# How to build a Well Rounded Salamanders Army



## Falsegods (Jun 9, 2008)

With the new edition I want a new Army to play in the new edition that is designed to get the best use out of the new rules. Now I have a very extensive collection of Imperial Guard models, however, after consulting with people at my local gaming club I have decided they are the army I want build for the new edition. So I have decided build a Salamanders army, for several reason, not least of being that SM models allow a few models to equate a lot of points, which is good for a full time student. 

I have not played Space Marines since 3rd edition and I realize that a lot has changed since then, so I am inquiring after this forum's advice. For a board outline, I know I want to take at least two tactical squads, have at least one tank geared toward cutting up the huge amount of orks my club sports. However other than that I really have no ideas. So I yield to your advice.


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## Lord Reevan (May 1, 2008)

I'm not certain on this but I believe the Salamnders are getting a lot of love in the new SM codex out soon.... Hope that helped.

if you are facing a lot of hordes a good idea is to take lots of tac. squads. as ten you have a lot of bolters aiming their way. A good heavy choice for orks isn't a tank but a dev. squad with 4 heavy bolters. That squad can fire 12 str.5 ap 4 shots a turn which should take out a lot of them. Plus the crusader has 17 shots with 16 rerollable shots. But for pure cheapness in the new edition a predator with autocannon and 2 heavy bolters comes in at 100 points. that's brilliant against hordes.....


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## Katie Drake (Nov 28, 2007)

This isn't an actual army list, so I'm going to move it to Tactics.

Thread moved.


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## Red Orc (Jun 14, 2007)

Good to see the Salamanders getting such attention of late; my first post on Heresy was about the Salamanders, and at that time there seemed to be very few players. Now there must be... oh, 9 or so! :wink:

We're still not sure of the details of the new marine Codex out later in the year, but 5-man blocks with combat squads, compulsory Vet Sergeants and an end to the traits system (if you haven't played marines since 3rd, I presume you're more used to the old Salamanders special rules?) are pretty certain. Transports are also making a comeback it seems.

So you want to be thinking about how to organise your combat squads; what special and what heavy (no more '2 specials' for Salamanders, unfortunately), and what upgrades to give your sergeant.

The obvious things if you're making your list to be good against ork hordes are Heavy Bolters, Missile Launchers and Plasma Cannons for heavies; and Flamers and Plasma Guns for specials. Some people rate Meltaguns against troops. I don't often use them for anti-troop, but don't let that put you off.

Against Mek-heavy orks, you probably want to be thinking Lascannons, Missile Launchers or Multi-meltas for heavies; Meltaguns and Plasmaguns for specials.

So the most versitile combo is probably Plasma Gun and Missile Launcher - pretty good versus hordes or armour (not superlatively good against either, but pretty handy). 

It depends in the end what you want your tac squads to do. If you have a definite role in mind for each squad, and you think you can keep them to it, then build specialist squads. If you do that, you need to take the right tools for the job. If you want a tank-hunting squad, take a Meltagun and a Multi-melta. If you want a horde-suppression squad, take a Heavy Bolter and a Flamer. 

The problem with this is if your opponent has other ideas - you have your finest tank- or Monstrous Creature-hunting squad, and he throws 30 cheap close-combat troops at you. Your tankhunters will be _rubbish_. Likewise, a horde suppression squad will not take out a Battlewagon or a Landraider with a Flamer and a Heavy Bolter. It's about being fit for purpose. If you want a 'flexible' squad, that can competently fill any battlefield role, Plasma Gun and Missile Launcher is probably your best bet.

As for your sergeant, if you're planning on getting him in combat, he should probably have a power-fist. 

I'm not convinced that, under the new rules, this will be as definite an advantage as it was; the way Assaults are changing, the new rules for wound distribution, and the use of combat squads rather than full 10-man tac squads may produce a situation where the sergeants in small squads start to die more often. This will obviously mean we have to re-think a basic tenet of Space Marine strategy; but at the moment I'm sticking with powerfists where I can. Power weapons are the obvious alternative, however.

Hope these notes have been some help.

:green fire-loving cyclops:


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## Falsegods (Jun 9, 2008)

Sorry about the wrong thread.


Thanks for the input Red Orc. Yes the last time i played SM was with the old Salamanders Special Rules published in the White Dwarf several years ago. I am unsure with what you are saying about five man combat squads. I either field seven man squads or full ten man squads when I can, the idea of a five man squad as a core troops choice doesn't strike me as overly useful.

But hey I could know nothing.

For the squads I was planning on two squads forming a mobile fire base, with two flamers or Plasma guns, but since that it out of the equation, I will have to rethink that. I am pretty sure since the 5th edition rules allow only core troops to count for victory resolution, I will want at least two tactical squads and may one smaller squad. I also was toying around with a scout squad, but they always seem unfuffy in Salamanders armies. As it happens one of the dozen or some models I have that are current generation SM models is a Predator with auto-cannon and two heavy bolters that my friend gave me when he left the hobby. Additionally I was toying with the idea of the devastator squad armed with two plasma cannon and two lascannon, to deal with some of the harder enemy targets. For CC I was thinking a Chaplain in Terminator armor leading a five man squad with thunder hammers.

I don't know if that would actually work on any leave but that is what my current thinking is. Feel free to tell me if I am an idiot.


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## Red Orc (Jun 14, 2007)

That all sounds pretty good to me actually - termies with thunder hammers seems really appropriate in terms of fluff, as well as being hard as nails! Perhaps you could think about giving you vet sergeants artificier armour too, if it's an option in the new codex...

The thing about combat squads is, when the new codex comes out in September or whenever, it looks very likely that your tac squads will _have_ to be either 5- or 10-man. If you take 10, you can then split them into 2 5-man units - this is called the 'Combat Squads Special Rule'. 

If it's a 5-man squad, they can have a special weapon; if 10, they can have a heavy weapon as well. They don't have to take them of course, it's not like taking the special 'unlocks' the heavy or anything - just, 5-man _can_ take a special, 10-man _can_ take a special and a heavy.

GW has a downloadable PDF of the Blood Angels Codex which also uses Combat Squads and 5-man blocks. The link is http://uk.games-workshop.com/spacemarines/bloodangels/ which takes you to the BA homepage. If you download the PDF you can see how the system works (or is likely to, when the new Codex is released).

But until then, you can get the most out of 'Cleanse and Purify'!

:wishing you luck cyclops:


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## Falsegods (Jun 9, 2008)

Hrmm. Have you tried the five man squad style? I can see negatives and positives to it and I wonder how it actually plays out in a game rather than just theory. Also is there any word on the Terminator Command Squad being allowed to be armed with Thunder Hammers and such in the new edition?

Here is a rough army outline, I figure out the points and make it legal either late tonight or tomorrow.

HQ ~Reclusiarch with Terminator Armor

Elites ~ Terminator Assault Squad Five Terminators with Thunder Hammers and Storm Shields

Troops ~
Either
2 Ten Man Tactical Squads with flamer and plasma cannons

or 

4 Five Man combat squads, two with flamers, and two with plamsa guns.

Heavy Support ~
Devastator Squad with two Las-cannon and two plasma cannon

Predator Destructor with heavy bolters


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## Lord Reevan (May 1, 2008)

I find the combat squads thing very good as then you have the special and heavy side of th eunit using it's potential well. 
With my tac. squads I take several of them, Combat squad them and that way I have cheaper heavy weapons than an actual Dev. squad. 

plus I have the special "assaulty side" of the unit moving up the board to use it's potential. Give them razorbacks for lots of heavys on the board.....
Not very salamnder fluffy but it works well for BA....


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## mrrshann618 (Jun 6, 2008)

I've played Salamanders sincethe re-issue back on armageddon. Sadly they have changed several times in rules, and as consequence in figures. I almost always took 10 man teams. 
Always took a Chaplain - Promethian cult, He uses a thunder hammer. Generally had a jump pack for the mobility factor.

2 Dreds, 1 AC (old metal) 1 MM 
OR 
1 Dred/MM and 1 Vet Squad Power wepon/Meltagun - Either infiltrators or Rhino and F Charge

1 Jump team - Power weapon/Flamers

1 CCW scout team w/ Power fist

Average of 3/4 Tact squads. 1 missile, 1 HB, 2 MM

2 Whirlwinds

Depending on points I added a termi squad 2x Hvy Flamers, 
Teleport Beacon on the scouts
Points permitting Bike squad 2 melta w/ Attack bike MM

The army had to main factors, Tact held a spot, while the rest advanced in a spearhead . 

I never got my army handed to me, and my bolter numbers often times helped win the game.

Alt switch was one mm tact squad for a Sniper team w/ Heay bolter

I tried to play full strength squads as much as possible, I just love thos bolters


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## Lord Reevan (May 1, 2008)

I like that list a lot. Very very Salamndery..... sounds like probably the best way to make a good all round salamander army...


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