Optimal Marine set ups?

[AlynDavies]

Whats the optimal Marine set ups for the game?

Blood Angel:
What do you guys think about the best set ups for the Marine commanders?  I've been trying to work out the optimal set ups for the teams.

Captain:
possibly bolt pistol and power axe?

bolt pistol equipment card - 1 extra white dice, in hand to hand combat to anyone carrying a bolt pistol (2 red, 1 white dice)  
Close assault blades equipment card - attack anyone diagonally using a bolter and they use 1 less dice in defense
Targeter equipment card - re-roll one dice when firing with a bolter


Imperial Fists:
Captain:
Heavy Bolter?
Combi weapon equipment card - Heavy Bolter can be used as a Plasma gun


Ultra Marines:
Captain:
Power Fist and Glove?


Any thought guys? :)

[Tony1978]

Hi.
After having played a lot of missions I realized that the main tactic in Space Crusade is hand-to-hand combat.
Alien player usually send waves of aliens to overrun a single marine squad. Even a gretchin is more deadly in hand-to-hand than in range combat: 18,52% to kill a marine in h-t-h combat VS 8,33% to kill it with a range weapon!

So, marine players usually try to focus on weapons and equipment that ameliorate melee attacks.
That's the tipical setup of a squad with a sergeant:
Marine commander with sword and glove (even the Imperial fists!).
At least 2 marines with bolter.
Equipment cards: bolt pistol, blind grenade, melta bomb, targeter.
Blood angels have also the choice of close assault blades and bionic arm.

[AlynDavies]

Thanks for the reply.  So if you had 2 marines with bolters, which heavy weapon would you leave out?  and what weapon would you use for the targeter?

[Tony1978]

I leave out the assault cannon because I prefer the unlimited range of the plasma gun and the areal attack of the rocket launcher.
I prefer to put the targeter to the rocket launcher.

[AlynDavies]

great thanks :)

[Metal Bawks]

While I agree that close combat is the Alien's forte, I have a somewhat different opinion as to the optimal weapon choices.

Of the heavy weapons, I actually prefer the Assault Cannon because it's impossible to avoid. Unless you take Bolt Pistols, Bolter marines are no stronger than heavy weapon marines and even if you do it's only a marginal difference. I say take the heavy weapons because they're the only thing that can kill more than 1 alien per turn. Blood Angels are the only chapter I'd consider taking Bolters for, but you need 2 equipment cards for that - something you can't afford until you get honor badges.

Blood Angel:
Cmdr - Power Sword + Fist
Marines - all three heavy weapons. However, if I have some honor badges, I might try three Bolters instead. The idea is to deny the Alien player points by rushing in, getting enough points for a win, and pulling out.

Equipment:
Force Field (probably the best item in the game)
Blind Grenades
Melta Bomb (to kill the dreadnought, or help one of the Marines kill a Genestealer)
Bionic Arm (re-roll is always good)
-other cards are nice, but your Commander is more important IMO.

Imperial Fists:
Cmdr - Power Sword + Fist
Marines - all three heavy weapons. No discussion.

Equipment:
Suspensors (the only real advantage the Fists have over the other chapters)
Blind Grenades
Melta Bomb
Targeter for Assault Cannon
-Bionic Eye and Combi-weapon are worthless IMO. Bolt Pistols are almost useless as well - heavy weapons are your strength.

Ultramarines
Cmdr - Power Sword +  Fist, though I might consider Bolt Pistol + Power Axe if I have Digital Weapons
Marines - all three h. weapons

Equipment:
Medikit (almost as good as the Force Field)
Digital Weapons
Melta Bomb
Blind Grenades
-Scanner is less useful than it looks IMO, and rarely makes a difference. Bolt Pistols are weak, too - take heavy weapons instead.


Orders:
-Fire! is probably the best one. Use it early because each dead marine makes this order less effective.
-Move it! is not as good, best used for a quick getaway, though it can help if your squad becomes split up (something you should normally avoid)
-By Sections! is not as good as the above two, but offers more flexibility.
-Heavy Weapon! is better than it looks. Used correctly, it will allow you to clean out a room or corridor and retreat to safety.
-Photon Grenades! is poor.  To make it work you also need Combat Blades, and it only works for one turn.
-Close Assault! is almost useless. You want to avoid hand-to-hand combat with your marines.

[Mezillious]

The way I explain it to new players is like this:

"Blood Angles focus on hand to hand"
Commander + Powerfist & Power Sword
1 Marine with Missile Launcher
3 Marines with Bolters

ORDERS
Move It card - Only really useful option for this loadout in my opinion

EQUIPMENT
Bionic Arm - Gives an advantage over the Dreadnought in hand-to-hand
Forcefield - Makes you all but invincible to gretchins, orks & chaos marines w/ bolters (All need to roll the equivalent of doubles 6s to hit)
Bolt Pistols - All Bolters roll 1 extra LWD
Close Assault Blades - All Bolters can attack diagonally with 3 LWD, opponent rolls 1 less

"Imperial Fist focus on heavy weapons"
Commander + Heavy Bolter
1 Marine with Bolter
3 Marines with all heavy weapons

ORDERS
By Sections card - Allows moving OR firing for each marine, very versatile

EQUIPMENT
Bionic Eye - Gives re-roll when firing
Suspensors - Whole squad can move 6 squares and stay together/cover more ground
Combi-Weapon - Commander can fire as plasma gun
Targeter - Placed on the plasma gun means the plasma gunner gets it as well as the Commander getting an extra re-roll when firing as a plasma gun

"Ultramarines are kind of in the middle"
Commander + Powerfist & Power Sword OR Bolt Pistol & Power Axe
1 Marine with Bolter
3 Marines with all heavy weapons

ORDERS
By Sections card - Allows moving OR firing for each marine, very versatile

EQUIPMENT
Digital Weapons - Gives re-roll when firing OR in hand-to-hand
Medkit - Survivability for Ultramarines Commander
Targeter - Placed on Missile Launcher for maximum splash damage
Targeter - Placed on Plasma Gun for maximum skewering damage

If I'm playing BA I'm usually trying to make use of the close assault blades whenever I can, ie attacking on the diagonal. I usually play my Commander last and place him in front of my team to take fire from enemies. If I'm playing UM then my Bolter is the scout with the Commander usually hanging around the heavy weapons team with a power sword & power fist. Bolter spots the targets, heavy weapons move in and engage from a distance. Commander stays close to deal with fast units or unexpected H2H (Soulstealers etc). If I'm playing IF it's run and gun. The whole squad moves as one, again using the Bolter as the scout (I see him as the most expendable unless playing BA) but the squad stays fairly close to avoid the odd marine being picked off in H2H. Down side with this loadout for IF is that you have absolutely no answer to H2H attacks like Soulstealers, so don't stray too far from the Blood Angels!

[Gold Bearer]

I should have posted this: http://the-lost-and-the-damned.664610.n2.nabble.com/Lets-Talk-Some-Strategy-tp7581852p7582072.html
here.

"The way I explain it to new players is like this:

"Blood Angles focus on hand to hand"
Commander + Powerfist & Power Sword
1 Marine with Missile Launcher
3 Marines with Bolters

ORDERS
Move It card - Only really useful option for this loadout in my opinion..."

What about Photon Grenades? You know it stacks with the close assault blades right?