Terminators and I

[Judgeman]

Hi all!

I've been wondering for a long time the best HQ to run with a unit of Codex SM Terminators and just wanted to hear some thoughts on the subject. Below are some of the ideas that I am considering I'd be happy if anyone could suggest more, maybe even some that have worked well in the past.

I am currently thinking about including a unit with Kantor as his ability to give +1 attack to all units with-in 12" stack pretty well with the base attacks of all terminators, sadly though the fact that he will die like a marine makes him a little off putting unless of course I hide him in the middle of the terminators and pray my opponent can't pick him out unit he's in combat or rather placed discreetly with-in 12" of said combat :P

The other main choice I was thinking of was a Terminator Libarian with Storm Shield because of the sheer versitility of the unit, however I am really unsure if the rule book powers would be of the most benefit or the ones available in the standard codex, maybe a mixture of both? Really I've been itching to try out any of the disipines but at the minute the most appealing one seems to be biomancy, I'd especially appricate anything anything anyone could tell me about refining a unit like this.

Finally I should point out that by Terminators I don't mean either just one type from the codex but any that work with both.

Thanks for any help in advance :)

[ElectricPaladin]

I have had a lot of luck with Biomancy. Without access to divination, biomancy is probably the best support discipline, with access to some great buff and debuff powers, not to mention some interesting witchfire options. Of course, most of biomancy's powers work best with a close-combat focused librarian, so the force weapon/storm shield libby is a good call. The synergy between a close-combat boosting libby and assault termies (I prefer hammernators) is obvious.

Telekinesis is also good. The shooting powers are useful, if a bit straightforward, and although telekine dome doesn't improve the unit's save much, the thing where it reflects attacks at nearby enemies is entertaining. Also, objuration mechanicum has saved my butt several times - there was this one time I used it to chase a vendetta off the table...

FWIW, I'm also considering putting a force weapon/storm shield libby with shootinators (instead of the standard storm bolter). It will subtract one from the potential shootination of the unit, but there's no reason not to assume that I will get a shooting power - most of the powers are - to replace the storm bolter he loses, and the model's enhanced survivability is worth it.

[Deadlift]

I run my Libby as you have said, with SS in TDA with my TH/SS Terminators. Just 5 usually but more if I feel nasty. I also run 10 assault marines with a jp chaplain and like to catch my opponents units in between these two units. Wrecks face :)

[Maelstorm]

Until things change in 2013: Try out Dark Angels and Belail - All of his Deathwing Terminators are scoring units and they can add a 2 shot missile launcher to each 5-man Terminator squad for minimal points. Easily drop 25-30 "scoring" Terminators plus support anywhere on the table. This allows you to put a missile launcher on top of a TH/SS Terminator !!


This is a shot from an 1850 point Deathwing Assault mob I used for fun in 5th edition. Belial, 6 "Troop" Terminator Squads (3x TH/SS squads, 3x mixed squads every squad gets a Missile Launcher), 1 Libby in Terminator armour and 2 Land Speeders (with Magnetized ML).

http://i832.photobucket.com/albums/zz246/bbrine01/102867259_photobucket_63727_.jpg

[ElectricPaladin]

Until things change in 2013: Go with the Dark Angels and Belail...

By contrast, I once wrecked the sh*t out of a dual wing list. I almost tabled him turn one when my rapid-firing tac squads and vengeance rounds nearly killed all but one of his bikers, and successfully eliminated his teleport homers. His terminators came in piecemeal, givine me plenty of time to deal with each wave as it arrived. The only thing he did which could have won him the game was outflank me by teleporting in behind me and successfully immobilizing my dreadnought (so he couldn't turn around and lascannon his termies). With one of my rhinos immobilized by a biker's meltabombs, my sternguard's ride already on the ground, and my own shootenators way out of position, my opponent had a ghost of a chance.

It didn't work out for him :D.

The point is, the low model count of an all-terminator list can really screw you. Termies are hard to kill, but plasma kills them, rapid-fire hellfire wounds (they wound on a 2+; lots of wounds = some failed 2+ saves) kill them, and bad luck kills them.

[Judgeman]

On the point of the Libby does anyone think that the episolary upgrade is worth it with the new powers?
It really makes him expensive with the terminator armour and SS but using two buffs from biomancy a turn at least on paper sounds pretty effective.

On the subject of the JP chaplin I do have an old biker chaplin then I realised that bikers suck pretty hard in CC but appearantly you can field him in a jump pack unit so I might give it a go, any suggestions for upgrades on him?

Finally I helped a friend make the Belial all terminators all the time army but it was eqipped with all TH/SS and most of it appeared in the first turn thanks to a combination of Deathwing assault and Drop Pods though I'm not too sure if terminators can squeeze into pod like Space Wolves can.

[Maelstorm]

No termies in pods. The list above is not a "dual-wing" list, I've never used the old Dual Wing list (Bikes + Terminators) and don't recommend it. I've only had an issue with one army, which was written specifically to counter this one. Everything else I "hammered" pretty well.

As a bonus, the old Dark Angel Terminator librarian (back right corner of the photo) had a hood that worked table-wide! I believe they nerfed his hood for 6th edition...

I deployed the 3 units of shooty Terminators on the table and used Deathwing Assault to Deep Strike 2 units of TH/SS on the table in turn 1 (Deathwing Assault = turn 1), 14 missiles (7 seperate targets allowed) on turn 1 would wreck Rhino/Razorback spam or pop Dreadnoughts. 1 final TH/SS unit with another ML comes in on turn 2/3/4 for clean-up and really screws with your opponents morale. It was a fun-fluffy easy to build and paint army list. If I remember correctly I added FNP and a Banner to the command Terminator squad.

Just remember to concentrate your first round(s) of ML shooting on tagets that can put the hurt on Terminators.