Going to BFS!!

I just signed up for the Battle for Salvation GT over Columbus Day Weekend!  This will be my first time actually playing in a GT, and I am pretty stoked.  The hard part will be settling on a list.  I have my Narrative list which was not terrible, but I have a month to try to put together a Space Marine list.  Hopefully I can find someone local who can loan me 20+ bikes....

BFS Info after the break:

Space Marines: Good, Bad, Ugly... and Meh

As I mentioned in an earlier SM post, I think the codex has a lot going for it.  However, I am not sold that the changes were enough to bring it in line with the most recent Xenos books.  MEQs still have a hard time surviving in the current environment and the price reductions only help so much.  I do not claim to be an expert, but here is how I think some of the units stack up:

First thoughts on Tau/SM

One of my new Tau Overlords....

After looking over the new SM codex, I have a few ideas for list builds incorporating my recent Tau acquisitions.  Everyone is well aware that Tau is very strong right now, and there are very few lists that cannot benefit from some Kroot, a Skyray, and a Riptide.  So I am still working on how I want to build a SM primary.  In the meantime, I am working on how Marines can benefit Tau.  Tau have overwhelming firepower, AA, and cheap troops, but lack somewhat in mobility, durability, and melee (duh).  So those are the areas I think I will focus on with SM allies.

My current Tau primary looks something like this:

Commander in Iridium Armor with PEN, CnC, MSS, RVT, Flamer x2, and PR (expensive, but reduces the need for marker lights)
Kroot x 40
2 Riptides with EWO, VT, IA, and TL Fusion
2 Skyrays with BSF

NOVA and Smurfs

So the past couple of weeks have been insane with the lead up to NOVA... not to mention the actual convention itself.  This was my second NOVA and first as a staffer, and it was even more fun than last year.  I played in the Narrative again, and I was really stoked to see that it had almost doubled in size!  I had a good run, winning my first three games before losing a very winnable last game.  I was a walking zombie at that point and my opponent played a solid game while I made a ton of mistakes.  I guess I can't handle late nights as well as I used to.  I was actually going for the "Fame" track where your warlord has to achieve specific goals such as killing a unit or holding the relic. Had an unkillable super soldier not popped up on T5 and ran down my leadership 10 stubborn Iridium Commander, I would have been able to add Fame to last year's Infamy.  I am really looking forward to next year and plan on actually helping run the Narrative and/or finally playing in the GT.

In addition to NOVA, I have been anxiously awaiting the release of the new Space Marine codex.  The old one was really feeling its age with all the new Tau and Eldar running around, and I was holding out hope that a refresh would make the Smurfs more viable.  Having downloaded the ebook version (yay to no more Apple monopoly), I am feeling a little underwhelmed.  Tacticals got slightly cheaper (flamer/ML and Vet Sarge is same price though), but not enough to offset how fast they die in this edition.  Some units like TFCs got some nice buffs and/or got cheaper, but I personally do not see any killer units on par with Riptides, Broadsides, and Wave Serpents.  I think the closest is Tiggy (who is now amazing), but nothing else really just jumps out at me.  Maybe (probably) I am wrong though.  At the very least, the Chapter Tactics should make for fun, fluffy army builds.  Personally, I am excited about the Ultramarine characters (and Honor Guard).  It will be nice to take the Smurfs for a spin and have some solid, tactical turn-by-turn options.  I just hope they don't get relegated to always being allies (Tiggy may become the most popular ally EVER)... I really hope they get a chance to be the Imperium's heroes once again.