Sgt Telion

[Velkairiwyth]

Been pondering over using scouts with Sgt Telion.

 

For 50 points I think he is a very good value for points model. He has some disadvantages, but on the whole I see him being a very good addition.

 

Pros:

 

Stealth USR:

All units in the squad gain the stealth special rule - which saves 15/30 points on camo cloaks for the unit (A good chunk of his points back!)

 

WS5 - this is higher than the standard Sgts weapon skill meaning he should be a good boost to the units CC abilities against poorly armoured targets.

 

Acute Senses - Ive not seen this be useful yet - but having a long range sniper unit at his back - this would be a very valuable ability.

 

Stalker Pattern Boltgun - What can I say? This weapon has some good uses. 36" S4 AP5 Rending and Pinning. The rending and pinning is not really a bonus if he is thrown in with a sniper unit, but add to any other units effectiveness. Thrown in with sniper scouts thats a lot of rending, so whilst the AP is not great, 6s on the wound or ap roll means that the snipers can hurt terminators/meq's nicely - and the snipers can penetrate AV11 and Telion himself AV12. (glancing possible on AP12/13) - not an effective use of the shots considering that alternately pinning a unit out of action for a round is possible... but if the enemy is all meched up or your firing a ML at a vehicles vulnerable spot - the extra shots cant be sniffed at!

 

Eye of Vengeance: This ability means that he hits any single model of his choosing, at a decent range. Fantastic for removing those hidden power fists from a unit, or softening up special characters before hitting them in combat. (Sanguinary priests anyone? Not ICs according to many, so cant be singled out in CC - but picking off with this gun is a fantastic solution ;))

 

Voice of Experience: Pretty much adds a signum to the unit. If you really need that missile launchers krak missile to hit that exposed vehicle this round - this is a great ability. Makes the weapon hit on a 2+ and reroll a 1 (albheit then requires a 6 to hit on the reroll) can do wonders. (Pity this only allows the member of the squad use his BS6 and not his Eye of Vengeance ability :P (S8 instakill character sniping ftw!)

 

There are only two disadvantages to this character that I can pick out.

 

1) He has fixed wargear so cannot be kitted out with a PW/PF for assault.

1i) This makes the unit a squishy target for MEQs in melee, as no unit ignores armour.

1ii) This makes him a poor choice for a CC scout unit. (Heavy2 gun confirms he has no place in these units.)

2) The "force multiplier" effect of the unit for a mere 50 points is impressive... And any experienced opponent will recognise this - or quickly learn it... and will send a unit out to eliminate the threat.

 

IMO he is an upgrade for a sniper unit. (10 man units even moreso since you get more free "camo cloaks" and 9 sniper shots and the stalker pattern boltgun can be pretty effective... Shame the sniper rifles only hit on a 4+! (talking 4 sniper shots and 2 targeted boltgun shots that pin and rend for 160 points... has its uses?)

 

Anyway, what are your thoughts and opinions? How do you use this model? I think if I was to take a unit of sniper scouts he is a must - as I would be expecting them to avoid close combat altogether, 3+ cover saves all round and some of his trickery = awesome sauce. I suspect I would only take him in a squad of 3 snipers and a heavy bolter, and go upgrade character hunting, and hellfire templating...

 

/rant :)

[Frosty the Pyro]

hes actualy 73 points IIRC due to the base cost of a scout sergent he is replacing.

 

My understanding is he will rock out with his socks out in low point games. When the enemy only has a handfull of special/heavy weapons, the ability to target them specificly is huge, and easily worth his price, however as the game points go up, your enemy will have more and more redundency, and telion will be less and less worth his cost. Also the bit about him giving "free" stealth is very unlikely, and more likley his stealth rule only effects his saves, not his squadmates.

[Velkairiwyth]

You might have a point on the Stealth not affecting squad. I thought I read somewhere that the special rule would affect the squad - but it might only be shots he is saving against :)

 

Another good point on the 73 points as its 50 on TOP of the SGT he is replacing. So for 50 points extra: special targeting, signum ability to transfer to the HW dude, and his own stealth save (3 points... woo! >.< )

 

And you are quite right, his effectiveness would be significantly higher in a lower points battle where the ability to single out the Heavy/special/upgrade members of a unit takes out a good chunk of the armies abilities, although I think being able to pre-snipe a power weapon from a unit someone else is about to charge/be charged by would prove highly invaluable (hell 15/25 points for the weapon alone - i see this chap being easy to win his points value back with, even if scouts have proven lacklustre to me in the past!)

[greatcrusade08]

Hes Mr super scout, i never leave home without him

[Koremu]

In my experience he, like the Sniper Scout Squad as a whole, is rather lacklustre and not worth the points.

 

I think he is only worth it if you run a list that is specifically built to use him, and frankly I don't find him very flexible or appropriate to how the rest of my guys run.

 

So he stays on the shelf for me.

[Velkairiwyth]

Im a muppet... thought that sniper rifles wounded on a 2+ ^.^ - still, a 4+ is good against anything your standard weaponry doesnt like, e.g: MCs, or for if you want to have shots that have a chance of ignoring armour (rend) - 5 scouts is pretty cheap, so I cant complain.

[Captain Denaro]

Snipers rock!!!! 4+ to hit, then 4+ to wound with rending and pinning. Admittedly poor armour penetration unless you roll the 6 to wound. I don't think Telion adds stealth to the whole squad but if you have snipers you're pretty much always going to want camo cloaks for the squad. His ability to target HQ and speacial weapons makes him indespensible in pretty much any game - IG Master of Ordnance DEAD and so... He's the only character I field as my army fluff won't allow any of the others (he's on secondment with my DIY Chapter).

[Giga]

Telion is extremely useful if you're very lucky with his rending rolls. If that isn't the case, then - like sniper scouts in general - Telion isn't worth the points.

 

I've played against him a bunch, and he never did anything important except annoy me by taking potshots at my plasma cannon guy in my defensive tac squad. I don't think he ever managed to kill him, either. Even if he did, it still wouldn't justify the steep price tag and the fact you have to take the crappiest troop choice in any marine dex in order to have him.

 

Oh and, almost invariably, Telion gets pwned by heavy flamers. What's more, the fact he can't take a power weapon also makes the scout squad he's with easier to deal with in close combat.