Space Marine 2: All Tactical Weapons, Ranked

The Tactical class is the jack of all trades in Warhammer 40,000: Space Marine 2. While it is a master of none, it makes up for its potential shortcomings by having the flexibility to deal with any and all threats. The class’ strength comes from the wide selection of weapons at its disposal, making it the best class to use for those looking to focus on gunplay.

While all the weapons in the Tactical’s arsenal are good in their own right, it’s hard to deny that some outperform others. One weapon might excel at clearing hordes, while others may be better at dealing with bigger targets. For players who are looking to piece together the best Tactical build in Space Marine 2, here’s an overview of each primary weapon for the Tactical class, ranked according to versatility.

7 Bolt Carbine

Short-Ranged Bullet Hose

Despite being labeled as a mid-range weapon, the Bolt Carbine works best in close quarters. Its low damage per shot and high rate of fire makes it a good choice for chewing up large targets like Tyranid Warriors and Chaos Space Marines. These strengths are limited by the gun’s poor accuracy and high recoil, restricting its effectiveness at mid-long range.

The Bolt Carbine is by no means a bad weapon, but it is overshadowed by other weapons down the line. If players are picking a class to use in Space Marine 2 and find that they’d rather be fighting in shorter ranges, then the Vanguard class might be a better option.

6 Melta Rifle

Close Quarters Eradicator

Much like the Bolt Carbine, the Melta Rifle is designed for close quarters. It unleashes blasts of pure flame that can melt both small and large targets. This is the closest thing the game has to a shotgun, but as such, it is limited by its short effective range and low total ammo count.

This weapon overlaps with the role of the Vanguard and even the Heavy class with its Multi-Melta. It’s not a bad pick, but if these aforementioned classes are already in the squad, players may want to pick something else.

5 Auto Bolt Rifle

Rapid-Fire For Clearing Hordes

The Auto Bolt Rifle is an excellent choice for clearing swarms of smaller enemies quickly. It’s a bit more well-rounded than the Bolt Carbine, trading fire rate for magazine size and Piercing capabilities that make it more suitable against hordes.

While this weapon is much more versatile than the ones above, it is still hampered by poor accuracy and relatively low range stats that make it less effective against tougher targets from a distance. Ignoring damage fall off is a common mistake made by beginners in Space Marine 2 — players who want to be efficient will want to know how to play to their weapons’ weaknesses.

4 Stalker Bolt Rifle

Precision Weapon For Accurate Marksmen

The Stalker Bolt Rifle is the Tactical class’ answer to long-ranged fights. It boasts very high damage per shot that only gets better at longer ranges thanks to the weapon family’s perks. If the team is in need of a designated marksman, then a Tactical marine with a Stalker Bolt Rifle is more than enough to fill that slot.

As a long-ranged rifle, this weapon naturally suffers against large hordes. It can take down targets just fine at close range, but its low rate of fire, small magazine, and low total ammo count keeps it from being effective against enemies that are already barreling toward the squad.

3 Bolt Rifle

The Primaris Marines’ Workhorse Rifle

By the time of Space Marine 2, the classic Bolter had more or less been replaced by the Bolt Rifle, a re-engineered version for Primaris marines. It has decent stats across the board, with its stand-out stat being Range. This gun is great when it comes to putting accurate bursts into the heads of ranged Tyranid Warriors and Chaos Space Marines, though it struggles a bit when it comes to swarms.

Much like the Tactical class, this weapon is a jack of all trades. Players can’t go wrong with bringing it along, though there will be times when some may wish they had brought something else instead.

2 Plasma Incinerator

Excellent Against Hordes And Elites

While the Plasma Incinerator’s stats may not seem all that good on paper, it is one of the best weapons for clearing swarms in Space Marine 2. This is all thanks to its charge mechanic, which lets players fire more destructive plasma bolts that deal greater damage over a larger area. These charged shots are very good against armored targets as well, propping Tyranid Warriors and Chaos Space Marines open for execution in just a couple of shots.

The downside of the Plasma Incinerator is its ammo economy. While its regular shots only consume one ammo, charged shots use up 10. Players will need to be accurate if they don’t want to waste any ammunition. Perks will help alleviate this issue, but unless players invest a lot of time into the Plasma Incinerator, ammo management will be something they’ll constantly need to be aware of.

1 Heavy Bolt Rifle

The Best All-Around Weapon

The Heavy Bolt Rifle is arguably the best bolt weapon in the game, simply due to how versatile it is. It packs a similar punch to the Bolt Rifle, a fire rate close to the Auto Bolt Rifle, and close-range prowess similar to the Bolt Carbine. To top all of that, this weapon also has the highest base magazine size of all Tactical marine weapons. It’s a wonderful pick for supporting Assault and Bulwark classes in Space Marine 2.

The only real issue with the Heavy Bolt Rifle is its low accuracy. It’s still useful against distant targets, but players will be forced to fire in short bursts. Apart from that, the Heavy Bolt Rifle should be the weapon of choice for players who want something that they can bring anywhere and still be strong. Just don’t expect it to perform as well as the Melta at close range or the Stalker rifle at long range.