Sorry if this is a silly question, but i've tried to get my head round it and just can't!

As i understand it, small arms can't be used for ranged firing - only for assaults via. a FF attack.

And any unit with any ranged weapon can give a single FF attack if within 15cm.

So, why do CSM, terminators and SM tacticals have both small arms and a ranged weapon entry? Surely the ranged weapon alone qualifies them to provide a FF attack so the small arms are... redundant? Or do the small arms AND the ranged weapons give them 2 FF attacks? I just can't find anything that makes sense of it..

What am i missing?

Me and some others at our gaming club are trying to get into Epic as part of a Grand 40K campaign planned for next year (will include BFG, 40K, Apoc and Epic in a narrative campaign!) so need to get the rules straight before we start!

Bonus Question:

I've been looking at the CSM list, and checking out some of the armies posted here, and i've noticed that when people take retinues they don't seem to take many of the upgrades available - why is that? Are formations of 12+ inf stands considered to unweildy to use? To much of a points sink? or are the cult marines and havoc options just not good value for points?

Steve S

Especially in the tournament scene it makes more sense to have a good number of activations, but in scenario play the forces can be balanced in other ways and therefore have more hefty formations.

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"Don't use finesse, if force will solve the problem."

- Lieutenant General Michael O'Neal

Welcome to Epic. To add to previous answers, you're right, it is a bit redundant to list details of the small arms. However, one of the criticisms of the previous version of Epic was that units weren't very distinctive or detailed and many of them felt the same in play. The small arms info is there largely just because it's nice to know your marines are armed with bolters or whatever.

On the subject of activations, most competitive lists try to maximise the number of activations at the expense of buying lots of upgrades. This is for a few reasons. For example having more formations gives you more ways to accomplish things, such as holding objectives, getting in the enemy's way, putting down blast markers. Just as importantly, more activations allows you to dictate the turn by waiting until your opponent has committed himself before acting (eg if your titan is very frightened of your opponent's Shadowsword company, it's quite nice if you can force him to activate the Shadowswords before you've moved the titan out of cover, or whatever).