Primaris in play: Tactics

[Prot]

So I started a more 'speculative ' thread in the Ultramarines section but now that they're officially out I thought it would be a good time to have a strategic discussion on them. ( not a fluff discussion).

 

Well I managed to use some of the models and proxy some for the sake of getting them on the table and I really haven't been sold on them.

 

I know it's early but I was one of the guys who loved the look and they appealed to me on many levels so I've been using them.

 

So far I really don't get the Intercessor squad. It stiff feels to me like I'm better off with the base Tacticals, heck even more so the Scouts. I think Scouts are easily my favourite troop right now. Intercessors seem too... vanilla for their points.

 

Inceptor squads actually feel a great deal to me like an expensive Tau unit. They do hit hard but are extremely hard to support and as such they do feel flimsy on their own. I've never thrown them away, however with their ability and range, they do need to be aggressive. I feel like they need Termies to babysit them perhaps.

 

I haven't fielded the plasma squad yet so no comment yet.

 

What do you guys think? Are you seeing value on the table top or just a mediocre choice? Perhaps there's some good combo's?

 

I will keep trying them personally as I do like the aesthetics.

[Nusquam]

Their lack of support and transport make them difficult to use. I will never understand why they can't go in transports that Dreads, Cents, and Termis can.

 

But Inceptors are quality. Hellblasters are good if they can get in range. Intercessors are a side-grade to tacs mechanically.

 

Autocorrect

[Colonel Bindoff]

. I will never understand why they can't go in transports that Dreads, Cents, and Termis can.

Because then you wouldn't have to order Adept Cawl's new machines from your local forgeworld!

 

My company inform me that their new primaris brother just don't fit in the safety harnesses. And the Chaplain won't let us ride unless we buckle up.

 

We also don't understand why these intercessors are shunning the holy special weapon. I'm sure Lord Guilleman will address this in his forthcoming book 'Codex Astartes 2: Judgment (on numarines) day

[Emprah2508]

I got the hellblasters to wipe a unit of 6 deathwatch and a terminator in one round of shooting on saturday. In range of the captain in gravis armour meaning re rolls of 1's so i supercharged rapid fire plasma into that poor poor deathwatch team. The buffs from the various heroes make the force quite deadly. Edited June 18, 2017 by Emprah2508

[Prot]

I played against Orks, and proxied my Primaris stuff for the sake of figuring out if I should do more Primaris, or cut down on them....

I was getting so hammered in T2, I told my opponent I had a 'secret' hiding in a red crate...

The Primaris marines die pretty much as quickly as the normal dudes. (No Guilliman wasn't really in the game.)

The 30" intercessor shots aren't fantastic... against Orks you don't actually feel any real advantage to the Intercessor at all. I imagine I would have been better off with more normal marines.

I do want to try Hellblasters... just very expensive. That Deathwatch team can punch back pretty hard... the Watchmaster allows them to re-roll all hits, not just 1's so... don't worry they can hit back pretty good. :)

[derLumpi]

Aside from the fluff I'm not sure how to use them. The lack of transport is really bad because it limits their usability. 

 

Place them near an objective in your deployment zone? 

[LucidNinja]

I kinda want to try gun line behind an aegis. 30" is good reach and can buff gun lines pretty easily by spacing characters correctly. I really want then to be useable but I think this might have to wait till they have a proper dex

[Doghouse]

One thing to remember though is that what we have to go on right now is that we purely have just the starter set rules and this doesn't necessarily represent the finished product so to speak. This is a stop gap for now hopefully so people can use their shiny new models in games.

 

I'm hoping they up the squad size and include other weapon options. Ten men squads would suit me better because at the moment they don't feel like they have enough impact at all and I can't see the advantage of taking them over a regular tactical squad.

 

They feel extremely vulnerable to mobs and high damage single model focus weapons, getting hit by the lascannons on a raider means you are going to lose just 4 models in total which to a tactical squad doesn't feel too bad but for a small Primaris unit that is devastating.

 

In their current format the only thing I can think to do is just go horde with them and create a target rich environment for your opponent, with a sprinkling of Lieutenants and an Ancient thrown in for boosts. Thirty inch range and 2 wounds is ok but right now for me they feel like I'm putting all my eggs in one basket.

 

Right now if I was offered the chance to field Marines or Primaris I'd have to say marines all the way.

[Prot]

Aside from the fluff I'm not sure how to use them. The lack of transport is really bad because it limits their usability. 

 

Place them near an objective in your deployment zone? 

 

That's how I am using them right now. Which is similar to how I'm using Tacticals right now.

 

Oddly enough I actually prefer using scouts for that role overall though. The scouts with Sniper rifles feel slightly better than Intercessors because they can hide deeper, and actually pick off Aura characters.

 

I think I have to agree with Doghouse. This starter Primaris stuff is the most vanilla variant of Primaris in general. The lack of weapon variety would seem to hint at that.

[Doghouse]

I know in the mini-dex you get in the starter it says that some Captains prefer to fight in Gravis armour which says to me that we are going to be seeing more options for these guys.

[autek mor]

maybe T5 would help. even if they had better options they still have to deal with the fact that many guns have improved that will deal with them.

[Midgard]

The new Codex: Imperium 1 lists a vehicle called "Primaris Rhino", though since I don't have the codex with me in the office, I do not recall the specifics. Is that the transport for the Primaris until further model release (i.e. Repulsor)? If so, how does it change the tactical aspect of the Primaris?

[Doghouse]

It's the warhammer world exclusive rhino so a pre-8th edition command rhino.

[Sir_Gaea]

That Primaris Rhino is a Warhammer World exclusive vehicle. Name's a coincidence.

[Freman Bloodglaive]

I've only just bought some, but my theory-hammer says that the Intercessor squad is not going to work as a long range support unit. Even in 8th five bolter shots aren't going to do much. They need to be in the midfield, where they can double-tap. Basically in any situation where they would work, you're better off taking Tactical marines. Even if they have the same number of wounds overall, the Tactical has access to special weapons, and even in 8th the special and heavy weapons are the reason you buy a squad. On the other hand I do like the Inceptors, as they're both mobile and pack some decent firepower, if my recollection of each model carrying two short-range heavy bolters is correct.

 

The Hellblaster squad has some of the shortcomings of the Intercessor squad, but at least hits a lot harder, and if you have a Captain around for re-rolls you can even blaze away full power with a minimal chance of killing your models. Of course your opponent will devote some effort to eliminating them the first chance they get. They are only ten wounds and a 3+ save.

 

I think there will be a place for the humble bike squad that allows concentration of resources.