Baby Mephiston(Librarian load out)

[soshi kenpachi]

Yesterday a friend and I were discussing Mephiston and the general madness that is... Mephiston. Points wise you can take a weaker version that lacks some of the pinache of the real thing, but also comes a great deal less expensive.

 

The Crunch: So were were wondering how close to Mephiston we could make a standard Librarian. We came up with a few load outs, and I was curious if other people had tried to make baby Mephistons. We thought about a few load outs. These load outs work better as Epistolary but I don't think all of them need it if points need to be shaved.

 

Bargain Basement: For baseline cost you can give him Wings of Sanguinius and the Sanguine sword to replicate two of the things that make Mephiston such an excellent tank hunter. Not my favorite but... meh. It's cheap to allow for inclusion of an honor guard to soak up wounds and still be cheaper than Mephiston.

Jet Pack Tank Hunter: Slightly more expensive, but it removes the need to roll psychic tests or waste a psychic power on wings of sanguinius to get into CC range faster. Sanguine Sword for punching through things, Blood Lance for hitting big bads from a distance while closing the distance, Infernus Pistol for prepping the surgery area before the cutting begins.

Jet Pack John Conner: Sword of Sanguinius, Might of Heroes, Hand Flamer for 5-7 attacks on the assault to tear through small elite units like Sanguinary guard.

Terminator Librarian: 2+ Armor save, 5+ invul, Storm Bolter, Wings of Sanguinius, and Sanguine Sword. Closest I can get to replicating Mephiston.

 

Things that can't be replicated: Stats(with the exception of strength and attacks[loading out to replicate attacks I don't think would be worth it') and most importantly there's no way I can see to keep him from one getting one shotted.

 

Things gained over Mephiston: Choice of weapon load out, the ability to get a jet pack(meaning one less Psychic test a turn), Independent Character(So he can be attached to a screening unit)

 

The Fluff: The second battle of Armageddon were bad days for the blood angels. Sergeant Tycho took a battlefield commission and then lost his good looks. Brother Calistarius succumbed to the Black Rage and took a week long nap before reemerging as a tank punching Mephiston. Before the Flaw took them, both lead the Scions of Sanguinius with distinction. The Army is built around the roster 3rd Company of Blood Angels, accompanied by an epistolary from librarius. The List is for 1850

 

HQ:

Captain Tycho

Brother Calistarius(Epistolary w/ Jump Pack and Plasma Pistol)

 

Troops:

10 Tac squads w/ Flamer and Rocket Launcher in Razorback

10 Tac squads w/ Flamer and Rocket Launcher in Razorback

10 Tac squads w/ Flamer and Rocket Launcher in Razorback

10 Assault Squad w/ 2 Infernus Pistols

10 Assault Squad w/ 2 Infernus Pistols

 

Heavy Support:

Dreadnought w/ Lascannon

Dreadnought w/ Lascannon

[thundrchickn]

only 6 guys allowed in a razorback

[soshi kenpachi]

Combat Squads. Missile Launcher and 4 redshirts stay behind for ranged support while the Flamer, Sergeant, and 3 other red shirts go in the razorbacks.

[LordofDeath11]

Fun idea. Librarian w/wings/sword of./and plasma pistol/power sword seems to be the closest to me.

 

I guess that would make him The 'Duke' of Death.

[lunchb0x]

I love my librarian out fitted with the following :

 

jump pack, plasma pistol, sword, unleash, epistolary(sp?)

 

Put him in with a 10 man assault Squad w. Priest...and you have a pretty nice setup!

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Here is how I would build a Librarian:

 

• jump pack (no need to waste one psychic power on Wings as noted plus he can join a unit & deep strike; always able to move as jump infantry - no need to worry about an opponent's psychic hood)

• infernus pistol (again you don't have to use one of the psychic powers for shooting; that is, Blood Lance)

• Sanguine Sword & Unleash Rage (these are the two best choices in my opinion; S10 to insta gib thunderwolves & very good against armor if the meltas miss or roll poorly to hit or penetrate; rerolling hits works for your Librarian as well as the squad he has joined... This is optimization for the assault phase, there are lots of strong assault units the Librarian can join and you'll get the most out of the combined unit when everyone gets to reroll their hits)

• Epistolary upgrade (so you can cast two powers per phase... Yes it's expensive but it should pay for itself if used properly... Also nice to be able to use the force weapon & one of the other two depending what your up against - again more options)

 

So the character is fairly expensive now with all these options but he can join units to buff them, deep strike and can't be targeted in the shooting phase. All of these combined in my opinion are big advantages over Mephiston.

 

0b :woot:

[soshi kenpachi]

I'll buy that silliness. While discussing this concept with a coworker he brought up his furioso dreadnought. I'm strangely obsessed with a psychic swarm BA army now. 2 Baby Phists, and 2 Furioso Librarians with wings, death company and a goodly number of kitted out assault squads? Dare I say... a Red Bull army?

 

I agree on the infernus pistol. Blood Lance is really only epic if you get a good range roll and can line up enemy armor. While plausible I doubt it's going to be an every game kinda tactic(still, taking out 2 landraiders in one shot is pretty cool). How do you counter psychic hoods, Shadow in the Warp and other fun anti Psyker meta, though?

[Zid]

Episolary = crappy upgrade. Most powers are situational, so its rare when you go "MAN I wish I could cast Blah blah, and blah blah!". Unleashed Rage, Fear of the Darkness, and Sang Shield are the best 3 powers bar none... Lance is far too random, Wings is a waste when you can just buy a jump pack, Sword is really not that great unless your hunting down IC's (and if they can be insta-killed by that, they can be force weaponed) or Land Raiders...

 

Course thats all my opinion. I keep my libbys cheap, I never go above 125 points; Jump pack only. Infernus pistols an ok upgrade, but normally I spend the points elseware; primarily because a smart opponent will target the libby first in CC to knock him out along with the priest.

[Crynn]

For a mini Meph I always use Sang sword and unleash rage. I cant believe anyone would say sang sword isnt that good. Once you cast it you have it perminently it's a once cast so then you can use unleash rage and get re'rolls on those attacks! Having sang sword not only saves you 25pts on one squad not needing a PF but it mean dreads and ICs just die to your 125pt char while he makes the rest of the squad briliant. Anyone who has ever used Mephy with any success will also tell you Sang Sword is incredible. As for just using the force weapon ability it means your squad and you dont have rerolls to hit so difference in IC killing without sword is as such

 

Opponent toughness 4, 4++ save

lib will need 4's to hit a against most IC targets and 4's to wound

so hit 50% wound 25% 4++ down to 12.5% pass psychic test 11% per hit and 4 attacks on the charge so 44% chance and if you dont kill that IC it will kill you no trouble with a pf or something of the likes

 

with sang sword and presuming you pass the psychic test for rage which I will equate at the end of the example

the same opponent T4 4++ save

 

4's to hit with rerolls. 75%

2+ to wound 62.5% chance to wound

4++ save 31.25% chance per attack with 4 attacks = 125% -failed chance of rage = around 117%

So it is almost 3 times as effective for the same cost not to mention buffs the entire squad and saves you 25 points on a powerfist.

But, just my opinion none the less.

 

Shield I agree is also great but not much of a mini Meph power wings is useless on anyone but meph or lib dread cause you'd have to be a fool to not just buy a jp for 25 odd points and+ save yourself failing wings and holding up an entire squad. Lance is horrible, well said zid, way too random. Now Fear of darkness is an odd one. It is very hit an miss. Play the right opponent and it will be invaluable play the wrong opponent, daemons, chaos most good nid players and it is utterly useless which is why I dont recommend it in an all comers list, although still a power worth considering.

 

And now for the most underrated power of all, Blood Boil. This is power is so fantastic I dont even know where to start! It does one automatic wound! thats right no armor saves only invulns and if your lucky you can pick the model if your psychic test is a 5 or less. I took an army with 2 libs and 3 lib dreads all with this power and it was amazing! I used my 5 libs costing me only 725 pts to wound 5 marines in one turn! Sure they had cover and some how got cover saves but i still killed three! Thats 48 points worth! This power is so good im taking this list to ard boys next year and requesting they let me take nothing but libs in my army so i can have 25 of them casting this power every turn! Hope I dont face eldar! hahahahaha God this power is a joke. Matt Ward....!!!! (shakes fist).. ah forget it.... the tool.

[Amsoly]

Blood boil couldve been fun if they'd added a secondary effect and raised the ld test to 6 or 7. The secondary effect could perhaps be a pinning test or perhaps a small blast at str 2 ap - to show damage dealt by boiling blood bursting. Oh well. Fun times ;)