pound them with Bolter, Plasma and Melta fire at range until they are little more than dirt and ash.
Should they risk being unaccompanied, a single unit of Assault Marines will make quick work of them providing they make the charge!

Furioso Dreadnought
Similar in stature and design to the Ironclad Dreadnought, just without the added armour protection, the Furioso Dreadnought is a very capable close-combat behemoth that should be struck by Melta fire at a suitable range for the majority of the engagement. Only when one or two of its close-combat weapons have been destroyed should you consider assaulting it!

Veteran Assault Marines
Veteran Assault Marines are very similar to Vanguard Veteran Marines, in that they move with the same speed and strike with the same power. They also have access to a similar arsenal of weapons, so be cautious of their approach on the battle field. They are gifted with Power Armour, and so will fall just like any other traitor-Marine when fired upon with Plasma weapons!

Scouts
Blood Angel Scouts are a rare sight. The mutation in the gene-seed causes them to take extreme lengths when raising a neophyte, and these measures produce Scouts of finer skill than those of other Chapters. They lack protection however, and so will fall to a well placed Heavy Flamer. Engage in close combat if you wish, however they will fight with the same zeal and finesse as any Marine!

Assault Marines
Blood Angels have a burning desire for combat that boarders on reckless stupidity but it means they excel in assault, and so they often field far more Assault Marines than would normally be reasonable in a Space Marine army. Be prepared to face as many as 102 Marines equipped with Jump Packs in large engagements!

Against massed Assault Marines, form a static gun-line and prepare to fire every weapon available in an attempt to reduce their numbers before they reach your lines, because when they do reach you – and they will – you want every chance you can get.

Our fallen brethren, the Dreadnoughts, excel at tying down large units of Assault Marines. The difficulty of landing a Melta Bomb on the armour of a Dreadnought enhances its survivability against large units of Assault Marines who will undoubtedly struggle against its might. Should your ranks be blessed by a Venerable Dreadnought, the added blessings and increased skill will only make it more difficult for the enemy.

Baal Predator
This divergence from the standard pattern Predator is concerning at best. Designed more to deal with massed hordes of Orks than the steel resolve of Space Marines, it posses a moderate threat. A well placed missile will bring it down to earth with a timely explosion. Aim for the Side or Rear armour for maximum penetration!

Death Company
The black-painted Marines of the Death Company are a frightening visage. They ignore wounds that would normally kill a man three times over while advancing onto their enemies in a psychotic state, ready to rend limb from limb.
Do your best to bring these psychos down early with a few Plasma Cannon blasts however do not fear them, for they will die. A Dreadnought will help in slowing them down. If you manage to kill the Chaplain that guides them into battle, you can amuse yourself by instructing a unit of scouts to run around the battle field and watch the Death Company chase them like a dog would chase its master!





Codex: Space Wolves










Codex: Black Templars







Vows
The Black Templars are loyal believers in the Emperor, and often fall to vows and prayer before battle, begging the Emperor for aid in their battles. These vows were on clear display in the Halls of the Honoured when I dinned with the High Marshal and though cryptic, their meaning is obvious to a clear mind. There are but four vows which the Emperors Champion will lead the army through prior to battle, and they each are designed to confer different effects on those that swear by it.

The first vow that I came to read was written to inspire the Black Templars to battle Psychers such as the Librarians of a Chapter. This vow drives Marines faster to their target such that they can slay the Psycher all that much sooner while providing all Marines slight resilience to the Psychers mental powers by mentally shielding themselves. Counter this by instructing a unit of scouts inside a Land Speeder Storm to infiltrate to a tactically useless position. The Black Templars in all their zeal will move to engage the Land Speeder's occupants, who at the earliest moment should move as fast as possible to the main fighting force, leaving the Templars in a position that gives you the advantage!

The next vow that came to my eye instructed the Black Templars to engage everyone in close combat! As tactically unsound as it seems, this could be quite devastating! Counter this by ensuring the first unit the Black Templars engages is a Dreadnought. This will cause them no end of problems while you prepare your own forces for a counter-strike against them!

The third to my untrained eye appeared to command all Marines in the Black Templars army forsake the cover of ruins and such on the battlefield and instead have faith in the Emperor for their protection. I would personally die a thousand times over in the Emperors name should it please him, but I see little point in sacrificing the protection of a fortified bunker for nought but a word! This vow is so ludicrous it requires no counter measure be taken. Simply engage them as normal. I'll be stunned should this vow ever so much as save a single Marine's life!

The fourth and final vow I came to read was the hardest to understand yet the simplest to read and as I went over the words silently in my mind, I felt the affects of it slowly creeping into my body. I concluded that, when said aloud, the vow binds the mind to a state that sacrifices agility for increased strength - strength born of muscle and fibre being used in such a way it would all but tear its self apart for the sake of greater power. I can only imagine that the greatest way to counter the bonuses gained by this prayer would simply be to avoid close-combat with the Black Templars. The vow would therefore have no affect on your battle plans until the inevitable happens.


High Marshal Helbrecht
The High Marshal is a cold and calculating man who will stop at nothing to accomplish his ‘Holy’ crusade. He bears the finest armour the Chapter has to offer, and yields a weapon so powerful it is said to have been wielded by each High Marshal for millennia! He strikes as hard as any other Chapter Master, while delivering more blows, yet with less skill, possibly due to the bionic implants that maintain his body.
Should the High Marshal take to the battlefield, treat him like any other Chapter Master and strike him with Plasma, Melta and LasCannon weapons, or assign Dreadnoughts to tackle him in close-combat. Only face Helbrecht in mêlée if you are certain you can outnumber him at least 3-to-1!

Chaplain Grimaldus
As Chaplains go, this Marine seriously does not know how to die. Having survived more near-death battles than any other Marine in the Black Templars Chapter, Grimaldus will fight to the bitter end and then some. There are two ways to deal with Grimaldus, shoot him until he finally accepts his fate, or ignore him. The latter often providing enough time for your Marines to deal with the other threats on the battlefield.
Immense amounts of fire-power can be wasted trying to slow this unrelenting Chaplain, fire-power that is best used against targets that will die.

If caught in mêlée, fear him like any other Chaplain. Lead the charge against him before he has a chance to spur those around him into bloody fervour and even then he will refuse to die!

Commander
The Black Templars Crusade armies are lead by Marshals and Castellans - the Commanders of the army. They are in every essence identical to the Captains of your very own chapter, with perhaps a little less finesse in close-quarters fighting. They have access to the Crusade Armoury where many of the most potent relics of war can be brought to bear. Due to the slight lack of skill, both Marshals and Castellans can be bested in mêlée providing he is outnumbered and the proper weapons are used to strike him. Ranged weapons should still be favoured, as a well placed Melta or Plasma shot can incapacitate the enemy Commander with ease.

The Emperor's Champion
The Emperors Champion is a very unique individual. I met him only once where he shared no more than two words of conversation with me. I have however seen him in battle and it was awe-inspiring to say the least! He wears armour so blessed and beautiful that it survives the most punishing fire-power with little effect on its wearer. His words, when he chooses to speak, command such respect that whole armies will heed his words and swear by his oaths.
On the battlefield, do not send the leaders of your army to face the Emperors Champion, as his skill with the sacred 'Black Sword' is enough to match even the greatest Chapter Master. Instead, target him at range.
The Emperors Champion will naturally be accompanied by the largest squad of Neophytes and Initiates available, so as to inspire the greatest quantity of Marines available while gaining the added protection from weapons fire due to the Marines around him. Those that accompany him are devastating in close combat, so always take down as many as possible at range before striking in close combat, and even then be cautious of the sheer skill of the Emperors Champion!

Chaplain
Chaplains are always a concern, able to drive their battle brothers to unimaginable heights, yet none are more zealous than the Chaplains of the Black Templars who, through litanies and prayers, drive those around him them to greater deeds than others of their discipline, bringing their battle brothers to a fearless, awe-inspiring level of ability! They should be dealt with in the same manner as any other Chaplain, however pay extra attention when dispatching these masters of martial arts, as they may just surprise you with their deeds.

Command Squad / Terminator Command Squad
A Black Templars Command Squad is no less fearsome or deadly than that of any other Chapter. They are able to carry the Chapter’s most sacred artefacts to battle while utilising a wide variety of wargear. They should be dealt with in the same manner as any other Command Squad or Terminator Squad, by observing their wargear and striking in a manner which overwhelms their weakness. It should be noted that these veterans are skilled combatants and masters of special skills that can make dealing with them far more difficult. Be aware that they could infiltrate into a tactical position well ahead of the battle!

Sword Brethren - Terminator Squad
Sword Brethren Terminators are very much identical to those found in other Chapters, however they are often trained in a special tactic, such as Tank Hunting or increased ability when charging. They should, however, still be treat like typical Terminators, regardless of their wargear.

Sword Brethren Squad
Sword Brethren are diverse and well trained combatants, very similar to a Tactical Marine Squad in your own Chapter, yet with the added bonus of wielding bolt-pistol and chainsword! Armed and armoured like a Tactical Marine unit, a Sword Brethren Squad should be treat with the same diligence and ferocity in battle. Stay mobile while fighting against Sword Brethren. Force them to come to you while you maintain rapid Bolter-fire on their ranks. When they get too close, launch your own assault and meet them in glorious combat

Crusader Squad
The Crusader Squad is a conglomeration, formed by the merging of our Tactical Marines and Scouts - What the Black Templars refer to as Initiates and Neophytes respectively. This results in a single unit up to 20strong, all able and ready. Initiates are very much the same as a Tactical Marine in that they wear similar armour and wield similar weapons, primarily the holy Boltgun, while the Neophytes are a more skilled and competent variant of our Scouts. The increase in skills comes from their training that they receive while under the stewardship of an Initiate. That one-on-one training really does work although it directly contravenes the Codex Astartes to which we adhere.
To battle a Crusader squad, both ranged and close-quarters combat will be a struggle. You must simply out-gun them or out-man them. Should a large Crusader Squad head your way, bring them down with rapid-firing Bolters, Plasma, Melta and even Frag missiles. Throw as many Boltgun rounds at them as possible and force them to rely on their armour and their mass to survive. Once they start to dwindle in size, strike with an assault force or continue the fire-fight but do not let off the attack until every last one has fallen.

Drop Pod
The Black Templar Drop Pod is near identical to those used by other Chapters of the Space Marines, able to carry their cargo into the heart of the battle where they can deliver a devastating blow to their enemies, yet there is one small yet vital difference that must be noted. The standard targeting system used by the Black Templars on their Drop Pods is different to that of the standard pattern. They make use of a more complex yet equally effective guidance system which impacts the performance of the targeting systems - making it less accurate when firing its mounted weapon. Although this is a small detail in a large canvas, it is in fact one extra bonus available to you should you have to fight the Black Templars.




Codex: Dark Angels






Army Composition
The army I engaged was little more than a minor strike force consisting of less than fifty Marines, perhaps as little as thirty. The army was a mixed composition of Tactical Marines, Scouts, Veterans and Assault Marines. It is safe to assume these types of forces are common within the Dark Angels battle structure.
The informations we found after the battle suggest that two highly decorated heroes of the Dark Angels prefer totally different tactics and a wholly unique battle structure. One favours Tactical Dreadnought armour to such an extent that he would only fight along side Marines clad in similar armour while the other favours fast moving units to such an extent that he would forego anything that was not in wheels or a land speeder!
These two unique battle structures have unique names too - Deathwing, being composed of Terminators, and Ravenwing, being composed of Land Speeders and Bikes.

Amusingly it is the reliance on one particular aspect of the chapter that is the downfall to these leaders. Deathwing, as tough as it is, cannot move nearly fast enough to continually engage long ranged fire-power, while being susceptible to rapid hit-and-run strikes from Assault Marines and Bikers - on the other hand, Ravenwing in all its glory, lacks the armour of a tank like a Predator. Every single bolter shell fired has a chance at bringing down a Ravenwing Marine, regardless of how fast it is moving across the battlefield.

In all three cases, follow the normal procedure to deal with each unit and you cannot go far wrong.

Azrael
No concrete information could be found on Azrael other than he once travelled aboard the very BattleBarge we captured and participated in the same training regimes as his Company Masters. One can only imagine the masterful armour and beautiful weapons he would bear. I would not so much as guess at the power and skill in this man, only that I would fight against him if I ever had to just like I would any other Chapter Master as noted in these great works. I would also most certainly pray. Prayer might just tip the balance...


Belial
Belial, the Master of the Deathwing, is the noted commander so obsessed with the protection of Terminator armour that it affects his better judgement. It is said he is clad in the grandest armour the Chapter can afford, yet I envisage he is still little more than a Company Captain in Terminator armour and should be treated as so! Do not waste too much fire-power on him however, simply strike him when the moment is right. He brings his own Company Banner to the fight which he gifts to one Marine for the duration of the battle - I can only speculate that this will drive those around to fight harder and with greater dedication.

Sammael
Sammael, the Master of the Ravenwing, is the noted commander who favours fast moving attacks over all others. He has his own specially crafted Jetbike as well as a blessed LandSpeeder that generates a powerful defensive energy field around the front and side facings of the vehicle, essentially granting greater armour than normal. He is still however a Company Captain. Because of the destructive potential of Sammael and his methods of transportation, he should be dealt with fast and cleanly at great range before he gets too close for comfort. There was also mention of the Ravenwing Company Banner in a manifest we found - I can only guess that this Banner grants the same drive and determination as the Deathwing Banner.

Ezekiel
The Librarian Grand Master. His deeds and abilities are hushed whispers throughout the Psychers in many Chapters, so much so when another Psycher witnesses him on the battlefield, they sometimes go to extreme lengths to learn exactly what his psychic powers really do! Aside from rumer and suspicion, information on the battlebarge relating to the Grand Master was scarce at best. It appears he would adhere to the same weapons training regime as the Company Master would, while maintaining his own personal set of arms and armour that, according to the texts we found, were of arcane beauty and crafted by the greatest artificers on the Chapter. From the soles of his boots to the bolt pistol in his hand, nothing was untouched by the master artificer's skills it seems. The relic 'Book of Salvation' was mentioned in an old manifest. One can only guess it would inspire those near it to greater feats, but who knows.


Interrogator Chaplain
The Interrogator Chaplain that I encountered at the end of the battle for that backwater planet gave me insight into their skills and mindset, while the information we recovered later highlighted the myriad of wargear options he had at his disposal prior to his little campaign. It would not be wrong to assume that he is far more capable than your very own Chaplains, being far more stubborn in the face of defeat while being capable of sustaining more grevious injuries, possibly thanks to the blessings his armour affords him, or perhaps just from being too stubborn to die. A LasCannon would make short work of him, through I anticipate an Interrogator Chaplain would much prefer to fight with his fists, so give him a Dreadnought to fight with.

Company Master
Company Masters, regardless of their chapter of origin, are fierce opponents with all the cunning and strength of your very self. I was thankful that we did not face a Company Master that fateful day, else we may have had a tougher time - or we may not have been fired upon, who knows. What I do know of Company Masters in the Dark Angels Chapter is what we found in the bowels of the computer systems on board the BattleBarge [Name Deleted]. The informations we deciphered suggested that Company Masters travel with a wide variety of wargear taken from the highest quality weapons and armour they can afford. We also found some weapons training regimes that a Company Master of the Dark Angels would undertake while in transit between missions and I was personally surprised at how relaxed it appeared to be. Perhaps Dark Angels do not want to profess themselves masters in close combat?

Deathwing Terminator Squad
'Deathwing Terminators', according to the records we found, are exactly identical to our brothers in Tactical Dreadnought armour with the same wargear and protection and should be dealt with in exactly the same manner as any other Marine in Terminator armour. The only point to note - and this is the biggest concern I have with the Dark Angels, is they have an entire company of 'Deathwing Terminators'! That is over 100 Marines, clad in the greatest protection the Emperor can afford! The sheer potential of Terminators en mass would be devastating to fight against regardless of who you are though I believe the tactics would stay the same. Favour plasma and Melta weapons while firing every Boltgun available.


Company Veterans Squad
It was my retinue and I who met the last of the Dark Angels in battle and without doubt they were more capable and better equipped than the others we fought that day. So much so that I believe it was a unit of Company Veterans accompanying a Interrogator Chaplain who led the entire assault on the planet. The Veterans were without fear and fought well, causing eleven casualties within my ranks before all six of them fell to our swords. From inspection of the records aboard the BattleBarge, these Veterans were granted a wide range of weapons and war gear for the battle, including Plasma Guns, Missile Launchers, even Thunder Hammers and Storm Shields! It can only be imagined that, had these Marines come better equipped, they may have wounded more than just twice their number that day! When fighting these Marines, I found the teachings in this very Tactica came to mind, specifically those detailing the method of dealing with Command Squads.

Scout Squad
My forces engaged several Scout units during the fire fight and it was brought to my attention that these neophytes fought with the skill and determination of any one of my battle brothers, so much so that my own contingency of Scouts were cut in half by no less than a single Dark Angels Scout unit! They may be equipped and armoured as any other Scout, but their training methods produce Scouts of better skill, that is without doubt!

Ravenwing Attack Squadron
Records on board the BattleBarge [Name Deleted] indicate that a 'Ravenwing Attack Squadron' is a composition of units formed from Marine Bikes, Attack Bikes and Land Speeders. This conglomeration of fast moving vehicles is highly concerning, able to bring massive amounts of fire-power across the battlefield very very fast.
'Ravenwing Attack Squadrons' must be identified and dealt with as fast as possible as the potential in these units is devastating. Unleash on them with every weapon available and deny them the charge as often as possible. These units will be small in size - eight at the very most - so out-numbering them is far from difficult, you simply need to kill them!

Ravenwing Support Squadron
According to the records found on-board the BattleBarge captured during the battle at [Location Deleted], the Ravenwing Support Squadron is in all essence a standard Land Speeder unit, with identical vehicle composition and weapons load-out. It can only be assumed that the Dark Angels train their Land Speeder pilots differently however the effectiveness of this is unknown. I would advise any Commander fighting a 'Ravenwing Support Squadron' to treat the squadron as a normal Land Speeder unit and engage with ranged weapons of every form.

Drop Pod
The Drop Pod used by the Dark Angels is identical in construction to your very own Drop Pods and used in exactly the same manner. The one difference is in the targeting systems which are older and less efficient than your own. This is possibly due to the age of their systems, or poor repair works, yet the targeting system is most certainly less effective at shooting the built-in storm bolter.

Today is a grand day, for today I unveil Tactica Virtuoso : Fighting Space Marines!


secui unus = part 1, contains C: SM only
secui duos = part 2, contains other Marine codices

Guys, it's been a real pleasure to write this mammoth post, and the last week has been formatting and editing pretty much every day until I reached a state where I thought you guys would like it. - not bad considering its taken 42 days to complete!

Space Pups is missing until, well, you know when

C&C is welcome as always.

CR


Update
-> Spelling / Grammar mistakes have been fixed.
-> Removed my Sig from the bottom of the posts to make them more uniform and easier to follow.
-> Minor formatting change
-> Major formatting change to deal with the stupidity that is the new forums. (Alignment / hidden sections removed)

I'm overwhelmed by that post, your work is great.
i have not have the time to read it all, but i definatly will.

you have done some really really fantastic work.

~hagg

Hit the button =
Read it =

Nice and fluffy.

I'll hope GW may not do what some rumors say,

[spoil]new black templars, new blood angels, even blood ravens , not really, or?[/spoil]

and you just need to add the wolfies this fall....

Hey guys, thanks for the great responses so far. Yea, its a bit of a monster read, so I don't expect anyone to finish reading it for at least another month =)

As for those rumers.... [spoil]I've heard BA should not get updated, DA might get updated, BT should get updated next year, and Ravens, well, they're THQ's little project =) [/spoil]

Hope you enjoy the read guys! I know It's possibly not up to everyone's tastes, but hopefully it will be well received =)

Thanks again,

CR

:O:O:O::O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O:O

bows to CR's ability to spend 42 days writing tacticas. Looks very very intriguing, Read the first part and i agree with most, and have learned a lot from the rest, i'll just have to get a flask and some sandwiches and sit down and read it all but seriosuly very well done!

Good... grief... man...

*slowly salutes*

That is a very impressive tactica! Thank you; it helps on multiple levels.

An absolute master peice! I doff my hat to you sir.

Yeah thats a fantastic contribution. I stumbled across it last week but didnt reply as you had asked not too

This is one thread i will defiantly be hiding from my opponents .

Hey guys, thanks again for the good responses =)

Barn, it's been hiding away for what feels like ages, with lumps being stored on three different computers while I abused my spare time hacking it together and into some reasonable formatting state. Believe me, its nice to have it finished now =)

Thanks again guys


Cr