Warpstone Flux Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4/5 stars. The rules are good.
Background.
Commencing our review of the Fast Attack slots are the legion seeker squads. This squad is the brain child of the Alpha Legion. Its purpose is to destroy the command structure of the enemy by placing the best shots in the legion in the right place to take out whatever sorry excuse the enemy had for a leader or priest (etc.). They come with special ammo, although clearly their use is better suited to some legions than others.
Strengths.
With BS=5, these marines are indeed good shots. The Kraken Bolter comes with both Tempest and Scorpius rounds, both of which have their place should you need to ignore cover saves and the likes.
What they do have that is a great combination is infiltrate with precision shots (and Marked for Death also helps too). This combination allows the squad to be very effective at their mission purpose.
More than this is the customization that can be undertaken with the unit. Multiple combi-meltas could spell doom for high value targets with the right circumstances and set up and this fundamentally makes them more than just a bolt gun squad, but a threat to many.
Weaknesses.
The leadership is weak here. It is probably best to think of this squad as serving its purpose after round 2 has concluded. If they've survived that long and shot down some targets, then they've done well enough I would think. For a fast attack choice, they also not very fast unless you want to buy them a rhino or other carrier. You're reliant on infiltrate otherwise which will, of course, be perfectly sufficient.
Difference to First Edition.
Mainly neutral. Although note that Scorpius Rounds now lack AP2. Drat. You can take a nemesis bolter here, but other squads can do this almost as well, so I don't see much point. Chain bayonets are also interesting options.
Builds.
5 Seekers, Melta Bombs, 2 combi-meltas, sergeant with power fist and artificer armour (175 points).
Small and a bit of a Swiss army knife style of unit ready to take on a variety of threats as needed.
10 Seekers, 10 combi-plasma (280 points).
Very much like a tactical support squad, but with infiltration and those other special rules. Its hilarious when it works well. Could be even better unloading out of a land raider.
10 Seekers, Sergeant with power fist and artificer armour (205 points).
Something of a more basic set up that will suffice for sharp shooting enemy sergeants and the like. Might be worth taking a combi-disintegrator here for the sergeant. Take chain bayonets if you're expecting to charge in after shooting (225 points total for this instead).
To be fair whilst they don't have automatic AP2, Scorpius Bolts a) still have AP2 on a 4 to wound i.e. if you're wounding a Space Marine he's dead unless he has a Invulnerable save, the range has been increased to 24'' (previously I think they were 18)and are now Assault 1 instead of Rapid fire. Plus they've lost Get Hot.
ReplyDeleteGiven that MOST of the time in HH you're going to be facing fellow Space Marines I think they've actually improved in 2nd Edition. The only grip I have , and the only thing that would lead me to give them a 4 out of 5 is that they've lost their status of scoring units.
I tend to use them not only as specialised kill units, but as a means to get my Deep Striking units more of less where I want them with a Nuncio vox.