Hey Game Fans, we’re back with another article on getting started with your first war game, an introduction to the Space Marines for Warhammer 40,000!
For those of you with a science fiction bend, the game that you’re probably going to keep bouncing into is Warhammer 40,000. Produced by Games Workshop, Warhammer 40,000 is an incredibly dark vision of the future. Humanity has expanded to the stars and built a great empire, but that empire is beset with enemies. Surrounded by consuming darkness, the superhuman warriors of the Adeptus Astartes are the bastion of light. They bring the fight to the enemies of mankind, and as they fight, bring hope to humanity. For the Emperor!
Who/What are the Space Marines?
The Adeptus Astartes (more commonly known as the Space Marines) represent the pinnacle of genetic engineering. Combining he finest weapons and armor available, Space Marines represent the finest fighting force available to the Imperium of Mankind. The Space Marines in one form or another have been the poster boys for the Warhammer 40,000 game since its inception. They took a fairly generic concept (power armored space warrior) and refined it. Over the years it’s become something that’s uniquely emblematic of the 40k universe.
From a player perspective, the Space Marines represent potentiality coupled with resiliency. There are tougher armies in the game, and their are armies with specializations. However, few armies are as capable of reacting to changes on the tabletop as well as the Space Marines. Space Marines have above average statistics, excellent equipment, and high morale. They are very forgiving for a new player, and can still be astonishingly potent.
3 Key Factors
Power
Space Marines have access to very powerful wargear and customization options. Marines have access to an armory that encourages customization and specialization. The basic Space Marine Tactical Squad can be kitted out with a choice of 4 different special weapons, 5 different heavy weapons, and the sergeant is a mini character you can customize to fill the role of your squad. You have the option to tailor your Space Marines to deal with a specific range of opponents or build them to specifically destroy one foe reliably.
Space Marines also have access to multiple different tactics and game play options to destroy their enemies. These include:
- Drop Pod Insertions
- Mechanized Assault
- Space Marine Bikes
- Tank Assault
- Formations
- Detachments
Aesthetics
The Space Marines have a very distinctive look. It features smooth armor plates, skull icons, and the occasional set of wings. Compared to other armies in the universe, they have a very limited amount of skin to deal with. If you’re not playing with any special characters, you can construct a helmets only army so that you don’t have to paint any skin at all. They are a wonderfully blank canvas for expressing your artistic side. The Space Marines can be customized with an amazing array of heraldic devices and color patterns to guarantee that your army is unique.
The flipside to that is that you can build a showcase army that looks exactly like the Ultramarines 2nd Company, or the Raven Guard 3rd Company. There are many books and painting guides for the Space Marines to give you advice, ideas and options for painting them up the way you want.
Special Mention: Space Marine Shoulder Pads
Marine Shoulder Pads are a tiny canvass that you can do a lot of work with. You can customize your squad markings, freehand logos, or use waterslide transfers for Chapter Badges. They are tiny, and you can get custom shoulder pads for just about anything you want, so go nuts.
The Bottom line for the Space Marines from an Aesthetic standpoint is that you can do a lot with them, and make them as unique as you like.
Challenge
Space Marines have a broad range of available play styles. This shapes the level of Challenge they offer to a player. Its an army that can survive mistakes, but rewards solid list building and sound planning. You can build an army that does one thing very well and crushes enemy units that one specific way. You can build a list that has options to handle situations. The real challenge of playing Space Marines to me has always been deciding what army list I am going to use that day, and then finding the best options for that army list. There are some match ups and list building options that play easier or harder than others.
What Next?
There are several different Space Marine codices you can choose from if you don’t like the primary codex
Blood Angels
Dark Angels
Deathwatch
Grey Knights
Space Wolves
If you want to explore the different options each of these codices, take a look at the GW website and look through their options.
How to Get Started with Space Marines?
Warhammer 40,000 (the books) contain all of the rules you’ll need to play the game.
Codex: Space Marines is your basic army book and contains all of the rules you’ll need to start building your force.
You know we always encourage you to research your army and start looking across your local playgroup and the internet to see what other people are thinking about Space Marines.
If you need (and yes, it can be a NEED) to get some models, pick up a Space Marine Tactical Squad. Almost every Space Marine formation/detachment requires at least one Space Marine Tactical Squad They’re a good starting place to practice your painting and you can have a lot of fun getting them together.
Your other purchase that you’ll need is some sort of an HQ choice. The Space Marines have a variety of choices, but I would probably suggest a Librarian. There are a variety of formations and options, but you probably will get a lot of mileage out of a librarian.
Where there is uncertainty, I shall bring light
Where there is doubt, I shall sow faith
Where there is shame, I shall point atonement
Where there is rage, I shall show its course
My word in the soul shall be as my bolter in the field.
