Why put Power Fists on Skull Champions?

[Razblood]

May seem a bit daft to some but this has puzzled me for a while.

 

I run a pure Khorne list and have all my champs equipped with power weapons and meltabombs, purely because you get an extra attack, strike at the same time as the rest of the unit and can still pop tanks as needed.

 

So why bother with power fists?

[rottenlad]

Ok I have to admit a deep love of powerfists. That aside skull champs throwing 4 str 9 attacks on the charge should be enough to tempt you in to doing it on one champ in your force. Although not going at I5 is sad, but insta gibbing T4 really puts a crimp in lots of opponents style. Love the look on Ork nobs faces or that annoying Castellan Crow when they suffer an unsaved wound. The best part is the sheer terror you put into transports rhinos begone ect ect. Just say strength nine out loud to yourself see if the the lord of skulls doesn't smile upon you.

[MomentoMori]

Also a smart opponent will use wound allocation rules to make any none power weapon wounds effect the same models the power weapons wounds. Negating extra possible wounded models.

[d@n]

If a dreadnought charges you and you dont have a fist then all your zerkers are going to get slowly picked off, you need one to hurt high toughness models open vehicles and so you can assasinate characters. also on top of all that your wounding most things on a 2+ with no armour save.

[Slayer le Boucher]

Also because melta bombs doesn't work on T6 and above creatures...

 

But personnaly i regret the old times where you could actually freely choose your wargear..., i always run a Champ with Power Sword and Power Fist, and choose wich one to use depending on the target; 5x S5 I5 A in infantry models or 5x S9 I1 A on vehicels and MC's.

 

Also had the time you gained +1A even with 2 different special weapons,but only the effects of one per round.

[Jeffy.Gee]

i always run a Champ with Power Sword and Power Fist, and choose wich one to use depending on the target;

Maybe this is just worded wrong but you can't take both in one squad.

 

JG

[greatcrusade08]

i always run a Champ with Power Sword and Power Fist, and choose wich one to use depending on the target;

Maybe this is just worded wrong but you can't take both in one squad.

 

JG

 

i believe the last dex allowed i, which was his point..

 

the fist enables you to tackle Mcs and vehciles if necessary, its a good redundancy on a high points unit.. but as pointed out above wound allocation shenanigans means PW hits can be shifted onto a smaller number of models becuase your striking at the same initiative as the other 40 attacks from your unit.. a power fist strikes at a different initiative and evey wound caused is a dead model.

 

generally speaking the power fist will cause more casualties than the sword

[Morollan]

Plus, 3 S8 attacks every turn vs an enemy vehicle is generally far better than 1 melta bomb attack, especially against Walkers where you are hitting on a 6.

[Cheex]

Three main reasons for me:

 

1. Wound allocation. When charging against Marines, on average your champion (with either weapon) should cause about 2 wounds; the rest of the squad should cause another 12. Against most squads, this allows your opponent to stack both power weapon wounds against one model, obviously provided that the model is armed differently from the rest of the squad. Power fists, on the other hand, don't have this problem.

 

2. Taking out vehicles and monstrous creatures. Against your average vehicle with AV10 on the rear, Berzerkers are usually more than enough (a bajillion str 5 attacks does that), and if it isn't enough then there's a good chance you have immobilised the vehicle, which will make it much easier for your powerfist to do its work. Plus, just try killing a Dreadnought with just a meltabomb and a bunch of krak grenades; it's nearly impossible.

 

3. With furious charge, you're essentially punching things with lascannons. What's not to like about that?

 

The only time I really prefer a power weapon over a fist is when fighting Terminators or eqivalent, where the higher initiative is a lifesaver.

[FLBERZERKER]

Not to mention that you don't always get to charge. Yeah a Power Weapon may be great on the charge, but a Powerfist is always great!

[greatcrusade08]

i now use powerfists on my squads that dont carry Khârn, his squad either runs naked or with a PW

the fist is great, 4 attacks on the charge hitting on 3's (mostly) and wounding on 2's.. hes gunna kill something, hopefully two or three somethings

[Paulochromis]

Not to mention that you don't always get to charge.

+1

 

I magnetized my skull champs.

I go with the power weapon only when the berserkers are in a LR, or when I really can't find the points.

[Warsmith Aznable]

Dreadnoughts can smell squads that don't have fists. It makes them excited, and it's hard to put a meltabomb on one when it's running directly at you. That's been my experience, anyway.

 

I went with the PF Champ because everybody here said to do it. I experiment occasionally with different load outs on squads, just to do it, and power weapon armed champions always seem to wind up in front of enemies they can neither hit with the sword, nor manage to stick a bomb to. Some of that is dice, but it's happened enough that I don't question the wisdom of the fist.

 

I look at it this way: if there is something that the other 7 Berserkers and their chain-axes can't also be killing or otherwise surviving against while the Skull Champion winds up the big fist, they really shouldn't be messing with it to begin with.

[Ethrion]

Yeah, you most definitely need the skull champion to take a powerfist so that your berserkers squads don't fear getting in combat with anything. After all you want to be charging and destroying everything in sight, it's not very fluffy to have berserkers running from something! LOL :ph34r:

[Brother Delias]

besides... unlike the loyalists, our fist looks awesome...