Space Crusade Mission Dreadnought Space marine choices

[officelinebackeroz]

A great fun game with some annoying rule gaps. One that is annoying me at the moment is what are the choices for Marine players in the Mission Dreadnought missions? My understanding is you must take:
*1 Commander with 3 choices of weapons
*1 Marine with Bolter  
*1 Marine with with a choice of 6 Heavy Weapon
*1 Tarantula Gunner - Become Bolter if Tarantula is destroyed
*The remaining 3 marines are a choice of Heavy Weapons or Bolters

Correct?

[Captin Kabeered]

Hello Office,

It is always good to see another Space Crusade player.

Now to Mission Dreadnaught - This expansion pack adds 3 new Extra Heavy weapons , 1 Tarantula, 2 Space Marines  to each of the Space Marine teams. Along with 2 Red Heavy Weapon dice.

The Blip Counter Value for the Space Marines is as follows:- (The points the Alien Player wins for defeating the troops.)

Space Marine Commander = 10 BCV
Space Marine with Heavy Weapon = 10 BCV
Space Marine with Extra Heavy Weapon = 10 BCV - New in SC: Mission Dreadnaught.
Space Marine with Tarantula = 10 BCV - New in SC: Mission Dreadnaught.
Space Marine with Light Weapon = 5 BCV - Bolter in SC.

Now to look at the team.

The original squad of * = Must have in team

*1 Space Marine Commander choose 1 of the 3 weapon =
Bolt Pistol + Power Axe, Power Glove + Power Sword, Heavy Bolter

Space Marine Weapons:
 Light Weapons:  Bolter, Hand To Hand Combat  (White Combat Dice)

Heavy Weapons: Assault Cannon , Missile Launcher, Plasma Gun (2 Red Combat Dice + Special way of firing.)

Extra Heavy Weapon:  Fusion Gun, Conversion Beam, Las-Cannon (3 Red Combat Dice + Special way of firing.)

*1 Space Marine must carry a heavy weapon.
*1 Space Marine must carry a Bolter (light weapon).

The remaining two Space Marines may choose between carrying a Bolter or a heavy weapon.

So far that is your original 5 Space Marines form SC.

Next Tarantula Team

1 Tarantula Mobile Support Weapon with 2 Las-Cannon Extra heavy weapon.
+ 2 Space Maine Gunners = 1 Space Maine Gunner + 1 Tarantula Control Console , 1 Space Maine Gunner reserve.

The 2 Space Marine Gunners have Bolters.

The 1st one attached to the Tarantula is worth 5 BCV as it has a Bolter.
The 2nd one reserve gunner if you will, has to give up or stop using its weapon when it takes over as gunner.
If the 2nd gunner is defeated it will be worth 5 BCV it has a bolter, as it had to stop using its weapon to fire the tarantula.

The SC Mission Dreadnaught rule book is a bit unclear on how to handle the Tarantula Team. As it starts by saying
" To Man the Tarantula, the Marines' ranks have also been increased by the addition of two more Marines to act as Gunners." (Source Page 4 SC :MD rule book UK.)
Then later on it states " All Marines are trained to operate the Tarantula." (Source Page 8 SC :MD rule book UK.)

It might be best to set up the Space Marine team so that the non started * members i.e. The 2 reminding from the SC team and the Two Gunners From Tarantula team may choose between carrying a Bolter , Heavy weapon or a Extra Heavy weapon.

The tarantula is the 8th space marine = original 4 SM + 1 SMC + 2 SM (Gunners) + 1 Tarantula = 8 member team.

If the Space Marines start with the Tarantula then the 1st gunner is attached to it and counts a regular SM with 5 BCV.

The 2nd Gunner has its weapon of chose. Then when it takes over as gunner it:
(All Space Marines carry a bolter at all times.)

1) Drops its weapon on the ground, [Alien player place equipment blip from SC: Elder Attack] on the square where the weapon was dropped.  i.e. beneath the SM that is the new gunner. When the Gunner and Tarantula move on the equipment blip mark the spot. If another model  steps on the blip token that model may pick up and or use the weapon if the model is able to do so.  

1a) The gunner may come back and re clam weapon later on if it still on the spot.

2) The weapon is removed and the space marine loose that weapon.  When the SM stops being a gunner it is just a normal SM with a bolter = 5 BCV.

3) The weapon is slung on the SM back and unused until after gunner has stopped using the Tarantula. Then the weapon will be unslung and used again  = 10 BCV if SM had Heavy or Extra Heavy weapon , 5 BCV if SM had Bolter.

Oh one more Important note: Extra Heavy Weapons  do not get the bonus when using Order, Equipment (or Alien event cards that specify work on/with Heavy Weapons.

I hope this explanation has been helpful.

Happy questing , and successful missions to all.  

P.S. I always thought it was odd that the Chaos Space Marines Never got the 2 additional CSM or the new Weapons and Tarantula from Mission Dreadnought. This makes the Chaos Space Marines weaker than the SM. Where in SC they were of equal strength and number 5 member in a team, to the SM.