Sanguinary Priest

[Corbulo]

Hey guys,

 

I just had my 1st game with my BA yesterday (well my 1st was an Apoc game with the new dex) vs Orks and it was a pretty close game. I'm in the process of building 2 Priests and I was wondering what is the best load out for them? Originally I thought that a power fist was the way to go but now I'm not so sure. I have the left arm on (the one with the do-hicky that the apoths carry around) and the other one blank, on both my priests. Each one goes with a squad of 8 assault marines (no jump packs) and they are there to provide a little more punch and survivability. I was thinking of replacing the power fists with lightning claws. Each has it's advantage, the LC is 10 pts cheaper and lets me strike at initiative and re-roll to wound while the PF gives me the chance to wreck just about anything. The sergeants in each squad have a power fist so I was wondering if it would be best to have another in the squad. How do you guys arm your priests?

 

Corb

[GlauG]

Personally I think that it's important that the Priest has a Power Weapon, to make the most of his WS5 I5 attacks on the charge. B) Sgt with PF is fine, but the Priest should really go on initiative. If you fight a lot of T5 or above, Lightning Claws are a way forward.

[Rybnick]

Personally on my priests, when I give them any kind of weapon upgrade I give them Power Swords. I would never give them a Fist, reducing them to I1 is a good way to waste 200 points (assuming JP, and PF on the priest). Since they can be singled out in combat, I'm much rather they at least have a chance to cause some wounds before they go down. Fists are much better on your Srg since he has all those ASM for ablative wounds.

[Andrew_Beck]

single claw, because the re-rolls rock. especialy if in same squad with chaplain.

[Blindman6]

I think the best way to go is with a power weapon or lightning claw, not a power fist or thunder hammer. If you give him a pw/lc he can use his high initiative to get his attacks off, but if he is carrying a pf/th your opponent will gladly target him in his return attacks to deny your priest his strikes. Instead, give your sergeants the pf/th, since they cannot be individually targeted, and will have regular marines as a buffer so that he can survive. This will make your opponent's choice more difficult, and will maximize your special attacks.

[Corbulo]

Yea I've started to think likewise, with WS 5 he is most likely to hit his target but in order to do that he has to be alive . . .

Without a doubt any wise opponent is going to go after him, I think a LC is the best bet then. PF on the vet sergeant is a no brainer ^_^

Thanks for the input guys, now to find some non-termie claws . . . ungh LOL

[VAGABOND]

I give my Priests, Jump Packs, Lightning Claw, Bolt Pistol and Melta Bombs.

[Sorien]

I've been giving both my priests Infernus pistols and power weapons. One is on foot, the other with a jump pack. They get spendy very fast... :o

[Corbulo]

Yep, that they do. It's easy to go overboard on them, we need to be careful not to do that because in the end they just have one wound.

 

Found some LCs btw, one from a vet set and the other I cut up from the assault termie box :P

 

Corb

[Zid]

Power sword. 4 attacks at ws 5/I 5/Str 5 on the charge is rad.

[ImperialReaper]

single claw, because the re-rolls rock. especialy if in same squad with chaplain.

 

You dont get the reroll if you only have one claw.

 

And I dont think you get to reroll twice your misses if you have lightning claws and a chaplain - but I can be mistaken here.

[SnorriSnorrison]

single claw, because the re-rolls rock. especialy if in same squad with chaplain.

 

You dont get the reroll if you only have one claw.

 

And I dont think you get to reroll twice your misses if you have lightning claws and a chaplain - but I can be mistaken here.

 

Yes, you do. The rule that you need two claws to get the reroll only applies for Furiosos and their blood talons.

Also, Claws only allow to reroll failed wounds - not failed hits. That´s why a chaplain and someone with a LC is a pretty nice combo.

 

 

Snorri

[TrentL]

single claw, because the re-rolls rock. especialy if in same squad with chaplain.

 

You dont get the reroll if you only have one claw.

 

And I dont think you get to reroll twice your misses if you have lightning claws and a chaplain - but I can be mistaken here.

 

I'm pretty sure you don't get the +1 attack with only 1 claw.

 

But you do get the Chaplains re-roll to hit if you miss.

 

And you get the Claw's Re-roll to wound.

 

Otherwise whats the point of the Claw...

[Morollan]

single claw, because the re-rolls rock. especialy if in same squad with chaplain.

 

You dont get the reroll if you only have one claw.

 

And I dont think you get to reroll twice your misses if you have lightning claws and a chaplain - but I can be mistaken here.

 

You do get the re-roll with one claw.

 

Chaplain gives re-rolls to hit and the claws give re-rolls to wound.

[ImperialReaper]

single claw, because the re-rolls rock. especialy if in same squad with chaplain.

 

You dont get the reroll if you only have one claw.

 

And I dont think you get to reroll twice your misses if you have lightning claws and a chaplain - but I can be mistaken here.

 

I'm pretty sure you don't get the +1 attack with only 1 claw.

 

But you do get the Chaplains re-roll to hit if you miss.

 

And you get the Claw's Re-roll to wound.

 

Otherwise whats the point of the Claw...

 

Ah yeah thats what you dont get with only 1 special cc weapon.

Silly me...

[mysteriousmaskedmystery]

i give my priests an AC-back or a lazorback.

[Redo]

i give my priests an AC-back or a lazorback.

 

I have used this combo too and in this case he gets nothins but a what he comes with. His job is to provide FC and FNP and stay out of fights. Not very brave but it works. ALso a bigger bubble.

 

I tend to use honour guard instead of just one priest so he gets what he comes with yet he is 'hidden' in his squad.

[Drudge Dreadnought]

I'm debating if a claw or power weapon is better. Technically, furious charge benefits the PW more since it has an extra attack. When furious charging against marines, you are already wounding on 3's, so the Claw's re-roll is statistically less useful. However, the advantage of the claw is that then you can take a combi melta which is cheaper and longer range than the infernus pistol (if you want either). I am also considering Power weapon + hand flamer for some anti horde potential as the rest of my army is packing meltas and infernus pistols.

[Dingareth]

Combi-Melta/Lightning Claw if they're going in with normal Assault Marines, just plain old Power Weapon if they're anywhere else.

[Terrahawk]

I run a single Priest with Power Weapon, Jump Pack and Melta Bombs with my 10 man JP RAS. Haven't disappointed me yet, even the Melta Bombs that are there only for filler have proved quite useful.

 

I think I'll be adding another Priest with a Jump Pack and most likely a Power Weapon in the future.

[jeremy1391]

I keep mine cheap and run them with just a jump pack or just bp/ccw

[Chimaera2000]

I'm debating if a claw or power weapon is better. Technically, furious charge benefits the PW more since it has an extra attack. When furious charging against marines, you are already wounding on 3's, so the Claw's re-roll is statistically less useful. However, the advantage of the claw is that then you can take a combi melta which is cheaper and longer range than the infernus pistol (if you want either). I am also considering Power weapon + hand flamer for some anti horde potential as the rest of my army is packing meltas and infernus pistols.

 

The power weapon and the single lightning claw score the same number of wounds on average vs. MEQ; the power weapon has the statistical edge of one more potential wound and the lightning claw has the statistical edge of reliability from the re-roll. The power weapon will score more average wounds against GEQ while the lightning claw scores very slightly more average wounds against T5-7.

 

With that said, the differences I came across were the differences of a couple of tenths of an average wound scored at a time. While statistically, I'd say the lightning claw is a better choice overall for reliability and punch against tough foes like Death Guard and Daemon Princes, the difference is small enough that I'd say go with aesthetics first. For example, I personally can't stand the look of a single lightning claw, whereas I'm much happier to see my priest with a power axe scything through the enemy.... plus it's a lot easier to find or sculpt a power weapon, too!

[Sviox]

Depends on use-case. I could split use-cases of priests into three categories:

-Supportive. Priest is hidden in a transport which also maximizes the bubble size. Requires concentrated attack with multiple squads that are close to the transport. Best done with a naked priest.

-Aggressive. Joined to a JP equipped squad aimed to assault as early as possible. Priest should be equipped with JP and PW (or LC and combiweapon but personally I wouldn't go that way to get max attacks on charge).

-Protective/Hidden. As part of Honor Guard, advancing against the enemy either in a transport or by JPs. Should be armed with PF or naked if other members of the squad are maxed out. Personally I run this kind of setup with a HG unit in Razorpack with naked priest, sergeant with PF, one marine with PW and one with Banner, plasma pistol and PF.

[Drudge Dreadnought]

In the lightning claw vs pw debate, it is important to note that the lightning claw benefits more from charging than the PW. Both gain +1 attack, but an extra attack that re-rolls wounds is better. A claw is also better if joined to a squad with a banner that increases the number of attacks.

[VAGABOND]

In the lightning claw vs pw debate, it is important to note that the lightning claw benefits more from charging than the PW. Both gain +1 attack, but an extra attack that re-rolls wounds is better. A claw is also better if joined to a squad with a banner that increases the number of attacks.

 

I'm pretty sure you don't get the +1 attack if you only have the single claw, you need to have the pair for this.

 

So I've been told anyway.