Space Marine chapters that can shoot and melee equally well

[Dracos]

Melee needs maneuverability.

[Flesh Creature]

Melee needs maneuverability.

That's what I found most appealing about Blood Angels and what interests me the most in Raven Guard.

[TiguriusX]

What kind of shooting and melee tricks are you looking for?

 

Every chapter can pull off tricks...the key is building your entire army around the tricks you like to play

 

Space wolves are known for melee but we can shoot too.

 

1CP-Keen senses ignores all negative modifiers. This is not as powerful in 9th but still useful. Combos well with other stratagems.

 

1 CP-Fury of the champions gives our wolf guard terminators BS2. Space wolves get fully customizable terminators so you can get 10 with all combi plasma hitting on 2s. Use keen senses with this and you can fire both combi modes with no penalties.

Expensive but powerful alpha strike shooting unit that is usually enough firepower to delete entire units. Give them storm shields or melee weapons for their other hand and they can bust heads in melee too.

 

1 CP-wolfs eye gives our Long Fangs (similar to devastator but no filler and natural reroll 1s) reroll all wounds. So you have all your heavy weapons rerolling 1s to hit and all wounds with no babysitter characters around

 

2 CP-Chooser of the slain. The space wolf intercept stratagem with unlimited range so long as LOS and other requirements are met.

 

The space wolf chapter tactic also helps redemptor dreads and invictors supplement their boat loads of guns with a WS2 punch in melee.

 

The army synergy also means tagging units to stop firing doesn't usually work. The melee side of the army comes into play here with 6" heroic interventions and the counter attack stratagem

 

 

Those benefits may or may not appeal to you...every chapter will have their own lists you need to evaluate

[RandomMarine]

Ironhands. We just tank the hits and keep on punching

[Dracos]

 

Melee needs maneuverability.

That's what I found most appealing about Blood Angels and what interests me the most in Raven Guard.

 

 

Blood Angels are a much more fleshed out army than Raven Guard, with a long table play history. They are a known quantity compared to Raven Guard. I believe that makes BA easier to learn to pilot in some ways. The Lore is developed deeper and lets be honest, red is just an exciting color to the human psyche. Raven Guard are rewarding if you prefer more maneuverability without using vehicles. Black has it's own appeal to the psyche but it evokes a darker side, and RG definitely play more like a shadow ops army than any of the other Astartes.

 

Straight up Blood Angels have an edge on melee ... shooting is a wash, though RG do better versus characters ... and Corax's Sons maneuver better without vehicles, but not by a lot.

 

As a tie breaker maybe ...

 

If you want to play in the psychic phase pick up Mephiston and a Phobos Librarian. I think they would give you a solid psychic defense/attack and some secondaries would open up to you.

 

If you want to take on a army slightly harder to pilot to victory but very rewarding on a tactical level pick up Shrike and the Outrider Chaplain.

 

Best Wishes

[Sete]

DIY chapter.

And choose the 2 CT that fit what you want.

Yer welcome. ;)

Edited July 22, 2020 by Sete

[Ishagu]

Salamanders and Dark Angels fit your criteria best.

[Boldthreat]

DIY chapter.

And choose the 2 CT that fit what you want.

Yer welcome. ;)

Bolter Fusillades and Whirlwind of Rage is where I ended up! I’m happy.

[Sete]

Whirlwind of Rage and Tactical Withdrawal for my Grey Talons ;)

[durdle-durdle]

 

DIY chapter.

And choose the 2 CT that fit what you want.

Yer welcome.

Bolter Fusillades and Whirlwind of Rage is where I ended up! I’m happy.

 

Hungry for battle + Rapid assault  lets your dudes on foot move SUPER FAST with no accuracy penalties if you want to go shooty.

 

I personally use stealthy + whatever else.  Having a 2+ save in the open MOST OF THE TIME on your guys is going to be fantastic in this edition, where you usually only get it by exposing yourself to a large chunk of the board (getting in a building).  Bringing tanks or redemptors?  Masters of the forge.  Lots of bolter boys?  bolter fusillades.  Want to go reserve heavy?  Hungry for battle.  Heavy on single shot or heavy weapons? Master Artisans.

 

I'm leaning towards stealthy + rapid assault with a focus on auto bolt rifle intercessors, inceptors, and aggressors to just go balls to the wall fast.  Sadly I don't know of a way off the top of my head to get advance + charge other than the white scars chapter tactics (which would mean abandoning that plan), but that might be a little much anyways, honestly.

[Boldthreat]

Oh that’s true. But as I’m mostly a narrative guy, I was trying to go for a Fist successor that sits dead center between Imperial Fists and Black Templars. So I was trying to get the the slightly better bolt guns and a bit of zeal In close combat as well. And my brain just zeroed In on these.

 

But I’ll admit, it was a close call between Rapid Assault and Whirlwind of Rage. I felt Bolter Fusillade was automatic if for narrative reasons alone. But I’m feeling kind of excited with both the new bikers and the assault intercessors with WoR.

[Ishagu]

I'll say it again. Salamanders are the best chapter for good Shooting AND close combat performance, and aren't character reliant.

 

Every unit has a free re-roll to hit and wound - incredible efficiency.

 

They have access to one of, if not the best, strats of all Marine factions: 1 CP to give any unit +1 to wound in Shooting OR Combat. Makes Bolter Aggressors into light Tank Hunters in shooting, or even units like Assault Intercessors very capable at converting hits into actual damage.

Edited July 23, 2020 by Ishagu

[Flesh Creature]

The more I think about a mostly vanguard RG army the more I like it. The mobility shenanigans are very appealing. Even if they aren't exceptional at melee, I'll always have my BA for the rip and tear fix.

 

The ninja aesthetic of the RG is just so appealing to a child of the late 80s-early-90s such as myself. Lol