Big Red just posted a consolidated rumor dump for the Space Marine's anticipated September release. Among changes of note are point decreases for Tactical Squads, Sternguard, Vanguard, Biker Squads, Scouts...A decrease in points of this magnitude would cause a knee-jerk reaction in most bitter vets' (40K has produced it's own strain of bitter vets) to accuse Gee Dub of loading the plastic crack pipe. I see it as a potential to free up more points for the impending new toys rumored to be in this latest codex like:
The Hunter/Stalker tanks'. Is this the anti-air holy grail so many fanboy cling their hopes to? Finally, a non-Forge World anti air answer to Croissants and Heldrakedoesasheldrakepleases? (I love that rant, btw) I mean, SM troops aren't as cheap as their 6 and 9 point Tau allies, which makes a codex answer to fliers all the more important. If not in the form of a hard counter, then at least in survivability. 6th Ed has really put the hurt on cover saves: It is harder to get 4+ than it was in 5th. One model does not generously bequeath cover to the rest of it's unit. With an increase in units that deny cover saves, the invulnerable save becomes even more coveted, and important! Dark Angels got some nice invulnerable toys such as the power field generator, and Azriel's ability to grant an invuln to a unit he has joined...
Needless to say, I am excited at the potential of an AA unit that isn't an infantry model holding a missile launcher, but I digress.
Centurions are the armor Space Marines wrap around their armor's armor...no rumors have to confirm the leaked pictures- Centurions are fugly! Double baggers! Buckled- the fact that each Centurion is rumored to cost the equivalent of a Predator cools my anticipation for the new unit (looks aside). Sixty points for a T5, two wound model? Is it me or does it seem like Graviton weapons were meant to hunt these Space Marine Matroyshka Dolls'? Time, and Gee Dub's FAQ Team, will tell!
What are Graviton weapons? The new weapon is rumored to roll to wound against a unit's armor- the better the armor, the easier it is to cause a wound. In this iteration, Graviton weapons have the potential to keep Terminators in check, too.
I like the rumored chapter abilities- all three in fact. However, I don't think assault is going to see much use on the table (assault may not be dead, but it sure as hell is twitching).
Scouts may get the Storm as a dedicated transport? That would be pretty cool, but it really needs to be able to carry 10 scouts (or nine and a Sarge)...and maybe Telion, too (if he is still kicking around- throw the old codger on the hood).
I'm really getting excited for this release. I have a lot of 3+ power armor models that I'd like to dust off and field on the table- a gray tide if you will. At this rate, I may even paint them blue!
