[2.2] Why the Tech Marine?

[mrteatime]

Hey everyone,

I have only just started reading these forums and have spent the last few days pouring over some of the posts here and it's made me realise just how much about the game I don't know - the first time I read about the WSE phase shift + singularity strat was a revelation!

Anyway, I personally like to play on random a lot of the time, which should explain my terrible TS ranking, and the one hero that I have no idea how to use is the Tech Marine. Reading here though, it seems that a lot of people swear by him and wouldn't use anything else.

Can anyone give me some tips on how to get started with him and what kind of strategies I should be using?
I know his plasmas gun is great and the global machine repair rocks, but other than that I'm clueless.

Thanks!

[unregistered]

In T1 u need to get bionics for him to counter melee
Its 20 power but has amazing KD and moderate dmg (45 to be exact)

Its best when the enemy focuses on the TM bcuz when they're blobbed around him you can use his servo sweep
No unique animation but it can wipe hormas, sluggas, and any other low hp melee unit

Even In mirror matches it can help since you need to rely on force melee button to win early game plus the dmg and KD it does is helpful against scouts and ASM

In T2 for AV I buy the melta gun and orb of walker-raping
The reason I dont use the other guns is because they are all quite useless

If you want to change armor in T2 always buy signum because mark target is way better than what the artificers armor can offer

[Killer Of Many]

Signum armor. That's step one of owning once you get to T2. You target the right squad or unit with that thing and the enemy doesn't retreat immediately you can melt most anything in seconds. Melta is decent AV, but wont last on it's own except perhaps verse a transport or a walker whilst using the Orb of the Ommnisiah which is very useful. Artificer armor with mines works well in tandem with turrets.

On turrets; don't use them again nonsuppressible heroes such as the Hive tyrant, or a tunneler like the Ravener, or the lictor which can cloak behind. Just don't use them against tyranids IMO. Turrets should only be used if you cut off a large part near a vp or power node and its back is against a wall. Use sparingly. Plasma gun is a sure bet and will make mincemeat of most units, and damage vehicles decently as well[melta is obviously better].

His first gun is good if you are worried about a melee squad as it instantly suppresses a unit but isn't too vital to get. Main kit is plasma, signum, and Orb if there are many vehicles, the shield if facing a lot of ranged, and if facing heavy melee no 3rd one is really needed, except draining banshee energy is quite useful to prevent shout or FoF if it wasn't used on the charge. Hope this helps

[Troubleshooter]

People play TM because he's cool. Honestly... the other 2 SM's are a bit lame.

TM is also harder to play than the others... so people like a challenge.

As for how to play him... tacs and HB's. ASM rarely, and be sure you don't skimp on power... the TM is VERY power hungry.

Turrets are a bit of a question mark... they are just so easily countered now. Honestly, they were always easy to counter, but people whined and so there you go. Anyway, they are ok at helping to defend a VP late in the game, but otherwise not really worth the resources you put into them.

[Shuma]

Eh, i didn't play as him back in the day, but while i still play as the Force Commander most of the time i've started playing as the Techmarine more often since he complements the "all ranged force" that the Space Marines are now better, things can't get in melee if they're dead

[mrteatime]

Great, thanks very much.

[TheDeadlyShoe]

In the initial skirmishes, treat him as a tactical squad. He functions pretty much the same way, but is more vulnerable to disruption and melee. Later in the game, you pretty much choose between the plasma gun and the melta gun. Plasma gun is the 'default' choice, Melta is good if you lack AV or if the enemy is going AV heavy. Either way, he is more of a specialist and badass at this point and should be managed more closely.

The Orb of the Omnissiah is generally his best ability. It drains energy and paralyzes vehicle targets. Note that the energy drain means that it can counter Iron Halo and similar abilities with good targeting. This single ability is probably the most useful AV in the entire game, though it does need to be coupled with at least an upgraded Heavy Bolter Dev. If you've ever had trouble with SM AV, the Techmarine is the hero for you.

The two bolter choices are not...bad, exactly. It's just that the other two are better.

Bionics is alright but not necessarily useful. It's a matter of playstyle, both yours and the enemy. I generally prefer to get the proximity mines, which are useful tactically and for VP defense. Arguably (The mines do useful levels of damage, knockback and suppress. However, they do friendly fire and have a significant energy cost and a noticable build time.) In a pinch you can use mines as emergency-bionics, though. Always hilarious to drop them mid combat. (They do need to construct before htey will detonate.)

I'm not actually a fan of Signum. It's a good ability, but I always forget to use it and I don't find it necessary most of the time. I only get it if enemies are using uber units like terminators.

[Demonic Spoon]

The two bolter choices are not...bad, exactly. It's just that the other two are better.

That's really, really not true. All of his wargear do the exact same DPS (or about the exact same DPS, anyway) except plasma, which does -less- damage against normal infantry but considerably more against heavy infantry. The abilities that come with the bolter choices can be rather awesome, too.

[Vintage]

The two bolter choices are horrid in my opinion. The Plasma gun is far superior, and does more damage to infantry with overcharge. The Meltagun also does more damage to regular infantry since it never misses (except for the first shot bug).

[Demonic Spoon]

The meltagun does miss vs infantry and thus does about the same damage vs infantry as the bolters.

Overcharge makes you fire a lot faster, but each individual bolt is weaker, too. Plus, you don't get the utility abilities. Brothers in Arms grants a 25% damage bonus, which is huge. The high-powered shot is instant damage and suppression on any target.

[cursed9129]

saomeone tell me this, what exactly is the damage bonus provided by equiping sigium armour?

i know there is one, but im not sure how much.

oh, and as to the techy, by far his best wargear/ability is the orb. by far far and away.
its your key to countering bloodcrusher spammers

[Demonic Spoon]

10% damage bonus
+50 health

dow2.info

[cursed9129]

Cheers. Just wondering, cause the mark target on it's own doesn't make it worth it. As opposed to the artifact armour regen at least.

[stranger]

The BiA bolter later on is quite useful later on, especialy if you have a large selection of ranged units. And if you couple it with acannon termies and signum, you can deal literaly unholy damage, resulting in squad wipes even to retreating units.

[Logic_Bomb]

Artificer armour is almost always preferable to me over Signum unless it goes late game. Artificer alone is what keeps my TM in the battle and I find mines very useful - especially with all the chaos players using cultists who rarely buy aspiring champs - it's a squad wipe for 45 of your energy. With artificer armour (+200 health and health regen) you will be retreating far less which is huge for a hero. It will take a lot to force you to retreat from a shootout. Signum's extras on top of the mark target ability are ho-hum. The ability itself is used best against high health tier3 units like termies, avatar, tanks, and walkers that can't retreat. Artificer armour is what will get you to tier3 though.

[Vintage]

Well in my opinion Mark Target makes the Signum worth buying in tier 2. I changed my keys so Overcharge is E and Mark target is R, which is perfect for where I rest my hand. I do both every engagement to immediately force a troublesome squad to retreat or die. Mark Target + Smite is an amazing combo. I tend to never retreat my TM anyway since I make sure he doesn't get focus fired by kiting whenever he is targeted or keeping him in cover. I guess it depends on what your playstyle is. I like to be able to hit hard and do tons of damage, and I am very good at keeping units alive especially my hero, so I don't feel the need to get Artificer armor. Most decent opponents will get a detector when facing mines as well. Again, that is just my preference, and going Artificer armor isn't a bad choice if it fits your playstyle and you can make it work.

[Buguba]

The BiA bolter later on is quite useful later on, especialy if you have a large selection of ranged units. And if you couple it with acannon termies and signum, you can deal literaly unholy damage, resulting in squad wipes even to retreating units.

Brothers in Arms also affects the Tech Marine too, boosting his damage by 25%. That's why it does lower base damage than all the other bolters.

[Arbit]

I like artificer's and signum so much I'll get both if I can. In T1 you don't have anything else to spend the TM's energy on anyway, so spam mines like crazy. It also forces them to buy a 25 power detector so you're both equally delayed in teching (unless you're up against nids in which case I'll try to go without). Just don't accidentally mine your own retreat path - I lost a whole squad of retreating marines once to a slugga squad stepping on my own mine. Very sad.

[Logic_Bomb]

Mark Target + Smite does sound very tasty. That's the thing though - it's playstyle plus what your opponent is doing that should determine it. I'm glad he has more than one viable option.

[HelpMeRelic]

The first bolter upgrade that gives you big shot or whatever puts a hurt on other heros. usually drops them to 1/4th health.