Space Marines Now Useless in SP

[ComradeWinston]

I don't get why they pander to MP, now it takes so long for boarders to do anything that Space Marine ships will sooner be destroyed than kill any enemy crew. Unless they're made worth a ♥♥♥♥ in combat or more durable, my Space Marine fleets are now pretty much useless compared to Naval and Mechanicus fleets.

[Captain of the 4th Company]

Agreed. Since changes are equal to both SP and MP, while it may be necessary to change things for the MP side of the game because of balance, they ruin SP with it...

[HeathenSW]

Well, even before in SP they were rather useless. They were worth something only as supplementary fleet to IN/AM main one and as set-and-forget fleets to garrison some bad POIs. At least for me.

[Garatgh Deloi]

Just do hit and runs with boarding and let the new mechanic work while your fleets withdraw a bit. You can even do strike cruiser stealth fleets that stealth board the enemy :P

Boarding is still very potent, its just spread out over a longer time frame.

[ComradeWinston]

Originally posted by HeathenSW:

Well, even before in SP they were rather useless. They were worth something only as supplementary fleet to IN/AM main one and as set-and-forget fleets to garrison some bad POIs. At least for me.

I managed to get away with boarding big stuff to death and shooting small things. They were a perfectly useful arm of the Emperor's might, before today. Between torpedoes and reload stance, stuff could get focused down pretty quick. Now all I get is suicide-rammed to death by Tyranids while Phil decides to take a nap in a space monster.

[Tacitus]

I wouldn't say that Astartes fleets are now useless in the campaign, but they do feel a lot less effective--higher point costs for ships and the delayed boarding makes them feel a lot less effective than the Imperial Navy, which can be just as effective with boarding and tends to have more firepower on it ships.

In campaign, though, Space Marines seem to be good mostly for forcing enemy ships into 'Call to Arms' mode which makes them a lot less dangerous. It seems a lot rarer to actually hulk an enemy vessel, though.

[Amoc]

Originally posted by Captain of the 4th Company:

Agreed. Since changes are equal to both SP and MP, while it may be necessary to change things for the MP side of the game because of balance, they ruin SP with it...

This game won't and never will have much of a multiplayer scene. It's going to be EXACTLY like the last game. People will very briefly dabble, realize it as the meme-fest that it is, and then never come back again unless they feel like playing another campaign.

[Ashantai]

I've noticed that you have to be really careful now what you use to board where. Since a stack is the same resolution time whether it's a LC or BS, you need to make sure you get your stacks lined up well. It's no longer about rushing in and spamming lightning strike.

Overall it's made the game (except for the damn Tyranids) a bit more balanced by not instantly hulking ships. However it has weakened the Space Marines a bit too.

[Ashardalon]

space marines now do more damage
but slower
you just have to think a little in how you apply it

only real change is that its no longer a autowin vs nids

[IronHat]

it's worth noting that Space marine ship are significantly more durable post patch. The changes/nerf to armor piercing weapon and ammunition in effect buffed the SM's 87 armor.

Boarding is still the fastest way to kill a ship as well, it's just not instant death. Sure, they can activate call to arms but the ability effectively take them out of a fight.

Furthermore, the speed debuff from call to arms make them a sitting bait for Regular torps (which SM have lots of). This means you can use regular boarding to force them into call to arms and then nuke them with torps.

[C0mmies can cry]

This disaster keeps piling up on top of its turd heap. lols!

650 players and ticking down as of the moment.

Everyday a new low.

[vindicator]

Call to arms is a poison pill - you basically trade ship effectiveness vs possible saving 1 troop per attack unless enemy troops roll +1 damage or even crit. Randomness vs guaranteed penalty is never a good match.

[Ysthrall]

I haven't noticed much difference with them to be honest. Still seem durable and hard hitting. I use them to tank while the AdMech ships snipe from a distance.

[Elysion]

The problem is while the other two imperial factions limited use abilities can be used in a way that makes them more effective in campaign against the AI than they are against players, allowing for them to punch above their weight against the higher point value enemy fleets you go up against, boarding does not work any better against ai than it does against players since its single target and seeking, so its balanced on its maximum potential effectiveness, because you can assume it will have it.

This means against the AI boarding is comparitively weaker.

A solution to this that wouldnt mess with multiplayer balance could simply be;

Make astartes not subject to warp accidents and make them able to use the emergency warp out ability at any time instead of starting the battle with it on cooldown, and let them occupy minefields.

You could then use them as a first assault wave that is not intended to stay and fight it out, but to take out something like a space station or an important ship then simply retreat while more dependable fighting ships come in.

[Hatchetforce]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M8U9N34v7oE

[Tomas]

"Just do hit and runs with boarding and let the new mechanic work while your fleets withdraw a bit. "

Withdraw?
Did you miss that nids can instantrush anything they want at will from half the map away?