Troop Units (Revised 02/2006)
Let me state this in no uncertain terms: the more Troop units you have, the better off you are. When you're picking out your army for a game, don't look at the Force Organization Chart and groan because you have to take two Troop units. Don't fill these units with the smallest, cheapest squads you can get so you can save points for other stuff. Troops will win you the game.

How's that? Because most players don't sweat Troops (Ork Boyz and Genestealers being the only exceptions). They sweat everything BUT Troops. Doubt me?

When you're fighting Eldar, do you worry about the Guardians or do you worry about the Avatar, the Aspect Warriors, the jetbikes and the Falcons? When you fight Tyranids, do you worry about the Termagants or do you worry about the Hive Tyrants, the Lictors, the Carnifexes? Think Imperial Guard and you think tanks. Think Dark Eldar and you think...well, all kinds of icky things, but I bet you think about those Incubi and Wyches and Ravagers and everything else in their codex before you think about the Warrior Squads. 

But as I've said before, don't sweat the big guns, sweat the little guys, because they're the ones who typically have the best chance of accomplishing the mission and winning the game for you. How? Because, if you've picked your army right, there's a lot more of them then there are of the HQ and Elites and anything else.

Space Marines have but two Troop choices: Tactical Marines and Scouts. But there are a number of ways you can configure them to play different battlefield roles. I use Tactical Marines in what I call "assault," and "defensive" modes. I also have "Assault Scouts," "Tactical Scouts," and "Devastator Scouts." I'll describe each below. 

Tigers of Rudra: Tactical Marines (Assault Mode)
I have four units designed to swiftly maneuver toward the enemy and shoot them full of holes. 

Here's what I take--and why:
These squads take advantage of the Cleanse and Purify Trait Advantage. When configuring my Tactical Squads for "assault" mode, I take each as a ten-strong squad (170 points) as follows:

• Sergeant and seven Space Marines w/ boltguns; 
• One Space Marine w/ meltagun; and
• One Space Marine w/ flamer. 

These units don't wait for the enemy to come to them: each has a Rhino with extra armor and smoke launchers (sometimes I'll throw in a searchlight and/or pintle-mounted storm bolter). Why so much stuff on a transport vehicle? Remember, emphasize quality over quantity. The Rhino is not just a taxi to get the squad there and be dismissed, it is an integral part of the squad: without it, the squad is going nowhere and probably won't be able to complete its objective. 

I am not ever interested in fighting fair. Playing fair, absolutely; fighting fair, no. One of my favorite tactics is to send two of these squads after a single large enemy unit. One Rhino pulls up alongside the enemy's right, one Rhino pulls up alongside the enemy's left. Twenty Marines get out; flamers spew burning death and guns blaze; 20 Marines congratulate each other on a job well done, and get back in their Rhinos to find more victims.

See why I say that Troops will win you the game?

Here's what I don't take--and why:
I tend to move these units around so much that they would hardly ever get to use heavy weapons; hence, I leave the the big guns at home. Many players like to give each Tactical Squad a heavy weapon "just in case," and there is merit in that: heavy weapons are relatively inexpensive and can come in handy. But I'm not purchasing these squads for long-range firepower--that's the job of other units in my army. I'm purchasing these squads for mobility and close-range dakka. 

Some players like to give their Veteran Sergeants power weapons or power fists, but under the latest rules for rapid-fire weapons, one would have to give up firing a squad's bolters so that the Veteran Sergeant could charge in. Given the way I configure my squads, I'd rather have all those extra shots, thanks. 

Tigers of Rudra: Tactical Marines (Defensive Mode)
Much as I appreciate close combat, there are some armies I'm in no hurry to tango with. I'm content to let Blood Angels, Tyranids, Orks, Khornate Space Marines, and even Dark Eldar (to some extent) do most of the walking. Of course you never, EVER just wait in your deployment zone and shoot: even if you're going to use shooting as your main tactic, you still have some part of your army move around so you aren't surrounded, and you still count on using hand-to-hand combat to finish off the enemy.

Here's what I take--and why:
I've configured six Tactical Squads in what I call "defensive" mode. Heavy weapons are cheap when purchased for Tactical Squads, so I keep the size of these units small to maximize the number of special and heavy weapons I can purchase. Many players sneer at this practice and call it "min/maxxing": I call it smart army design. Remember, one man's cheese is another man's brilliance.

These squads are:

• Sergeant and three Marines w/ boltguns; and,
• One Marine w/ missile launcher (85 points). 
• The Sergeant may be upgraded to Veteran Sergeant w/ storm bolter for +20 points

•  Sergeant and three Marines w/ boltguns; 
• one Marine w/ plasma gun; 
• one Marine w/ missile launcher (110 points)

• Sergeant and three Marines w/ boltguns; 
• one Marine w/ plasma cannon (95 points). 
• Sergeant may be upgraded to Veteran Sergeant w/ storm bolter for +20 points

• Sergeant and two Marines w/ boltguns; 
• one Marine w/ plasma gun; 
• one Marine w/ heavy bolter (90 points)

• Sergeant and three Marines w/ boltguns; 
• one Marine w/ plasma gun; 
• one Marine w/ lascannon (115 points)

• Sergeant and three Marines w/ boltguns; 
• one Marine w/ plasma gun; 
• one Marine w/ lascannon (115 points)

Here's what I don't take--and why:
In "defensive" mode, I don't normally give squads a Rhino (because they're meant to sit back and shoot). 

"The Fighting Tiger Recruitment Drive"
In 2004, I decided to substantially expand my Scout collection from four squads of five Scouts each to six squads of 10 Scouts each. If desired, I can fill up the Troops allotment in a Standard Force Organization chart with nothing but Scouts. For background or “fluff” purposes, I explain that the Fighting Tigers of Veda suffered heavy casualties during the Blood Deserts of Auros IX Campaign and have launched a massive effort to increase their numbers.

Tigers of Puchan: "Assault" Scouts
Scouts with bolt pistols and close combat weapons are an easy and relatively inexpensive way to add hand-to-hand punch to Space Marine armies. Their Infiltration skill and ability to move quickly through difficult terrain nicely complement their fighting style, and I've found that they're frequently underestimated by the enemy. After all, "they're just Scouts...."

Here's what I take--and why:
I have two of these units; for each one, I take a ten-strong squad (148 points) as follows:

• Veteran Scout Sergeant with bolter-flamer; and
• Nine Scouts with bolt pistols and close combat weapons.

Here's what I don't take--and why:
Heavy weapons are obviously out for squads that intend to rapidly close with the enemy and fighting in close combat. I gave serious thought to arming all the Scouts with shotguns, just because:

• I could use Games Workshop Escher gangers for figures; and 
• Shotguns look cool.

Tigers of Puchan: "Tactical" Scouts
For the longest time, I simply relied on my Scouts with the sniper rifles, but after a while, I wanted some Scouts that could take advantage of their Infiltration ability and engage in short-range firefights, either to attack specific targets ("Good-bye, Mr. Ork Dreadnought") or just soften up the enemy for an assault by other Tiger units. I call these my "tactical" Scouts, because they operate similarly to Tactical Marines.

Here's what I take--and why:
I have two of these units; for each one, I take a ten-strong squad (140 points) as follows:

• Scout Sergeant with bolter or Veteran Scout Sergeant with bolter-flamer (+18 points);
• Eight Scouts with bolters; and
• One Scout with a missile launcher.

One of my favorite tactics is to take both units of "Tactical" Scouts and "leapfrog" down the field: one unit standing still to provide support fire (including the mighty, mighty missile launcher), the other unit moving forward, firing their bolters at anything within 12". The squads alternate moving and firing.

Here's what I don't take--and why:
These squads are designed to shoot up enemy infantry from a ways off, not get stuck in, so I don't give the squad grenades, nor do I provide Veteran Scout Sergeants with power weapons. 

Tigers of Puchan: "Devastator" Scouts
I have two units of Scouts whose role is to provide supporting fire. A lot of players regard Scouts as cannon fodder, but there is no such thing as an expendable Space Marine--not even a Scout. If the scenario will let me, I will use Infiltration to get behind some cover (out of enemy assault range) and fire from there. 

Here's what I take--and why:
I have two of these units; for each one, I take a ten-strong squad (175 points) as follows:

• Scout Sergeant with bolter or Veteran Scout Sergeant with storm bolter (+18 points);
• Eight Scouts with sniper rifles; and
• One Scout with a heavy bolter.

Knowing that infiltrating Scout squads may be too tempting for the enemy to ignore (no matter how far away I place them), sometimes I upgrade the Sergeant to a Veteran Scout Sergeant with an auspex (for sniffing out enemy infiltrators) and a storm bolter. 

Sometimes, I'll let each Veteran Scout Sergeant have a teleport homer. Then I'll wait patiently as an enemy unit or two closes in on my Scouts--by which time, I've made my Reserve roll and a Tactical Terminator Squad teleports in on top of the Scouts (remember, teleport homers insure that the Termies won't deviate). Man, it's gotta be a real bear to go halfway across the board to squish some weedy Scouts only to find yourself ambushed by Termies. I almost feel sorry for the other player. Almost.

Here's what I don't take--and why:
These squads are designed to shoot up enemy infantry from a long way off, so I don't give the squad grenades or equip the Veteran Scout Sergeants power weapons "just in case" of enemy assaults. If trouble comes along, the Scouts should have enough starting distance between them and the enemy to shoot them up or retreat.

I could give the Scout Sergeant a sniper rifle, but the figures I bought for them don't have those weapons. C'est la vie.
 
 

Next page (pg 6): Fighting Tiger Fast Attack Previous page (pg 4): Fighting Tiger Elites

Related Pages
Fighting Tiger Troops
Gallery: Tigers of Rudra
Gallery: Tigers of Puchan
Gallery: Fighting Tiger Rhinos
Gallery: Fighting Tiger Razorbacks
 

Revised February 2006.

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