Editing Warhammer 40,000/8th Edition Tactics/Space Marines (section)

==={{W40Kkeyword|White Scars}}===
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[[File:White_Scars_Livery.png|100px|left|]]In the grim darkness of the far future, there is only the hunt unending.<br>
Thematically, they're the archetypical steppe nomads but turned into a post-human military force. These guys are the ones if you want your warrior-monks asian instead of western.<br>
On the tabletop these guys are the fast, melee marines, with the speed to keep up the pace, strong bikes to keep up the pressure, and the rules for relentless punishing assault. Your units will be as fast as genestealers without being as frail as them. Furthermore, their charge is devastating and their rules turn ongoing combats into repeated charges.<br>
''If you want your army to <b>hit as fast and hard</b> as a lightning bolt, then ride with the White Scars and unleash the storm''.
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====Special Rules====
*'''Chapter Tactics - Lightning Assault:''' Units with this tactic can charge even if they advanced or fell back. Furthermore, their {{W40Kkeyword|Bikers}} don't suffer the penalty for moving and firing Heavy weapons (Attack Bikes) or advancing and firing assault weapons (Scout Bikes, and up to 3 special guns in a unit of SM bikes). Land Speeders and Boltguns still eat dirt.
**Advance + Charge is huuuuge. Not talking about infantry's effective 3d6" charge range, no. This is for 12" Rhinos that end up with a 22.5" ''average'' charge threat range, whose cargo can then disembark, shoot after the rhino falls back, then charge overwatch-free when the rhino charges back in. This is for turboboosting bikers of '''27.5"''' threat range and Attack Bikes which don't need to stay put in order to have a good chance of hitting something.
**Charging after falling back is especially useful to units that proc Mortal Wounds on a charge, like Inceptors and your own Deadly Hunter Warlord (and [[Skub|Ironclad Dreadnoughts and Assault Centurions]]), on top of triggering Shock Assault and guaranteeing your units hit first. It also <u>allows ranged support to help a unit from afar before it charges back</u> into the fray. Even better when you have a Rhino to absorb overwatch.
**By letting them re-engage after falling back, Assault Marines and Vanguard Vets no longer sacrifice their melee phase in order to throw a Melta Bomb, and 8E has no restriction on charging disembarked models or units different to those the unit fired at. Makes {{W40Kkeyword|White Scars}} field some of the best {{W40Kkeyword|Jump Pack Infantry}} among SM.
*'''Combat Doctrine - Devastating Charge:''' While the Assault Doctrine is active, melee attacks performed by a unit that charged or performed a Heroic Intervention deal 1 more damage. If this triggers, you'll have already activated Shock Assault, so even a simple chainsword will be able to shred most two-wound infantry. 
====Warlord Traits====
#'''Deadly Hunter:''' Each time he successfully charges, roll a D6. On a 4+, the enemy unit takes a mortal wound. And his Chapter Tactic allows him to charge after falling back, ''triggering the mortal wound again and again and again''.
#'''Chogorian Storm:''' +1d3A when he makes a charge or heroic intervention, aka WS' Smash Captain.
#'''Trophy Taker:''' Whenever this warlord successfully kills a character, he gains +1A until the end of the battle. Kor'sarro Khan comes with this. ''Skulls for the Golden Throne!''
#'''Master Rider:''' Biker warlord only. Reroll charges, -1 to be hit if he advanced.
#'''Hunter's Instincts:''' +1 to wound and hit vs vehicles and monsters.
#'''Master of Snares:''' On a 4+ enemies stuck in can't fall back unless they contain a model with a minimum move characteristic.

====Relics & Special-Issue Wargear====
=====Relics of Chogoris=====
*'''Banner of the Eagle:''' Ancient only. +1S to friendly WS units within 6".
*'''Glaive of Vengeance:''' Kahn spear that is always Sx2 AP-3 D1d3, even if it didn't charge.
*'''Hunter's Eye:''' One {{W40Kkeyword|white scars}} unit within 6" of the bearer gains Ignore Cover.
*'''Mantle of the Stormseer''': Psykers only. The bearer adds +1 when attempting to manifest the Stormspeaker discipline.
*'''Plume of the Plainsrunner:''' 6" aura of +1 to Infantry advance ''and'' charge rolls.
*'''Scimitar of the Great Kahn:''' Replaces a power sword/master-crafted power sword/relic blade. +1S AP-3 D2. Unmodified wound rolls of 6s do ''D4'' ('''D5''' during the Assault doctrine wtf!).
*'''Wrath of the Heavens:''' Biker model gets a ''Jump Bike''. Movement characteristic becomes 16" and basically can advance as if it had FLY.

=====Special-Issue wargear=====
*'''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.
*'''Cyber-Eagle Helm:''' Models in units within 6" (so, units) hit Overwatch on 5 and 6.
*'''Digital weapons:''' Do an additional attack when the model fights. If it hits, the target suffers a mortal wound. Yet another source of MW for a Deadly Hunter warlord.
*'''Equis-Pattern Bolt Pistol:''' Upgrades a bolt or, interestingly, a Heavy Bolt pistol to full brrrt Pistol '''''5''''' S4 AP-1. Your infantry can advance and charge, but pistols can't advance and shoot. They can, however, shoot into melee provided the shooter is in the melee, and supplement your already potent assaults, provided you don't fall back, which you usually will.
*'''Headtaker's Trophies:''' -1Ld to enemies within 6" of the bearer. Very spooky with just a mere couple Reivers.
*'''Master-crafted weapon:''' +1D to a weapon, and it's now considered a relic (so now some WTs no longer affect it and such). ''D5 Thunder Hammer!!''
*'''Stormwrath Bolts:''' Pocket autocannon. You can choose the bolt weapon it's being used on to make only one attack at S7 AP-1. If the target is a {{W40kKeyword|monster}}, it also gains D1d6.

====Stratagems====
White Scar Stratagems can be divided into four categories; movement, offense, durability/utility, and universal.
*'''Movement:''' As befits their reputation for lightning warfare, the White Scars have an impressive number of movement related stratagems. These revolve around getting your units where you want them to be, whether that means in melee combat, onto an objective, or out of a transport. 
**'''Wind-swift (2 CP):''' Select one unit that has just moved, and move it again. Can't advance if it had already advanced, can't shoot, charge or use psychic powers either. Can be useful if you need an aura ability like an Ancient's or Chaplain's ''right fucking now''. 
**'''Lightning debarkation (1 CP):''' A transport that doesn't have the Flyer Battle Role can disembark its cargo ''after'' it has already moved, though they cannot charge that turn. ''Aka pay 1CP to give a transport the Impulsor's rule''.
**'''Fierce rivalries (1 CP):''' Your first charge that phase rolls the best 2 of 3d6. ''Game on, Blood Angels''.
**'''Strike for the heart (2 CP):''' One of your WS can consolidate D3+3", or D6+6" if every model in that unit has a move characteristic of at least 10". ''Not only can you hit hard and fast, you can also drag nearby squads into the melee''.
**'''Encirclement (1CP):''' During deployment, set up a unit outflank instead of on the battlefield. At the end of one of your movement phases, that unit can arrive within 6" of a battlefield's edge and more than 9" away from enemy models.
*'''Offense:''' These stratagems allow you to hit harder or ignore penalties to your shooting from advancing or falling back
**'''Butchered quarry (1 CP):''' When an enemy falls back from a WS Infantry or Biker unit (that isn't within 1" of yet another enemy unit), your squad makes one attack with a melee weapon at the falling back unit. If they yet live, your squad can follow them 3", as long as that move doesn't take them within 1" of another enemy unit.
**'''Hunter's Fusillade (1 CP):''' When a unit advances, their Heavy and Rapid Fire weapons can be fired as if they were Assault (keep in mind Rapid Fire 1 becomes Assault 1).
**'''Born in the saddle (1 CP):''' A biker can advance and shoot.
**'''Feinting withdrawal (1CP):''' A unit that falls back can still shoot.
**'''Chogorian thunderbolts (1 CP):''' When one of your squads finishes a charge move, for each model in your squad select one enemy unit within 1" of that model. Roll a d6 and inflict 1MW on that unit on a 6. ''Doesn't say you can't select the same squad many times'' - true, but obviously in matched play it can only be used once per phase.
**'''The eternal hunt (2CP, Single Use):''' Use this strat at the start of the movement phase if the Assault doctrine is active. Until the start of the next battle round, Pistols and melee weapons gain yet -1AP on unmodified wound rolls of 6.
*'''Survival/utility:''' While the White Scars are extremely fast and deadly, they have a limited number of stratagems that focus on defense or utility options.
**'''Ride Hard, Ride Fast (1 CP):''' Use it on a unit that just advanced. Enemies shooting at it get -1 to hit until the start of your next movement phase. ''Unstoppable -2 to hit Smoke Launcher'd transport''.
**'''Quarry of the Khan (1 CP):''' If your WS warlord is on the field when you first generate a Tactical Objective, this strat guarantees your it is Kingslayer, which your warlord is good at.
**'''A mighty trophy (1 CP):''' Use it when a WS kills the enemy warlord with a melee weapon. Your White Scars now autopass morale tests.
*'''Universal:''' All Chapters Supplements include some variation of the following three stratagems.
**'''Khan's Champion (1 CP):''' Give one of your "sergeant"s a Master-crafted weapon/Digital weapon/Headtaker's trophies/Stormwrath bolts. Remember all relics in your army must be different and handed to different characters.
***Stormwrath bolts restrict the weapon to "make a single shot with this stats", but it DOESN'T change a profile's rules: an Eliminator Sergeant can snipe characters with Stormwrath bolts with +2 to hit that ignore cover/inflict a MW on a 6+ to wound. Unsure an Armorium Cherub could reload a Devastator sergeant's boltgun, but his Signum would give him BS2+.
***The other three SI wargear are melee-oriented; a Master-crafted power weapon or Digital weapon for Vanguard Vet/Primaris sarges. A Reiver with Headtaker's trophies, however, can inflict -2Ld on his own.
**'''Tempered by wisdom (1CP, Single Use):''' You can generate a second warlord trait for one of your WS characters that isn't a named character, from the White Scars Warlord Trait table. All warlord traits must be different.
**'''Gift of the Khans (1CP, Single Use):''' After nominating a WS Successor character as your warlord, you can give one Relic of Chogoris to one of your WS Successor characters ''instead'' of giving them a relic from the regular SM codex or a Special Issue wargear.

====Litany & Psychic Discipline - Stormspeaker====
Stormspeaker contains several standout powers that can combo together to spectacular effect. The discipline relies on lashing your opponent with blasts of wind and lightning, shielding your units from enemy fire, and speeding your units into the enemy's lines while hampering the ability of their units to advance and charge. 
*'''Blasting gale (WC7):''' Targets an enemy unit with 18". Target cannot advance and rolls one fewer die for charges. Stacks with Tenebrous Curse, too!
**This can be a bit tricky to use and requires a good understanding of your opponent's move values. Very good for handicapping units that rely on the ability to charge after advancing. 
*'''Lightning call (WC7):''' The closest enemy unit within 18" takes d3 mortal wounds. Then roll a die. On a 4+, deal one additional mortal wound. rinse and repeat until you fail, with the target going up by one each time (5+ on the second roll, 6+ on the third).
*'''Ride the wind (WC6):''' +2" to advance and charge. Due to the psychic phase happening after the movement phase, it will be rare to get use out of this power in both phases. If your opponent tries to fall back, you can hopefully catch them thanks to the bonus from the advance rolls (provided the unit isn't shot off the table first).
**This is a very solid power that works well with a wide array of White Scar units thanks to the Chapter Tactic. Great for helping deep striking units make that 9" charge. 
*'''Storm-wreathed (WC6):''' Select an friendly unit within 12", enemy units cannot fire overwatch on it. In addition, roll a die for each model that charged and got within 1" of an enemy. On a 6, it causes a mortal wound. 
**The Mortal Wounds are a nice bonus if they happen, but the real benefit is the ability to turn off overwatch, especially if your are facing auto hitting weapons like flamers. 
*'''Spirit of chogoris (WC6)''' Enemy unit has -1 leadership and -1 on hit rolls. This is yet another solid power. Combine with Ride Hard, Ride Fast for an additional -1 to hit penalty. 
*'''Eye of the Storm (WC6):''' Roll a d6 for each enemy unit within 12". Add 1 if the enemy has fly. On a 4+, cause a mortal wound.
**A very good one for a close support librarian. Keep him out of unfavourable combat via screens, give him a jump pack for supreme positioning and a combi weapon for some fire support and he'll make his points quickly especially in the MSU meta.

'''Litanies of Battle - Strike Off the Head:''' Re-roll failed wound rolls in melee for friendly {{W40kKeyword|White Scars}} units within 6".

====Special Units====
*'''Khan on Bike:''' Cannot be customized, but his Khan's Spear (S:User AP-3 D1d3) becomes StrX2 when he charges or makes a heroic intervention (but not when charged unlike Shock Assault), akin to a non-unwieldy Power Fist on the charge. Cannot take a Storm Shield, but his Buckler improves his armour save by 1 against melee weapons.
*'''[[Kor'sarro Khan]]:''' Grants +1 Str to his chapter's units that charged that turn. On-foot units with mid-strength weapons like Vanguard Veterans with Power Axes and Lightning Claws assault terminators get the most benefit. His buff to Str is by Unit, so large units of Assault Marines can carry his buff wide. Their resultant Str 5 is productive.   Wide, stringy assault units strung out before multiple enemy units, like three tanks, are great. They charge one of the enemy units and then use their pile in to get within 1" of the other units. On a turn, they charge they can only target the unit they charged. The next turn, those enemy units are locked in melee, and unable to shoot. 
**'''Kor'sarro Khan on Moondrakkan (White Scars):''' On bikes he naturally pairs with melee high-speed assaulty units. His buff applies to all WHITE SCARS, so the marines he travels well with are the many Infantry Fast Attack options. Jump Pack Assault, Veteran Vanguard. and Bike Squads with Chainswords carry his force multiplier far and fast, and the last one is a perfect fit for the Born in the Saddle Stratagem. Do note, he can only have a bike if taken from the Index. Yes it is fucking stupid that you need the Index to field the only Bike-Chapter character on an actual bike.
**'''Primaris Kor'sarro Khan''': Sure he's got improved stats, a cyber-hawk that deals a mortal wound on a 4+ in the shooting phase and Moonfang's now S+2, but the real deal is that his new "+1 to wound rolls for melee weapons" aura is better than Biker Kor'Sarro's old +1 to Str on the charge. Wounding MEQ on a 2+, that's like a non-unwieldy power fist too. 
***Whats the catch? Figure a way to get him to melee. No bike, can't use a drop pod. A Repulsor is expensive and prone to being a fire magnet. Impulsors might work but they can't carry Aggressors, and their meanest occupants are Vet Intercessors and Reivers. Vanguard Vets, Deep striking terminators, and Bikers can catch up to him, but not vice versa, so you either commit with a Repulsor or you give him glorified tactical as a retinue.  
***Alternate opinion: Vet intercessors have 4 attacks a piece with 5 attacks on a thunder hammer sergeant that can be mastercrafted up to damage 5 in assault doct that can swing twice.  The real downside is that he only provides a re-roll 1's bubble that can't be upgraded to a chapter master re-roll all bubble because he is named.
***Alternate alternative: You can use the encirclement strat to put him in the reserves and deepstrike him along the edges of the map. 

'''Forgeworld''' {{W40kKeyword|Successor Chapters}} '''Characters'''<br>
Remember you don't necessarily need to pick Inheritors of the Primarch to be White Scars successors and use this supplement.<br>
{{W40kKeyword|[[Mantis Warriors]]}}<br>
*'''Ahazra Redth:''' Librarian; can ignore his first Perils of the game, has a 5++ and a force sword that deals flat D2.

'''Successor Tactics:''' Guerrilla tactics are much benefited by Inheritors of the Primarch here, and the White Scar's Tactic is generally superior in every aspect then any combination of Successor tactics when coming to that end. That being said, if you are trying to squeeze every bit out of Ahazra you can, Knowledge is Power can help preserve his "ignore first Perils" bit around for as long as possible.

====Tactical Objectives====
*'''Rapid Redeployment''': Pick an objective marker more than 18" away from your army (if none are available, use the one furthest away). Gain 1 CP if you control it at the end of your turn. 
*'''Run Them Down''': Score 1 CP if you destroyed at least one unit with a White Scars unit that advanced this turn. 
*'''Mounted Assault''': Score. 1 VP of you destroyed an enemy unit with a Biker or Land Speeder model, d3 VP if you destroyed at least 3 this way. 
*'''Feigned Retreat''': Score 1 VP if one of your units fell back this turn. 
*'''The Clean Kill''': Pick an enemy unit (if possible, it needs to be one that has not lost any wounds yet). d3 VP if you kill it by the end of the turn, but if it hasn't been killed by then this objective is automatically discarded. 
*'''Claim Their Heads''': Score 1 VP for each enemy Character killed by a melee attack this turn, up to a maximum of 3. If one of them was the Warlord, you get an extra d3 VP.

====Tactics====
*'''Primaris''' Devastating Charge and Lightning Assault makes Primaris close combat vible.
**'''Incursors''' - With the Gene-Wrought might Stratagem, on the charge every 6 to hit is 2 automatic wounds at D2 -1 AP.
**'''Inceptors''' - completely disposable source of mortal wounds. Run a unit of 6 with assault bolters. shred infantry, mortal wounds, tarpit, repeat. also, Strike for the heart makes these guys tarpit 6+d6 when consolidating
**'''Reivers''' - these guys are only 16 points each, running deep striking horde & a Phobos Librarian with Temporal Corridor or Ride the Wind power. 
*'''Bikes:''' White Scars signature and have a lot of abilities revolving around it. Bikes are one of the fasted units, being able to Advance 20" + 2d6" to charge. Scouts can fire and advance, while Spacmarines are more durable.
*'''Speed of the foot:''' on foot your ground troops can cover 6" + d6" + 2d6".
*'''Assault Terminators:''' With the proper support, White Scars have probably the fastest terminators in the game. A terminator librarian with the Plume of the Plain Runner Relic and the Ride the Wind Power will let your assault terminators make a charge on a 6+.  Activate the Fierce Rivalries stratagem, and now they need a 6+ on 3d6. If that was not enough, you can use Fury of the First to make them hit harder. Even if your opponent falls back, your terminators can still advance and catch them, making up for one of their traditional weaknesses. 
*'''Leviathan Dreadnought:''' Take a Leviathan and use Encirclement. Congratulations you now have a 14 wound, 2+/4++ monster on your opponent's board edge. Shoot something and use Fierce Rivalries to all but ensure your charge. You did bring a meele weapon right? 
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