Editing Warhammer 40,000/9th Edition Tactics/Space Marines (section)

==={{W40Kkeyword|[[Salamanders]]}}===

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[[File:Salamanders_Chapter_Livery.jpg|100px|left|]]In the grim darkness of the far future, the flame of hope burns still.<br>
Where other astartes shun their humanity, the Salamanders are the marines closest to mankind, and all the stronger because of it. To them war is not just fire, but the anvil where they are tested and reforged; power not for glory's sake, but to protect the Imperium.

On the tabletop, these guys are sheer strength. Their artificer gear makes them deadlier and hardier both, enabling them to survive closing the distance, where they can use their rules to inflict monstrous damage. Since their rules buff both melta and flame, they can make more use of Aggressors and Eradicators, which could give them a sort of "Gravis Chapter" feel (though it also helps the forgotten Firstborn for those same reasons).

''If you want to bring '''utter devastation at close range''', then join the Salamanders into the fires of battle, unto the anvil of war''.
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====Special Rules====

*'''Chapter Tactics - Forged in Battle:''' A '''unit''' with this tactic can re-roll a single wound roll each time it ''is selected to'' shoot or fight (including overwatch). Any attacks against your units cannot re-roll to wound.
**The offensive buff is still useful on all units, but less so with the loss of the to-hit re-roll. As before, keep squads MSU, as it disproportionately benefits ''single hits'' spread out across your army; Eliminators would notice it more than Auto Bolt Inceptors. It overlaps a bit with Lieutenants; whether you want to do without them or stack and make as if they were pseudo chapter masters is up to you.
***Rules lawyer-wise, akshually, it would technically not work with Ancient banners, as it's not the unit that is selected to fight, it is the model. Normally it'd be lame to bring it up, but it amounts to "full re-rolls to wound on any dying model", which isn't nothing.
**The defensive buff has been replaced with the Q2 2022 Balance Dataslate giving your AP reduction to anything without a shield. What you get instead isn't too bad though, as it pretty much foils the use of any Lieutenant-tier heroes and any other stratagems that would provide re-rolls to wound. Just beware that you are still vulnerable to anything with AP-2 or higher.
*'''Combat Doctrine - Promethean Cult:''' While the Tactical Doctrine is active, all flame and melta weapons gain +1 to wound. Honestly, did you expect anything else? Remember when GW said their rules wouldn't be summarized as "spam X"? Yeah, spam Eradicators, Flame Aggressors and Sternguard Vets. ''Ain't there no other chapter that can wound T7 vehicles on a 2+!''

====Stratagems====

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*'''Flamecraft (2 CP)''': In the shooting phase, a unit's flame weapons will always fire its maximum number of shots. 
**Good for a Land Raider Redeemer, flamer Aggressors, combi-flamer Sternguard, and Assault Centurions. Still great if less efficient on Invictors and Land Speeders with dual Heavy Flamers and on Bray'arth Ashmantle.
**Excellent when combined with your Fires of Battle stratagem so a maxed-out flame weapon can try to deal more mortal wounds.
*'''The Crucible of Battle (1 CP)''': In the shooting or fight phase, a {{W40Kkeyword|Salamander Core}} or {{W40Kkeyword|Salamander Character}} unit gets +1 to wound for that phase. 
**Veterans of the Long War for the pyro-marines. Absolutely no synergy with your doctrine bonus, but if you want to sink more CP into it, you can toss in Flamecraft for max shot flamers that wound marines on 3+.  Instead, you should either use this to get your doctrine bonus during the Devastator or Assault doctrines, or use it to get the bonus on non-flamer, non-melta weapons.
*'''Strength of the Primarch (1CP)''': Pick a unit at the start of the fight phase. They get +1S and any unmodified wound rolls of 6 do double damage. Almost custom made for bearers of lightning claws, which you otherwise don't want due to lack of synergy with your chapter tactics.
**More niche than Crucible ''most'' of the time, but better whenever the +1S provides +1 to wound, and they do stack.  Slapping both on a Thunder Hammer will, when smacking a T8 target, bring you from 4+ to wound to 2+ to wound, and since 1/5 of your wounds dealt will be D4, you'll functionally go from D3 to D3.2, which is a total benefit of +78% (*1.78) before your chapter tactic reduces the benefit slightly.
*'''Rites of Vulkan (2 CP)''': At the start of the movement phase while in the Tactical doctrine, for the rest of that battle round, all Rapid Fire or Assault weapons in your army get an additional -1AP on natural 6s to wound. Only once per battle. 
*'''Vengeance for Isstvan V (1 CP)''': When facing Word Bearers, Iron Warriors, Night Lords, or Alpha Legion in the fight phase, one unit can re-roll all hit rolls. 
**Very situational, but fluffy and still strong.
*'''Stand Your Ground (1 CP)''': When a {{W40Kkeyword|Salamanders}} non-Servitor {{W40Kkeyword|Infantry}} unit that didn't advance in your last Movement phase is picked as the target of an attack, they get +1 to their armour saves against D1 weapons for the rest of the phase.
**Like "Unyielding in the face of death", but not restricted to Gravis, and can be stacked or spammed alongside it. With that and marines becoming 2W, guess small arms can eat dirt this edition.
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*'''Rise From the Ashes (2 CP)''': When a {{W40Kkeyword|Salamanders}} {{W40Kkeyword|Character}} dies, roll a 4+ and they pop back up with 1 wound remaining. Only once per character per game. 
**Opponent manages to take down your Warlord? Snipe the Techmarine playing Self Sacrifice meatshield? Get a lucky shot on your Smash Captain? Hit the undo button on that shit.
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*'''Born Protectors (2 CP)''': When a {{W40Kkeyword|Salamanders}} unit is declared as a charge target, pick another {{W40Kkeyword|Salamanders}} unit within 12". It can fire overwatch at the charging unit, and if the charge is successful, they can Heroically Intervene 2D6", but only towards that charging unit. 
**Tau Overwatch plus a Heroic Intervention? Fantastic, if situational. Can deter certain charges and anything that can change how your opponent plays has a place. This and Self Sacrifice makes it tempting to take Salamanders as an ally detachment in any imperial army to protect your stuff. 
*'''Despite the Odds (1 CP)''': At the end of a turn where you didn't score any Tactical Objectives, if your Warlord is still on the table, generate a new Tactical Objective.
*'''The Fires of Battle (1 CP)''': In the shooting phase or when firing overwatch, when target ''model'' is firing a flame or melta weapon, any unmodified 4+ to wound does a mortal wound in addition to normal damage (to a max of three mortals). Only works for 1 weapon shot by 1 model, so no Aggressor MW spam for you, but ''does'' work if the model shoots twice, such as an Eradicator.
**Since you don't really care about the firing weapon's S, AP, or D, but you care a ''lot'' about its rate of fire and accuracy, one of the best targets for this strat is an invictor warsuit's incendium cannon, which will generally get you about 7 dice rolling to wound, which will generally mean you'll get all 3 mortal wounds out of this strat.  You can combine this with Flamecraft if you don't mind the incredible CP expenditure to guarantee that the weapon in question gets plenty of changes to try to wound - 12 for an incendium cannon, 6 for most flame weapons - and/or with the Lord of Fire warlord trait.
*'''Immolation Protocols (1 CP)''': Turn all of one unit's flame weapons into Pistols for one shooting phase. Not a bad way of saving a shooty flame unit from melee.  Obviously, don't bother putting this on a vehicle.
*'''Self Sacrifice (2 CP)''': Use at the start of the opponent's shooting phase and pick a {{W40Kkeyword|Salamanders}} {{W40Kkeyword|Infantry}} unit in your army that has more than five models and then one other unit that is wholly within 6". For the rest of the phase, your opponent cannot shoot the unit that is being shielded as long as they are wholly within 6" of the unit that is protecting them unless they are the closest unit. The unit that is doing the body blocking can't be hidden from shooting by psychic powers or other trickery. Best way to protect your assets like tanks or heavy weapon teams by putting a cheap troop unit in front of it.
**It can outright steal target priority from your enemy - you take fire on your terms: let the bodyguard unit be in cover for a 2+ (or 1+!) save. Furthermore, while the unit must be eligible to be fired at, it doesn't say it cannot be under a -1 to be hit, such as Smokescreen Infiltrators, who are also keeping deepstrikers 12" away, or a unit blessed with Fire Shield or even Psychic fortress.
*'''Relentless Determination (1 CP)''': At the end of the Movement phase, pick one unit that did not advance or Fall back. It counts as stationary, and if it has a damage table, it counts as having double wounds to see which row of the table you use.
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*'''Exemplar of the Promethean Creed (1 CP)''': Your Warlord gets a second Warlord trait that has to be from the Salamanders list. Doesn't work on named characters or someone you gave a trait to with Hero of the Chapter (since they're not your Warlord).
*'''Master Artisans (1 CP)''': Give a Sergeant a Master-Crafted weapon, Digital Weapons, the Drakeblade, or Dragonrage Bolts.
*'''Trust of Prometheus (1 CP)''': Give a successor a {{W40Kkeyword|Salamanders}} relic.
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====Warlord Traits====

#'''Anvil of Strength:''' The Warlord gets +2 to his Strength characteristic (which happens AFTER 2x in 9th). A bit niche at allowing a Relic Blade or Crozius Arcanum to wound on a 2+, its vaule if at all is that you can use this and save the '''Imperium's Sword''' WT and '''Strength of the Primarch''' Strat for someone else. Vulkan He'stan takes this on his +2S blade. See?
#'''Miraculous Constitution:''' The Warlord gets a 6+++ FNP and regains 1 wound at the start of your movement phase. Vulkan lives! Compared to Iron Resolve, Miraculous Constitution yields more than one wound over time, assuming the enemy isn't murdering him in a single turn (Abbadon, Swarmlord, Thunder Hammers, etc..). 
#'''Never Give Up:''' In the Command Phase, pick a core or character unit within 6" of the Warlord to gain Objective Secured for that round. Worse than '''Rites of War (Aura)''', which itself is strictly worse than the Chapter Ancient '''Steadfast Example (Aura)''' Warlord Trait. The one difference, however, is that those auras only affect units next to the character (they're auras after all), but Never Give Up selects one unit before their movement phase, and the effect stays with them for a turn so you can send them off to do their stuff.
#'''Forge Master:''' The Warlord gets +2 Toughness, meaning S8 no longer wounds him on 2+. With T6 (or 7 on Gravis/Bike characters), power swords wound only on 5+, and with relics like the Salamander's Mantle or the Angel Artifice ('''effective T8!''') it'll now take anti-tank weapons to bring down this Warlord. While this is better than Anvil of Strength, that's a low bar to clear; Iron Resolve and Miraculous Constitution will generally provide a ''lot'' more durability than this will.
#'''Lord of Fire:''' Friendly units within 6" of the Warlord re-roll the number of attacks they make with flame weapons. Adrax takes this one, but it's ''ideal'' on a Lieutenant, as that guy'd provide re-rolls of 1s to wound to flamers, which don't roll to hit.
#*Not limited to CORE, so you can give put this warlord in a Land Raider Redeemer carrying Assault Centurions if you want to. But flame Aggressors and flame Sternguard are still there.
#'''Patient and Determined:''' Once per shooting ''and/or'' fight phase, ''one'' of the Warlord's attacks automatically hit. Very good for someone wielding a Combi-melta and a power fist or similar -1 to hit weapon.

====Psychic Discipline: Promethean====

#'''Flaming Blast (WC6): Witchfire''' Pick a spot within 24" that the psyker can see. Each unit within 3" of that spot takes a mortal wound on a 4+. 
#*This is the Imperial Fists Iron Inferno spell, only with 6" more range on picking the spot, and 3" less on catching units in it, making it ''much'' worse, since it needs to catch at least 5 units to beat Smite.
#'''Fire Shield (WC6): Blessing''' A friendly unit within 18" is at -1 to being hit when shot and -1 to the distance when charged.  
#*Easily your best buff, in general, protecting against both ranged and melee attackers.  Put this on anything you want to keep safe.
#*The penalties stack with Obscuration's Hallucination and Tenebrous Curse (which are put on the attacking unit, not the defending one), and Veil of Time lets the target unit swing first if they're charged despite the -1 penalty, as well as letting them Advance faster if the charge is failed and they want to run away from or towards the enemy.
#'''Burning Hands (WC6): Blessing''' Until your next Psychic phase, when the psyker is attacking with the base CCW, any hits cause a mortal wound instead of rolling to wound.
#*Assuming a WS3+ attacker, the Psyker needs to throw at least 4 punches to beat Smite, but even worse, this spell is in competition with Smite ''and'' the Psyker's Force Sword (or whatever), so this is just usually a terrible power.
#* There are some situations where this shines. Models with 3++ saves may not be as common, but removing the need to wound or saves does mean you have a much better chance of doing something. Against a small group of weaker things it can serve well, and those exceptionally rare models with 2++ will feel mighty silly. Enough to justify over the other psychic powers? Likely not. But it has a few specific uses.
#'''Drakeskin (WC6): Blessing''' Pick a unit within 12" to get +1T until the next Psychic phase. 
#*Between this and Fire Shield, a Salamanders Librarian can make one target significantly more durable turn after turn.  Fire Shield is ''much'' better, and so is Psychic Fortress, but a purely Promethean Librarian interested in protective buffing already has the first and you need the Tome of Velcona to mix disciplines.  Taking these two spells on your first librarian and Psychic Fortress and, most likely, Veil of Time on your ''second'' can be a good choice.
#'''Fury of Nocturne (WC6): Witchfire''' Pick a visible enemy unit within 18" and roll 2D6. If you roll higher than their highest toughness, they take D3 mortal wounds.
#*Literally strictly worse than the Blood Angels spell Blood Boil, which is the same spell, only if it rolls more than twice the target's T on the 2d6, it automatically rolls 3 mortal wounds.  Don't take this insult of a spell.
#'''Draconic Aspect (WC6): Blessing''' Until your next Psychic phase, all enemy units within 12" get -2LD. 
#*Potentially makes for a decent leadership bomb if combo'd with the Helm of Drakos and the Fearsome Aspect tactic and/or Fear made manifest trait, but even with truly abysmal leadership, you won't make more than 1 model plus 1/6 (or 1/3, if at half strength) of a fleeing unit flee.  Can be combined with an Obscuration Librarian's Mind Raid, but that's a lot of hoops for a Command Point.  Can be combined with Psychic Scourge, but that's a garbage spell to begin with.

====Relics====
These relics can be granted to a Sergeant via the Master Artisans stratagem, and can be granted to a successor chapter character freely.

*'''Digital Weapons:''' Make an additional attack when the model fights. If it hits, the target suffers a mortal wound.  Absolutely terrible, especially with your chapter tactic, since you don't make a wound roll.
**Most of your sergeants would prefer a master-crafted weapon.
*'''Drakeblade:''' Replaces a power sword, master-crafted power sword, or combat knife. It's a master-crafted power sword with 1 better AP at S+1 AP-4 D2, and it deals 1 mortal wound on an unmodified 6 to wound. Something for the Phobos characters to replace their crappy combat knife with, but, while no model can actually take both, strictly worse than the Benediction of Fury Chaplains can take.
**Most of your sergeants would prefer a master-crafted weapon.
*'''Dragonrage Bolts:''' When firing a bolt weapon this model has, only make one attack, but if it hits you get 1d6 wound rolls, ignore light cover, -1AP, and D1, making it just better in general than the Imperial Fists bolt. Turns a bolt weapon into a long-range almost-flamer. Notably does not count as a flame weapon, so you don't get the +1 to wound from Promethean Cult.  Because it forces the weapon's D to 1, though, it's not particularly helpful on an Eliminator Sergeant or any of your other 1-shot bolt weapons, which uniformly have D above 1.
**Most of your sergeants would prefer a master-crafted weapon.
*'''Master-crafted Weapon:''' +1D to a weapon, and it's now considered a relic (so now some WTs no longer affect it and such). This is why D4 Thunder Hammers are the standard by which melee relics are judged, and it's pretty damn boss on any weapon with a high rate of fire but low D, like a hurricane bolter.

=====Special Issue Wargear=====
These relics can be freely issued to a successor chapter character.

*'''Adamantine Mantle:''' Fnp5+++. "Not dying" is good for everyone, but (smash) captains/Primaris are the ones with the most wounds to proc it with.
*'''Artificer Armour:''' 2+/5++. Most useful for Lieutenants and Librarians, who lack invulns.
*'''Obsidian Aquila:''' Friendly {{W40Kkeyword|Salamander Core}} models within 6" get a 6+++ FNP, like an Apothecary but better, since you work on non-Venerable Dreads.
*'''Promethean Plate:''' Wound rolls of 1, 2, or 3 always fail against this model. For when you've already got a model with the Salamander's Mantle and want a second durable character to hang around. Can really neuter a lot of the deadlier melee attacks in the game.
**This gets worse the higher your T, so if you take this, put it on a T4 Warlord.  It's worse than the Adamantine Mantle in the absence of other buffs, but if you have other access to an FnP, e.g. from an Apothecary, then it'll always be at least as good, and sometimes better. 

=====Relics of Nocturne=====
These relics can only be given to Salamanders characters unless you use the Trust of Prometheus stratagem to give one to a successor character.

*'''Drake-Smiter''': Replaces a Thunder Hammer. Doesn't lose the -1 to hit, but does get AP-4 and becomes D6 on a 6 to wound. Your chapter tactics can help you fish for that 6, but you don't want to do that, since it's only twice as good.  This is ''usually'' worse than a Master-Crafted Thunder Hammer, as against T7 or less, it just does less damage on average, and against T8, it does the same, with more variance.
*'''Helm of Draklos''': {{W40Kkeyword|Primaris}} only. Gives +1W and enemy units within 6" get -1LD. Thoroughly meh. The Mantle is a better defensive relic, and unless you're going all-in on Leadership debuffs, it's not worth it. That said, a Primaris Librarian with Draconic Aspect and the Fear Made Manifest trait can have an aura of -4LD in 6". If you're playing a Fearsome Aspect successor, you can bump that to -5LD in 3". Some Reivers nearby can bump that to a potential -6LD, then -7LD with Standard of the Emperor Ascendant, and make anything run in terror if your opponent forgets how to solve the problem with CP.
*'''Nocturne's Vengeance''': Replaces a combi-flamer. Both parts get -1AP and 2D, making it a master-crafted combi-flamer with 1 better AP.  Take it if you were seriously considering a master-crafted combi-flamer; it's not as good at range as the Primarch's Wrath, but it'll certainly outperform a master-crafted combi-melta against many targets.
*'''Salamander's Mantle''': Now re-worked to be even better. It gives a straight -1 to wound the bearer. Combo with the Forge Master trait, and now anything up to S11 (S13 for Gravis/Bikes) wounds on no better than a 4+. 
**Compared to the Promethean Plate, the other relic means wounding you on 3 gets a -1 (just like this relic) and wounding you on 2 gets -2, while this one means 2-5 all get -1 to wound you.  On a T4 Warlord, the Plate is only better against S8+, while for T5 or more, you should really just be taking this.
*'''Tome of Velcona''': A {{W40Kkeyword|Librarian}} knows an additional power from the Promethean discipline (even if he took Librarius or Obscuration powers). Plus, he gets +1 to Psychic tests for Promethean powers.  If you want a Librarius or Obscuration librarian who also knows Fire Shield, this is the way to do it.
*'''Vulkan's Sigil''': The character gets +1A, and once per game during the Fight phase, the bearer and all {{W40Kkeyword|Salamanders Core}} units within 6" get +1A for that phase (bringing the bearer to +2A).
*'''Wrath of Prometheus''': Replaces a boltgun or master-crafted boltgun. No additional shots, but compared to a standard bolter it gets +6" range, +1S, -2AP, and +2D.  Generally speaking, this is the Primarch's Wrath but worse, so skip it.

====Special Units====

*'''[[Vulkan He'Stan]]:''' Has a Captain's statline with a 2+/3++, which is really hard to get in 9E. Comes with an Assault Heavy Flamer, a Force Axe, a bolt pistol, and frag and krak grenades. He has the Captain Rites of Battle ability to let you re-roll hits of 1 for {{WH40Kkeyword|Salamanders CORE}} units within 6", and his Forgefather ability works like Chapter Master, only it works on hits ''and'' wounds, and ''only'' on flame and melta weapons. Like a Chapter Master, Chapter Ancient, or Chaplain, you only get his passive aura if he deep strikes or disembarks.  His compulsory warlord trait is +2S, which is garbage on him, since his melee weapon isn't even as good as a masterwork power axe.
**He has a bit of a fluff clusterfuck in his rules: his gauntlet and spear are supposed to be artifacts made by Vulkan himself, but the spear is just a force axe - worse than a relic blade, much less a master-crafted melee weapon - and the gauntlet isn't even the best gauntlet like it in the Space Marines, as Huron fielded as a loyalist has the same gauntlet, only with twice the damage at D2.  Just do your best not to think about it.
**Remember, Vulkan ''can't'' buff non-core non-character weapons - Centurions, Invictors, any of the forge world dreads except for relic contemptors, Invader ATVs, and any and all vehicles except for dreads are unbuffable by him.  If you're fielding Vulkan as the nucleus of a deathstar, remember not to rely too much on these units (especially the vehicle part - it's tempting to give him a transport tricked out with melta and flame, and that's not terrible, but he can't buff it). 
**Vulkan turns your Chapter Tactic on its head - in fact, a unit of just flame and melta weapons might as well not have the tactic at all, since he's supplying an infinite number of re-rolls anyway.  Infinite re-rolls to hit and wound means the unit he's babysitting wants as many flamers and multimeltas as it can carry.  That means a 6-man Eradicator or Flamestorm Aggressor unit is suddenly a very credible choice, whereas normally you'd stick to Devastator Squads and Company Vets to shoot your melta and flame spam.  As always with them, their biggest problem will be finding a way to be in position when and where Vulkan needs them to be, especially since they can't share a ride with him outside of a Sokar Stormbird or Thunderhawk, which cost too much to be taken seriously in both points and CP (a Stormbird will cost you ''4''!).
***Vulkan standing with a 5-man devastator squad, armed with 4 Multi-Meltas and a Combi-Flamer, is ''extremely'' productive, both for shooting hordes and high toughness targets.  Have them get out of a Drop Pod on Turn 1, and assuming they aren't shot off the table before Turn 2, they'll be murdering everything nearby with a vengeance.
*'''[[Adrax Agatone]]:''' A Primaris Captain with an AP-1 Flamer and an AP-3 Master-Crafted Thunder Hammer (or, from a Space Wolf or Grey Knight perspective, a master-crafted tempest hammer or nemesis daemon hammer; from a Deathwatch perspective, a one-handed heavy thunder hammer). His cloak reduces all incoming damage by 1 to a minimum of 1, as if he were a Dread (there's an Iron Hands relic that does this and grants +1T, for reference), and his 6" Unto the Anvil aura adds 1 to all wound rolls for {{WH40Kkeyword|Salamanders CORE}} melee weapons when you charge or intervene (but ''not'' when you get charged, and the aura has to apply at the time the roll is made, so he usually has to have charged or intervened himself, even though he doesn't buff himself).  His compulsory warlord trait is the flamer hits re-rolling aura, which is good, but has no synergy with his unique aura or his captain aura, making it relatively shabby on him - especially since he only fits in Primaris Transports, and there are no non-Gravis Flamer-heavy Primaris, so there's just no good way to build a strike force around this trait on him.
**His auras mean he's like an exhortation of rage Chaplain but more reliable, but his Captain aura is still his better one - in other words, that trio of 2-man combi-melta Combat Vet squads we both know you were taking anyway, hanging out with Adrax and carrying your favorite of chainswords, lightning claws, or thunder hammers (depending on whether you want the melee as backup, as your solution for chaff, or as followup for the melta, respectively) will suddenly pose a shockingly credible charge threat when they need to.
***Or, if you want an incredibly serious melee threat, pair him with Bladeguard Veterans, since they'll all fit in the same transports.  As noted in his description, Agatone's main problem will be usually needing to have charged or intervened himself to be close enough to provide his buff to a bunch of MSU like you want.
*'''[[Bray'arth Ashmantle]] (FW):''' Pretty solidly nerfed from the ridiculousness of 8th edition, his stats are much closer to that of a Venerable. T7 W8 2+/5++/5+++ and Duty Eternal (enemy attacks suffer -1D, minimum 1) still places him amongst the toughest Dreadnoughts. His weapons didn't emerge un-nerfed either; he has two dreadfire heavy flamers (12" heavy d6 S6 AP-2 D2, auto hits), Burning Wrath (3" Assault 2d6 S4 AP0 D1, auto hits, No longer A Pistol so usable), and dreadfire claws (melee Sx2 (16) AP-4 D4). With WS2+ and A6 (+ Shock Assault), aggressive play will be rewarded. Curiously enough, the rule that used to prevent him from being your Warlord is now gone, although that comes alongside FW's questionable decision to make every FW Character have the same Warlord trait (Inspiring Leader Aura, +1Ld to <Chapter> units within 6"), which doesn't help him at all. This is all for a 220pts price tag, which is pretty reasonable. 
**Other than occupying an HQ slot, it's best to think of him as an Ironclad Dread but better; offensively, he's so close to a dual melee Ironclad as makes no difference, in terms of points efficiency, but defensively, since he's a character with W below 9, there's simply no contest - Bray'Arth is, in every way, easier to deliver to your enemy's face intact than an actual Ironclad.
**Bray'Arth is an ''excellent' recipient of the Lord of Fire Warlord Trait - he can't have it himself, but someone else near him can certainly apply it to him.
** MOVEMENT - He's tough, but not invincible. A Drop Pod or Storm Raven will put him where you want him to be, and should be seen as an investment rather than a tax. Odds are if you waddle him, he won't be doing anything until turn three while taking damage the entire time. 
** TOUGHNESS - It takes about sixteen BS3+ melta shots to kill him. Prime screening units include Company Veterans or some cheap Rhinos. The Salamander Chapter Tactic (AP-1 counts as AP0) and updated Duty Eternal ability have helped ablate losing -2T, but the Fire Shield and Might of Heroes Psychic Powers really help if he's forced to walk. 
*** Only in Death Does Duty End will let him fight even if your opponent manages to take him down while Rise from the Ashes will let him potentially get back up and keep fighting. Just have a Techmarine nearby to patch him up.
** Obviously, Ashmantle is a prime target for Flamecraft if you can get him close enough to use his Dreadfire Heavy Flamers, but that’s not all. Born Protectors will discourage counter-charges, and there's The Crucible of Battle...
*'''Pellas Mir'san (FW Legends):''' The boomer Firstborn Captain of the Salamanders, he's been commanding the 2nd Company for over 150 years. He's identical to a regular Captain, but comes with a combi-flamer, Cinder Edge (melee, S+1, AP-3, D3), Steelsilver (melee, SU, AP0, D1, makes a number of additional attacks equal to the number of enemy models within 1"), and the Master Duellist ability (+2A if an enemy Character is within 1"). Like all FW Characters, his only available Warlord Trait is Inspiring Leader (<Chapter> units within 6" gain +1Ld). 
** For 100pts, he's quite a bargain if you were building an anti-character melee Captain without eating a Chapter Relic or Warlord Trait. If you were willing to spend a Relic, Trait, and extra points though, you can obviously build a better melee Captain. 
*'''Harath Shen (FW Legends):''' A Chief Apothecary who's an HQ rather than an Elite. A vanilla chief Apothecary is 90pts, Harath will cost you 120pts for a master-crafted power sword (melee, S+1, AP-3, D2) and Bloodfire (12", pistol 2, S7, AP-3, D2, may gain +1S and +1D but hit rolls of unmodified 1 kill the bearer). Otherwise completely identical to a 9th edition Chief Apothecary. 
** Badly over-costed, especially since his stats aren't any better and he's locked out of the excellent Chief Apothecary Warlord Trait.

====Tactics====

*Melta and Flame: right now, in 9E, multimeltas are the new hotness, undercosted for what they do, while heavy flamers are the opposite, routinely costing the same amount as a heavy bolter while doing less (a heavy flamer delivers 3.5 damage, while a heavy bolter in BS3+ hands delivers ''4'' damage at the same S and AP) in an environment where no more than one of your units can fire Overwatch a turn.  Multimeltas will routinely outperform meltaguns, even while walking and firing.  Where it comes up - namely Sternguard - combiflamers will routinely outperform heavy flamers.  Unless and until the Blood Angels let you in on their sweet, sweet hand flamers, you should ordinarily focus on melta spam over flamer spam right now.
*Real Deal MSU: Salamanders are remarkably capable of filling out a large detachment.  Your troops should be MSU tac squads with a multimelta in each, while your heavies are MSU devastator with 4 multimeltas or MSU Eradicators with 2 heavy melta rifles and a multimelta (Eradicators carry melta more efficiently, but your Tactic re-roll only applies once across all 8 shots they generally take), and your fast attack (if present) should be multimelta attack bikes. Elites are where it gets interesting, but if you want to keep up the theme, MSU Combat Vets with combimeltas and storm shields.  You can easily fill a Battalion with points left over, although a Brigade might be tough at practical points limits.
*In keeping with the small unit size benefit, look at squads of Eliminators and/or Eradicators. Your re-roll ability allows units that rely on a few powerful shots to do their job. Eliminators hit 83.33% of the time, and their Mortis Rounds hit like a ton of bricks with that full re-roll to wound you offer; Eradicators are your most efficient melta source.  
*The invulnerable smash cap: take your standard issue smash cap, pay a cp to give him both forge master and miraculous constitution, then give him salamander's mantle. Your cap is now being wounded by anything S5 or lower on 6s. Take a librarian with the tome of vel'cona, cast might of heros and drakeskin on him. Now s7 wounds on 6s and s8 wounds on 5s. Laugh as your opponent spends all their shooting trying to take him down. Then have him get back up on a 4+ to keep the crazy train rolling.
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