|
Though Scouts can stand on their own, especially
the Fire Support Scouts, where they really shine is in combination
with other Space Marine units. From a background point of
view, this pairing of Scouts with other units makes sense.
Space Marine Scouts represent the young recruits who have
not yet earned the right to don power armour and join their
battle brothers as full Space Marines. Thus, it is natural
to assume that Space Marine squads mentor their younger brethren
in the arts of war by pairing with them on the battlefield.
You can almost hear the elder Space Marines saying, "Hah!
You call that fighting, young Brother Scout? Now, let me show
you how it's done!"
 For
example, a unit of Hand-to-Hand Scouts can be paired with
a Space Marine Assault Squad. Both squads are intended to
assault enemy infantry, and both squads are well suited to
do so. The Hand-to-Hand Scouts can strike first, charging
from their forward positions to hold the enemy in place while
the Assault Squad uses its jump packs to close the distance
and either join the Hand-to-Hand Scouts in the melee or Charge
another nearby enemy. The Hand-to-Hand Scouts have supported
the Assault Squad and in turn is supported by the jump pack
Space Marines should the Scouts get in trouble.
Tactical Scouts work well together with a full-fledged Space
Marine Tactical Squad. The Scouts can “leapfrog”
with the Tactical Squad, the young Astartes providing covering
fire while the Tactical Squad moves up into position and then
vice versa. Both units can shoot and assault more or less
to equal effect, a fact that gives a Space Marine player the
chance to combine or split his offensive ability at will.
 Fire
Support Scouts are, of course, paired with Devastator Squads
(and other Heavy Support units). The Scouts can provide plenty
of antipersonnel firepower to free the Devastator Squad to
concentrate on antitank attacks. The sniper rifles can keep
low-Leadership armies – such as the Lost and the Damned,
Tau, and Orks – pinned down while the Devastator Squad’s
lascannons or plasma cannons wreak havoc on the enemy vehicles.
In the case that the enemy has lots of troops with high Toughness
or heavy armour (such as Plague Marines or Chaos Terminators),
both squads can concentrate their fire to eliminate the infantry
threat.
Like cogs in a machine, Scouts function well when working
together with other elements in a Space Marine army. While
they are able to accomplish their mission on their own, Scouts
can assist and be assisted by other units for even greater
results. When you take a combined-arms approach with Space
Marine Scouts, it is often an unexpected tactic and may throw
your opponent off-balance, so consider giving it a try!
Next:
Manoeuvres
|
