Let’s look at what should change because 3+ saves in 7th edition were a hot commodity. But, when 8th edition dropped, a 3+ save seem to go out the window.
Space Marines in 8th edition have a 3+ save almost all the way across the board. A 3+ save in 7th edition was nothing to scoff at. But with the amount of dice rolling and the way AP works, bullets can chew through power armor almost instantly.
GW Puts Too Much Value on a 3+ Save in Warhammer 40k
Premium Price for a Decent Save (On Paper)
When GW was laying out the stats and points for Marines, it looks like they put way too much value on the 3+ save. Even -1 AP can make your Space Marines survivability 50/50. A Barebones five-man squad will cost you 65 points. On paper, five 3+ saves (2+ in cover) sounds like it’s totally worth it.
But when you compare what other armies can get for 65 points, (i.e a ten-man Guardsmen squad) that’s 20 shots at close range that can absolutely pepper light infantry units. It seems that drowning models in dice is the better option than having a decent save.
When you start to compare the top armies, you’ll notice that most troop choices have bad saves and a lot of shots. They spam those units because they’re cheap and can still throw dice downrange.
The save mechanic gets even worse when you look at the entire Grey Knight army. They pay PREMIUM points for the 2+ save AND they’re a Psyker. The cost of Grey Knight’s is egregiously expensive because GW gave them “the best” armor save possible and in their eyes, Grey Knights are all Librarians.
However, anyone that plays Grey Knights on the tabletop knows that they are not even close to being worth their points.
Fixing the Issue
As far as fixing Marine saves, one way to make the models worth their points is to do what old Terminators had back in the day. Give things in Terminator armor the ability to roll two dice and pick the highest. Lorewise, Space Marines are coated in ceramite and have a spare set of vital organs.
One lucky lasgun shot shouldn’t be able to take down a Marine. Especially if they’re rocking a 2+ save suit. If they changed their save to that kind of mechanic, squads would easily still be worth it if GW raised their points.
Here’s another option. They could give regular Space Marines in power armor the ability to ignore -1 AP. It’s simple and would make sense, being that their armor could actually withstand some form of firepower. Space Marines are still a troop choice at the end of the day. They’re the basic unit for the Astartes. We don’t think they should be nearly immortal, but should still have some mechanic in-game to show their resiliency.
Right now, we’re at a transitional time for Space Marines. We’ll have to see what changed for them when they get their next rumored codex at the start of 2019. Until then, what would you like to see changed for Space Marines? What is their biggest weakness?
Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group.
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About the Author: Wesley Floyd
Wesley Floyd
Job Title: Staff Writer
Joined: 2018
Socials: @RealmbrushPainting
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.
