As part of my reboot, I'm reading and studying the "new" Space Marines Codex and Ultramarines Supplement.
In that review, I have had something in my mind, scratching away.
The 10th Company of Ultramarine (and probably all Space Marines) is now composed of "10 squads of Vanguard marines" and an undisclosed unimportant number of scouts and aspirants.
Vanguard marines essentially are only listed in the Company organization for 10th.
So, what exactly constitutes the Vanguard marines?
A cool resource seems to provide me an answer here:
https://warhammer40k.fandom.com/wiki/Vanguard_Space_Marine
- A Vanguard Space Marine is a Primaris Space Marine who serves as a covert operator.
- The entire Vanguard Marine force of a Codex Astartes-compliant Space Marine Chapter is normally contained within the 10th Company and is commanded by the Captain who bears the title of Master of Reconnaissance.
- The primary squads found among the Vanguard Space Marines include Vanguard Infiltrators, Vanguard Suppressors and Vanguard Eliminators.
OK, pretty cool. But why then does GW always show Vanguard marines in 2nd Company paint schemes? Well, this web page proposes an answer...Battle-Brothers from a Chapter's Reserve Companies may be temporarily seconded to the foremost Battle Companies as Vanguard Space Marines, taking on the colours and markings of their new company for the duration of their service.
I find that explanation kind of weak.
So, being a codex compliant kind of guy, I'll just take all of my Vanguard Marines and keep them marked for 10th Company. Further review has the Captain, 2 lieutenants, librarian(s), Impulsors, Invictor War Suits, and Helix Adepts in that same livery.
Interestingly, I think the designers sort of "messed up" by just not adding "Vanguard" as a key word. Instead they have others that don't really capture the entire new group as a range.
Overall, I just need to get busy. There is a FLG tournament day this Saturday, but it overlaps with some other events and a meeting I need to be at. What I really need to do is have a game or three at home before taking stuff out on the road.
Overall, I need to target what new units I need to get - must buys - in order to convert to a modern collection that is good for matched play.
Right now my "new collection" looks like:
Primarch Roboute Guilliman
NEW Marneus Calgar Chapter Master
Vanguard Lieutenant
Vanguard Captain
Vanguard Librarian
2 Victrix Guard
1 10-man Squad Vanguard Infiltrators w/ Helix Adept
1 3-man Squad Centurions
1 3-man Squad Vanguard Eliminators
1 3-man Squad Vanguard Suppressors
1 3-man Squad Inceptors
1 3-man Squad Aggressors
So, where do I go from here?
2 squads of Intercessors?
Leviathan Dread?
2 more squads of Eliminators?
Since everything new is not yet really 3rd Company, do I do all the new (not Vanguard) units as 4th?
It is just so much.
Should I just net-list the best Ultramarine winning list?
Comments always appreciated.
MING
