I was looking at my rulebook the other day and I noticed that a Techmarine can take a heavy bolter through the signature Wargear option and I was just wondering is it better to take a techmarine w/ a heavy bolter because of the additional skills and servo-arm that comes included. I think that it would be cool to have a techmarine w/ a heavy bolter but I am also not sure If the techmarine can take the backpack ammunition. There seems to be nothing about not being able to have an aditional ammo supply on top of the techmarine back-pack. This also is a question of multiple backpacks on a single person, like a jump pack and a ammo supply

Just want to get some opinions

Well, do you want to play up the Techie/Tech priest side of a tech marine, or the heavy weapons guy, name your gun sorta person.

From the sound of it, you probably should go techmarine. Do make sure to run by your GM how he wants to handle mechadendrites/servo arms, and the ammo backpack.

It all depends on what is most important to you. If you just want to shoot things at range, the Dev is the way to go. If you care about the Techmarine stuff - being incredibly tough, all of the servo-arms and other additions, and the technological knowledge - you'll want to stay with the Tech. The Tech won't be as good at range as the Dev but he has a ton of unique stuff that, IMO, more than makes up for it.

As for the backpack question, I don't think I've seen the exact situation addressed in the book. The general consensus is that you can't wear multiple backpacks, so no ammo pack + jetpack. You should check with your GM on whether an ammo backpack would be allowed. I've never heard of one on a Techmarine, but maybe some of those more familiar with the tabletop will know more on if such a thing has ever come up. Personally, my first thought would be to not allow that. Despite that, keep in mind that you'll still have the normal clip size of ammo for the HB.

Well, in TT (and even with the missile launcher description), there are some depictions of the ammo back pack having a servo arm like device on it. Also, mechadendrties/servo arms are not really an entire "backpack" in the same sense that an ammo pack or a jump pack are mutually exclusive. Still, yes, a HB at least has its base clip size, which if you're using the new firing rules, means a total of 10 full auto bursts, which is still pretty nice. Also, requisition a servitor for ammo or something, I dunno.

Well, what do you want your character to be good at? Devastators can be incredible at laying waste to hordes and just about anything else. Tech-marines have more non-combat options and are tougher.

As for the backpack question, I went with servo-arms, jumpacks and backpack ammo supplies being incompatible with each other in my campaign.

Hey you guys

Thanks for the opinions

I will ask my GM how he feels on the backback matter, but I think that he will go for it.

one of my players has just started with a techmarine and wants to build a 'tank' focused on close combat (having seen the servo arm damage i dont blame him), a few questions

if he uses a close combat weapon like a power axe I take it he can also make a servo arm attack inaddition to this in a round?

What skills should he pick up to enhance close combat ? (to be fair he is also fairly balanced with security and demolitions skills)

Which bionics should he focus on? he already has a bionic arm, I take it he would need to use signature wargear to get better quality implaments and eventually artificer armour

Hardrainfalling said:

Yes he can attack with the servo-arm in addition but at the cost of being unable to parry/dodge until next turn because his reaction is spent. This is no problems against hordes though where you can't p/d anyway. Also if the team employs Tactical Spacing, they can share reactions and that might enable him to attack with his own reaction and parry with the reaction someone in support range "donated".

Not sure about the rest.

Alex

I don't think that there are many skills a Tech can take to increase close combat effect, so buying up WS is the best bet. If they only get one attack, then you might as well work on getting it as high as possible and then perhaps consider the feint combat action. Master wargear of a weapon of some kind may help, and if you want to be *really* tank, then the adamantine cloak is even more amrour and a feint bonus.

Siranui said:

You can go Deathwatch Champion, of course.

Alex

/facepalm. Of course!

Siranui said:

It's a less obvious combination though. I kinda like these not-so-obvious combos. That's also why my Dev picked Immovable Warrior back when UD was teh sh*t. Techmarine + Forgemaster is probably effective but a path that many people explore. Techmarine + DW Champion.... hmmmm. Techmarine and DW Keeper would be another very interesting combo, although not melee-bound.

Alex

ak-73 said:

This opens up a heck of a lot of RP situations in my head. A marine who knows the secrets of the Deathwatch AND the Machine Cult? Could have all manner of political issues with the marine knowing far more than he should.

The more I think about it, the more I want a sourcebook on Erioch, the watch, and a couple of Erioch/vault -based adventures. There's huge scope there, and grounds for letting Keepers *use* their toy in play.

Forgemaster is so darned good that I have a hard time conceiving of anything else!

On the other hand, it doesn't really bring you much that Techmarine does not (except for its special abilty, and that one is cool).

Of course, the artificer armor is "free", but the specialty itself costs 2000 XP (so you can say more like 800 'cause artificer armor sig wargear is 1200).