Space Marine Honor Guards Worth It?

[papa smurf]

Hey all, I plan on converting some honor guard for my space marine chapter in the near future because I think it would be a fun modeling project. My question to you all is are they any good on the tabletop? The only thing i've heard is that they're a points sink, but I think a bunch of Relic Blades and a Chapter Banner would really kick things up.
From both the perspective of having used them or gone up against them, does anyone here advocate their use? What do you use them for? And if you don't use them, why not? Look forward to hearing from you all
:D

[dvs1]

My biggest gripe besides the high cost would be lack of an inv save and I4. Even though they cleave through a unit, many times they will be striking simultaneously (or worse) and take losses as well. A librarian w/ force dome and null zone wouldn't be a bad combo, or maybe a chaplain to maximize their hitting potential.

[Mephiston69]

Well Blood Angels honour guard certainly is worth it :cool:

[St.Germaine]

Well Blood Angels honour guard certainly is worth it :cool:

What's your typical load-out for a BA HG?

[Spectral Dragon]

The general consensus at one of my old hang-outs was that they weren't worth the points (for vanilla marines). I myself have never seen them fielded.

[DarkLink]

Honor Guard are really expensive and not that impressive. Command squads, on the other hand, have some pretty good options. BA Honor Guard happen to be basically the same as vanilla Command Squads.

[Tynskel]

except for the ability to take BOTH jump packs and a transport...

[Baeltor]

BA Honour guard pack a sanguinary noviate that gives the whole squad Feel No Pain and Furious Charge, and Infernus Pistols are handy as well. Vanilla Command Squads do seem to just lack a little paired with the limit of only being able to take them with a Captain, BA's can use em for any HQ.

[kier]

i made an honor guard squad a a modeling project. i'v used it a few times in large games with a librarian casting shield, all and all they are about the same as a squad of lightning claw terminators but can fit in a razorback. there not as bad as people say but know your doing it mostly as a hobby project

[Sure]

unfortunately they don't do what they do well enough to justify the cost...Termie Assault Squads pretty much do the same thing much better. It's a shame because they are really great models.

[Kawauso]

Honour Guard (except in the BA Codex, because they're really a Command Squad in disguise with a better Apothecary) are just a points sink.

But.

The Rule of Cool is always worth it, I think.

At least so long as the rest of your army can shore up any weakness brought upon by taking a squad like that. :)

I run a really sub-optimal Command Squad, for instance, a lot of times when playing my vanilla Marines. It has an Apothecary, Champion with a storm shield, banner-bearer with plasma pistol, vet with meltagun and vet with flamer.
Is it efficient? Hell no. Flexible, at least.
Is it cool? Hell yes.

I say go for it.

[Mephiston69]

What's your typical load-out for a BA HG?

It depends on if I'm DoAing them or not
If I am then I generally put them with a librarian jump pack and give them 2 lightning claws and 1 or 2 infernus pistols depending on my points situation
If I;m not then I throw them in a las/plas or heavy flamer razorback and give them and Infernus pistol, 2 Meltaguns and a lightning claw, sometimes I give them the Blood Champion upgrade
Both have worked well for me in the past