Brotherhood Banner

[HERO]

I'll also admit I feel it's hokey if every unit on the battlefield has a banner. ;P

 

I don't see a problem with this :P

 

Just say your GKs are on parade, celebrating kicking their ass on the battlefield.

[Brother Captain Kezef]

My party favourite is a 10 man Termie squad with Falchions + a pair of psycannons led by a Grand Master. I always put a banner in this unit and cackle like a mad man when it charges.

[TyrionTheImp]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned probably the biggest reason NOT to take it: Overkill!

 

Let's say you're charging a unit, you smash into it, slaughter it with all your extra attacks, and leave no survivors! Woohoo! But uh...it's your opponent's turn coming up and he's got A LOT of guns pointing at your squad.

 

Yeah, having Strength 6 (with a Librarian of course!) guys whomping is good fun, but basic strategy says you want your opponent to die on HIS turn not YOUR turn, and having extra attacks is great, but frankly, with all power weapons and I6 (really why NOT bring Halberds for free), chances are you'll probably beat the snot out of the squad anyways, unless they're like Hammernators, or something else with an awesome invuln save, and they'll roll on low leadership, run away leaving you stranded anyways, or if you're lucky, roll low and stick around so you can finish them next turn.

 

Ripping through a squad in a turn is great, until you realize you're within range of the enemy's guns and he has a lot of them.

[Brother Captain Kezef]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned probably the biggest reason NOT to take it: Overkill!

 

Let's say you're charging a unit, you smash into it, slaughter it with all your extra attacks, and leave no survivors! Woohoo! But uh...it's your opponent's turn coming up and he's got A LOT of guns pointing at your squad.

 

Yeah, having Strength 6 (with a Librarian of course!) guys whomping is good fun, but basic strategy says you want your opponent to die on HIS turn not YOUR turn, and having extra attacks is great, but frankly, with all power weapons and I6 (really why NOT bring Halberds for free), chances are you'll probably beat the snot out of the squad anyways, unless they're like Hammernators, or something else with an awesome invuln save, and they'll roll on low leadership, run away leaving you stranded anyways, or if you're lucky, roll low and stick around so you can finish them next turn.

 

Ripping through a squad in a turn is great, until you realize you're within range of the enemy's guns and he has a lot of them.

 

Depends on point of view, some armies just don't have the init to make init 6 worth taking. Also I face allot of close combat armies in my gaming group, in allot of games the shooting phase is a formality.

[StormTAG]

You mean the run phase? That's what one Khorne player calls it.

[TyrionTheImp]

Depends on point of view, some armies just don't have the init to make init 6 worth taking. Also I face allot of close combat armies in my gaming group, in allot of games the shooting phase is a formality.

 

But, they're free, and I mean a 4+ in close combat is better than a 5+ undoubtedly, but most armies have an I of 4 or higher (considering most armies are MEQ), and since you can't take a storm shield, best way to minimize casualties is to make your opponent have less attacks, or at least hit at the same time as them (Genestealers and Dark Eldar stuff mostly).

 

Also, for your "gaming group" that's an exception, not the norm, so just because your gaming group doesn't have shooty armies doesn't mean others' don't, and most people will probably play against a variety of opponents some of which may have powerful ranged elements that can and will destroy powerful assault units if you cut through a squad in a single turn.

[BrotherWasted]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned probably the biggest reason NOT to take it: Overkill!

 

Let's say you're charging a unit, you smash into it, slaughter it with all your extra attacks, and leave no survivors! Woohoo! But uh...it's your opponent's turn coming up and he's got A LOT of guns pointing at your squad.

 

Yeah, having Strength 6 (with a Librarian of course!) guys whomping is good fun, but basic strategy says you want your opponent to die on HIS turn not YOUR turn, and having extra attacks is great, but frankly, with all power weapons and I6 (really why NOT bring Halberds for free), chances are you'll probably beat the snot out of the squad anyways, unless they're like Hammernators, or something else with an awesome invuln save, and they'll roll on low leadership, run away leaving you stranded anyways, or if you're lucky, roll low and stick around so you can finish them next turn.

 

Ripping through a squad in a turn is great, until you realize you're within range of the enemy's guns and he has a lot of them.

 

This argument is very much a moot point. Against any army that a Halberd is "not worth taking", you will still be striking first anyway. Therefore, there is absolutely no downside to taking a Halberd, since it is a free upgrade. You strike first with both weapons, and if you end up fighting I4 opponents, you have the advantage for free.

 

Eliminate the other threats to your assault unit during your shooting phase and you won't have an issue with your opponent stacking up guns against your squad. Don't just charge in blindly when there are bigger threats. In other words, take out those tanks nearby and THEN assault the squad.

[Reclusiarch Darius]

Brotherhood Banner is only really useful in large units (it barely makes up for the lost attacks on the dude you're taking it on), and it's quite expensive. I'd prefer a psycannon instead TBH, does more for the unit.

[Brother Captain Kezef]

I'm surprised nobody has mentioned probably the biggest reason NOT to take it: Overkill!

 

Let's say you're charging a unit, you smash into it, slaughter it with all your extra attacks, and leave no survivors! Woohoo! But uh...it's your opponent's turn coming up and he's got A LOT of guns pointing at your squad.

 

Yeah, having Strength 6 (with a Librarian of course!) guys whomping is good fun, but basic strategy says you want your opponent to die on HIS turn not YOUR turn, and having extra attacks is great, but frankly, with all power weapons and I6 (really why NOT bring Halberds for free), chances are you'll probably beat the snot out of the squad anyways, unless they're like Hammernators, or something else with an awesome invuln save, and they'll roll on low leadership, run away leaving you stranded anyways, or if you're lucky, roll low and stick around so you can finish them next turn.

 

Ripping through a squad in a turn is great, until you realize you're within range of the enemy's guns and he has a lot of them.

 

This argument is very much a moot point. Against any army that a Halberd is "not worth taking", you will still be striking first anyway. Therefore, there is absolutely no downside to taking a Halberd, since it is a free upgrade. You strike first with both weapons, and if you end up fighting I4 opponents, you have the advantage for free.

 

Eliminate the other threats to your assault unit during your shooting phase and you won't have an issue with your opponent stacking up guns against your squad. Don't just charge in blindly when there are bigger threats. In other words, take out those tanks nearby and THEN assault the squad.

 

Comes down to personel choice at the end of the day. Some folks (myself included) feel that the 5 points for falchions is a worthwhile investment,some folks don't.