Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2 has been the surprise hit of the last couple of weeks. While "Angry Space Men Punch Aliens Again" was always going to be a decent performer by most metrics, we doubt anyone expected the follow-up to a largely forgotten 2011 game to be such a formidable success.
But a success it has been, and the continued adventures of Captain Titus haven't just come down to how well Captain Too Angry To Die shoots and chainswords hordes of gribbly Tyranids to death — no, a strong part of that success has come down to the game's excellent multiplayer mode.
Whether you're playing Operations against the computer, or PVP, you'll get the choice of six different types of Space Marine, and can paint and style them to your heart's content. Here we rank the six types, and where they fall in terms of power.
6. Assault
Pros
- Fast and aggressive
- Gets access to Thunder Hammer
- Slamming never gets old
Cons
- Can be cumbersome to play
The Assault Marine is a simple fellow — get a big hammer, jump into the air with a jetpack, and slam yourself down onto enemies. Rinse and repeat until everyone who looked at you even a little bit funny is a small smushed puddle on the floor. The Assault Marine is a lot of fun to play, due to its fast and aggressive playstyle. It's the only class that has access to the Thunder Hammer weapon, one of the most devastating melee weapons you can get, and the Jump Pack, the jetpack-like booster that allows you to slam down to your heart's content.
So why is it so low? While it's a ton of fun, jumping up into the sky all the time does make you a pretty easy target, and actually mastering the class can be tough, given how cumbersome it can be to control. While it has a strong place in our hearts, Assault stays at the bottom of this list for a reason.
5. Heavy
Pros
- Easy to play
- Iron Halo gives great ranged defense
- Great ranged options
Cons
- Not many options when enemies get close
The Heavy has guns; lots of guns. Able to equip the biggest and baddest guns a Space Marine can use (and those guys are huge, so they can use some pretty big guns), the Heavy is the king where laying down frankly ludicrous amounts of firepower is concerned. They can pick from guns no other classes get access to, like the Multi Melta, and the Iron halo gives great additional defense against ranged power. As such, it's simply one of the best classes to pick if you need firepower.
But where it falls apart is up close. It's the only class to not get a melee weapon of any sort, and while you can (and should) be whacking enemies with your really big gun if they get too close, the lack of an actual weapon is a big problem, and part of the reason it ends up so far down this list.
4. Vanguard
Pros
- Grappling hook
- Good combination of weapons to choose from
- Aggressive
Cons
- Low armor
- Easy to get stuck in a bad spot with no way out
The Vanguard is what the Assault class would be, if the Assault class didn't throw itself up into the air like a flying advertisement of the coming smackdown. The Vanguard gets a good range of weapons to pick from, but the real reason to play this class is the Grappling Hook, which can be used to close the distance extremely quickly.
That's a double-edged sword though, as an unwary hook can leave you in a bad position with no way out and few options available, especially with its low armor rating. That's why it doesn't enter the top three.
3. Tactical
Pros
- Adaptable and versatile
- Auspex Scan Ultimate
- Wide arsenal of weaponry
Cons
- Doesn't excel anywhere
The Tactical class is the "classic" Space Marine. Armed with the largest range of weaponry available to any class, Tactical Marines are your standard jack-of-all-trades. They're adaptable and versatile, and deserve a spot on every team.
But of course, that can also be a downfall. While the Tactical class has no real weaknesses, it also doesn't hugely excel anywhere. Its Ultimate ability that reveals enemies within a certain range is excellent enough to make up for it, though.
2. Sniper
Pros
- Take out foes from a distance
- Stealth armor
- Some of the highest damage in the game
Cons
- Low armor
- Doomed up close
You probably don't need to be told what the Sniper class does, as it's pretty obvious. An Astarte that excels in long-range combat, the Sniper uses some of the most high damage guns in the game, and is an excellent pick for those who have the tactical nouse to use them. Stealth armor helps them to keep under the radar, to hit the right shot at the right time.
But of course, the weaknesses are likely obvious. If an enemy gets in close and your Stealth armor doesn't get you out of dodge, you're a sitting duck. A low armor rating only compounds this, making the Sniper as squishy as a massive, heavily armored supersoldier can be. But even with that downside, the sheer amount of damage the class outputs means it finds itself in second place on our list.
1. Bulwark
Pros
- Defensive powerhouse
- Only class with Power Sword
- Chapter Banner ability
Cons
- Limited ranged options
And so, for the top entry in our list: The humble Bulwark is our leader. This class is, simply put, a tank. They may lack a primary weapon, but changing that up for an immensely powerful shield isn't a bad exchange, and while it does mean the class is limited to either a Bolt Pistol or Plasma Pistol for ranged options, it doesn't matter when it has the Power Sword for melee, and the incredible Chapter Banner ability, which helps refill your allies' armor points.
Yes, the lack of ranged options is a problem, but generally, it balances out extremely well when you consider the fact you get a shield, a very powerful melee weapon, and some excellent support. The Bulwark is everyone's first pick for a Space Marine 2 class.
