Building A Better: Chapter Master

[Katharon]

So, here I am about to create a small Allied detachment for my Imperial Guard from the new Codex: Space Marines and I have a bit of a log-jam in the creative juices department concerning my HQ choice. I've decided that I want an HQ that will be a beast in close combat and will be able to curbstomp almost anything. As such, I settled for choosing a Chapter Master (most attacks and more wounds) as that HQ choice. Now comes the fun part: choosing his gear and the Chapter he will belong to and benefit from their specific Chapter Tactics. I've come up with two or three ideas and I'll give them below. Your comments or extra ideas would be welcome.

Idea #1: Black Templars Chapter Master

Why? Because the BTs are beasts in close combat and in cc challenges to be specific, with gaining the Rending special rule and re-rolling all failed To Hit rolls. So here's a rundown on the gear:

Black Templars Chapter Master
Artificer Armor
Bike
Melta Bombs
Lightning Claw
"Teeth of Terra"

Total Points: 225 Points

End Note: I put him on a bike to give him an extra bump to Toughness, the HoW special rule, and the speed to be moving across the table and getting into cc ASAP (not to mention turning Bikes into troop choices). Also, it'll give him a twin-linked bolter for long distance shooting, which won't detract from his assaulting abilities since he'll also get the Relentless special rule. Now, I hear that unspoken question. Why the Lightning Claw and the Teeth of Terra? Easy answer: they're both specialist weapons. Because GW obviously didn't want someone walking around with both the Teeth of Terra and the Burning Blade from the Chapter Relics list and getting that +1A from both, they made only one a specialist weapon and not both. As such, I needed to pick another specialist weapon in order to receive the +1A for having two cc weapons (which the current rules state that so long as both weapons have the specialist weapon rule, I get that +1A -- even if both weapons are not the same ie. I don't need to have twin lightning claws). I had thought about getting a thunder hammer instead, but melta bombs are cheaper.


Idea #2: Iron Hands Chapter Master


Same gear as before, but this time with those awesome Iron Hands Chapter Tactics, like FnP and IWND. Buuuut, not as beastly as Black Templars in challenges...but maybe have a bit more endurance.

[Ralium]

Iron hands chapter master on a bike with artificer armour, shield eternal and a thunder hammer is a beast. 2+ armour save, 3+ invul, eternal warrior, feel no pain and it will not die.

[Katharon]

Iron hands chapter master on a bike with artificer armour, shield eternal and a thunder hammer is a beast. 2+ armour save, 3+ invul, eternal warrior, feel no pain and it will not die.

I'm trying to keep the point cost at or lower than 225. Also, you should check out the special rules for the "Teeth of Terra" and how they combine with Rending and To Hit re-rolls. It's almost evil.

[Aegwymourn]

Well the big thing is access to Eternal Warrior. In an environment filled with monstrous creatures getting instant killed from st10 smash attacks is fairly common. Other than that if you solely want fighting capabilities the BT chapter master has a small edge. I think with the addition of EW the Iron Hands chapter master gets the edge though.

[DarkLink]

Eternal Warrior and a 3++ is vital for a SM assault character. You can get by in casual games based on your opponents, but at a tournament without it you'd better pray you make all of those 3++. Force Weapons and Smash attacks are way too common.

[Katharon]

Eternal Warrior and a 3++ is vital for a SM assault character. You can get by in casual games based on your opponents, but at a tournament without it you'd better pray you make all of those 3++. Force Weapons and Smash attacks are way too common.

Point. If it comes to a tournament game then I may change the Lightning Claw to getting the Shield Eternal. Sad to lose the +1A, but EW is nothing to snuff your nose at.

[Luckee22]

Of note, the BT only get their cool CC powers in a challenge. I would be worried about coming to grips with an opposing character with a 2+ armor save. Granted, rampage gives you 6(5 w/shield)+d3 attacks on the charge but that's only one math hammer rend per turn. I will never doubt the power of striking at I but since we lost the HQs with good furious charge, I'm going to have to recommend the Iron Hands with a hammer. He's just too resilient, it feels like I'm back in 2008 seeing hammernators for the first time.
And I think the bike squad he's backed by will benefit more from 6+ FNP than from 5+ deny the witch. And hell, give them a techmarine with an auspex and a power wrench.

[Anggul]

I'm struggling to find a use for the Teeh of Terra. It's really cool but being a specialist weapon kind of screws it. There's no point in taking a Lightning Claw because they both have the same role but the Teeth do it better, so you're paying 15pts for an extra attack, by which point you're paying 50pts for the thing, so you ought as well go for the Burning Blade. You could take a Power Fist/Thunder Hammer with it, but then you're better off with the Shield Eternal.

I guess the only efficient way to use it is just by itself, maybe with a combi-weapon as you don't have the extra attack anyway. Have him dive in to make use of Rampage and suddenly you have plenty of attacks.

[Tynskel]

I'm struggling to find a use for the Teeh of Terra. It's really cool but being a specialist weapon kind of screws it. There's no point in taking a Lightning Claw because they both have the same role but the Teeth do it better, so you're paying 15pts for an extra attack, by which point you're paying 50pts for the thing, so you ought as well go for the Burning Blade. You could take a Power Fist/Thunder Hammer with it, but then you're better off with the Shield Eternal.

I guess the only efficient way to use it is just by itself, maybe with a combi-weapon as you don't have the extra attack anyway. Have him dive in to make use of Rampage and suddenly you have plenty of attacks.

Your argument doesn't make sense.
If you take the Shield Eternal, you can *never* benefit from two CC weapons. That's a rule for storm shields.

So, either you take another specialist weapon to gain another attack, or you don't. However, you don't really need the extra attacks, because the Special Rules on the Teeth of Terra grant extra attacks, anyhow.


As a side note, granting a Master of the Forge the Teeth of Terra is a terrifying prospect. You can still give the MotF a Combi-Weapon! Just replace one of the Servo-Arms. They are Specialist Weapons, and you come with 2.

[Kaptain Badrukk]

Bike Captain / CM with Teeth of Terra is a borderline MC in terms of squad killing and statline.
OK he's only got a T5 3/4W and a 2+/4++ save, so he's not quite as durable. But the teeth let him have a buttload of MEQ killing attacks.
Make him an iron hand and he gets his wounds back too!

[Katharon]

However, you don't really need the extra attacks, because the Special Rules on the Teeth of Terra grant extra attacks, anyhow.

I prefer overkill and a little extra stacking to my deck to ensure results. Hence why I wanted that +1 attack so much. I want to max out the most attacks that I can put out in a single combat phase...and on that note...



As a side note, granting a Master of the Forge the Teeth of Terra is a terrifying prospect. You can still give the MotF a Combi-Weapon! Just replace one of the Servo-Arms. They are Specialist Weapons, and you come with 2.

Genius! Not a bad idea at all. Saves on points in having to purchase a 2nd specialist weapon when the MotF already had two sitting on his back. However, the MotF doesn't enable Bike Squads to be taken as troop choices the same way a Chapter Master or Captain does when mounted on a bike -- so my idea for a single hard hitting squad would kind of go flat.

But this will be in the back of my mind for what could be a 2nd option for when I need to cut 40 points down from a CM to a MotF.



Bike Captain / CM with Teeth of Terra is a borderline MC in terms of squad killing and statline.
OK he's only got a T5 3/4W and a 2+/4++ save, so he's not quite as durable. But the teeth let him have a buttload of MEQ killing attacks.
Make him an iron hand and he gets his wounds back too!

Much as I like the Iron Hand attributes, they are meant for staying power and less for offensive capabilities -- whereas the Black Templar attributes are all out offensive power. For a small, Allied force like the one I'm going to create I want as many attacks and dangerous attacks going in as I can. With the BT Rending ability in challenges, the Teethe of Terra can be made that much more deadly.