9th Edition Space Marines are good, but which ones have the best Chapter Tactics bonus rules from the new codex? Let take a look at the latest!
Not all Space Marine Chapters were created equal. While some Chapters were great in 8th Edition, other Chapters have risen above them in 9th Edition with rules reworks like terrain, hit modifiers, new unit releases, etc… Here are the Chapter Tactic winners and losers for 9th Editon.
Before we begin: We should note that none of these Space Marines Codex Chapter Tactics are “bad” (losers). But some Chapters have gotten way better now that other game rules have been shuffled around.
Space Marines Codex Chapter Tactics: Winners & losers
It looks like some Chapter Tactics may be getting tweaked in the days ahead and because of that, we’ll be using the sheet that was spotted in the official SM codex preview video.
Although it’s pretty hard to read, some savvy Reddit users have been breaking it down! User u/AenarIT broke it down and posted this list which has over 400 comments already.
Dark Angels
Dark Angels- Winner: 1) +1 to hit if the unit did not move in this turn. 2) Something about Combat Attrition, probably auto-pass.
These guys are winners because as long as they stand still, pretty much everything will be hitting on a 2+ in the entire army. It’ll be a more static list overall. And, if you take casualties, it looks like you may not be losing more than one model at a time. That’s fantastic. Plus, with the new rules on plasma blowing up on an unmodified roll of 1, Hellblasters using Weapons of the Dark Age Strat will be slinging 3-damage plasma volleys on a 2+ (rerolling 1’s with a Captain).
White Scars
White Scars- Winner: 1) Can Charge after Advancing or Falling Back. 2) Can fire Assault weapons with no penalty after an Advance move.
The fact that these guys can advance and charge/ fall back and charge is brutal. Especially now that armies pretty much just get one chance of overwatching via a Stratagem and maps are smaller. These guys will be deceptively quick, won’t be punished in overwatch, and given long enough, will be doing +1 damage on their melee weapons by turn 3 thanks to their Assault Doctrine bonus.
Space Wolves
Space Wolves-Winner: 1) +1 to hit in melee if the unit charged, was charged, or heroically intervened. 2) Units with this tactic can heroically intervene as if they were characters.
They are probably a winner just because of their +1 to hit in the first round of combat. This is useful because it can help cancel out -1 to hit modifiers that the enemy might have or the -1 to hit for power fists/thunder hammers, etc… Plus, given the fact that overwatch got nerfed only being usable via a Stratagem now, if you clump your dudes up, you can still heroically intervene and get some nice damage on enemy units that charged in.
Imperial Fists
Imperial Fists-Loser: 1) Ignore Light Cover. 2) Additional hits with unmodified 6’s with bolt weapons.
You might think that Imperial Fists are winners now that terrain and cover are much more important in 9th Edition. We will say, that is a very nice buff to these guys. However, the fact that the Vigilus Formations aren’t usable in Matched Play means that the Fists lose out on the Siegebreaker Cohort formation. If you didn’t know, that formation was the glue that held these guys together. Making them capable of mortal wounding a Knight to death with Bolt Weapons.
Crimson Fists
Crimson Fists- Loser:) +1 to hit when the target unit contains 5+ more models than this unit (VEHICLE counts as 5). 2) 1 additional hit with unmodified 6’s with bolt weapons.
The Crimson Fists have been a minor Chapter for a while in GW’s eyes and they have given them a sub-par version of the Dark Angels and Imperial Fists Chapter Tactic. Getting that +1 to hit is just gamier and exploding 6’s to hit for bolt weapons is nice, but it’s not going to be the sole reason why you win a game.
Black Templars
Black Templars-Loser: 1) Reroll Advance and Charge rolls. 2) 5+ feel no pain against mortal wounds.
The Black Templars are cool and definitely aren’t “bad” with the rules that they’ve got. However, rerolling charge/advances just seems like a worse version of the overall guaranteed mobility of White Scars. Plus, the 5+++ FNP against mortal wounds is cool, but unless you’re playing a tailored Thousand Sons list, you MIGHT save a model or two all game.
Blood Angels
Blood Angels-Loser: 1) +1 to wound when charging, charged, or heroically intervening. 2) +1″ to Advance and Charge rolls.
It might be shocking to think that Blood Angels are a “losing” Chapter, but their days seem to be numbered. While +1 to wound is bonkers, they lack mobile melee Primaris units which, mobile melee units is kind of their schtick. Right now, they’re held together by Death Company, Sanguinary Guard, and Smash Captains.
However, on the point about Smash Captains, we’ve seen that you’ll only be allowed one Captain per Detachment in the future. That means you’ll have to pay 4 CP at minimum to bring two more Captains (and dedicate points for Troops as well) in the near future.
Flesh Tearers
Flesh Tearers-Loser: 1) +1 to wound when charging, charged, or heroically intervening. 2) -1 AP on unmodified wound rolls of 6.
These guys are a less mobile version of Blood Angels. Not much to talk about there.
Iron hands
Iron Hands-Loser: 1) 6+ feel no pain. 2) Double wounds on the damage chart.
The Iron Hands were monsters near the tail end of 8th Edition and their Chapter Tactics definitely aren’t bad. But the fact that the Devastator Doctrine is a short-lived single turn and then you’re forced to move on means that these guys have a brutal first turn but then run out of steam pretty quick.
Ultramarines
Ultramarines-Winners: 1) +1 Leadership. 2) Can shoot in a turn during which it Falls Back, but at -1 to hit.
The leadership bonus is nice, but the chance of models running away from morale/combat attrition is way down in 9th Edition. The best part about these guys is that they can fall back and shoot (at -1 to hit). It’s nice because you’re more mobile and with hit modifiers capped at +1/-1, you can move with a heavy weapon and shoot at an Aircraft and stay at -1. If this was 8th Edition, you’d be -3 to hit that same target
Win a Table of Terrain: Enter Now!
Salamanders
Salamanders- GIGA WINNERS:1) You can reroll one wound roll when resolving that unit’s attack. 2) Each time an attack with an AP characteristic of -1 is allocated…treat it as 0 instead.
Nothing has really changed on these guys’ rules from 8th to 9th Edition. But the fact that Eradicators are a thing now, Salamanders spiked in power. With the Promethean Cult rule, they get +1 to Wound and can already reroll the wound roll if it fails is stupid powerful. We’re seeing every Salamander list run three units of these guys and they’re wrecking the top tables.
Raven Guard
Raven Guard-Winner: 1) Count as being in Light Cover if the attacker is more than 18″ away. 2) INFANTRY only counts as being in Dense Cover if the attacker is more than 12″ away.
Raven Guard has some slight tweaks to their Chapter Tactic playing on Light and Dense Cover which is good. However, a huge bonus to these guys is the fact that anything can be put into reserves now. They’ve already got Stratagems and rules that let units redeploy, move before the game starts, etc… But these guys are even more mobile and protected now that an Impulsor full of dudes, for example, can come onto the board any point in the game.
Deathwatch
Deathwatch- Winner: 1) Each time a model with this tactic makes a melee attack against TYRANID, AELDARI, ORK, NECRONS, or TAU, reroll a hit roll of 1. 2) After both sides have finished deploying their armies, select one battlefield role. Until the end of the battle, each time a model with this tactic makes an attack against an enemy unit with that battlefield role, reroll a wound roll of 1.
They’re a super winner against any Xenos player and only decent against everyone else. Being able to reroll hits of 1 or 2 against Xenos units pretty much translates into playing an army of auto hitters. Combined with their wargear and unit combos (like Terminators and Bikers joining regular power armor dudes on foot) makes them a toolbox Chapter.
This has been a big list but based on everything we know about what’s coming to the October Space Marine codex, these have been our thoughts on winners and losers!
(includes the Primaris Lietantant or Necron Overlord)
Do you disagree with any of the reasons for winners and losers? What’s been your experience testing the new Space Marines codex Chapter tactics in 9th Edition?
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About the Author: Wesley Floyd
Wesley Floyd
Job Title: Staff Writer
Joined: 2018
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About Wesley Floyd: Wes has been in the Warhammer hobby since 2015 and joined the Spikey Bits writing team in 2018. He is known for his satirist takes on trending topics and imaginative yet amazingly affordable hobby solutions to painting Warhammer miniatures.
Imperial fanboy, tabletop fanatic, and the self-proclaimed King of Sprues. He knows for a fact that Mephiston red is the best-tasting paint and is the commission painting equivalent of a Wendy’s 4 for $4. If you like what he writes and want to contact him or have your tabletop minatures painted (to a mostly okayish standard), message him on Instagram.
