Salutations, Battle-Brother! Are you ready to embrace the Emperor's fury and carve a path through the Tyranid hordes as a Vanguard Space Marine in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2? This guide will equip you with the knowledge and tactics to master this agile, close-quarters combat specialist. Get ready to unleash devastating melee strikes and swift movements, for the Imperium calls!
The Vanguard: A Force of Swift Annihilation
The Vanguard class in Space Marine 2 is a true embodiment of the Emperor's wrath, a master of rapid assault and precision strikes. You're not a lumbering tank, but a swift blade, dancing through enemy ranks to deliver decisive blows. Your strength lies in your mobility, your burst damage, and your ability to sustain yourself in the thick of combat through aggressive melee. While you might have fewer armor pips than other classes, your ability to regenerate health and negate damage through timely maneuvers makes you an absolute terror on the battlefield.
Let's dive into how to truly vanguard your way to victory!
Step 1: Understanding the Vanguard's Core Philosophy – Engage!
First things first, Battle-Brother, let's get into the mindset of a Vanguard. Forget hunkering down and peppering enemies from afar. Your purpose is to charge, to engage, and to annihilate at close range. Your primary tool for this is your Grapnel Launcher, which allows you to rapidly close distances, launch devastating diving kicks, and disorient your foes.
Do not be afraid to get in the enemy's face! The Vanguard thrives in melee. While other classes might shy away from a swarm of Tyranids, you will revel in it, using your chainsword and abilities to regain health and keep fighting.
Step 2: Gearing Up for Glory – Weapons and Equipment
Your choice of weaponry and equipment will significantly impact your effectiveness as a Vanguard. Focus on tools that complement your aggressive, close-range playstyle.
Sub-heading: Primary Weapons – The Instruments of Destruction
- Melta Rifle: This is often considered the best primary weapon for a Vanguard in PvE. Its intense heat beam obliterates hordes of smaller enemies and deals substantial damage to tougher targets. Look for variants that increase range or magazine size.
- Instigator Bolt Carbine / Occulus Bolt Carbine: These burst-fire bolters are excellent for engaging targets at mid-range, especially those pesky Zoanthropes and Neurothropes that try to hide behind the front lines. They offer good damage and accuracy.
Sub-heading: Secondary Weapons – Reliable Backups
- Bolt Pistol: Your standard secondary weapon. While you'll rely heavily on your primary and melee, the Bolt Pistol is a reliable backup for those moments when you need a quick shot or are out of primary ammo. Consider perks that enhance its damage or magazine size.
- Neo-Volkite Pistol: This pistol can be effective for single-target damage, especially if you can get the enemy to explode and damage those around them.
Sub-heading: Melee Weapons – The Heart of the Vanguard
- Chainsword: The iconic choice for a reason. The Chainsword is your bread and butter for sustained melee damage and health regeneration. Master its combos!
- Light -> Light -> Heavy (Shoulder Bash): A solid combo for single-target damage.
- Light -> Light -> Light -> Heavy (Stomp): Excellent for clearing out groups of smaller enemies when you're surrounded.
- Advanced Tip: With the "Full Throttle" perk, you can even skip the first attack by holding and releasing the melee button, allowing for faster combo execution.
- Combat Knife (Fencing Melee Weapons): While the Chainsword is generally preferred, the Combat Knife, especially with a "fencing" variant, can be incredibly effective when paired with perks that enhance parrying. It offers very fast attacks.
- Power Sword/Power Fist/Thunder Hammer: While generally less common for a pure Vanguard build focused on mobility and sustained melee, these can offer significant burst damage.
Step 3: Mastering Your Abilities and Perks – The Vanguard's Edge
The Vanguard's true potential is unlocked through a synergistic combination of its unique ability and carefully selected perks.
Sub-heading: The Grapnel Launcher – Your Swift Deliverance
This is your signature ability, Battle-Brother. It's not just a fancy way to move; it's a combat tool.
- Close the Gap: Use it to quickly engage high-priority targets like Elite Tyranids or reinforcement summoners.
- Disrupt and Stagger: A successful grapple often leads to a devastating Diving Kick, dealing AoE damage and potentially staggering enemies, leaving them vulnerable.
- Escape and Reposition: Don't hesitate to use it to get out of a sticky situation or to reposition yourself for a better attack angle.
- Manage Charges: The Grapnel Launcher has limited charges. Use them strategically!
Sub-heading: Core Perks – Building Your Foundation
These perks are crucial for defining your Vanguard's playstyle.
- Melee Mastery: Increases your melee damage, especially against tougher enemies. Essential for a melee-focused build.
- Duelist: Significantly increases your Perfect Parry window. This is incredibly powerful for survivability and setting up devastating counter-attacks.
- Honed Reactions: Doubles your dodge window when your health is low, offering a critical safety net.
- Consecutive Execution: Killing a certain number of enemies in rapid succession restores an equipment charge (like your Grapnel Launcher!). Great for maintaining aggression.
- Adrenaline Rush (Signature Perk): This perk makes the Vanguard practically immortal in melee. Melee kills, especially of Majoris or higher enemies, restore a percentage of your health. This is why you don't panic when your armor is gone – keep fighting to regain that contested health!
Sub-heading: Gear Perks – Enhancing Your Combat Flow
These perks enhance your Grapnel Launcher and other combat aspects.
- Shock Wave: Your Diving Kick deals damage in a radius, making it excellent for clearing groups.
- Tip of the Spear: Enemies hit by your Diving Kick take increased ranged damage for a short duration. Great for setting up follow-up shots with your Melta Rifle.
- Grim Determination: Increases your weapon damage when your Grapnel Launcher is on cooldown. Encourages aggressive use of your grapple.
- Combat Readiness: Reduces the cooldown of your Grapnel Launcher.
Sub-heading: Team Perks – Aiding Your Brothers
While focused on your own prowess, don't forget the impact you have on your squad.
- Melee Champion: Increases melee damage for all squad members.
- Unmatched Zeal: Melee finishers on Extremis enemies restore health to your entire squad.
Step 4: Mastering Combat Mechanics – The Art of the Hunt
The Vanguard thrives on active combat mechanics. Understanding and utilizing these will elevate your gameplay.
Sub-heading: Dodging and Parrying – Your Defensive Dance
- Dodge (Red Icon): When an enemy telegraphs an attack with a red flash, dodge out of the way. This prevents damage and maintains your offensive tempo.
- Parry (Blue Icon): When an enemy shows a blue flash, a perfect parry is possible. This staggers the enemy, leaving them vulnerable to counter-attacks and increasing damage dealt to them by you and your teammates. With the Duelist perk, parrying becomes significantly easier and more forgiving.
Sub-heading: Gun Strikes and Executions – Turning the Tide
- Gun Strike (Red Crosshair): After staggering an enemy or dealing significant melee damage, a red crosshair might appear on their head. This signifies a Gun Strike – a point-blank shot that deals massive damage, often leading to an execution prompt.
- Executions (Red Flash + "E" Prompt): When an enemy is heavily damaged and flashing red, you can perform an execution by pressing "E." This is critical! Executions partially restore your armor and can even damage nearby weaker enemies. Prioritize executing enemies to maintain your survivability.
Step 5: Advanced Vanguard Tactics – Unleash Your Full Potential
Now that you've got the basics down, let's explore some more nuanced tactics.
Sub-heading: Prioritize Targets – The Order of Annihilation
- Reinforcement Summoners (Skull Icon): Always prioritize enemies that are calling for reinforcements. Use your Grapnel Launcher to quickly close the distance and interrupt their calls.
- Majoris/Extremis Enemies: These larger, tougher foes are where your burst damage and melee sustain truly shine. Focus your abilities and powerful combos on them.
- Hordes: While single-target focused, don't neglect the smaller threats. Use wide-sweeping melee attacks (like the Chainsword's stomp) to clear them efficiently and replenish your health via Adrenaline Rush.
Sub-heading: Contested Health Management – The Vanguard's Secret Weapon
As a Vanguard, you'll often find your armor depleted. Do not panic! Your "contested health" (the red portion of your health bar that depletes slowly) can be regained by continuing to fight in melee. This is why aggressive engagement is key. As long as you're hitting enemies, you're regenerating that contested health.
Sub-heading: Combining Abilities and Weapons – Seamless Combat
- Grapnel Launch -> Diving Kick -> Melta Rifle Shot: A classic Vanguard combo to initiate combat, clear minor enemies, and then follow up with burst damage on a staggered target.
- Parry -> Chainsword Combo -> Gun Strike -> Execution: Maximize your damage and survivability by chaining together these mechanics.
Step 6: Practice and Adaptation – The Path to Mastery
Like any true Space Marine, mastery comes with dedication.
- Experiment with Builds: While general recommendations exist, try different perk combinations and weapons to find what truly clicks with your playstyle.
- Learn Enemy Patterns: Understanding how different Tyranid types attack will make your dodges and parries more effective.
- Communicate with Your Squad: Even as a Vanguard, teamwork is essential. Call out targets, coordinate attacks, and support your brothers.
By following these steps, Battle-Brother, you will become a true force of nature as a Vanguard Space Marine in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. For the Emperor!
10 Related FAQ Questions
How to choose the best Vanguard weapon?
The Melta Rifle is generally considered the top primary for PvE due to its AoE and damage against tough enemies, while the Chainsword is your go-to melee for sustained combat and health regeneration.
How to effectively use the Grapnel Launcher?
Use it to rapidly close distances, initiate combat with a Diving Kick, disrupt enemy formations, or quickly escape dangerous situations. Don't forget it also triggers beneficial perks!
How to survive as a Vanguard with low armor?
Focus on aggressive melee combat to regain contested health through perks like "Adrenaline Rush" and prioritize executions to restore your armor. Don't retreat when your armor breaks; push forward!
How to perform perfect parries and dodges?
Watch for the blue (parry) and red (dodge) visual cues on enemy attacks. Timed correctly, a perfect parry staggers enemies, while a dodge avoids damage entirely. The "Duelist" perk makes parrying easier.
How to maximize Vanguard's damage output?
Chain together melee combos, utilize Gun Strikes after staggering enemies, and follow up Diving Kicks with Melta Rifle shots. Leverage perks that boost melee damage and weapon damage.
How to deal with large groups of enemies as Vanguard?
Use the Chainsword's stomp combo (Light x3, then Heavy attack) for effective area-of-effect damage. Your Grapnel Launcher's Shock Wave perk also helps with AoE clearance.
How to interrupt enemy reinforcements?
Prioritize targets with a skull icon above their heads. Use your Grapnel Launcher to quickly reach them and unleash a melee attack to interrupt their summoning.
How to benefit from the Vanguard's "Adrenaline Rush" perk?
Continuously engage in melee combat and secure melee kills, especially on Majoris or higher-level enemies, to constantly restore your health.
How to level up Vanguard perks efficiently?
Focus on completing missions and challenges, which grant Requisition currency. Prioritize perks that enhance your core melee capabilities, survivability, and Grapnel Launcher utility first.
How to coordinate with teammates as a Vanguard?
While you're a frontline brawler, communicate target priorities, especially for high-threat enemies or summoners. Your team perks (like Melee Champion) also passively benefit your squad.