Librarian Transportation

[Khavos]

Alright, before I begin this question, I just want to mention I have yet to play a game of 40K in my life thus far, and am currently just in the collecting/painting/theorycrafting stage. So if the answer to this is completely obvious, I at least have some excuse.

 

Just how bad an idea would it be to use Gate of Infinity as a transportation option for a killy CC unit such as, say, X amount of Honor Guard? Maybe even X amount of Honor Guard with a Relic Blade/Artificer Armor/Storm Shield/Digital Weapons Chapter Master? Captain Idaho's 1500 point tournament list he posted a while back just struck me as exactly the sort of list I'm looking for, since I dearly like the idea of killy CC squads, but I honestly don't want to shell out the 50+ bucks for a Land Raider, and I definitely don't have the experience to keep just one from getting blown up before it and the squad inside can do anything useful. I also have what you might call an ideological aversion to tread transport in the first place.

 

So I'm looking for a non-Land Raider method of getting a high-value footslogging CC unit around. GoI caught my eye. I realize I could end up a foot away from where I intended or allowing my opponent to place them, if I'm reading the rules right, but at the same time, it's awfully tempting. Talk me out of it.

[DerekLee688]

A librarian teamed with CC isn't a bad idea because of his standard melee weapon is a power weapon that can also kill multiple wound units in one hit.

 

However, the problem is that Gate of Inf. uses deep strike rules. Meaning A: you can't assault after Gating, and B: you have to contend with deep strike mishaps if you land within one inch or on enemy units.

 

Deep striking gives your opponents a turn to evacuate what you want to smash in the face. Worst case senario, you'll won't catch what you're chasing. However, it can be a effecient way to transport a CC unit to an objective without getting shot up too badly.

 

Speaking as a relative noob myself, take my advice with a grain of salt.

 

My idea, C&C wealcomed.

Have a Librarian gate around a squad of Sternguard

Srg. with bolter and powerfist.

One heavy flamer

Sprinkle in some combi Flamers

 

Pro's

Fantastic kill potential by shots at range

All units have base 2 attacks, or three on charge

Massive anti horde fire power

Have something 3xmore awsome than pistols to rely on during deep strike turn

 

Con's

No relic blades, power weapons, thunderhamers... Just the one option the Sergeant carries+Librarians Force weapon.

Have to run down what you want to melee.

Can't take on anything meaner than a regular tac marine.

[Paulochromis]

Whilst deepstriking CC squads can be vulnerable to High S, low AP blasts, they can survive small arms fire. Terminators and HG do ok with 2+ saves.

Vanguards have Heroic Intervention ie can assault when they arrive, but I think that is only when they are NOT attached to an IC.

I think GoI works best with close-range shooters, like Sternguard (as mentioned in Derek's post), shooty Command Squads (4xmelta or 4xplasma, but you need a captain) or (here's where it gets sneaky) Bikers/Attack Bikes.

 

Cheers, Paul.

[waaanial00]

There are also a number of baddies which can efficiently stop you from doing this manouver:

 

SM - Librarian Hood

Deamon Hunters - Psychic Hood (Unlimited range as apposed to our one)

Eldar - Runes of Warding which make you roll 3D6 for Psychic tests

 

There is also the problem of bad luck, I once tried this in a battle and rolled nothing but 11 and 12 for the three attempts I made, didnt survive long enough to try it a fourth.

 

Wan

[Khavos]

Yeah, the initial plan was just gating around some tank-hunting Sternguard, but I wanted to see if I could make Honor Guard work, as I'd truly like to field them. I overlooked that they wouldn't be able to assault upon arrival, so I guess that's out.

 

Thanks for the replies guys. I still find it odd that the only real viable option for transporting Honor Guard is the Land Raider.

[Banville]

You could be a little more inventive and stick a libby with Honour Guard in a Rhino alongside a tactical squad in another Rhino. Turn one, speed both Rhinos forward and have the libby cast Force Dome, dismebark the libby and Honour Guard behind the two rhinos thereby giving them cover whilst Force Dome gives them an Invulnerable versus nasty AP2 Ordnance. Weather a turn of fire whilst you are invisible behind your tanks. Next turn move the tanks and your Honour Guard are free to smash as much as they like from a position bang in the middle of the board. Of course this will only work if you have other units to take the heat off them, Terminators or Sternguard spring to mind as well as Multimelta Attack bikes, which everyone seems to hate.

[Khavos]

You could be a little more inventive and stick a libby with Honour Guard in a Rhino alongside a tactical squad in another Rhino. Turn one, speed both Rhinos forward and have the libby cast Force Dome, dismebark the libby and Honour Guard behind the two rhinos thereby giving them cover whilst Force Dome gives them an Invulnerable versus nasty AP2 Ordnance. Weather a turn of fire whilst you are invisible behind your tanks. Next turn move the tanks and your Honour Guard are free to smash as much as they like from a position bang in the middle of the board. Of course this will only work if you have other units to take the heat off them, Terminators or Sternguard spring to mind as well as Multimelta Attack bikes, which everyone seems to hate.

I imagine that'd work, but the trouble is, that's more than a few moving parts, and when I get to that level I figure I might as well just bow to the shoehorning gods and have my Honor Guard assaulting out of a Land Raider.

 

It's just disappointing. Though I expected it, since I'm going for possibly the most oxymoronic list ever, namely, a CC focus with no treads. The wild thing is, everything other than the Honor Guard will actually work without it. C'est la vie.