The boys in blue have arrived and are ready to unleash the fury of Ultramar across the battle fields of the 41st millennium. This week GW released an update featuring datasheets for the new Marneus Calgar terminator version, the new Victrix Guard, Cato Sicarius and the new Blade of Ultramar Detachment for Ultramarines. In today’s faction focus I’m going to go over some of the changes to the 40K poster boys and breakdown the new Detachment. Are you ready to march for Macragge? Of course you are! Let’s get into it.
Last week I wrote a Faction Focus article on the Gladius Task Force Detachment. The new Blade of Ultramar is a reskinned version of the Gladius being Ultramarines focused with some powerful abilities if you include Marneus Calgar (hint: you will definitely want to bring him). The Enhancements haven’t changed much from the Gladius Detachment and the Stratagems remain unchanged save for the exchange of the Fight on Death strat for a -1 to wound strat.
Blade of Ultramar: Detachment Rule
Mastered Doctrines: At the start of up to three of your Command Phases you can select one of the Combat Doctrines below. Until the start of your next Command Phase, that Doctrine is active and its effects apply to all Adeptus Astartes units from your army. You cannot select a Combat Doctrine ability more than once per battle unless a friendly Marneus Calgar unit is on the battlefield.
- Devastator Doctrine: This unit is eligible to shoot in a turn in which it Advanced
- Tactical Doctrine: This unit is eligible to shoot and declare a charge in a turn in which it Fell Back
- Assault Doctrine: This unit is eligible to declare a charge in a turn in which it Advanced
We have the classic Combat Doctrines from the Gladius Task Force with the caveat that you can select a Combat Doctrine for your army that you have already used in the battle as long as Marneus Calgar is on the battlefield. This doesn’t allow you to choose a Combat Doctrine more than three times in the battle in total. It does, however, allow you to pick the Devastator Doctrine to be active in two of the three turns you would use Combat Doctrines as opposed to only being able to use it army-wide once in the Gladius Task Force.
We have seen that Gladius has managed to stand the test of time in flexibility with their Detachment Rule and Blade of Ultramar just does this better. Yes you have to take Calgar to maximize the use of this, but let’s face it, you are going to take him anyway. So it feels like less of a “tax” and more like a pure boon over Gladius.
At first glance, this seems to clearly make shooting builds better having the flexibility to either Advance and shoot twice or Fall Back and shoot twice. While that is certainly true, there’s definitely an argument to be made for running a melee force with Blade of Ultramar especially given the recent addition of Victrix Guard and their buffs. Yes, you’re losing the Fight on Death ability in Gladius, but you’re replacing it with just more flexibility in having multiple turns where you can Advance and charge. This creates a terrifying threat your opponent has to factor in with their decision making.
Regardless of the direction you choose to go with this (melee or shooting) the Blade of Ultramar Detachment Rule is a solid win!
Blade of Ultramar: Enhancements
I’m not going to spend a lot of time on the Enhancements here as they are mirror images of the Enhancements I already covered in the Gladius Task Force with different names. The only difference here is that the Blade of Ultramar Student of the Codex Enhancement (Adept of the Codex in Gladius) can be taken on any Adeptus Astartes model as opposed to being limited to a Captain only in Gladius.
As in Gladius, you’re probably only taking Armour of Antonius (Artificer Armour in Gladius) on a Gravis Captain, but otherwise these Enhancements are fairly middling. There is maybe a case for Veteran of Behemoth (Fire Discipline in Gladius) which allows you to give the models in the bearer’s unit Sustained Hits 1 on ranged attacks and to re-roll Advance rolls while in the Devastator Doctrine (since you can use that doctrine more than once per battle in Blade of Ultramar), but it’s still an expensive Enhancement to take at 25 points. That said, for the points you’re getting much more value out of it in Blade of Ultramar than you are in Gladius.
Blade of Ultramar: Stratagems
Similar to the Enhancements, the Stratagems in Blade of Ultramar are mirrors of their Gladius Task Force versions with only changes in their names. The exception here is that Only in Death Does Duty End (the fight on death stratagem in Gladius) has been replaced with Tactical Foresight in Blade of Ultramar.
Tactical Foresight is 1 CP and allows you to pick one Adeptus Astartes unit that was just selected as a target in the Shooting or Fight Phase and that unit is -1 to wound. A super powerful ability to use on already durable platforms like Vindicators, Land Raiders and Redemptor Dreadnoughts.
The fact that this strat can be used in both Shooting and the Fight Phase and is not limited to a keyword makes it really strong. Imagine Guilliman being -1 to wound in combat for example. Losing access to fight on death hurts, however Tactical Foresight gives you lots of flexibility to protect powerful units in key situations.
New Unit Datasheets: Marneus Calgar in Armour of Antilochus, Victrix Guard, and Cato Sicarius
Along with a new Detachment, Ultramarines also got some new datasheets (available in the Faction Pack for Space Marines on Warhammer Community). Let’s take a look at them as it is important to note for getting value out of the new Detachment.
Marneus Calgar in Armour of Antilochus: Calgar in Terminator armor returns! The best part of this update is that it doesn’t replace the current Marneus Calgar datasheet, it just provides a new way to take him (although of course you can’t take both versions in the same list.) He retains the same abilities as the previous datasheet being able to allow his unit to shoot and charge in a turn in which it either Advanced or Fell Back and giving you a CP if he is your Warlord and is on the battlefield. His entire stat-line remains the same as the current version however.
He remains eligible to be attached as a Leader to all the units in his previous datasheet with the added ability to be attached to both regular and Assault Terminators. Of note here is that this new datasheet specifically calls out the Victrix Honour Guard as a unit he can attach to, while that is missing in the previous datasheet. However, the previous datasheet does have the Chapter Master keyword which still allows Calgar to attach to them. While this version of Calgar is interesting I think it is unlikely you take him in a Terminator unit as he loses his little Victrix bodyguards and Terminators are just not where you’re going to get maximum value out of him in my opinion.
Victrix Honour Guard: This unit is new and features a variety of loadouts for unit composition. You can take 3-6 in many different combinations. You can take just all regular Victrix Honour Guard, or a Chapter Champion and/or Chapter Ancient with them. It is important to note that both the Chapter Champion and Chapter Ancient models do have the Epic Hero keyword, meaning you can’t take more than one of each in an army. So you can’t bring 2-3 squads of these each with a Champion and Ancient. You can attach a Captain or Chapter Master unit to them, but unlike Company Heroes, you are not required to attach either (although you’re going to want to put Leaders with them).
While they don’t have an invulnerable save they still have 4 wounds and 2 OC each as well as being equipped with Master-crafted bolt carbines and Master-crafted power weapons. Of note are the power weapons which have 5 attacks each at a 2+ Weapon Skill, Strength 5, -2 AP and 2 Damage. Once per battle you can pop the banner on the Ancient to give the unit (including the attached Leader) +1 Strength and Attacks.
Their abilities are great being similar to Company Heroes granting the unit -1 to wound when being led by a Captain or Chapter Master. Additionally the unit can make a surge move of d6″ towards the closest enemy unit in the opponent’s Shooting Phase when a model in the unit is destroyed which can be used to get them into Engagement Range making them a dangerous threat.
The real treat here is attaching Marneus Calgar with his 2 Victrix bodyguards with this unit. For 330 points you get Calgar, his 2 Victrix Guard buddies and 3 other Victrix Honour Guard models making for one of the most dangerous melee threats in the entirety of Space Marines. The new Cato Sicarius is also a good option to lead this unit as well. Speaking of…
Cato Sicarius: Cato has gotten quite a big glow-up here getting both a new model and a great datasheet to compliment it. Cato can only be attached to Victrix Guard now but he can be attached to them along with Calgar as well. Cato comes in with a full 6″ reactive move ability for his unit when an enemy unit ends a Normal, Advance or Fall Back move within 9″. Additionally he can be targeted for Heroic Intervention for 0 CP even if you’ve already used it on a different unit in the same phase. His melee weapon now comes with 3 different profiles including a strike, sweep and coup de grace. His strike attack gives him 4 attacks at 2+ Weapon Skill, Strength 6, -3 AP and 3 Damage with Devastating Wounds. It is likely in most situations this is the profile you’ll use, but his sweep is nice when the enemy tries to bog the unit down with models. The sweep comes in at 9 attacks, Strength 5, -2 AP and 1 Damage with Sustained Hits 1. The coup de grace version comes in at 6 attacks, Strength 5, -2 AP and 2 Damage with Precision which is nice when you need to snipe out an enemy character in a unit. While he is a beatstick and gives great unit buffs, he does come at a steep cost at 120 points.
Running a Space Marines Blade of Ultramar Army
Let’s take a look at an example list featuring the Blade of Ultramar Detachment.
Click to see the List
Ultramarines Blade of Ultramar (1995 Points)
Space Marines
Ultramarines
Blade of Ultramar
Strike Force (2,000 Points)
CHARACTERS
Lieutenant with Combi-weapon (70 Points)
- 1x Combi-weapon
- 1x Paired combat blades
Marneus Calgar (200 Points)
- 1x Marneus Calgar
◦ 1x Gauntlets of Ultramar - 2x Victrix Honour Guard
◦ 2x Victrix power sword
Roboute Guilliman (340 Points)
- Warlord
- 1x Emperor’s Sword
- 1x Hand of Dominion
BATTLELINE
Intercessor Squad (80 Points)
- 1x Intercessor Sergeant
◦ 1x Astartes grenade launcher
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Bolt rifle
◦ 1x Power fist - 4x Intercessor
◦ 4x Bolt pistol
◦ 4x Bolt rifle
◦ 4x Close combat weapon
OTHER DATASHEETS
Centurion Devastator Squad (165 Points)
- 1x Devastator Centurion Sergeant
◦ 1x Centurion fists
◦ 1x Centurion missile launcher
◦ 1x Twin lascannon - 2x Devastator Centurion
◦ 2x Centurion fists
◦ 2x Centurion missile launcher
◦ 2x Twin lascannon
Centurion Devastator Squad (165 Points)
- 1x Devastator Centurion Sergeant
◦ 1x Centurion fists
◦ 1x Centurion missile launcher
◦ 1x Twin lascannon - 2x Devastator Centurion
◦ 2x Centurion fists
◦ 2x Centurion missile launcher
◦ 2x Twin lascannon
Infiltrator Squad (100 Points)
- 1x Infiltrator Sergeant
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Marksman bolt carbine - 4x Infiltrator
◦ 4x Bolt pistol
◦ 4x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Helix Gauntlet
◦ 4x Marksman bolt carbine
Invader ATV (60 Points)
- 1x Bolt pistol
- 1x Close combat weapon
- 1x Onslaught gatling cannon
- 1x Twin bolt rifle
Redemptor Dreadnought (195 Points)
- 1x Icarus rocket pod
- 1x Macro plasma incinerator
- 1x Onslaught gatling cannon
- 1x Redemptor fist
- 1x Twin storm bolter
Redemptor Dreadnought (195 Points)
- 1x Icarus rocket pod
- 1x Macro plasma incinerator
- 1x Onslaught gatling cannon
- 1x Redemptor fist
- 1x Twin storm bolter
Scout Squad (70 Points)
- 1x Scout Sergeant
◦ 1x Astartes chainsword
◦ 1x Bolt pistol
◦ 1x Close combat weapon - 4x Scout
◦ 4x Bolt pistol
◦ 3x Boltgun
◦ 4x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Missile launcher
Sternguard Veteran Squad (100 Points)
- 1x Sternguard Veteran Sergeant
◦ 1x Close combat weapon
◦ 1x Power fist
◦ 1x Sternguard bolt pistol
◦ 1x Sternguard bolt rifle - 4x Sternguard Veteran
◦ 4x Close combat weapon
◦ 4x Sternguard bolt pistol
◦ 3x Sternguard bolt rifle
◦ 1x Sternguard heavy bolter
Storm Speeder Hammerstrike (125 Points)
- 1x Close combat weapon
- 1x Hammerstrike missile launcher
- 2x Krakstorm grenade launcher
- 1x Melta destroyer
Victrix Honour Guard (130 Points)
- 1x Chapter Ancient
◦ 1x Banner of Macragge
◦ 1x Master-crafted power weapon - 1x Chapter Champion
◦ 1x Blades of honour - 1x Victrix Honour Guard
◦ 1x Master-crafted bolt carbine
◦ 1x Master-crafted power weapon
This list takes a more balanced approach having both devastating firepower and units to make use of being able to go into Devastator Doctrine twice to Advance and shoot like the Centurions. The Redemptors get even more durability with the -1 to wound strat combined with their -1 damage datasheet ability making them incredibly hard targets. Of course, you’re getting the +1 to wound as well with your Oath of Moment Army Rule making all those shooting threats even stronger.
Marneus Calgar goes with the Victrix Honour Guard to help control the midfield or press your expansion objective making a durable unit to defend. And of course Guilliman rounds out the list dishing out a second Oath of Moment target and reduced CP within 12″.
Final Thoughts
Blade of Ultramar gives Ultramarine players a new way to play their army even more efficiently than before in the Gladius Task Force. Being able to choose Combat Doctrines multiple times in a game with Calgar in the army gives a lot more flexibility and opportunity to use units like Centurions who really want to Advance and shoot in the game. The new Victrix Honour Guard gives Calgar an incredibly potent combat unit to attach to with devastating melee power. Overall Blade of Ultramar seems like a huge hit and should make for an improved version of what most Ultramarines players were already running. I expect this Detachment to make a big splash in the competitive scene among the top-end of Space Marine players.
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