Honor Guard

[Askari]

Ok, I love the chapter champion's statline and would like to use an honor guard o i can use him. He seems like a great character killer and i was wondering how to use the honor guard.

 

I was thinking of ading another three honor guard and giving one a relic blade while the champion got a thunderhammer and another vet got the Standard. I was planning on taking Kantor to gain access to them and then stickig kantor in another unit so that his extra attack bonus can be better used.

 

The main things i'm wondering about are: 1) what trabsport should they use. 2) Should I stikc a libraian with force dome in the unit to give them an invulnerbale save?

[Shadowstalker Grim]

If you can afford it, land raider transports. Maybe a chaplain for those rerolls, should crush most things underfoot

[Giga]

This is sort of connected to the topic, so I'll ask it here:

 

How do the honor guard compare to terminators (assault or otherwise)? It just seems to me the terminators are better for their cost then the honor guard. Same could be said about allied gray knight terminators. (I apologize if the answer to this question is obvious and I'm missing it, I'm still a beginner at 40k =P)

[General Retreat]

For fear of just restating what has been said better elsewhere, check out the Ultramarine forums for some of our Honor Guard discussions. Captain Idaho has done some great legwork in breaking down the application of this awesome new unit.

 

Short answer though, they are great at what they do, and a Librarian with Force Dome makes them as survivable as Terminators, with a lot more killing power and the ability to Sweeping Advance. Transport is a matter of personal preference, but you can't go wrong with a Land Raider. Being able to assault 20" is very impressive (12" LR move, 2" disembark, 6" charge) for a non-jumping unit. Combine that with better equipment than Vanguard Vets and the fact that you get the unit without spending an FOC slot, and I think you'll be impressed with the results.

[Ryjak]

If you're looking to escort your Master with Power Armored Marines in a Rhino/Razorback and give everyone a power weapon, Honor Guard are certainly the way to go... If you're looking to ride a Land Raider, it's mostly preference weather to go with Honor Guard or Terminators. Also, if you want to get an entire unit with Relic Blades or Str 6 Assault Weapons (Auxilary Grenade Launchers) this is the only way to do it. Basically, if you want a pure offense escort for your HQ, Honor Guard are probably the way to go.

 

If you want a defensive escort, go with a Captain and Command Squad armed with Storm Shields. If you want a bunch of special weapons, like plasma-guns, go with the Command Squad.

[Captain Idaho]

Honour Guard are a good offensive unit that become even more powerful when escorted with a Master. It's tempting to go overboard on the upgrades, but I would just add a relic blade to the Chapter Champion and Master. What bumps the unit from good to fearsome is the Chapter Banner upgrade. This is a must, because you get 5 WS6 & WS5 S6 attacks on the charge, striking at initiative 5+4 respectively.

 

The last 2 components of the Honour Guard unit of doom are Landraider transport for guaranteed charges at full strength and a Chaplain. The Chaplain adds an extra 5 attacks at WS5, but the main plus is Chapter Master can kill 4 or 5 power armoured models before they strike back, decreasing the casualities the unit will suffer.

 

Overall, they average 15 kills on the charge against WS4 & T4 opponents. Against Ork hoards you can wipe the floor with a big unit without fear of retaliation. That can kill even a Black Templars Crusader squad!

 

Price wise, I would go 5 Honour Guard with Chapter Banner and Relic blade for 225pts. Cheap as Terminators and more offensive.

 

Survivability is slightly less than Terminators, but mass attacks will do for even Thunder Hammer and Storm Shield Terminators, as they will strike last with few attacks. Orks wont be that scared of Terminators, but they will hate Honour Guard.

 

So if you want a survivable unit that can take on MCs and power weapon units, then Assault Terminators are the choice for you. But if you want an offesnsive unit that can tear the throat out of opponents, then the Honour Guard are for you.

[Brother Cassern]

Can you even attach an Honor Guard squad to a Chaplain or Librarian?

[Koremu]

Can you even attach an Honor Guard squad to a Chaplain or Librarian?

No, but you can attach a Chaplain or Librarian to an Honour Guard Squad :)

[Brother Cassern]

Can you even attach an Honor Guard squad to a Chaplain or Librarian?

No, but you can attach a Chaplain or Librarian to an Honour Guard Squad :)

 

Really? I thought it was one IC\SC per squad. If that's the case I'm going to start using a Chaplain with my Chapter Master!

[greatcrusade08]

In 5th edition one of the changes was to allow multiple IC's to attach to squads, you can even attach an IC to another Ic if that floats your boat.

 

Anyway you are now capable of fielding the ultimate uber unit in Master, chappy and honour guard..

Or if your an Ultra Calgar, Cassius and Honour guard....

 

Best served in a LR for assault vehicle goodness and for hard to crack AV14

 

GC08

[Brother Cassern]

In 5th edition one of the changes was to allow multiple IC's to attach to squads, you can even attach an IC to another Ic if that floats your boat.

 

Anyway you are now capable of fielding the ultimate uber unit in Master, chappy and honour guard..

Or if your an Ultra Calgar, Cassius and Honour guard....

 

Best served in a LR for assault vehicle goodness and for hard to crack AV14

 

GC08

 

I was thinking a regular Chapter Master ( counts as Vladimir Puhg ) with Cassius ( don't know about any famous Fists chaplains.. ) in a Rhino\Razorback. Land Raider might be too expensive for my tastes, both monetarily and points-wise. Then again I don't play an Asssault oriented army so they'd be counter-chargers, or a hammer to the anvil of my guns.

[greatcrusade08]

I was thinking a regular Chapter Master ( counts as Vladimir Puhg ) with Cassius ( don't know about any famous Fists chaplains.. ) in a Rhino\Razorback. Land Raider might be too expensive for my tastes, both monetarily and points-wise. Then again I don't play an Asssault oriented army so they'd be counter-chargers, or a hammer to the anvil of my guns.

 

Ultimately its your BBQ, but a LR gives you both survivablity and first charge, which is an extra power weapon attack for all your guys....

As an uber unit they are expensive, but used properly can decimate all!!.

Ive been thinking about a counts as Khan on foot, with 5 termies with claws and a cassius in a LR, for reroll hits (chappy) and wounds (claws) with +1 S and Initiative (furious charge), that would be soooo cool!!!

 

Another thing to consider is if your guoing to invest in an expensive unit then your enemy is going to proiritize the rhino they are in, and its not hard to destroy a rhino...

 

GC08

[Brother Cassern]

I was thinking a regular Chapter Master ( counts as Vladimir Puhg ) with Cassius ( don't know about any famous Fists chaplains.. ) in a Rhino\Razorback. Land Raider might be too expensive for my tastes, both monetarily and points-wise. Then again I don't play an Asssault oriented army so they'd be counter-chargers, or a hammer to the anvil of my guns.

 

Ultimately its your BBQ, but a LR gives you both survivablity and first charge, which is an extra power weapon attack for all your guys....

As an uber unit they are expensive, but used properly can decimate all!!.

Ive been thinking about a counts as Khan on foot, with 5 termies with claws and a cassius in a LR, for reroll hits (chappy) and wounds (claws) with +1 S and Initiative (furious charge), that would be soooo cool!!!

 

Another thing to consider is if your guoing to invest in an expensive unit then your enemy is going to proiritize the rhino they are in, and its not hard to destroy a rhino...

 

GC08

 

That's true. I've also found with the new Space Marines codex it's hard to make every choice barebones and points efficient. The characters can really bring an army together and make it a winning force. All the vanilla\no-Characters lists I've played so far have lost every game ( with varying successes ) and made me think 'Gee, if only I had Pedro\Shrike\etc there..'

 

I guess that was GW's intent. ^_^

[Felix Octavian]

I actually tested out an Honor Guard-based list the other night against a 2,000 point Ork horde army. My army was the Chapter Master, Chaplain and Honor Guard (Relic Blades for all who could take them) in a Land Raider Crusader, two Vanguard squads with jump packs, a Tactical Squad with ML and Flamer and a five-man Scout Squad with sniper rifles. The ork player had two Warbosses, two Trukks, 15 Nobs with power claws, 14 Tankbustas, three mobs of thirty Boyz and a mob of 20 Shoota Boyz. The Honor Guard with ICs accounted for one Warboss, 75 Boyz and 13 of the Nobs. They were also the only thing left on the table at the end of the game. All in all, I'd say highly useful against other CC armies, provided you get the first charge. Oh, and the first charge of the HG squad wiped out an entire mob of 30 Boyz before they could attack back.

[foster]

Does pedro's additional attacks stack up to an honour guards chapter banner for 2+ attacks?

[Bannus]

No, the rules specifically state this. So you are limited to +1A no matter what.

[foster]

No, the rules specifically state this. So you are limited to +1A no matter what.

 

Oh poo :D

[theredcorsair]

Each of them has the wargear of a mini-captain, but don't have the stats to use their wargear to the ultimate level. Alot of very nice attacks if you use Marneus calgars gaurd. Relic blades are best for them. Strength 6 is just awesome

 

Still, they can deal awesome punishment if you dedicate them to the right units

[Master_Matteo]

i've found that taking 2 squads of 10 with calgar and 2 raiders is a very nice assault force. i once managed to make a charge with both units and ended up with 96 some odd power weapon attacks. lol the only downside of course is its a huge points sink if they get shot to peices. but i've learned that even the fear factor of even a small squad (i once had 3 guys wipe out ablood angel assualt squad that had charged me) can do lots to shake up the guy you're playing against.

 

i've used them so often though that now i rarely have even one make it into close combat, but on the upside they basically leave everything else alone, i played a tau player and he destroyed both land raiders, calgar, and one full unit of honor guard only to have the other one make it to his gun line and they completely wiped out his firewarriors, crisis suits, steath suits, and broadside suits in 2 turns of combat. leaving my 2 tac squads free to take up the objectives and gun down his devilfish and hammer heads.

 

i like the honor guard a lot, and compaired to terminators... i see it as u can get a squad of 10 honor guard for cheeper then 10 terminators, and you can fit all 10 guard in one transport. i'm now working on a list to have the full 30 honor guard with calgar, but i need to get more scouts....

[chapter master 454]

To me I faced a squad of about 5 with chapter master all of the guard wielding relic blades along with TH/SS master. Lysander and his merry band of terminators cleaned their clocks with their one-two punch tactic (shoot them with 10 re-rollable storm bolters and 2 krak missles then charge). While I took some losses, fact remained that I lost 3 terminators compared to his 5 honour guard and master (lysander barely got to swing his hammer). They even travelled in a land raider that while I give kudos for out-doing my redeemer barely, couldn't keep up and was nailed by my other land raider after a concentrated salvo of lascannons, HK and multi-melta. True I can't say much for throwing so much at his honour guard but all I can say in defence was: lack of a better target!!!

[Captain Idaho]

If they had charged you though things may have been different as they have higher initiative than powerfists and you wouldn't have weakened them up with fire first.