My inital impressions and opions of the SM faction

[Adrmial Seraph]

So far, I think SM are absolute garbage. They don't have the burst of Orks, they have decent speed and manuverability, they have absurdly high point cost. They get decent-ish assault actions, they have paper hulls/shields and 1/2 their favors are junk.

The battle barge better be a frightening battleship because everything else of theirs dies to a stiff wind if that stiff wind has AP of any kind.

[Imperator5]

So far, I think SM are absolute garbage. They don't have the burst of Orks, they have decent speed and manuverability, they have absurdly high point cost. They get decent-ish assault actions, they have paper hulls/shields and 1/2 their favors are junk.

The battle barge better be a frightening battleship because everything else of theirs dies to a stiff wind if that stiff wind has AP of any kind.

it is but it costs 309 points. Mind if you get it to brawl it is worth that.

[Adrmial Seraph]

So far, I think SM are absolute garbage. They don't have the burst of Orks, they have decent speed and manuverability, they have absurdly high point cost. They get decent-ish assault actions, they have paper hulls/shields and 1/2 their favors are junk.

The battle barge better be a frightening battleship because everything else of theirs dies to a stiff wind if that stiff wind has AP of any kind.

it is but it costs 309 points. Mind if you get it to brawl it is worth that.

So basically, forge master on Battle barge and ram it into enemies with a supporting fleet of thunderhawks/boarding torps?

[Imperator5]

So far, I think SM are absolute garbage. They don't have the burst of Orks, they have decent speed and manuverability, they have absurdly high point cost. They get decent-ish assault actions, they have paper hulls/shields and 1/2 their favors are junk.

The battle barge better be a frightening battleship because everything else of theirs dies to a stiff wind if that stiff wind has AP of any kind.

it is but it costs 309 points. Mind if you get it to brawl it is worth that.

So basically, forge master on Battle barge and ram it into enemies with a supporting fleet of thunderhawks/boarding torps?

Well that depends on the situation, but yeah usually get it in close is a good idea. Up close in 1vs1 it will demolish any ship except the Voidstalker. For the second BB use chapter master.

[Spartan-089]

it is but it costs 309 points. Mind if you get it to brawl it is worth that.

So basically, forge master on Battle barge and ram it into enemies with a supporting fleet of thunderhawks/boarding torps?

Well that depends on the situation, but yeah usually get it in close is a good idea. Up close in 1vs1 it will demolish any ship except the Voidstalker. For the second BB use chapter master.

I second this, I use dual battle barges *(with one escort for reacon) almost exclusively when playing SM to great success, its pretty much their only viable brawling build. Mind you only when you have 2 maxed out. Im still experimenting with skills and upgrade combos to take all factions. Even Void stakers melt faster than they melt you if you tag them with a beacon and either MWJ both barges within boarding distance or disable their deck/engines with thunderhawks/torpedoes/and lighting strikes.

The Master of the Forge gives 1 barge alot of leeway in customization but for now this is what I run in 700 to give you an Idea, mind you this list is designed to brawl/fight at range/or even suprise enemies


Battle Barge #1

Type: MK 1
Favor: Chapter Master
Skills: Induction Cell, Auger Beacon, Micro Warp Jump, Storm Hawk Squadron
Upgrades: Boarding Torpedoes, Belt Armor, Voss Patern Shield, Masked Thruster Emissions, Improved Turn Rate
Crew: 3 Chapter Master, 3 Master Gunner, 3 Space Marines

Battle Barge #2
Type: MK 1
Favor: Master of The Forge
Skills: Induction Cell, Auger Probe, Micro Warp Jump, Storm Hawk Squadron
Upgrades: Boarding Torpedoes, AP Rounds, Belt Armor, Advanced Cogitator Linkages, Voss Patern Shield
Bonues Upgrades: Aditional Void Sheild Generator, Improved Turn Rate, Chapter Relic
Crew: 3 Master of the Forge, 3 Master Gunner, 3 Space Marines

Hunter Escort
Upgrades: Boarding Torpedoes, Enhanced Sensor Range, Masked Thruster Emissions

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Improved turn rate and masked thruster emmisions seem like pointless upgrades, especially on your non Master of the Forge Barge, but you have to consider the current meta. Most of your matches will be against fellow Marine players who are also using boarding torpedoes or IN and Ork Players using shortburn torpedoes and zzap/torpedo combo respectively. Giving your barges the ability to move quickly out of the way of torpedo walls and reacon beacons without giving away their positions is invaluable. That coupled with Induction Cells and Runnning Silent has suprised many an opponent who suddenly found 2 maxed out battle bages on top of them.