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Chapter master and honour guard


Mattastic

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I just got the new SM codex today. Good read. However, I can't help but feel that GW never read through all the options before they release each new codex, and especially so in this one. It's very, very vague in some areas.

 

My trouble is with masters. If you have a captain on a bike, you can take bike squads of 5 units or more as troop choices. Not so with masters, if you read the army list in order. Which is absurd, because surely masters would be even more of a perfect example of the chapter's fighting style than captains. Is this just a glaring error? Or did GW intend to do this?

 

Likewise, while command squads can be put on bikes for +90 points, honour guard can't -- meaning that a mounted master can't have a retinue that can keep up with him, but a mounted captain can. Seems pretty bizarre, and surely misses the whole point of having an honour guard in the first place! Again, did GW just balls up here and forget to include the option?

 

Also, do bikes still give a +1 toughness bonus? I notice that this is shown in the entries for bike squads and scout bike squads, but it's not mentioned explicitly under the equipment entry.

 

And lastly, can apothacaries only be in command squads? I don't really want one in my honour guard, but there must be some other place to put them. I mean, what happens if a brother falls in combat and the army's not lead by a captain?

 

Thanks in advance for any answers.

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The additional T is now part of the Bike rules in the big rules book. It's under the header: Additional Protection.

 

As for the master not having all those options: The master represents the chapter as a whole, while the captain represents your fighting company. Usually when bikes are taken as troops, that relates to a specific company (like deathwing). If your master gave that bonus, it would make it seem as if your entire chapter rides bikes. It is a tad bit silly that honor guard can't take bikes though. Maybe they don't like your attack bonused Standard Bearer to be able to boost it's way to any combat on the table?

Right. Only my entire chapter does ride bikes. Well, a lot of them.

 

It just seems rather a downgrade then to have a chapter master if you're putting him on a bike. I checked, and masters and captains have the same stats, the only difference (appart from the honour guard/command squad bit) being that the master gets orbital bombardment. A master with a full honour guard seems a lot less good than a captain with a full command squad, on the grounds that the honour guard can't possibly keep pace with the master (or indeed, most of my army), leaving the army's most powerful troops well, well at the back.

 

I just feel I may be missing the point here...

This isnt an over site, it was made like this on purpose.

 

Think about it - if you REALLY want a full bike army then you already have the rules for doing this. So you loose some options, thats a shame, but its YOUR choice as to what you theme your chapter on.

 

My chapter is themed around fast moving vehicles - should I start complaining that dreads walk too slow and GW should have made them faster so they can keep pace with my forces???

 

This is just a matter of learning the new codex and what can and cant work and changing your army slightly to fix these problems.

 

Best advice I can offer you in your circumstance is just not to use the Master, or if you REALLY want to, then maybe model a normal bike squad as his "retniue" - yes not as good as the Captains but would still fit your army style.

Right. Only my entire chapter does ride bikes. Well, a lot of them.

 

It just seems rather a downgrade then to have a chapter master if you're putting him on a bike. I checked, and masters and captains have the same stats, the only difference (appart from the honour guard/command squad bit) being that the master gets orbital bombardment. A master with a full honour guard seems a lot less good than a captain with a full command squad, on the grounds that the honour guard can't possibly keep pace with the master (or indeed, most of my army), leaving the army's most powerful troops well, well at the back.

 

I just feel I may be missing the point here...

 

 

Just so you know... that orbital means your master can't move that turn. I've thought of taking a master on a bike, then realized that I need him either turboboosting between cover or charging into combat every turn.

 

So just take a captain. We won't judge you :)

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