Topic of the Week: Close Combat

[Lost Nemesis]

The Space Marines are regarded as being one of the most balanced armies in the 40k universe, both in the fluff and on the tabletop. We have the ability to design our lists around specific strategies or a broader range of versatility. It is only natural that there are those of us who like to design close combat oriented list. This week's topic is dedicated to you.

Perhaps you like to take Assault or Vanguard squads, or maybe some Assault Terminators. Perhaps you play a more close combat focused chapter, such as the Blood Anges, Black Templars or Space Wolves. In this thread, discuss what units you like to take, your strategies involving these units, the gear, the characters to accompany your units, your preferred or most hated enemies... anything and everything that relates some how to close combat and how you choose to play it.

[DFA 2008]

My strategy for over all army performance is drop pods assault, so its a necessity for me to be kitted out for close combat (you know, just in case). I field power fists or power weapons on all of my squad sergeants, and I'm debating on a vanguard squad. They have just the kind of hitting power I need to rout elite squads. I am working on fielding Sicarius and a pretty basic command squad.

Yay for emporer loving choppy stuff =D

[Grey2321]

Since I'm mechanized I like medium-to-short-ranged firefights, and with those you're bound to get into some fisticuffs. That's typically why I kit all of my tactical squad sgts out with Powerfists, to give the squad some kick in Close Combat that makes for very nice Instant Death (That Chaos Terminator Lord will forever rue the day he charged my plasma tac squad Sgt through cover!!!) and makes the squad a threat to pretty much anything. I also run a squad of 5 TH/SS Termies in a LRR for those cases where something just needs to die.

[Phalanx]

I heavily favour CC. My marine army is SW, and I generally kit them out with lots of PW and PF. I play predominantly CC, but I've still got some good non-CC stuff like my dreds, some meltaguns, and my terminator 2 Assault Cannon/1 CML unit. But CC is my favorite phase, even when my d00ds don't kill anything (I'm used to that with my gaunts in my nids army).

CC is where its at. Real men live and die in the assault phase.

[A-Tau]

I like my SW's BC's I have my unit tooled out with 3 PF's and planning on giving them a Rune Priest 5+ cover save to give them more chance of getting across the battle feild. My GH's have a plasma gun and bolters tossed in a rhino rush them into rapid fire range and then the enemy have a choice get shot up or try to assault them ad see if they can withstand the counter assault. So I have all aspects covered for my close combat. I really should give my GH's PW's but I needed to cut points.

[4theEmperor!]

I like running Dante and Corbulo side-by-side with my honor guard. The banner gives them +1 attack. They already have 2 attacks base, plus an extra weapon, so add in the charge and the banner and those 5 guys are bringing 25 attacks!! 15 of them are power weapons and with Corbulo they are initiative 5 and Strength 5 and with Dante they get a re-roll on misses every single round!

Dante's and Corbulo's abilities extend to all BA units within 12 inches, so I always try to keep VAS, and AS in that range too. It is serious choppiness!

[CleanRabbit]

Originally Posted by 4theEmperor!

Dante's and Corbulo's abilities extend to all BA units within 12 inches, so I always try to keep VAS, and AS in that range too. It is serious choppiness!

You bunch them together, and 4 plasma cannons will keep your army nice and dead =)

I pack some serious CC powah myself. Shike + Assault squad, Master + HG squad, tactical squads with fists and PW's, and plenty of drop pods. What more could an RG player ask for? =) (well, jump packs on HG, but what ever )


CR

[Firaya]

I am still mourning the loss of the iconic chainsword for most of the marines out there. The new Codex seems to suggest that space marines fight in close combat with sticks and stones

On the actual topic, assault marines have often been a favourite of mine. Their huge jump pack just makes them stand out more and being able to jump over terrain is a huge advantage. Not to mention the fact that a lot of people misjudge how far 18 inches is, especially when there is intervening terrain hehe.

[omegoku]

I used to run a fairly combat focused force with Chaplain with Power fist Jump pack, Captain with Lightning claws and Jump Pack, 2 10 man squads of Assault Marines. backed up with 2 tactical squads with powerfist and 2 plasma guns in each.

The new codex made that list obsolete but I really need to try and bring back my fast moving hard hitting army as my current quasi-gunline list is getting my men killed.

[Frank Fugger]

Originally Posted by Firaya

The new Codex seems to suggest that space marines fight in close combat with sticks and stones

Or perhaps the pistol-grips their bolters and the fists of 8-foot superhuman giants?

I like Land Raiders. As a Grey Knights player and Black Templars dabbler I find myself almost compelled to use LRs, which is cool because they strike a nice balance between firepower, assault capability and being a big, nasty-looking tank that's hard to kill. I am routinely lambasted for taking at least 2 Land Raiders in my lists because apparently that makes me a bearded cheese-monger. I would surmise this is because the Land Raiders are so good, though being so points-intensive means they do cut down on the amount of other cool stuff you can put into a list.

Then again you have 3 Land Raiders; what more do you want?