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

===Dedicated Transports===

*'''[[Rhino]]:''' The old [[METAL BOXES]], you know it, you love it. T7 W10 Sv3+ and Smokescreen makes them fairly survivable, not that you can spam Smokescreen. Transports ten firstborn. 1-2 storm bolters mean that you can output a lot of anti-infantry dakka (up to eight shots at 12 inches), and an optional hunter-killer can deal the finishing blow to an enemy heavy.  The loss of the self-repair rule is hurting somewhat. 
** As a modelling note, NEVER buy the Rhino kit. Buying the Razorback kit gives you the same parts and an additional sprue for turrets and it costs the same. You can switch out the top hatch as you please if you don't glue it down. 
*'''[[Razorback]]:''' As above, but only transports six Marines, switching the transport capacity for the ability to carry usually two heavy weapons (it can add on a storm bolter and/or hunter-killer, just like a Rhino). Heavily weaponised transports proved strong in 8th, being cheap and not taking up a real force organisation slot. Costs a ''lot'' more than a Rhino, be aware.
**'''Twin Heavy Bolter:''' Because it's the same cost as a Twin Assault Cannon, i.e. free, a complete waste of your time: the TAC has the same or better performance against everything outside of things that get better saves against D1, which isn't common enough to warrant the THB over the TAC.
110 points, the default option. With the advent of D2 heavy bolters and W2 Marines, this is the clear option you want against Marines. 
**'''Twin Assault Cannon:''' 24" Heavy 12 S6 AP-1 D1 will murder GEQ, MEQ, and light vehicles, like Land Speeders, a treat.
**'''Twin Lascannon:''' The infamous Laserback. This is one of the Marines' more cost-effective anti-tank options, able to deposit its cargo, then dig in and start picking at heavies.
**'''Multi-Melta<sup>Forge World, Legends</sup>:''' If you can convince your opponent to let you field this, far and away the best choice - will more or less match the TLC at 24" and outperform it at 12".
*'''[[Land Speeder#Land Speeder Storm|Land Speeder Storm]]:''' Dedicated transport for five Scout models, for ''5 points less'' than a normal Land Speeder and with an additional gun. Open-topped so embarked Scouts can shoot out of it, although they count as having moved/advanced/fallen back if their ride did, and can only shoot pistols while the Vehicle is engaged, even if they have an ability stating otherwise (suck it, Dark Angels). Doesn't get Concealed Positions but ''does'' get Outflank, and has an 18" move, so it can easily re-locate. Starts with a cerberus launcher (heavy d6 bolter shots at 18") and a heavy bolter.  Insanely cheap at only 55 points, comparable to a heavy bolter attack bike in cost but broadly superior in performance, if you want to field one on its own.
*'''[[Drop Pod]]:''' Grants a power armour unit Deep Strike at the cost of 70pts.  More importantly, the pod and contents can arrive on turns 1-3 regardless of mission rules, and neither pod nor contents count against how many units you can have in reserve (however, there's no rule making them immune to rules about ''points'' in reserve, so you still can't null deploy).  Tactical Marines can use it to capture objectives and hamper enemy movement. Both this model and models disembarking must be at least 9" away from enemy models on the turn it arrives. It comes with a storm bolter that you can swap for a deathwind launcher (12" Heavy d6 S5 AP0 D1, blast).
**Because the pods ignore unit limits in reserve, you're encouraged to go MSU with their contents. 
** It has been FAQed that the opened doors count as part of the model, so it can also be used to make a sizable anti-deepstrike zone before it’s shot off the board (if your opponent put enough thought into it). 
**Keep the storm bolter; it'll actually be useful after the first turn it arrives and guarantees you four shots instead of the d6 that the deathwind gets you. 
** Some ideas of what players often pack these with. Remember they have space for ten dudes, so you can mix and match two squads of five.
*** Sternguard or Company Vets - The classic kamikaze melta units. Company vets with storm shields and special weapons are generally better for this role due to their survivability, but Sternguard have special issue bolters and heavy flamer access. 
*** Tactical Squad - A potential late-game objective capper that you can plop anywhere.
*** Devastator Squad - Want to kill that enemy super-heavy? Four multi-meltas that arrive within melta range. 
*** Characters - Any additional Characters would just be icing on the cake. Ancients let your guys shoot again before they're inevitably wiped from the board next turn, Apothecaries keep them fighting for longer, Champions provide some deterrence with a 6" Heroic Intervention, Captain and Lieutenant auras, Librarian powers, you get it now. Just don't go for anything you can't use after disembarking, like Chaplain prayers or the Chapter Master re-roll.
*'''[[Drop Pod#Lucius Pattern Dreadnought Drop Pod|Dreadnought Drop Pod]] (FW):''' It's a Drop Pod for Dreadnoughts, specifically those with W9 or less (everything that's not a Deredeo, Leviathan, or Redemptor). A good, relatively cheap option for delivering Dreads right into multi-melta range. 
** Similar to above, this unit can still block enemy movement, line of sight, and Deep Strike. If you can get your hands on the Forgeworld model, its footprint is slightly bigger.
** It can turn an Ironclad from a risky, high-damage-low-speed bullet magnet to an unstoppable rape machine if used against tightly packed armies and tanks, especially with charge re-rolls.
*'''[[Tunneling Transport Vehicles#Termite|Termite Assault Drill]] (FW):''' A Drop Pod-Land Raider hybrid, it has a respectable transport capacity of 12 (not terminator, jump pack, or primaris), the ability to Deep Strike, and several effective weapon systems. A heavy 5 melta gun, two storm bolters (which can be replaced with two heavy flamers or two twin volkite chargers (20" heavy 4 S5 AP0 D2, UM wound rolls of 6 inflict an additional mortal wound)), and a melee weapon. Said weapon is an anti-Vehicle drill, at Sx2 AP-4 Dd3+3, rising to d3+6 against Vehicles. Don't think of using it as a battering ram like you would with a Dreadnought though, it has 3-d3-1 attacks (plus Shock Attack) as it degrades. At 180pts, this thing is CHEAP this edition. 
** On the subject of weapons, volkites are the way to go most of the time due to the range and fire output. Heavy flamers are shorter range but hit hard. Storm bolters let you have a few S4 shots at 24" for free, but why bother?
** The termite's melee capabilities are decent, though this is more for protection than anything. That being said, the drill makes for a nasty anti-tank melee weapon.
*'''[[Impulsor]]:''' The inbred spawn of a Razorback and a Repulsor. ''This is your only Primaris-capable Dedicated Transport.'' Has +1W over a Rhino and can be upgraded with a 5++, but swaps Smokescreen for Repulsor Field. Comes stock with two storm bolters with the option of taking an ironhail heavy stubber and swapping the storm bolters for fragstorm grenade launchers. M14" combined with the ability to disembark a unit after moving that itself can't charge makes the Impulsor one of the quicker transports. It has a transport capacity of 6 and can't carry {{W40Kkeyword|JUMP PACK}} or {{W40Kkeyword|GRAVIS}} models, so it's only good for moving MSU squads + characters. This can be a cheap transport to get Intercessors with Assault weapons (''not'' Assault Intercessors, due to the ban on charging after you use its special rule) to wipe an objective, move Assault Hellblasters into position, or zipping Bladeguards at your enemy (they'll be sad they can't charge, but they're durable enough to wait outside their transport in the name of mobility). Often times your list can't afford to buy a heavy tank as a transport and you will have to make do with what you can get. It can take the following upgrades:
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<tab name="Shield Dome">
A 5++ invulnerable save. Generally, this is the one you want, as it makes this bizarre vehicle unusually tough (smart opponents will simply shoot its cargo, so hurl it into melee ASAP).
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<tab name="Ironhail Skytalon Array"> 
Two more heavy stubbers that get +1 to hit aircraft. Combined with the pintle-mounted stubber, you now have 12 shots at 36" range.
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<tab name="Bellicatus Missile Launcher">  
Yep, it's a missile launcher with the addition of anti-air. Could technically work as an adaptable weapon, but taking other weapon teams and tanks would be better.
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<tab name="Orbital Comms Array">  
The orbital bombardment you know and love from the Damocles Rhino. Now completely different from the stratagem. One use only, but being able to crap out mortal wounds wherever you like is still nice. As long as you can keep it alive to use it, of course. This bombardment does not involve ballistic skill, which means your opponent will have to go through 11 wounds to stop you from using the mortal wounds. This demands that your opponent potentially waste firepower on your otherwise expendable transport while your Hellblasters take far less damage.
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<tab name="Fragstorm grenade launchers"> 
For free you can swap out the two storm bolters for a pair of these. They have: exactly the same profile of the storm bolters but 18" assault d6 blast instead of 24" rapid fire 2. That leads to a curious bit of math: against targets with 5 or fewer models that are within 12" or ''all'' targets >18" and <=24" away the storm bolters will ''on average'' shoot more shots. However, the fragstorm will outperform at >12" and <18" and against units with 11+ members (against units within 12" and with 6-10 members, both weapons will perform the same in general).  Finally, the fragstorm is fireable after advancing, while the storm bolter is fireable while engaged; the latter is actually the more likely to come up, because both your Assault Vehicle special rule and the vehicle's other weapons will strongly discourage you from Advancing with it.  Ultimately it's up to you which you take, but the storm bolters have a good chance of being better for you.
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