This is assuming you've read the book yourself and know what everything's stats are. This is also a very quick glance; things will probably be wrong in time when the book is properly tested.
Special rules: Combat Squads are always great. Loss of Ultramarine Combat Tactics is going to be unusual to adapt to.
Warlord Table: Angel is useless, The Imperium's Sword is average, Storm of Fire is pretty nice, Rites of War is quite good, Iron Resolve is only good if your HQ is going into close combat regularly enough, Champion of Humanity is eh. Probably better to go with BRB warlord traits if you can.
Chapter Tactics: Ultramarines have a decent one. You can't go wrong but it doesn't stand out in any particular area. Assault Doctrine will be the least useful for sure. White Scars, wow where did you guys even come from?! It emphasises the use of bikes for very obvious reasons. We'll have to see how good bike armies can do but if they do well, White Scars have an excellent chapter tactic. Imperial Fists require devastators or centurions to do well and the latter are a risk. Overall quite decent though. Black Templars are pretty naff in the tactics department, up until we look at Crusader Squads that is. Iron Hands isn't impressive but I'm pretty certain they'll be all-stars of mech lists. Salamanders aren't too bad, lots of rerolls and a free mastercrafted weapon, why not? Not amazing however until Vulkan gets into the picture. Raven Guard isn't too shabby, free scout means you're going to have a great alpha strike if anything. The other bit isn't good because, well, assault squads.
Overall, White Scars have the best all around, Salamanders next and Ultramarines third.
Marneus Calgar: Still a grab-bag of tricks that don't really offer much synergy. Loss of combat tactics means God of War is actually good now. Eternal Warrior, thank goodness. Two combat doctrines is decent though but 3 rolls on an average. He's still too expensive for what he offers. Not really justifying his points. 3 honour guard squads is 3 blocks of expensiveness. Too much points. TOO MANY POINTS.
Captain Sicarius: Battle-Forged Heroes isn't too bad actually. Neither is Rites of Battle. Surprise Attack is... okay, I just don't get why it's here or what it offers for Sicarius. All in all he's not really that bad, just a bit costly for what he does. Much less costly than Calgar. You can get away with Sicarius.
Tigurius: The rumour of him tapping into the Hive Mind is a bit wank if you ask me. Stat wise, what more could you want? He has arguably the best warlord trait from this book, he's very flexible in his psychic powers and cna reroll what he gets so you have a better chance of getting what he wants and he even rerolls failed psychic tests. he may actually justify 165 points. The Ultramarine go-to named HQ if you have to have one.
Cassius: I really have no idea about this guy. What am I meant to do with a 130 point Chaplain? Toughness 6 is cute but he really doesn't seem like he does much. I'd rather have Tigurius for some juicy buffs and powers.
Telion: If you're taking scouts, Telion isn't bad. Free stealth, a heavy 2 sniper or 'you have my BS instead this time' isn't at all bad. I'm not a fan of scouts though. Could do much worse.
Chronus: For 50 points you give a tank It Will Not Die, immunity to stun and shaken and BS5. Iron Hands outright don't care but it doesn't seem worth 50 points for me.
Kor'Sarro Kahn: Why doesn't this guy just get his bike for free? Seriously. Khan is cheap and the reason you take him other for the fact that he's worth his points is because he gives all your bikes the better part of the Rave Guard chapter tactic. Your army is going to be full of bikes, maybe even transports. Warlord trait is hit or miss but he definitely cements himself as a great HQ.
Vulkan He'Stan: No more master crafted thunderhammers sadly. On the plus side, very little changed. Slight point increase but he makes all melta in the detachment twin-linked. He now also has digital weapons, woo. Vulkan is still a beast but the drop in mech and subsequently melta means that rerolling meltas may not be as viable. Still a beast but no longer king.
Shrike: Looks like you can't carpet bomb assault terminators anymore. It was a shoddy gimmick anyway. A single unit infiltrating is okay. Raven Guard will be a very in-your-face affair but the fact is White Scars get mass scout too and they don't have a 185 point HQ that really doesn't do a whole lot of anything.
Lysander: A 230 point walking tank of a HQ. Expensive but Lysander is decently hench enough to justify it. A S10 thunderhammer, 2+/3++ (and an iron halo, good for those pesky vindicares I guess? Or an oversight we'll never know), eternal warrior, decent chapter tactics. The only issue is 230 points is a lot; you're going to need to ram him into every close combat you cna get to make the most out of him.
Pedro Kantor: Why is he this many points? His abilities don't work well together. You want to take lots of Sternguard but why is giving everyone +1 attack going to help shooting specialists? In an army that wants lots of vehicles, including Dreadnoughts and Techmarines? He just doesn't make sense from a design perspective. To make the most out of his ability you need to have at least 2 sternguard units, a Master of the Forge to take advantage of the chapter tactics, also so you can have dreadnoughts in non-elite slots. You also need enough close combat units (by this I mean hammernators) which either relies on assault squads or assault terminators. In your elite slot.
185 points for this and an assault 4 stormbolter? Why am I paying 185 points for this?
Helbrecht: Welcome to the Space Marine family. This is why Black Templars are still good despite chaff tactics. Warlord trait works well with his intended purpose (close combat), comes with a combi-melta (not sure why but sure, why not), Master crafted power weapon that gives you +d3 charge attack bonus. Once per game, boardwide fleet and hatred in an army that wants to charge and wants rerolls. This is worth paying 180 points because he makes your army better, he ruins people in challenges and nothing is wasted.
Grimaldus: Expensive but a 6" fearless/hatred bubble is certainly not bad. He also gives a 12" LD10 bubble. All in all, expensive but hench. Both Black Templar characters are great and it suits them fine; the tactics aren't great but the special characters and crusader squads make the army. Suitably in-theme. He can also have servitors who give a 6++ bubble within 6" for 30-50 points. Not really impressive.
Emperor's Champion: No longer mandatory! Otherwise he's a challenge-based hero. He's cute in his gimmick department; either +2 strength and strike at init 1 and lose an attack for two-handed or Killing Blow. AP2 is decent but he's expensive for a challenge HQ with no customisation.
Chapter Master: For 40 points over a captain you get orbital bombardment, an extra attack and wound and access to honour guard. When you start to take upgrades and get him to a suitable level of kitted out you'll wonder why you didn't take a special character or better yet, a captain. Like in the old book they cost too much for what they offer, which is so very little over a captain.
Honour Guard: Helbrecht can have these apparently. Nice to know. You're still paying 135 points base for WS5 veterans with power weapons and a 2+ save with no access to invulns. You can change what weapons they have but otherwise you're looking at a very small, expensive squad that really offers you little. A cute retinue if anything but no access to bikes, jump packs, no customisation, no invuln save means they lack a lot. Better than they once were, still not really good enough.
Captain: Because the Captain wasn't good enough already, 10 points has been chipped off this guy. Relic Blades are 5 points cheaper but Artificer armour is 5 points more expensive. Okay then. This guy is still a budget combat HQ that can be kitted out without breaking the bank. If you want to break the bank he's still 40 points cheaper than a chapter master with no real drawbacks other than an attack and a wound. You can't go wrong with a kitted out Captain. Still gives non-White Scars bike troops.
Command Squad: 5 veterans for 100 points. They can take melee weapons, combi-weapons, bikes, stormshields. They're a cheap, reasonable close combat focused unit you cna get for a captain, libraria, chaplain or named of any of those three in your army. Don't overupgrade them and they should be fine.
Librarian: Wow. They made him even cheaper and more flexible. Mastery level 3 is 115 points. I guess the 5 point increase over chaos sorcerers is for the psychic good. Telekinesis and Telepathy are both great choices. Sorry Black Templars, you'll have to ally to get librarians. Solid choice, especially considering they can get command squads now.
Chaplain: Really doesn't do much. A better close combat HQ is a Captain. I guess Zealot is nice but not worth it. Also gets command squads. So do captains and librarians.
Master of the Forge: The one unit that was often overlooked got better. He got a 10 point drop and gets both a bolter and bolt pistol. He still makes all dreadnoughts heavy as well as elite, a slew of options and chapter relics. The only downside is he can't get a command squad but that's a small price to pay for his general utility.
Techmarines: Formerlly a piece of shit, now that they don't take up HQ slots they're not terrible. Servitors are a bit average but all in all it's just the same as before without the guilt that they take up an elite slot. They still offer very little.
Tactical Marines: 1 point less! Special or heavy for a 5 man squad! Nothing much else to say other than past errors have been washed away. Solid backbone of the army. Not amazing by any standards but they're all-arounders.
Scouts: The cheap alternative. If you give them camo cloaks and sniper rifles they... cost as much as tacticals. I never really saw the deal with scouts and I still really don't.
Crusader Squads: This is what will make or break Black Templars. They have a lot of cons going for them: Can be armed with bolters or CCWs at no cost. A special and heavy no matter the squad size means MSU and large squads alike always get the benefit, no need for 10 men like tacticals. 7 men, sure! Champion tax is optional. Land Raider as a dedicated transport is okay. Squad max size of 20. They are by and large one of the best reasons Templar players should have no worries, seeing as they have great troops.
Rhino: Still great.
Razorback: Woah, you cost more. TL heavy flamer is now 10 points less but the TL assault cannon, TL Lascannon and Las/Plas cost the same. The Bolterback costs 15 points more though. Boo whooping hoo. Still great.
Drop Pod: Still unimpressive. That 5 points off the Deathwind Launcher isn't going to make me want to take one. 2 less men inside. Eh.
Land Speeder Storm: No longer taking up valuable FOC slots. 5 points less and weapons have been slashed down. Much needed but I'm still not convinced; paper thin transports suit the Dark Eldar. We'll have to see.
Vanguard Veterans: You guys are elite now? You guys cost 30 less points now? Your sergeant lost its power weapon? Your jump packs are only 3 points each? Your heroic intervention changed so you can't charge after deep striking?
Not seeing it.
Sternguard Veterans: 5 points less. Woo hoo. 3 points cheaper. Combi weapons costing more is going to make things interesting. Special ammo is still excellent. Why is there an option to take a stormbolter? Weapons are somewhat more expensive but Sternguard are still solid shooting specialists.
Dreadnought: I'm seeing a common theme of 'cut 5 points here' creeping into this codex. Prices don't seem to have changed. I wonder what could be the- WAIT A MINUTE. Venerable Dreadnoughts are only 125 points now? We'll have to see if anybody takes them but that's certainly good incentive, not being overpriced pieces of garbage.
Ironclad Dreadnought: The only issue Ironclads had before was a meltagun was still a meltagun and it would wreck it regardless. Now that melta has died down a bit they may see a resurgance. Or not.
Legion of the Damned: Previously the most useless unit in the book. They cost 30 points less. They're still slow and purposeful. They now ignore cover. They are still really not that good, even with less points and ignoring cover.
Tactical Terminators: No changes which is sort of the point. 40 points each is too much these days when AP2 is prolific. A dying breed for sure.
Assault Terminators: Hammernators cost 5 points more. I don't even fucking know. Still the gold standard.
Centurion Assault Squad: 60 points for a T5/W2/2+ no invuln. These are meant to kill buildings and do an excellent job but they're not a Maulerfiend, not even close. They're slow, they get torn apart by anything with AP2. Lascannons in close combat may sound nice but these things are overpriced. They're going to be next to Mutilators in the 'at least you tried but you're shit' parade.
Assault Squad: You may cost 15 points less but you still don't get melta and you still are sort of crap.
Land Speeder: Hull points did tragic things to the humble land speeder. They did slash Typhoon missile launchers by 15 points though so not all is lost. Squadrons don't totally suck either. They should do about as well and maybe even better because typhoons cost less.
Stormtalon: These have already been out and as far as I can tell nothing's different. It's like a flying land speeder, essentially.
Bike Squad: Priced properly this time, bike squads are not only T5 permanently but have no sergeant tax. The only thing that's really worth noting except at how good a prospecting bike army now looks is...
Attack Bike: 5 points more expensive. That's pretty much it. Still the same, probably betternow that bikes and White Scars have much better support.
Scout Bikes: 16 points less nets you pretty much the same as before. Now that army-wide scout bikes is a thing they may not be as quick but load them up on grenade launchers. The 4+ save is the only downside. Still good and underutilised.
Devastators: These were pieces of shit before but they cost 20 points less and heavy weapons for them are usually 5 points lower. 130 points for 4 lascannons isn't terrible but it's still a lot. They may prove their value over time.
Centurion Devastators: Still expensive and lacking an invuln but these guys perform a different role. In my opinion they seem expensive for what they do. 3 with twin-linked lascannons and missile launchers clocks in at 250 points. Woah, no. Potential for lots of shooting but I'm just seeing a points dump.
Thunderfire Cannon: Thunderfire cannons are still shit. Stop using them.
Predator: Autocannon/heavy bolter preds are a hideous 5 points more. The inhumanity overwhelms me. It truly does. Trilas is now 140 though. A 25 point decrease may see play. Still solid.
Whirlwind: One gun syndrome, 20 points less is probably going to make casual lists squeel in delight. Still unimpressive.
Vindicator: Making this piece of shit cost 10 points more is going to guarantee I have no interest in them. They do destroy things as they always have done but it's still a one-gun tank.
Hunter: Interestingly, a new unit that isn't so terrible. Everyone harps on about the savant skylock but in reality it's just saying 'if you miss you get a free BS2 shot next turn' which isn't all it's cracked up to be. Alleviates some of the issues of anti-air by being amrourbane and AP2. At 70 points you can do worse. Not bad, worth testing out for sure.
Stalker: A rhino with no transport capacity, 1 more armour all around and a quad gun strapped to the back that can turn into a BS2 quadgun without twin-linked to fire at two targets. Gimmicky but another quad-gun isn't a bad addition. The question is if it warrants a heavy slot.
Land Raider: This is still shit.
Land Raider Crusader: Best of the Land Raiders. Lots of anti-infantry, good transport capacity, still a land raider.
Land Raider Redeemer: You want to be close range but there are meltaguns. Back in the box with you.
Stormraven: You know Stormravens by now. Marines get them by default, woo hoo.
Grav guns: They are not amazing, stop putting them on everything. Stop putting them on assault troops without relentless. Stop pretending they're plasma and melta. They're good at high toughness, high armour save models and that's it. They're also short range. They are not the new melta.
Whew. All said and done, the new book looks interesting. Let's make some army lists, people!
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