Custom HQ Marine Builds.

[chicop76]

I am bored and was wondering on a topic to write about and thought about doing this topic. I haven't really seen any one do a topic on this so I decided its either been awhile or never been done. Simply put this topic it focusing on Character customization and even unit customization. I will be avoiding unique characters since they have a specific purpose. Depending how this post does I may do more or may not. I will mainly focus on customization for different builds etc.

This is also an opportunity for other people to show off their builds and customizations. If you want to share pics and fluff that would be cool too. I randomly grabbed the Space Marine codex which means no current fluff for me out side of the Mardi Gras Alliance which is no longer viable due to 2 codex rewrites and 6th edition re writes.

I was gonna have fluer de lis marines, but sister/ marine may or may not happen anymore. Sister/ Grey Knights have a higher chance of being a reality. Which means I am at a lost with what I really want to do. Currently my son plays Dark Angels and I am working on a build that fits with his army so we can ally up. Other than that my theme focus on bikes, speeders, and assault marines for mobility.

The reason why I doing a bit of explaining is so you can understand my builds. Not that I will go White Scars which I may do in the end, but my reasoning is due to marines I have had during 4th edition and not due to a joining a band wagon.

Chapter Master/ Captain: Well you either going to do one or the other. If you going fluff y a Captain is a good choice and it is a cheapter choice. Also keep in mind that a Captain is more than likely would be in charge of a force around 1500-2000 pts. However the Chapter Master is what i woukd say is the big boss. The Master woukd be involved in large scale battles or take a personal interest in battles that are hard won.

Chapter Master Build Alpha:

This build focusing on being able to be able to take down any threat in hand to hand. It's what I am working with now. At the moment I am bending and glueing Solomon the Inquisitor since he is in artificer armour. Only other models I know modeled in the armor is sanguine guard which I debated on choping them up and mounting on a bike as well. Also aside from some dark angel bits and obvious Inquisition symbols I am working on a final chapter.

Artificer Armour, bike, shield eternal, burning blade .

This build sits at 275 points/ 235 points for captain. This is probably the best build for the Master/ Captain since you will be able to do well against most things in the game via combat. Compared to Calgar and Draigi sitting at the same point level. You Master can beat Calgar and give Draigo a really good fight.

For 20 points more hitting 295 you can take the primarch' wrath. Now it's not bad since on bike you should be abke to shoot five times at a good bs and re roll to wound. Personally 300 points into one guy is a lot. With that in mind he is rather hard to kill.

If the Master is taken and on a bike you can one time orbital and be able to assault at the same time. 40 points for a one shot oribital and plus one to most stats isn't really bad.

Ideally you would want to go iron hands for the it will not die. If thrown in with a bike command squad you can get feel no pain, another reason to take a captain, chaplain, or Liberian.

As a side note I think a captain shouldn't be carrying really rare artifacts with him, but Vulcan sort of shows us if fluff you can do so.

In all honesty any tactic benefits this build. Salamanders provide a master crafter relic sword, re roll charge with ultra marines, obvious white scar advantages, black templars provide excellent challenge opportunities, raved guard gives scout. Only tactic that does not benefit the character is the imperial fist. However seeing that you typically don't build an army around a character it can really benefit your army as a whole.

This next build is my favorite captain build. Keeping in mind that all the good toys went to the Master. However these days I see games with three masters in it. Honesty I would go libbies over captain s or more masters. I would go master or captain. This is my fluffy captain build for the most part. In other words this build is when I am playing campaign or have the above all ready field.

Captain:

[Akaiyou]

That only works IF it's FAQ'd that you can switch both your weapons for chapter relics.

I used to think we could, after much discussion my opinion has changed there ARE subtle differences in the wording that we cannot just ignore becuase we want a power house so i have since changed my build to

Bike, Shield Eternal, Artificier, Thunder Hammer

or on foot, Armor Indomitus, Burning Blade

These are both chapter masters

[chicop76]

Darn net. I lost half my post.

Captain with artificer armour, thunder hammer, and bike. This build is mainly for the captain to attach to a bike squad with fnp. With the command squad the unit is not costly and due to fnp he can throw off strength 10 shots heading his way. With a plus 4 invulnerable he should still be abke to deal with most models at a good cost of 150 points.

Next is the Libby. I for one find it hard to figure out if I want him in term armour or on a bike. Lack of Artificer armour screams terminator armour. I do favor bike libbys who can stay with my mostly bike army. However a cheap psyker to hide in a squad isn't a bad ideal when gearing him up.

I think spend money on a bike or keep him cheap.

Psyker Powers as a Master two hits the price of a captain which isn't bad. I think going Master Two isn't a bad ideal.

If going bike strong list I would personally go with two rolls on telepathy.

Telepathy gives you invisibility which is one of the best powers available. It lowers ws to 1, gives bikes +2 cover saves, cancel counter charge and over watch. This means your unit is hard to kill via shooting and silly in combat with you hitting on 3s whike everyone else hits on 5s. Not to mention no overwatch which is a big help.

You also get puppet master which is great against models who have a lot of fire power like a riptide or broadside.

Halluncination is another great power that either acts like grenades with no over watch. The enemy just sits there letting you beat them to a pulp. Or the unit beats itself up.

Biomancy would be a general useful army power.
Enfeeble would be really helpful like against wraith knights, unkess you have grav guns which makes this powrr pointless.
Endurance is the other power worth while having which you can spread feel no pain love.

Honestly I think telepathy is a better power set for a bike army. Iron arm, warp speed, leach essence is good for MCs and not really good on a libbh. Although a toughness 8 libby with 7 possible strenth 10 attacks with the relic sword can seem scary.

I think plain bike upgrade and that's it. For around 110 pts you are mobile and can cast two powers a turn.

For the Master of the Forge and Techmarine I noticed they can be on bikes which isn't a bad upgrade. I doubt I would ever put one on a bike, but I bet if you do it woukd look cool. You know you want to be on a bike shooting the conversion beamer. That combo is good due to getting the most out of the beamer.

[AlexRae]

Bike, Artificer Armour, Shield Eternal and Thunder Hammer is standard right? It's probably worth the 15pts for a Combi-Grav and and Auspex as well if he is in one of those shooty Command Squad units

There's not much else competing with that. Perhaps the Bike MOTF in an IH list with a similar load out who can just roll around defending home base and repairing vehicles on some ridiculously low roll

[ElectricPaladin]

Captain or Master with Teeth of Terra, Power Fist, Artificer Armor (optional)!

[chicop76]

I wonder if you can swipe out the bike weapon for a relic.

[DWest]

Captain or Master with Teeth of Terra, Power Fist, Artificer Armor (optional)!

I'd almost say the Artificer Armour is mandatory, if you plan on getting stuck in. My first game with the new dex used a Captain with that build, and he ended up getting stuck in alone vs. Shrike and half a dozen Vanguard. After the Vanguard went down, it became pure Mathhammer -- my Cap and Shrike were both reliably landing 3 Wounds a round, but I was rolling 2+ to save and he was rolling 4++. Honestly, the way things are now, I'd take Artificer Armor over a Storm Shield if given the option, because of the ability to laugh off regular power weapons.

Also, I find an Auspex works really well on this type of character -- my Captain rides in a Drop Pod with a Command Squad, and so since he won't personally be shooting anyway, the ability to soften up a target for the Command Squad is handy.

As a bit of a points-saver build, I also like to run: Librarian, Mastery 2, Terminator Armour w/ Storm Shield, Force Axe. 125 points, tough enough to take some hits and deal some out in return. Especially nice in a Drop Pod build with Psychic Shriek.

[ElectricPaladin]

I'd almost say the Artificer Armour is mandatory, if you plan on getting stuck in...

Fair enough. The beauty, though, is that from a WYSIWYH perspective, the artificer armor doesn't need to be part of the model, so you can experiment. I plan on fielding my Sons of Medusa Chapter Master with artificer armor, alongside a techmarine, with a squad of terminators, in a land raider.

[DarkLink]

Same thing with the bike. For T5 and that much extra mobility, it's always worth it. Not that a CM in, say, a Land Raider, is bad, but it's not nearly as efficient.

[chicop76]

Fair enough. The beauty, though, is that from a WYSIWYH perspective, the artificer armor doesn't need to be part of the model, so you can experiment. I plan on fielding my Sons of Medusa Chapter Master with artificer armor, alongside a techmarine, with a squad of terminators, in a land raider.

I agree, but I still would like to model the armour. Righy now I am converting the forge world model to be wysiwyg. Also I am thinking of getting the armor from the sanguine guard to use as conversions. I am also thinking that greyknights might also make good models for artificer armour as well.

Once I get settled down I will start working on my marines.

The Art armour is a rather good choice with a 4 plus invulnerable and on a bike reduces the chance for instant death. That set up alone whould beat down most set ups and can wade through a lot of models. Revisiting the Master as a choice you are paying 40 points for an extra attack, wound and an orbital strike. The captain is a very cost efficient model for what it does. The more I think about it the more running one master and two captains seem like a good choice, or a captain and two Liberians.

I actually like the marine book which I do not feel forced that I have to take specials, although possible ally abuse is out there which I will probably be guilty off.

I probably will go white scars, but will make my own chapter. I am using my 4th edition list, but have to take blood angels as allies for it to work, was hoping I could had ran as 4th edition vanilla marines.

besides trying to figure out how to paint my marines I am playing around with different possibilities. Like trying to figure out what to do with 24 assault marines and 4 landspeeders.

I still don't really see the need to get the two plus invulnerable save armour. However eternal warrior isn't bad and allows you the option to be able to engage most models and win.

From what you can possibly build I would sY it is possible that Space Marines can make the ultimate combat machine.