Ultramarines have one specific ability to Dominate Deployment. They are the poster boys of Warhammer but Iron Hands Bikers will also enjoy the new edition. There are 6 new matched play Eternal War Strike Force Missions. Eternal War missions are those without the Maelstrom Cards. Those are currently missing from the new edition. Deployment is alternating between players and their units. However, it is a separate Roll Off to see which player is going first. While some players may deploy conservatively, Ultramarines don’t have to.
Dominate Deployment
Since there is Alternating Deployment the need to quickly claim real estate outside of the deployment zone can be important. This can be for both offensive and defensive reasons. Maybe you are trying to stop Alpha Legion from getting their pregame move. Or deploying so that you can secure space for your first turn Drop pod Deep strike. The largest single-unit footprint for doing this will be the Incursors or Infiltrators. A 10 man unit will have to do a Boe-Tie Conga line because of coherency. The problem with the bow tie is when you lose a model and then take coherency checks more models will be lost. There are two solutions to this.
Space Marines with access to Vanguard Warlord traits can take Lord of Deceit. Pick up 3 Phobos units and redeploy them according to the Deployment of the mission. That verbiage is outdated as the Missions don’t have specific deployment rules. So going with the Matched Play Eternal War mission pack step 13 we Resolve Pre-Battle Abilities. Back to Step 11 Deploy Armies which states “…models must set up wholly with their deployment zone.” FAQs have previously supported that deploying by the mission deployment rules does not include Unit Abilities.
After your Phobos Incursors or Infiltrators have done their Bow Tie Deployment, you can fix them pregame by redeploying them into a better coherency. Arguably you can’t redeploy into Combat Squads. Combat Squads are declared before you set the model up but in this case, you are setting them up again. Either way, you can pull off a bait and switch.
Dominate Deployment Bait and Switch
9th edition has returned to alternating individual unit deployment. While this can be a fun tactical minigame, it has no bearing on the first turn. Not in regards to who goes first as that is another roll-off. There is no Seize the Initiative. Ultramarines have Rapid Redeployment. For 2 Command Points, you can redeploy up to 3 units Ultramarine Units. You can deploy aggressively. However, if you lose the first turn, it may behoove you to redeploy more defensively. Imagine your Bladeguard Vets riding in an Impulsor. Sure they have an armored personnel carrier to protect them. That’s nice but you also have all this extra movement because of it. So you can deploy as if you plan to rush in one direction and then move them to rush from another direction. That or deploy them to hide.
Dominate Deployment with reserves
In the past, the only reserve manipulation Ultramarines had was from unit Abilities or drop pods. The last excluded Primaris units. With Strategic reserves, that is simply not the case anymore. Remember Scions of Guilaman to count as stationary. A Repulsor Executioner could be in Strategic Reserve. When it comes in, it will still double fire. Same for the Boltstorm Aggressors. This will also stop the penalty infantry would take from moving with heavy weapons when they arrive from reserves.
The Command points spent may seem like an issue but Ultramarines can mitigate that. Not only will they gain one in the Command phase they can cast Scryer’s Gaze. Scryer’s gaze can be used to gain a command point or allow for a limited re-roll. This flexibility will work with the refund cp Warlord trait Adept of the Codex. Throughout the game that is an easy 22 CP Ultramarines will have. They can have more if Papa G or Marneus is the Warlord.
No Man’s Land
The ability to Dominate Deployment will be limited in No Man’s Land because of the Mission Special Rule. No Man’s Land pretty much means you are only deploying in your Deployment Zone. Except for units Embarked, Reinforcements, or Strategic Reserve. They can’t move out of the Deployment Zone before the first movement phase regardless of Abilities or Stratagems. What that means for an Ultramarine Player can still bait and Switch, use their reserve options, or just save their command points.
Ultramarines have the means to Dominate Deployment and a Necron Starter Army should be ready for them. Since they are the opposing force in the new Indomitus Box set.
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