How do you use your librarians?

[Meatman]

I've been trying to work a librarian into my lists for while, psychic defence, plus the wide array of powers for such a cheap price.

 

 

I've got 2 libbys. One is in TDA with a storm shield, the other is a scratch built bog standard one.

 

The TDA one I normally have no problems with, I stick him in a pod with a tactical squad or sternguard, or (much rarer) some assault terminators to gate them around. TDA and storm shield allows him to get up front with squads to use his powers aggressively.

 

 

 

 

The standard one I have no idea what to do with.

 

Standard guy wont fit in a rhino with a full tact squad (plasma and combi-plasma plus cannon to take advantage of nullzone).

Don't want to use a raider because of fluff and raiders die too quickly for me, plus no firing points.

"Only" a 3+ save and no invul means I wont be podding him up front.

 

 

This is probably going to be for standard 1,500 point missions.

What do you guys do?

[spartan249]

I either hide him in a drop pod with tactical marines/Sternguard, or I stick him in one of my land raiders.

 

Null Zone is my #1 power of choice, with Vortex of Doom or Force Dome taking the second slot based on what I require from the unit. If he's podding in, he's taking force dome, so that the tac squads can have a small chance of surviving low AP fire. If he's in a LR, he's probably with some dudes who are packing plasma guns/power weapons, in which case I'm casting either Vortex or Null, based on whether they have significant Invul saves or not.

 

Truth be told, I use the TDA with SS librarian most often. I love those saves, as they give my paper librarian a little bit of a teflon coating.

[Jackelope King]

In my Mech army, the (unupgraded) Librarian rides in a Razorback in the center of my formation (Null Zone + Avenger).

 

In my Hybrid Bikers, the (mostly unupgraded) Librarian rides a Bike (Null Zone + Avenger).

[templargdt]

I usually stick my librarian in a Land Raider with assault terminators, whether he has terminator armor or not. If not, I will probably leave him in the Raider until he has a good target to hit with Avenger.

[norngahl]

Libby with TDA, SS, Vortex and Nullzone in an Landraider with 5 Marines (razorback of the marines rides empty).

 

Scoring AV14 fire platform hull that generates nullzone, can move to get objective without much danger or to guard the own objective.. If needed, Libby charges out to tie up some enemies or to cast vortex.. In fact, I only needed to do this "Libby walks alone" move once (against guard, needed to destroy a vendetta to win the game but had no firepower left), but it´s just good to know that you got an ace if needed.

 

Usually as everything goes well, the Libby justs sits there generating nullzone to blast the enemy much easier for the rest of my force while he is save in an AV14 scoring monster. But if I need him, I can rely onto him due to 2+/3++.. Thats just awesome.

 

 

Beside my mech List I fielded him in a Drop Pod together with 10 marines, fist, combimelta, melta, multimelta. Works very well in smaller games and is a great threat to flanks and especially tanks!

 

In Apocalypse he does well together with LotD, as these guys are shooty as well. Go around and vortex something while the LotD supports with MM.. Otherwise, 10 Termis with gate Libby can do every job as well (just beware of AP2 blasts).

 

 

Nullzone is a must have. If you want to play your Libby aggressive, use him in TDA with SS and vortex. If you just want to support the army, take a naked libby with gate to carry the sternguards/TH/SS termis around.

[Meatman]

Cheers for the replies so far guys. Would you recommend sticking him in a las-plas razorback with 5 sternguard "bodyguards" with plasmaguns and combi-plasmas? Lots of AP2 to take advantage of nullzone, and gate to get them out of combat if that situation arises?

[spartan249]

I've been messing around with GoI since I started playing 40k, and I've never really had the opportunity or wish to use it to escape. I don't know about you, but my marines in combat are either in there because they're far superior to the enemy or they're about to get wiped the hell out quickly. GoI doesn't help in either case... this is best left in the case until you design a list around the power.

 

I'm doing something similar to what you're proposing with a plasma command squad, and it works wonders. Definitely give it a try. However, I recommend you take an offensive power with lots of hitting power just in case you don't need to cast Null Zone, which will either add firepower or greatly increase the effectiveness of the firepower you already have.

[Meatman]

So fitting with the AP2 and rapid fire range, it will probably be smite then.

 

 

Here's a quick list I came up with to try to fit him in, do I have the right idea?

 

 

Librarian (nullzone and smite) - 100

 

10 man tactical squad, combi-flamer, flamer, missile launcher, rhino - 215

10 man tactical squad, combi-flamer, flamer, missile launcher, rhino - 215

10 man tactical squad, combi-plasma, plasma gun, plasma cannon, rhino - 230

5 man scout squad, powerfist, shotguns - 100

 

5 man sternguard squad, plasmagun, 4 combi-plasmas, razorback with lascannon and twin-linked plasma gun - 230

Venerable dreadnought, multi-melta and DCCW, extra armour, drop pod - 215

 

2 land speeder typhoons - 180

5 scout bikers, combi-melta, 3 grenade launchers, clusterbombs - 160

Land speeder storm, assault cannon - 85

 

1500 total

 

I'm aware of the lack of AV14, this is more a fun list then a serious one. The plasma should help with what ever comes screaming out any land raider, and the dread can help with his multi-melta and DCCW.

[Ming]

My testing shows he lives longest and does best staying in a Razorback or landraider till mid-late game (staying inside to read or file books, while his buddies jump out to do the hard work). Null zone is his primary purpose. This is best for ALL KP missions, since he is too fragile otherwise.

 

For games with objectives or if I'm using pods or sternguard, he goes with them - to use Avenger as his primary use on a MEQ or similar squad as a hit man. Have to keep him away from multi-wound or 2+ save units.

 

I almost never take him as an epistolary anymore. Not really worth the extra points compared to a shield and TDA.

 

At 1850 or less - basic librarian. Null, Avenger.

 

At more than 1850 - typically TDA with storm shield to be 3++, Null, Might or Quick.

[ShinyRhino]

I use mine with a jump pack, Avenger, and some other power (often Might or Quickening). I join him to my 10-man Assault Squad with dual flamers, and blast out that teardrop goodness. If I want to suicide him for max flamer hits, I can combat squad 5 of the members out of the squad so I only lose half as much on a countercharge.

I don't susbscribe to the Null Zone fan club. I rarely see enough invulnerable saves to make it worth forcing rerolls on them.

[Ming]

Yeah, a jump pack (or bike) libby can be a real threat that is to be strongly considered and seldom seen in a codex SM list. Thanks for bringing that up! Almost makes you want to add a Jump Chaplain to the team...

[norngahl]

I don't susbscribe to the Null Zone fan club. I rarely see enough invulnerable saves to make it worth forcing rerolls on them.

 

Wait until the next bossbiker mob comes around.. or the next jetbike council.. or the next 10 termis whith shrike outflanking your force.. or the next 9 obliberators with double lash.. or the next DE hoard with 4++ in CC.. the list continues.

 

This power is just aswesome against anything competitive. The only lists that doens´t have to take much damage from it are nids, IG, green tide and pure mech with minimun troops.. anything else will heavily suffer from it.

 

But, no offense, your area doens´t seem to be so harsh if assault marines with flamers and jumppack libby works :D

[ShinyRhino]

Also useful is a Biker Librarian with Vortex of Doom, riding alongside a Bike Squad with a pair of meltaguns. The range of Vortex matches the range of the meltaguns, and is AP1 to boot. Just be careful you don't suck your bikers into the Warp with it.

[DarkGuard]

I use my Librarian as barebones with Null Zone and Avenger. Null Zone is a no brainer, and a lot of the time I keep it up all the time, shutting off Flickerfields and making units like Terminators more vulnerable. IMO Avenger is a better shooting power than Smite. Remember, you have to roll to hit with Smite, so you're probably hitting with only two or three shots, and then only wounding with one due to S4. Add that to the amount of cover around the place, and Avenger is hands down a better power. Most of the time it gets more hits, ignores cover and cuts through power armour. If you're putting a Libby in an AP2 shot then I'd imagine the squad would be hunting things like Terminators, in which case you want to use Null Zone, as Epistolary is too expensive.

 

As to where and how I deploy my Libby, I put him in a 9 man Sternguard squad in a Rhino. The squad itself has two heavy flamers and four combi-meltas, and combined with the Librarian looks to get into the middle of the field, dealing a lot of damage. When the Sternguard deploy, the Librarian normally stays in the Rhino, keeping up Null Zone and possibly using Avenger from the top hatch. It's worked so far, and most enemies find it hard to get to one of my most annoying and powerful models.