MotF set ups

[Skoby]

I need to use a master of the forge in my lists to access extra dreads, and I plan to model a footslogging conversion beamer but I would like the option of fielding him in more of a support role and joining other units (perhaps repairing a dread if needed). The rest of my list will consist of a captain (either relic blade + hellfire or pedro kantor counts as), 2-3 tactical squads with rhinos, and 1-2 sternguard squads and 3-5 dreads, depending on points limit and how I feel. So either my captain or my MotF will be leading a sternguard squad and the other likely leading a tactical squad. Could using a thunder hammer work? or is a power weapon best? I've never really used a charactor like this before, and his lack of an invulnerable save makes me a bit nervous about using a thunderhammer, but then again modelling him with the thunder hammer from the Iron Hands box set would look great. So basically my questions are: What is the best set up for a footslogging MotF without a beamer? How much worse is a similar set up with a thunder hammer?

[Thraxen]

If you want him to be able to repair dreads easily, it might be best to leave him unattached for the most part and just have him walking behind a dread to reduce incoming fire.

 

As for the TH, that's up to you. It'll likely look very nice, even if you do end up with an overload of S8 I1 attacks. Hell, do it anyway, that will look awesome.

[Gaz1858]

I personally chose the Power Weaon option as this means he has 3 base attacks and 2 servo arm attacks. If he happens to be within 12" range of Kantor this goes to 4 base and 2 servo arms. On the charge 5 base and 2 servo arms. Thats pretty mega for 115 points. THe inv save issue, your right, is a pain in the ass but you get over it eventually. Im running a 5 Dread list myself and mine is on a bike for a bit more survivability.

[Fatuous]

I'd defffo suggest you read this thread. All my comments are on there too, but for completeness in this thread......

 

http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/index.p...howtopic=201403

 

I run mine with just a power weapon........ if he is lucky, and he is my only HQ (I intend to let my many terminators and dreads do the heavy lifting, so save points on expensive charaters for more dreads).

 

A hammer would look awesome!!!!! But, I would just model it as a hammer and use it as a power weapon (doubt that would cause you any major WYSIWYG headaches, just make it clear what it is).

 

MOF aren't the best idea for CC, as even a power weapon tac sarge won't have too many problems putting him down, let alone 1 power fist hit and he is gone. He already has 2 extra PF attacks, so I would just give him a PW if you feel generous. This is the first thing I cut tho if I am short of points, as I intend him to be a squad upgrade, upping the Ld and adding more firepower.

 

I wouldnt put him with servitors as it'll drop his toughness down, and he is reletively fragile already, even with arti armour. With a harness he is okish at fixing stuff anyway (50% chance is reasonable, and I just can't justify making him easier to kill). You could give him 1, then he wont loss the T, and gets a nice increase in his MR Fixit abilities (and it is a very cheap way to add in another power fist, any additional servitors after this cost 50% more than the first) , but then he can't join other units (they are not wargear), can't really take a bike in any useful manner, and he can't start the game in a transport (which he can if he joins other units).

 

I personnnaly think the best way to use him is as a squad upgrade to add another flamer and plasma pistol to a tac or stern guard squad. Then stick him in their rhino with them for a bit of mobility. He can then try out a bit of fixing if the opertunity arises (i guess this is where venerable dreads would be pretty useful, more chances of fixable rolls [hmmm note to self to try that out]), but I would use him primarily to toughen up a tac squad.

 

He can increase the fire output significantly (another flamer in a squad never goes out of fasion), adds another power weapon, and in CC, something I find pretty useful; causes your opponent to have to make a choice, neither of which is particularly good for them.

 

Either target some attacks in to the MOF away from the tac squad (hitting a non scoring unit, as opposed to a scoring unit) which will either be too few to kill him, or more than they really need, taking more flak off your scoring unit (it is rare to get 'just enough' hits through, and so far, my opponents have always over targetted him). In honesty, this is probably what they should do, cos those power fist attacks are pretty scary on top of everything else. Or they choose not to target him, and focus completely on the squad....... in which case he will bash them, and they can still use his nice high Ld.

 

worth reading the tech marine tactica tho.

[Fatuous]

Ooops double post

[Giga]

A MotF with conversion beamer, on a bike, provides some real good, real mobile long-range firepower.

[Skoby]

Thanks for the good replies, I somehow missed that link, made a good read especially as I've considered a thunderfire. I want to keep my army relatively fluffy, and I don't have any other bikes so just having a HQ on a bike seems a bit odd to me, saying that I may convert one sometime so I have the option. I am considering magnetising the arm, just incase someone gets funny about the thunderhammer, but his use is more or less how I suspected, and his ability allowing me to field plenty of my 2 favorite units (Sternguard and dreads) along with bolstering defences for my sniper scouts more than makes up for the price tag. If he takes out a few enemies, or takes the heat away from my troops then all the better... and if he saves a dread I'll be extra happy. Plus above all else, hopefully he will look badass whilst doing all of this.

[Koremu]

If you want him as mostly a repair bod with more defence, the best way would be to give him a unit of Servitors to provide spare wounds, add to Repair rolls and threaten anyone who wants to assault with lots of Power Fist attacks. For 70 points, they are quite a bargain.

[Iron Father Ferrum]

Sweet! I got linked; thanks Fatuous, you made my day. That being said, I would avoid the thunder hammer. It's simply too expensive for a model whose only real defensive saving grace is a 2+ save. You have no invulnerable save, no Eternal Warrior, and as an IC he can be picked out in CC by those pesky power fists. From experience I can tell you -- he dies easy.

[Fatuous]

That is the reason I havent put mine on a bike as well (thought seriously about it), I don't have any other bikers, and while they would be cool, it goes away from my theme (heavy inf and dread-tastic).

 

reg the hammer. in all honesty, the full harness tech marine (this is what i use as my MOF) has a pretty nice big axe that does look very nice as it is, so the conversion (while being v cool) might not be needed. While I wouldn't expect people to complain about you using a thunder hammer to represent a power weapon (power hammer maybe), you know what people are like, so if you are planning on going to tournies etc... then the magnets are worth it.

 

I'm not a big fan of paying out for servitors, mostly for the reasons above, but 1 other thing, you are having to pay out points, and give up easier transport options (a MOF with servitors would have to start outside another squads rhino, and then embark on their own, a MOF on his own can just join the squad in the transport from the beginning), on the off chance that you have vehicles that get damaged but not destroyed. Which does happen, but not as regularly as you might think. 2/3s of the time a vechile is going to be either stunned/shaken, or wrecked/explode, neither of which can be fixed or negated. So I truely see the fixit ability as a nice bonus, but not something to really build tactics around or spend points on, as you have to have a vehicle take the right kind of damge (1/3 of damge rolls) and be able to get to it in a turn or 2 max to be of any real use. It is nice when you pull it off, but it takes alot to really make it work, more effort than the potential retursn IMO. And don't get my started on the servitor T issues grrrrr!

 

If, a MOF or servitor squad had access to a rhino, or even better a razor back, I would totally change my mind, even with the lower toughness, as you'd have the mobility and added protection to hide behind, and some firepower support as well. but we can't so I'll stop dreaming :D

 

Quick disclaimer, I didn't write the tactica, but did think it was pretty spot on. Glad you found it useful.

[Fatuous]

Thanks for the good replies, I somehow missed that link, made a good read especially as I've considered a thunderfire. I want to keep my army relatively fluffy, and I don't have any other bikes so just having a HQ on a bike seems a bit odd to me, saying that I may convert one sometime so I have the option. I am considering magnetising the arm, just incase someone gets funny about the thunderhammer, but his use is more or less how I suspected, and his ability allowing me to field plenty of my 2 favorite units (Sternguard and dreads) along with bolstering defences for my sniper scouts more than makes up for the price tag. If he takes out a few enemies, or takes the heat away from my troops then all the better... and if he saves a dread I'll be extra happy. Plus above all else, hopefully he will look badass whilst doing all of this.

 

This is exactly the way he should be used I think :D He is a really nice model, and extra SG and Dreads are always a good thing!!!!!!!

[Skoby]

reg the hammer. in all honesty, the full harness tech marine (this is what i use as my MOF) has a pretty nice big axe that does look very nice as it is, so the conversion (while being v cool) might not be needed. While I wouldn't expect people to complain about you using a thunder hammer to represent a power weapon (power hammer maybe), you know what people are like, so if you are planning on going to tournies etc... then the magnets are worth it.

It is a very nice model, but my dilema is that I love converting, my original plan was to convert an Iron Warrior warsmith model to have a full servo harness but since the bolter is too cool to replace, and since a thunderhammer + bolter isn't a good option, he will become a captain with HF rounds and relic blade. Instead Sgt Chronus will become a MOF with full servo harness and the techmarine model will get a servo arm and conversion beamer. I could make it a lot easier on myself but Sgt Chronus and the warsmith both have really nice dynamic poses and the techmarine is more static and I believe more suited to someone carrying a heavy weapon.

[Fatuous]

Good stuff, sounds like you have it all planned ^_^

 

Would be interested in seeing what you come up with if you take any pics.