Who is the best Chapter Master?

[Loken]

I am trying to figure out who is the best Chapter Master for a vanilla space marine army using Vulcan. This is an Apocalypse only army, and we usually play 3,500 - 10,000 points per person. Pedro? Marneus? A CM on a bike? Or one of the guys in the FW Badab Wars books?

Any thoughts would help.

Alec

[Houghten]

So, if I'm reading this right, you're building a Salamanders army and you want to pick the Chapter Master that, with his own Chapter Tactics overriden by Vulkan's, best represents Tu'Shan?

Or is it that you just want a hard-as-nails character to go along for the ride (if this option, why a Chapter Master specifically)?

My answer will vary depending on which of the above is the case.

[Loken]

As I mentioned in my first post, it is a vanilla Space Marine army. So, as it states in the Space Marine codex, any vanilla space marine army can use any of the characters in the codex as analogs for their army. Yes, I use Vulkan's Chapter Tactics. And so yeah, as you state, my CM would be "along for the ride"!

Thus, for my Crimson Templars I have a character that uses Vulkan's profile, but is not named Vulkan. And I have a special model for him.

The point of the post is that I am looking for which of the available Chapter Master characters is the best in each person's view and why. Hoping to create some discussion about why each is good.

Hope that clears it up.

[Deadlift]

If its an Apoc game, why restrict yourself to Codex Space marines ?

If it were me I would be looking to squeeze in a "counts as" Dante or even better Mephiston. But then I am a BA player and red ones are better (imho).

[Loken]

Again, vanilla marines. I have a Blood Angels army too. I play one or the other. And our house rules don't allow you to pick and choose units from different codexes, which isn't fluffy and kinda cheesy. Others have a free for all, we don't.

Alec

[Wildeybeast]

Well, if you want a CM rather than a captain, then you only have a chocie of two in the book, either Marneus or Pedro. Marneus is more killy, Pedro is better at boosting your own troops so it depends which one you want. Though if you are planning to use Vulkan's chapter tatics then I don't see much point in using either and if I were you, I'd custom build my own, ideally with weapons to take advantage of Vulkans chapter tactics.

[Thornblood]

I'd go Pedro just because I like Sternguard. Not because Pedro is amazing, but because Sternguard can be.

[thecactusman17]

Pedro, and give the sternguard combi-meltas and flamers. Now you have sternguard who make their already awesome one-shot weapons even better.

[Pikante]

Space shark man; because he is the master of the space sharks.

[Houghten]

Okay, so it's not a Salamanders army, just a burny one that happens to use a Vulkan-a-like?

Given that we're talking Apocalypse, Sternguard may already be scoring units (depending on whether you're using the scoring rules in the book or using the 5th edition ones instead) which removes one of Kantor's biggest advantages, leaving him with a standard Chapter Master statline plus Dorn's Arrow and Inspiring Presence. The AP4, Assault 4 storm bolter is nice, but it's not exactly a must-have. +1A for all units within 12" specifically doesn't stack with a Chapter Banner, though it is cheaper...

Calgar, being Chapter Master of the Ultramarines in Mat Wards' Ultramarines codex, is special. His God of War rule isn't Chapter Tactics, which means that you can use it as well as twin-linking your flamers and meltas. I'd say he's worth taking for that alone, but he's also got a seriously hench profile, an AP2 storm bolter, and can choose between 5 power fist attacks or 4 power sword attacks. What's not to love?

Well, the points cost. If you'd like something a little cheaper than Calgar, capitalise on Vulkan's Chapter Tactics by taking a custom Chapter Master with a thunder hammer and combi-weapon (plus accessories to taste, eg digital weapons).

However, this is Apocalypse. I think you can afford the extra points for Calgar, somehow.

I can't speak about the Chapter Masters in the Badab war books, as I haven't read them.

[Demonus]

And our house rules don't allow you to pick and choose units from different codexes, which isn't fluffy and kinda cheesy

LOL because different chapters working together is not fluffy but cheesy! Space Marine novels? What do you mean have I ever read any?


That being said, Pedro is a good choice as Sterngard with rerolling flamer/melts is never a bad thing.

[Tynskel]

To make tu'shan:
1) vulkan
2) space marine chapter master
-Artificer Armor, 2 Thunder Hammers (2 re-rolls, due to Vulkan), Astartes grenade Launcher! Digital Weapons (gotta be sure. He kills what he hits)

Done.

[Tynskel]

Now if you are looking for just a bad mofo from the space marine codex: Calgar. power armor, with a combat squad. Razorback with assault cannons.

Just make sure the rest of your army is more 'worth' killing. I have had Calgar win apoc games more than once. Just had him be on defense, hopping in and out of the razorback. Smashing anything that came his way. He's pretty good at that.

[Houghten]

2 Thunder Hammers (2 re-rolls, due to Vulkan)

Just the one re-roll, I'm afraid. See also the Space Marines FAQ, where a similar question is asked of a pair of master-crafted lightning claws.