Kitting out a Power Armor Captain

[ElectricPaladin]

This is probably my last thread on the topic.

I've got a power armor chaplain and a terminator chaplain, I've got a power armor librarian and two terminator librarians (one with storm shield, one with storm bolter), I've got a terminator captain, and I've got a model I could use as a Master of the Forge (without conversion beamer - I know I'll someday want both a MotF with conversion beamer and a MoTG with conversion beamer and bike). I've also got the start of a power armor (well, artificer armor, probably) captain - all he's missing is his head and arms... which brings me to the point.

Given how WYSIWYGlicious the captain's wargear is, and how many options there are, and the fact that I really only want to build one captain of each armor type, what do you think is the best loadout for a captain, with a special focus on the decisions that influence the way I build the model?

[Nabterayl]

Artificer armor + Iron Halo to me says "beats up on guys who are unlikely to pack multiple AP2 Melee weapons." That means a lightning claw and power fist to me, ideally. Relic blade is a good substitute for both that is a little cheaper, but as an LC is only 8% less killy than a relic blade vs. T4, the two specialist weapons are the better points-blind option in my book - unless you want to take a gun. Since I think captains work best in assault, I prefer the combi-melta as a gun (since it gives the captain an assault weapon).

[Maelstorm]

I prefer the combi-flamer for anti-assault. I like it when my opponent has to roll multiple saves vs. a single weapon!

[Angelofblades]

I like the good ole staple of relic blade combi Meltagun and hellfire rounds

[Bean]

The best Captain loadout is to play him as a Librarian or Chaplain instead.

Pretty much the only reason to bring a vanilla marine Captain is to put him on a bike and make bikes troops. That's it. He doesn't do anything else enough better than your other options to warrant giving up the powerful special rules they bring.

[ElectricPaladin]

The best Captain loadout is to play him as a Librarian or Chaplain instead.

Pretty much the only reason to bring a vanilla marine Captain is to put him on a bike and make bikes troops. That's it. He doesn't do anything else enough better than your other options to warrant giving up the powerful special rules they bring.

Well, I've got a captain chassis and I'm going to use it. No reason not to. Maybe they'll be better in the next 'dex? Then won't I be happy I did this?

But yes. In real life, I'm probably always going to play either a librarian, a chaplain, or the Exorcists special character (who, while technically a captain, has several tasty benefits).

And yes, a biker captain and a biker command squad is on my list of projects.

[Capn Stoogey]

I run my Captain with artificer armour, power weapon, bolt pistol, melta bombs and jump pack, and run him with an assault squad, and if I have some spare points I'll throw in digital weapons. I never play competitively so its all about the fluff of my army for me, I'm simply not interested in mathhammer, or min maxing with librarians or chaplains, my bad *** Capitan Gaius Vakarian runs the show. That being said, he and his squad consistently butcher their way through enemy squads and vehicles alike! Bottom line is, play what you want! Don't cave in to the interwebs chumps telling you to leave the Captain at home because they are "teh suck". :)

[DarkLink]

The problem with Captains is that all they really bring to your army is assault, and THSS Terminators/Veterans do that better, while Librarians can provide an array of force multipliers for your army depending on the psychic powers you take. I'm of the opinion Chaplains suffer the same problem. If you're hitting something with THSS Terminators, it's dead so long as the THSS Terminators live to hit, rerolls or no, and since all the Chaplain really brings is rerolls on the charge it's not as useful a buff as what the Librarian can get, nor an enabler for a particular type of list such as the Biker Captain.

Anyways, just magnetize the arms so you can take whatever weapons you want.

[White Tiger88]

I think don't take one.......Power armor captians tend to explode before they can pay for them selves (at least for me) But if you must run him Stick a jump pack on him and add a Relicblade\Plasma Pistol for some cheap anti-terminator fun.

[thelion]

i like the relic blade storm bolter option (from the sm dex) using dig weapons and art armour add a melta bomb and your enemy isnt going to look at it too hard at first

[ElectricPaladin]

I'm of the opinion Chaplains suffer the same problem...

I agree with you, basically, but I do think Chaplains can shine - and even the score - with a less-than-stellar melee unit. Take tactical terminators. They suffer - at least a bit - from having a split purpose, with powerful power fists and decent durability, but not quite as much durability as hammernators. I wonder if the chaplain isn't a good fit for these guys because they need, more so than hammernators, to win that fight in round one.

[Bean]

Just take your captain and play him as a librarian--give him a sword bit and a pistol bit and the cloak bit and some cool looking accessories, and who's to say he's not a librarian? If captains get good again at some point in the future, then you can switch to using him as a captain.

Unless you already have a librarian, in which case just give him whatever you want--it really doesn't matter, because he won't be great, regardless. He is all assault, though, so don't bother with shots. Power sword or relic blade/storm shield, maybe melta bombs, and that's about it. You could go artificer, powerfist, storm shield, but at that point you should probably have just given him terminator armor and been done with it.

[DarkLink]

Artificer Armor, Power Fist, and Storm Shield is actually a fair bit cheaper than the Terminator equivalent, and Terminator armor only gives you Deepstrike, and brings the disadvantages of taking up extra transport space and disallowing sweeping advances along with it. There's no reason to aim specifically for Terminator armor. In fact, the only reason to ever take Terminator armor is in case you want to deepstrike, and frankly why are you deepstriking?

[Tynskel]

you are deep striking with other terminators!

[Kirsten]

auxiliary grenade launcher is fun, I would like to see if they FAQ using that along with throwing a normal grenade, a captain putting out a couple of frag or krak grenades is pretty handy. I have a captain with a relic blade and a storm shield because it makes an awesome looking model. might want an AP2 weapon though.

[thelion]

relay when i think on this one again another thought would be Artificer Armor, Relic Blade, digital weapons, and a bike. with the new rules for bikes it makes him very dangerous (other than the fact that you can now take bikes as troops) he gets toughness 5 making him not only harder to wound but harder to instant kill, but also hammer of wrath and relentless. this combo gives you a good mix of what you need to use him better lots of movement to slam him down your opponent's gullet and do some serious hurt with him. :cool:

[Tynskel]

I still think going "all the way" with a Bike Commander is the way to go.

215 Lord Kitchensink
–Captain, Bike, Powerfist, Lightning Claw, Hellfire Rounds, Auxiliary Grenade Launcher, Artificer Armor

The guy is fast, resilient, and packs a punch (ho ho ho). Gets to shoot pair of guns that will wound just about anything, too. You can run him with a squad, or break off and be the 1 man army.


What's better? You can still take a 'Chapter Tactics' model, and your Super Captain gets another upgrade. I recommend Shrike. Now your captain moves 12" and then can blast stuff and fleet its way into combat.

[spaceman91]

my captain ( hes not used much now ) used to run artificer + storm shield + relic blade. he was a ****ing machine. only things to ever bring him down were a plasma cannon ( i maintain a lucky shot ) and a arcon ( i know that's not spelt right sorry).

[Cpt Codpiece]

ive not played my captain in my menor legion yet (new baby and life in the way in general), but i will be running the 25th anniv mini as nisk ran-thawll using the rules for good old pedro, the scoring sternguard add the elite cadre aspect to the force too YAY.

i would love to take artificer armour and iron halo but alas its just not fitting with the fluff.

but the suggestions of artificer armour and a shield is a tasty one :)