Space Marine 2has been receiving steady updates since its release, adding new maps, new weapons, and new customization, but if recent leaks are anything to go by, it could be about to add a new Techmarine class. If the leaks are true, then this would be a large shake-up to both the PVE and PVP modes, but it’s unclear exactly how Saber plans to implement it.
Players have speculated for months about the potential for new classes in the game, and the Techmarine, if real, should be the first of many. There are so many directions that the developer could go in, andSpace Marine 2has no shortage of units to pick from in the Adeptus Astartes’ armory.
The Techmarine Leak Is Exciting, but Confirms Very Little About the Class
Dataminers have been going through the recent7.0 “Trygon” patch forSpace Marine 2, finding plenty of interesting fragments of missions, enemies, and items referencing Horde Mode, the new PVE mode set to release in the coming months. Among these details is a single reference to “EngineerPVE”, and the perk “SpawnWithShoulderGunBolter”.
For anyone familiar with theWarhammer 40,000universe, an engineer with a shoulder-mounted weapon in this context would be aSpace Marine Techmarine. Often trained under the guidance of both their chapter and the Adeptus Mechanicus, Techmarines are the keepers of the armory. They repair vehicles, service weapons, and most importantly, handle all the rites and rituals associated with appeasing the fickle machine spirits. They are easily identifiable for the unusual equipment they carry, from servo arms, shoulder-mounted guns, and cog-toothed axes.
Such an iconic and quintessentially 40K class would be a welcome addition toSpace Marine 2. However, the only details about the Techmarine being a class are the ones referenced earlier, and this is very little to go on. While the mention of “perk” and “MasterySkill” would indicate a playable character, it could also be that Saber designs NPCs with “perks” as a function of the game’s engine.
What New Classes Could Saber Add to Space Marine 2?
Whether or not the Techmarine does arrive as a new class, it is sure to have reignited some discussion aboutSaber’s future content plans. There are so many miniatures from the 40K tabletop that could become classes, and listed below are some of the more likely ones. Bear in mind that Saber might use a class name that is different to its tabletop counterpart, for example, Bulwark and Bladeguard, so these are the names of the miniatures.
Apothecary
Probably themost requested class forSpace Marine 2is the Apothecary. Guardians of a chapter’s gene-seed, performing the last rites on brothers who fall in battle, Apothecaries fill a natural support role. While many chapters have different ways of designating their Apothecaries, such as the Blood Angels’ Sanguinary Priests, they perform similar roles no matter their background, administering frontline aid and ensuring the chapter’s longevity.
An Apothecary’s healing could radically change up themeta inSpace Marine 2’s PVE. At the moment, Bulwark’s perform this role with their banners, so Saber would have to find a way of avoiding this overlap. Perhaps they could be more focused on reviving teammates and providing stat-boosting stims than direct heals. There are also variants of Apothecaries, such as the Biologis branch, for a bio-warfare approach.
Chaplain
Chaplain’s are iconic in Warhammer 40,000, dressed head to toe in black power armor, covered in purity seals, and wearing the skull-faced helm. Those who played the campaign will have run into the Chaplain, observing their fiery speeches before battle. It is the responsibility of the Chaplain to maintain faith through prayer and oratory, which translates into focusing the zeal of their brothers on the battlefield. Like Apothecaries, their roles change slightly in other chapters, and they are closely associated with the Dark Angels, Black Templars, and Blood Angels.
Chaplains seem like they could be a very fun and flavorful choice forSpace Marine 2. With a wide variety of melee weapons to pick, they would likely revolve around buffing nearby allies with their auras. They could focus on providing on-kill buffs, supporting melee-oriented compositions and enabling the more disruptive Vanguard and Assault classes to do their jobs even better.
Inceptor
The Inceptor is a slightly strange pick, but it is not completely unwarranted, after aSpace Marine 2datamine found the Inceptor Bolt Pistolin the files. Hovering on anti-grav thruster packs, Inceptors dual-wield pistols, flying close to enemy formations to rain down volleys before pulling back. Not quite as iconic as the Apothecary or Chaplain, an Inceptor class represents a more modern way for Space Marines to fight the enemies of the Emperor.
With what has beendatamined about Horde Modenow, it is not guaranteed that Inceptors would be playable, but they could put an interesting twist on an airborne class. Moving slower than the Assault, Inceptors would be more about aerial agility, and hit-and-run tactics, than straightforward aggression. Their multiple pistols would make a very unique way to play the game, being the first class to dual-wield, and plenty of players would find the fantasy of being a flying cowboy to be quite exciting.
Terminator
Wearing some of the finest suits of armor the Imperial armory contains, Terminators are walking tanks. Only the most veteran battle brothers are trusted to wear this armor, taking on dangerous teleport assaults, heroic last stands, and lone-wolf missions. Each suit is so precious, that losing even one in battle brings great shame to the chapter, as it is said each one contains afragment of the Emperor’s armor. Terminators come in a huge number of varieties across different chapters, representing a thousand different fighting styles.
Terminators have always been popular for people to speculate about, as they represent an incredible power fantasy, but Saber would have a hard job implementing them. Their wide arsenal of weapons from the humble Storm Bolter to thepaired Lightning Clawswould make the class quite unique. They would probably have to move slower than other classes, or at least be cumbersome to control, which might present some issues, but a teleport ability feels natural for the class, and if Saber wants to get creative, then this is the class to add.
Librarian
Space Marine Librariansare very rare, able to endure both the grueling Astartes training program, and master their connection with the warp. Melding science and mysticism, Librarians unleash blasts of psychic power upon their foes, or conjure illusions of the mind to hide their allies. Some Librarians can see glimpses of the future, allowing more specialized chapters to act on events before they can take place, but these powers have made some chapters in particular despise them as nothing more than witches.
Another hotly requested class is the Librarian, although it is also another one that Saber could have trouble implementing. With only one active ability per class, satisfying the feeling of a Librarian would be tough, but doable. Saber could replace the standard pistol choice with a psychic burst, and make their active ability a kind of barrier, like the force barrier fromDawn of War II. If Saber can add a Techmarine as a playable class, though, then it could definitely add a Librarian.
