How To Play 40k Space Marines: Army Guide, Rules & Review

By Travis Pasch | April 14th, 2024 | Categories: 10th Edition 40k, 40k News & Articles, How To Play 40k, Space Marines, Tabletop Gaming News & Rumors, Warhammer Community

The new 10th Edition Warhammer 40k Space Marines codex is here– from Stratagems, Datasheets, and army rules; this is our review guide on how to play them.

Exciting changes to the Space Marine army’s gameplay, rules, and style are here with the release of their new Warhammer 40k codex. This review guide provides an overview of the new codex, including Stratagems, Datasheets, and army rules, to help players understand how to play Space Marines in 10th Edition Warhammer 40k.

Additionally, we’ll take a closer look at the new detachments and their rules, giving you everything you need to dominate the battlefield. Show your opponents what it means to be a true warrior of the Imperium, with the new Space Marines Codex!

Contents

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How To Play 40k Space Marines: Army Guide, Rules & Review

Before we jump into the codex rules, let’s first jump into one of the most significant changes in the codex:

But first, a major update – the Oath of Moment army rule is changing. You still select one unit each turn to be your target, but now you only reroll Hit rolls against them, instead of Hits and Wounds. This will mean Space Marine players need to choose their target more carefully, though there are new and updated skills across the faction that bring more opportunities to re-roll Wound rolls.

You only re-roll hits now, not wounds as well. Oath of Moment was giving them a ton of re-rolls, so it’s probably not a bad idea.

Each Chapter of Space Marines has their preferred ways of fighting, from the massed jump pack assaults of the Blood Angels to the disciplined firing lines of Imperial Fists. However, all Space Marines are drilled day and night to fight in whichever way fits the mission best, and that’s why in the upcoming Codex: Space Marines all seven Detachments can be adopted by any Chapter that sees fit.

Now, there are no more “specific” codex chapters, meaning any previous codex chapter can use any of the rules. While some are meant to mimic classic chapters, you don’t have to use the rules for that chapter.

Space Marines Spearhead Force $230 €180 £140

The fastest fighters amongst the new Space Marine releases have wasted no time in forming a Spearhead Force. This boxed set is bursting with 15 of the new Jump Pack Intercessors, led by a Captain with Jump Pack. Such speed needs exceptionally mobile fire support to back it up, so the box also includes a squad of three Outriders and an Invader ATV to add firepower to their overwhelming assault.

Space Marines Codex YouTube Rules Reviews:

If you’re looking for reviews on YouTube, be sure to watch your favorite presenters talk about their take on how to play Space Marines and their new codex book at the links below:

Space Marines Codex Detachment Rules:

Now, let’s get into all the new detachments. The seven Space Marines Detachments for 10th Edition 40k are:

Gladius Task Force
Stormlance Task Force
Vanguard Spearhead
1st Company Task Force
Firestorm Assault Force
Ironstorm Spearhead
Anvil Siege Force

1st Company Task Force Detachment Rules

This Detachment gives you a great opportunity to get the most out of the shiny new Terminators and Sternguard Veterans coming out alongside the Codex, as well as units of Bladeguard Veterans and Vanguard Veterans. Their unique rule – Extremis-level Threat – lets them single out a target for certain destruction once per game, and lasts across both your and your opponent’s turn.

This might be why they changed the Oath of the Moment rule, but it is only once per battle, so use this wisely! This is meant to be the generic marines, whereas the Ultramarines are more of the Gladius Task Force.

Three of the four Enhancements – like Iron Resolve, which gives characters the Feel No Pain 5+ ability – allow a model to extend his own boost to an entire squad once per game.

While having a 5+ FNP for the bearer is fantastic, giving your whole Terminator unit a 5+ FNP is insane! Again, this is only once per battle, so use it wisely!

Their experience keeps them cool under pressure, and enemy charges find their attacks blunted by their Legendary Fortitude.

This can be huge for Terminators, as they will be even harder to kill, especially if you pair this with the 5+ FNP.

Vanguard Spearhead Detachment Rules

Stealthy armies prefer to mitigate as much damage as possible while they engage their targets. The Vanguard Spearhead Detachment is perfect for exactly this kind of combat, but their techniques are also a fit for long-ranged shooting armies who want to keep their targets at arm’s length.

All the stealth in the world won’t help if you can’t kill your targets on arrival, and a quick Strike from the Shadows Stratagem will help out. Try using it on a Desolation Squad combined with their Targeter Optics ability for some hyper-accurate fire support.

Preparing for your quintessential sneak attack, this long-range stratagem could set up some interesting Shooting phase plays.

Best of all, the Shadow Masters Detachment Rule works on all Adeptus Astartes units whether they’re naturally sneaky or not. It might not help against melee attacks, but when a unit can’t be easily charged – like, say, a squadron of Stormraven Gunships – there’s little you need to worry about.

Paired with the above stratagem, Shadow Masters ensures that you’ll be holding the advantage with 12″+ ranged attacks against your Astartes units.

Stormlance Task Force Detachment Rules

This is a great ability for low-cost armies that might not want to spend points on dedicated transports, as the opportunity to charge after an Advance gives foot-slogging assault infantry a vital boost in mobility.

This rule allows for a crazy amount of movement, negating the hit to mobility you must take if you want to make a charge.

It’s also a top quality choice for any models whose abilities activate after a charge, like the new Jump Pack Intercessors. The mortal wounds they deliver with Hammer of Wrath can really rack up, especially when dished out on every one of their turns.

Paired with the Lightning Assault, this can turn your Jump Pack Astartes into devastating charge machines.

The Wind-Swift Evasion Stratagem allows you to reposition or chase down fleeing enemies, and aggressive commanders can ensure their troops get close enough for hand-to-hand combat.

Pairing with the speed motif, this stratagem can be helpful in getting the heck out of dodge when the time is right.

Firestorm Assault Force Detachment Rules

Their Detachment rule, Close-range Eradication, grants the Assault keyword to all weapons, letting units Advance without losing their ability to shoot. Once they get close enough, that extra pip of Strength puts many weapons over critical thresholds for damage.

Your Eradicators will love how their Strength 10 melta rifles do a much better job of boring holes in Toughness 10 tanks, while Infernus Marines do an even better job of barbecuing Tyranids and Orks with Strength 6 pyreblasters.

You are right if you guessed this was supposed to be the Salamanders. This lets you keep moving, firing, and adding strength to the attacks. Strength 10 meltas are no joke, and Strength 6 flamers are about as strong as you’ll find.

While you’re that close, you might also like to crack a few heads with boosted melee weapons on your fightiest character, and the War-tempered Artifice Enhancement provides. Who doesn’t love power swords that hit as hard as a power fist?

Well, if you want a combat monster character, this will be the Enhancement to take!

Ironstorm Spearhead Detachment Rules

If you want a ton of re-rolls every phase, this is the detachment for you! While it’s only one per unit, it is once per phase, so you can do melee and shooting. On top of that, you can re-roll damage! Meaning it’s quite strong. Then, giving a Techmarine a Lethal Hits Aura is no joke.

Hail of Vengeance is pretty awesome. If you manage to lose only a single model, then you get to fire back with everything. Then, Battle Drill Recall can give you sustained hits on a 5+, which is, again, quite strong.

How To Play 40k Space Marines: Anvil Siege Force Detachment Rules

If you want a bunch of big guns in your army, this will not only give you +1 to hit and +1 to wound when you remain stationary. Indomitable Fury is really cool, as you can return your character to the field with full wounds remaining on a 2+!

Only in Death is always a fun stratagem because you get to attack back! However, it is 2 CP, so you better really want to get those attacks off. Then, Storm of Fire can be pretty awesome, especially if you remain stationary.

It could give you +1 to hit, +1 to wound, ignore cover, and get +1 AP as well!

How To Play 40k Space Marines: Gladius Task Force Detachment Rules

This is pretty similar to the index, so most players should be pretty familiar with how it plays. Now, let’s look at some of the new models’ rules.

Jump Pack Intercessors & Jump Captain

Their profile is pretty similar to normal Assault Intercessors, but of course, they move 12″! On top of that, they deal mortals on the charge and have some decent wargear options.

If you have this model leading a unit, they get an extra strength! Then, he has a decent number of wargear options (and the mini is easy to magnetize) and has a decent number of attacks. Overall, a great-looking mini with some decent rules.

Sternguard Veteran Squad

They have a decent number of options for the squad, and the models are pretty awesome! While they still can only get one special weapon per 5, you get better wound rolls and plenty of options for combi-weapons.

New Terminators

The Chaplain is pretty strong in combat, but more importantly, you get better wound rolls and FNP against mortals! Which can be the bane of Terminators.

The Terminator rules really don’t change too much, but with Three Wounds, Deep Striking, and Fury of the First, they are quite strong!

How To Play Warhammer 40k Space Marines: Points

You can find the latest points for playing this faction in 10th Edition Warhammer 40k here on our Munitorum Field Manual Points Updates Page.

Is It Still Worth Playing Space Marines?

Of course! The poster boys of the Grimdark are super fun to play and have the biggest model range. They just got a swathe of new units and are great to hobby on.

Don’t miss out on this opportunity to show your opponents what it means to be a true warrior of the Imperium. Get your hands on the new 10th Edition Space Marines Codex today!