Chaos review..Elirte #5

If you wear power armor and follow Slaanesh, then you are probably aspiring to be or are a Noise Marine. These crazies are all about the simpler pleasures: pain, excess, fast cars, fast women, music, explosions, colors, androgeney, noise, combat, tattoos, piercings and anything imagined by Clive Barker. They were originally the Emperor's Children legion and then happened upon the god/goddess Slaanesh. Their unique weapons, armor and body modifications place them apart from their fellow Chaos Marines (much like Khorne skulls, Nurgle flu and Thousand Son emptiness).

Noise Marines come with all the same statistics as the all the other Marines around except they have an Initiative of 5. The unit champion has the same 2 attacks and leadership 9 like every other Marine champ/sarge out there. The squad comes armed with a bolter, bolt pistol, and frag/krak grenades. The champion has a close combat weapon and bolt pistol. They all have the the Mark of Slaanesh and are fearless. They start in a unit of 5 for just five points under 100. They can also add up to fifteen more at the cost of 17 points per model.

 

There are some upgrade options for this unit. They may trade their bolter for a close combat weapon for free. They can keep the bolter and add a close combat weapon for +1 each. Any squad member can swap their bolter for a Sonic Blaster +3 points. Up to two squad members in ten may take a Blastmaster +30 points.

The unit champion can take all the same crap I have mentioned before with every other cult Marine. However, he can also take a Doom Siren +15 points.

There is a Rhino transport choice......

 

The unit can take Veterans of the Long War for +1 point/model, and I still think this is a bit of a waste, but people tell me I'm wrong all the time. Finally, they can also take the Icon of Excess for +30 points. Pricey, but if you like 5+ Feel No Pain you'll probably take it.

 

Sonic Blaster- is a Noise Marine signature weapon. This has is a 24" S4 AP 5 Salvo 2/4 weapon that ignores cover and causes pinning. Soooooo, that gives you two shots at 12" or 4 shots at 24" if the unit doesn't move. If you fire those four shots, you cannot charge, but who cares? It will negate cover and will force a pinning check of wounds are taken. Negating cover is always fun and can be useful if you are fighting non-Marines. The pinning check is pretty useless as everything has good leadership, is fearless, stubborn or has some immunity to such things.

Blastmaster- is a weapon with two types of firing options. The first is a 36" S5 AP4 assault 2 weapon that ignores cover and causes pinning. It can also fire at 48" S8 AP3 heavy 1 blast weapon that also causes pinning and ignores cover. A mixed bag here that can fire as a quasi-heavy bolter or as a blast marker krak missile. An expensive weapon, but one that has some nice versatility.

Doom Siren- is a personal favorite. It is a weapon that is S5 AP3 and a flamer template. How can anyone dislike this weapon? It automatically hits, has a nice chance to wound, is AP3 and ignores cover. A no-brainer choice for an upgrade.

 

I like the Noise Marines, I am just very disappointed that they also have to purchase their signature weapon. These guys should come armed with sonic blasters. let they swap for bolters for a points reduction instead. It is just dumb to have to purchase these as an upgrade. The ability to fire four bolter-esqe shots while stationary is pretty awesome! The change to blast weapons also makes the blastmaster better. The downside being the scatter roll, but that is what it is. Don't plan on the hit, just hope the hit doesn't scatter badly. Next the doom siren on the champion is a great option for pre-charge damage. Finally, the increased initiative is also a huge bonus. When it is a Marine filled game, going first is always better than going second.

A ten man sqaud with a blastmaster, sonic blasters and a doom siren would be my unit of choice. I'd set them in an elevated position (if possible) and let them shoot. That or a couple of 8 man units in rhinos with sonic blasters and a doom siren. This gives them some moving cover and can get them to a board location faster than walking.