SM Build Order

[atb1o1]

Hi,

I was wondering if some experienced SM play would post their build order. I usually play a 3vs3 cpu game with my friends on hard mode and we keep getting swarmed by cpu. Here is my build order.

1) Servitor build barracks
2) cue up scout, servitor, scout
3) first scout take nearest point
4) second servitor builds power
5) second scout take nearest point
6) barracks finish cue up SM
7) first Servitor build LP
8) second servitor build another LP (while scouts keep caping points)
9) cut up FC when I have money

after that is just trying to build as many marines as possible. But usually I or my team mate gets rushed before i i can have 2 fully enforced SM squads and 1 FC

[J23]

I do almost the same, I prefer to go for two scouts first, before the first built servitor. This way you will get more aqusition, and have a chance to advance to take an extra point or two. Power is not THAT important at this stage imho.

Oh yes, I usually get FC before SM, just in case I am rushed by an ork.

Just my $0.02 :)

*edit*
Also check out this post (http://forums.relicnews.com/showpost.php?p=568440&postcount=35). I haven't tested this tactic out yet, but it just might be the way to go.

[VidiVici]

Order juts 1 SM sqad
while it is beeing build build just 1 LP with both servitors
once you have the cash get FC
build second LP with both while waiting for FC to come out
get second SM sqad asap

- Building LP sould never come in the way of getting sqads in the field
- Reinforcing should never come in the way of building LP's unless it is nessesary or part of a rush stategy.

[Mossa]

What I do.

1.Builds Barrack.

2.Builds 2 Scout Squad’s, then 1 Servitor. Scout Squad takes the 5 nearest nods.

3.Barrack starts build 1 Marine Squad. 1 of the Servitors builds power plant.

4.I build an FC and helps my allies to defend against early ruche.

5.Builds 2 more Marine Squads and Armoury.

6.Starts to build listening posts and reinforce Marine squads. Upgrades the HQ and gives the weapons my Marines needs to effective kill my enemies.


VS: Chaos / Space Marines – 1 flamer, 2 plasma rifles, 1 missile launcher. 1 squad of 4 missiles.

VS: Orks / Eldars – 1 flamer, 2 heavy bolters, 1 missile launcher. And the missile squad.

Random opponents: What I feel like ^^

The computer opponents will attack you weakest player. So when you see who they attack, help him… He will not have a chance against 3 of them himself.

[Negator]

- 1. Servitor build Barracks
- HQ: Servitor, Scout, Scout
* 2. Servitor helps on barracks (you get your first barracks unit out about the same time as chaos with forced labour if you have the second servitor out first and straight to work)
- Scouts to cap closest strategy points and then move out to cap rest of points on your side of map
- Barracks ready order Marines squad, Force Commander
- Servitors build LP asap
- Marines ready, move up to closest enemy point / to scout & kill enemy scout units, reinforce to full (Is at 6-7 on Fallen city when reaches closest enemy strategic point, more firepower when you don't have heavy guns).
- FC ready move to help marines push
- Servitors build 2. LP
- 2. Marine Squad
- Generator -> Armory -> Generator -> Generator / LP

Then just 3. Marine squad, tier 2 etc etc, build generators and LPs when ever possible to have good power economy when you hit machine cult.

I don't build generator straight in the beginning because for almost the same money I get a Marine Squad, also you ain't going to be doing much with the Armory if you only have 1 marine squad and 2 or so scouts. I think when you have 2 tac squads you should go for the guns, you get 2 more heavy weapons on the front and two squads of marines can hold their own with bolters just fine very early into the game.
I have tried 3-4 scouts and with only 1 servitor, but it always seems to be very very slow and I don't have any real fighting power, scouts are crap without guns and even with snipers they die easily when under fire. The listening posts give good boost to reso gain which enables fast building and the second servitor hastens up the process very much so I see no reason why not to build one.

[Perp]

- 1. Servitor build Barracks
- HQ: Servitor, Scout, Scout
* 2. Servitor helps on barracks (you get your first barracks unit out about the same time as chaos with forced labour if you have the second servitor out first and straight to work)
- Scouts to cap closest strategy points and then move out to cap rest of points on your side of map
- Barracks ready order Marines squad, Force Commander
- Servitors build LP asap
- Marines ready, move up to closest enemy point / to scout & kill enemy scout units, reinforce to full (Is at 6-7 on Fallen city when reaches closest enemy strategic point, more firepower when you don't have heavy guns).
- FC ready move to help marines push
- Servitors build 2. LP
- 2. Marine Squad
- Generator -> Armory -> Generator -> Generator / LP



Negator, you must have been they SM guy that rushed me last night!!! See http://forums.relicnews.com/showthread.php?p=568440#post568440

Great Game btw!

[Negator]

Nay, I'm still waiting for my copy, hope it hits my mailbox tomorrow :)

The building order I presented I used vastly in beta and it worked good for me. In the game you described his playstyle is very different from mine, he goes straight for the throat which is a bit risky, I usually poke and harass by killing scouts and uncapping opponents points to lure out his force and then engage it when I see a good opportunity, after annihilating it I just sit back 'till I have missiles and sack the base. Less risk than going all out, especially against orcs since the buildings shoot you really want to have heavier firepower to knock them down.
Btw against sm, sm, fc without guns, 2 squads of sluggas and big mek will win, the orcs get bigger squads and are a tad better at cc than marines while the big boys can just headbut each other and the one who has better support from his other units will win, you just have to get a hold of the marines, good microing will get you that.

[AtTheGates]

i do like 3 serv 3 scout =b lp 's close to base upgraded then just move out i hold early game rushes with snipers n cover till i can get fc and marines ^^

[Shadhun]

Hey. Im new here , so first i want to say hello to all of u.

I have a n00b qestion : Whats a big deal about FC ? Why in all tacs i should build him at the beggining ?. Is he a realy so powerfull ?.

[VidiVici]

Yes he is very powerfull.
The main reason to get a FC is that it is the best CC unit SM have.
Second is that basic marines are much better in ranged combat then in CC and you need the FC engage enemy CC units instead of your basic marine.

[Shadhun]

But i should use him like a single unit or attach him to squad ?

[Perp]

But i should use him like a single unit or attach him to squad ?

IMHO- I find it easier to leave him unattached. He is such a powerful unit, you want him out there leading the way...

For example- he always has to go up against the enemy power unit. If your SM vs SM, you want him going after that other FC. You want everything you've got going after that other FC. Who ever comes out of the fight with the FC alive will win that skirmish. Why? Because once you've finished off his FC, your FC can mop up. And he does a great job of sending them flying!

Your FC is also your best defense against the early orc rush, without him you stand no chance in close combat (CC). I've waffled back in forth on if you build him first, but you can't take the chance that your opponant won't early rush you, and you have to have your FC up and running before he gets to you.

Further tweaking to the build order:

First servitor starts barracks.
Cue servitor, scout, scout (and on big maps, one more scout)
Second servitor helps with barracks build
First scout to close SP, Second scout to midfield contested SP
In Barracks cue Force Commander
Send both servitors to the closest SP for LP
Send scouts to next SPs
Cue MS
Send one servitor to contested midfield SP you just captured for LP, your other waits near the base.
Cue MS
Servitor waiting near the base then makes Power (Plasma Gen).

Then you must balance between reinforcements and LPs, until after first contact.

After first contact and if your ahead- build armory. If your behind you have to make a decision if you need to build your FC back, or if you want your armory first...

Open to improvements/suggestions! :beer:

[Civik]

Servitor starts barracks
Scout, Scout, Servitor at HQ...
send both scouts out to capture strat points.
use second servitor to help with barracks
When barracks complete, send each servitor out to those strat points and add LPs. At the same time, queue up a marine squad.

Send both scout squads out to capture more points.
Build second marine squad
Build FC
Build generator to recoup power.

It seems to confuse the crap outta the computer when you build in this order and you have plenty to defend with. Just be sure to LP any captured RP's asap.

When you have the energy available, build the armory and go from there.

[VincentTH]

Me, in Skirmishes, I use the following order:
HQ: Servitor, Scout, Scout
First Servitor: Build Barrack
2nd Servitor: Help build barracks
2 scouts: 1st one acquire the farthest SP, 2nd one acquire the nearest Sp and work their way out.
When the 2nd scout squad is avaible, the barrack is also available at the same time. Build FC. It is important to build the FC first, because at Hard Level, the AI will rush you with its own FC. Without your FC, you are vulnerable at CC. On 1v3, I go with 2 Space Marine squads instead. I leave my FC unattached, as attaching him would cause him to lose his CC advantage.
Both servitor build first Plasma Generator.
Queue up Space Marine when have 200 R.U.
Then I start building LP starting with the furthest LP, and try to establish a defense around it.
I will try to build the Armory next, then get an Assault marine squad and upgrade my 1st SM squad to HB.
I also make use of the Grenade research, as I found that it is very useful to fight CC. Just instruct your SM to throw the grenade, and let your AS finish the enemy when they are still stunned.

Caveats Emptor: I did not play in the Beta, and my experiences are limited in the Demo and the few skirmishes I play in the game.

[cadianUK]

this is what i do on the demo but after seeing this thread im not sure if its right..

1.get servitor to build generator.
2.build 2 scout squads and get them to capture the nearest sps
3.build another servitor while theyre doing that to build another generator.
4.get the servitors to build listening posts on the sps and then a barracks.
5.after that i usually build a FC and continue capturing points + building listening posts on them.

see if that works for u.

[arianar]

1. First servitor builds barracks
2. HQ builds Scout, scout, stealth and servitor.
3. Scouts gradually take over listening posts. The one that will reach mid first is reinforced with to more scouts.
4. Once the barracks is built I build a Force Commander and the first servitor builds a Power Plant.
5. The second servitor should now be ready and is just in time to build a listening post on the closest strat point almost the same time as the scout squad is done.

[MadOgre]

As you are doing your build, what seems to be the best ratio of adding men in each squad? My build is very similiar...but I always screw myself but not adding enough to the squad or adding too many...

[Shadhun]

Ok. But what with build when somebody want to tech fast instead rushing ?.
Any ideas ?.

ps. i found attaching FC to SM squad as crime ;)

[Vampyre]

1) Servitor 1 builds Plasma Generator.
2) Que 2 scout squads and 1 servitor
3) As scouts arrive, send them using Shift-right clicks to que strat point captures
4) As Servitor 2 arrives, Servitor 1 will finish plasma. Send both to build Barracks. It will build twice as fast with 2 builders.
5) As Barracks finishes, que either marine squad or FC, depending on if you expect rush. Rush == FC, no rush == Marine squad. Why? Marines can capture, but without FC you won't stop rush.
6) Build LP on strat point near base for increased req and defense.
7) Que marine or FC, depending on what you already qued. You should do this just as you get either 200 or 260 req, which will allow you to que it before the other one finishes its build, thus losing no time.

You'll come out of this at about 1 minute or a bit more with an FC, a marine squad, an LP, 2 scout squads, and POWER because you built your power first, allowing you to tech to the armory more quickly than if you went barracks first. Your barracks will arrive almost at the same time as if you built it with 1 servitor anyway.

This build may not be appropriate for Chaos, as their early rush in the beta would overwhelm 2 scouts, 1 marine, and 1 FC, even with 1 LP turret. Against Ork/Eldar, it will let you get to heavy bolters sooner, and thus you'll be able to hold off their light infantry better.

[YerKid'Din]

I'm only playing the demo, but I've found building 2 scouts first then servitor allowed me to defeat the cpu for the first time - human opponent probably wouldn't be so dumb. Move out of base right away and claim a point - preferably defeat the cpu units, research unit cap first, then, as one squad captures the other protects. By continually resupplying I found I kept the cpu busy sending units to the same battle I got the jump on developing my base and such.

[smegzor]

This is what I usually do on a 3v3 map

1) Build Chapel-barracks
2) Cue x2 scout, servitor
3) Scouts capture points
4) Second servitor assists completion on Chapel-Barracks then builds power
5) Cue up FC & SM (BTW I only attach my FC to the Terminator Assault squad)
7) First Servitor build a few LP then another 2 power thingos
8) Second servitor build Armory (I do this asap to allow teir 2 to be reached.. plasma/rockets/machineShop etc..)
9) Scout around and build up troops or get machine shop underway (Marines need drednoughts to really be effective they can soak up dmg and deal a great deal out)

[Shadhun]

Thats nice...

[BlackDream]

Ok, this is what i do. It takes a little longer, but if you can hold out, and if your opponent doesn't rush, this is a quick GG.

1. Serv builds barracks, HQ queues up 2 (or 3, depending on map) scouts, 1 serv. Scouts pop out, take points with 'em.
2. Second serv builds power gen. As the gen is being built, the barracks will finish, queue up one tac squad. Serv 1 (that was building the barracks) now builds an armory.
3. Scouts are taking points, and you now have a barracks, armory, and power gen. Wait a moment and you will have 250/100 to upgrade the HQ to lvl 2 (you will only have 1 4 man tac squad on the field, but luck and fate dictate if this will keep you alive or not). As soon as possible, get the heavy weapons upgrade from the armory.
4. If you have any extra resources, reinforce the tac squad with one or two Marines. Also, get a second and third marine squad as soon as possible (I don't bother with a FC or Assault squads). Keep taking points with Tac/scouts. Get a heavy bolter in 2 of your squads as soon as it becomes available. Keep the third squad free untill the HW upgrade is done.
5. As soon as the HW upgrade and lvl 2 HQ are done, throw a seargent and 3 plasma rifles in the two squads that have HB's already. Make the third squad all missles. Grab the acc/health upgrades as soon as you can.

This tactic is hard to pull off, but as far as I have played (from day 1 of beta to last night) 3 full squads specced as above will take down anything FAST. Timing is key with this method (luck is also a big factor, because if you are rushed you are S.O.L.).

I just realized after typing this out that it sounds like it would take forever to get this but in reality it only takes a few minutes if you get the timing JUST right.

[Adovid]

From the demo I went

Chapel Barracks
4 scout squads
Generator
FC

And I keep getting scouts and servators(3 scouts to 1 serv) and laying down mine fields in key spots in front of strategic points close to my base. This can usually hold me off until I have enough spots to get a realy nice stream of requisition. As soon as I feel satisfied I move on to marines. The advantage of getting scouts early on instead of marines is based on the fact that they are small squads that are cheap and quick to build allowing you to take more strategic points at once without leaving yourself vulnerabled. A group of marines taking a spot is going to leave you far more vulnerable than a couple of scouts. Several squads of scouts with an FC can hold out against an early marine force. And you can always try to draw them to minefields so they are even easier to take down.

[Perp]

ps. i found attaching FC to SM squad as crime ;)

I agree, the FC should play solo- but I was taught wrong once-

Went head to head with another SM guy, we had the same amount at the first contact (2 MS, 1 FC) and we got down and dirty. He attached his FC to a squad and laid into my FC, my squads couldn't target him directly (they targeted the squad, but not necessarily his FC), and he keeps his FC healthy, where as mine is getting riddled. After 20 seconds or so, he pops his FC loose, the FCs go head to head, and since he saved some health his FC wins. Whoever comes out of that first fight with the FC has a huge advantage!!! He ended up waxing my squads and later took the game. GG

So I guess the moral of this story is, there is a use for attaching him, if you don't want him to be the direct target for a while.

Oh and btw, Im going back to my first build order for the main base cue:

First servitor starts barracks.
Cue Scout, Scout, Servitor, Scout instead of Cue servitor, scout, scout (and on big maps, one more scout)
First scout to close SP, Second scout to midfield contested SP
Second servitor helps with barracks build
In Barracks cue Force Commander
Send both servitors to the closest SP for LP
Send scouts to next SPs
Cue MS
Send one servitor to contested midfield SP you just captured for LP, your other waits near the base.
Cue MS
Servitor waiting near the base then makes Power (Plasma Gen).

[Capt.Shrike]

Should i place 3 scout marine squads outside base area instead of 2 incase i am busy concentrating on building main armies ?

[Noriego]

Black Dream, Id love to play a little bi online with you sometime. Thats some great strat you've got there.

Its a little tough on small maps. But if you have some room to grow I can see how it would work, esp. against ork. Even on a small map I was able to kill a computer hero, but I think a human opponent would have owned me. This is definately a medium to large map build.

[Rayden]

Here is mine building order (i don't use FC in common):

1. HQ building queue 3 scouts
2. servitor starts building chapel
3. 1. scout takes point
4. 2. scout takes point
5. 3. scout takes point
6. chapel finished -> 2x SM squads in queue
7. servitor starts building armory
8. 1. scout takes second point

... -> reinforce of SM squads // always enough ressources for building listening posts // -> reinforcement of squads with hvy. bolter // -> assault SM squad

This worked fine for me in most games i have played till now.

[Uranium]

I que 3 scout squads, and build a rax.
When rax is done, build first 'rine squad and cue another, and have servitor build LP. After LP is done, build another LP and bring 3 scouts back to main base to consolidate defenses. (3 scout squads are actually decent in combat) When second 'Rine squad is done, cue a third and final. After second LP, build a generator, and by the time 3rd 'Rine squad is done, you SHOULD have enough for FC. 3 'Rine Squads reinforced > 1 'Rine Squad with FC. Why? Well because if you have 3 squads to his one, and he detaches his FC, you can dance your squads around as he tries to go after them, 1 by 1. Either way, while you're dancing one squad, you still out number his squad by 2:1 odds. And if you're seriously taking a pounding, withdraw to your base and you've got 3 'Rine Squads + 3 Scout Squads and a Soon to be FC vs 1 'rine squad and an FC. GGTHX I used to go for the 1 'Rine Squad + FC before I saw the light..

[thoth]

I think that the servitor should come first in the build order. I mean he only takes a couple of seconds to build and he takes off at least double that from the building of the barracks.

Secondly I think on bigger maps its prob better to go with the MS instead of FC since they can capture points and I am yet to see a good rush in a 3v3 (usually only one or two ppl rush and get schooled by the 3 because of numbes). I guess its your decision then in smaller maps.