The Techmarine

This is the third in a series of threads that I have started to generate discussion on various Space Marine Army List choices (see the recent threads on Dreadnoughts and Terminators if you're interested).

For this topic I'd like to discuss the Techmarine. The techmarine is an old favorite, that has been in Space Marine armies since the first list in Rogue Trader. Until the most recent version of the Space Marine codex, the techmarine was always a cheap upgrade option for a regular marine (as was the Apothecary), who added a little technical/mechanical capability to the force, and a whole lot of gothic marine 'flavor'.

Now, however, the Techmarine is an expensive Independent Character, that eats up one of your three Elite slots. He has been tooled up with all kinds of gizmo's, in a sort of haphazard "jack of all trades, master of none" fashion.

First, I'd like to ask who among the Space Marine commanders on this forum actually include a Techmarine in their fielded armies? I expect the consensus is a resounding "No!", and all of our Techmarines have been relegated to our display shelves.

For whatever it is worth, I'd love to see future versions of Marine codexes to return the Techmarine to his former simple glory. Allow up to one model in any power-armour marine squad to be upgraded to a Techmarine for 10 points. He'd get an Auspex and Signum, and access to the armoury (and could then load up on all the other expensive options to include power weapons, servo-arms and harnesses, etc.). This would allow commanders the flexibility to take a cheap but useful guy, or an expensive tooled-up machine-priest, depending on the commander's needs.

What do you think?

Regards,
Valerian