PF Sergeants

[PyronusSouria]

What are your opinions on PF Sergeants? Both of my sergeants for my new list, as it stands, have a PF and a combi-weapon.

[TyrionTheImp]

This comes up quite often and usually it brings out a whole conversation again about whether or not it's worth it, I'll try to get all opinions in one post:

 

Powerfists are awesome! They let the tactical kill walkers and almost guarantee a wound on infantry, plus can ID T4 ICs!

 

Powerfists are too expensive, save the points for upgrading/getting more units that are better than tactical squads.

 

Powerfists have their uses in armies that lack Combat Tactics. IE, Stubborn armies, but they aren't really needed in armies that use Combat Tactics.

 

Personally, I don't use them as I play MSU. 5 guys die before I1 swings usually, or it wouldn't matter what the pfist did, it still won't make its 25 points back. However, I find combi-weapons invaluable, and if I for some reason I feel I need more anti-vehicle, melta bombs are 5 points.

[Vissah]

Loving it mate.

 

It's my favorite and only upgrade for my Aspiring Champions, you cant really go wrong with it.

My Power Fists has taken out so many enemies I lost count, that is why I use 4 of them in my list.

 

3 Fists for my Marine squads and one for my Berzerker squad.

 

Just do it you wont be disappointed :D

[DarkGuard]

I just posted this in the Tactical Squad Tactica thread, so I'll quote myself here:

 

It has been well recorded on this forum that I am not a big fan of power fists on Tactical squads. Indeed, the only time to use them is when you're Stubborn, and perhaps using Chapter Tactics as then you have no viable option to break from combat easily (even more if you're Stubborn). However, most of the time power fists only marginally increase the Tactical squad's melee ability for a significant points cost. Not to mention that Tactical squads are shooty and shouldn't be in combat.

 

I've heard arguments that power fists are handy for insurance etc, but 25pts for insurance is quite a lot. You'll still get steam-rolled by elite combat units, and you'll steam-roll weak combat unit just fine without a power fist. In the end they only help against some other Marine squads (like Tactical squads), MCs on their last wound, and walkers, and all of these should be engaged with another unit or with plasma/melta, which is cheaper. It's a niche insurance choice at best, and 25pts for it is way to much IMO.

[Koremu]

It depends what you plan to use the Squad in conjunction with. If your plan for the Tactical Squad is for it to operate in close support of a unit of Assault Terminators, you don't need a Power Fist on the Squad.

 

If your plan for them entails camping near a Rifleman Dread to discourage counter-assault, they *might* want a Fist.

 

If your plan for them is to move onto a forward objective while your elite units go elsewhere & where the enemy will almost certainly try to push them off, they definitely want a Power Fist.

[Master Melta]

So escorted by 5 terminators of any variety or a dread negates the need for the fist?

[DarkGuard]

So escorted by 5 terminators of any variety or a dread negates the need for the fist?

 

Depends on the situation. What Koremu is saying that you have thunder hammers in that Terminator unit, or a DCCW on the Dread, then there's your power fist, they don't need it and should be supportive. If they're going out on their own they need it.

 

All I know is that my Tacticals do fine without power fists, and that even if I wanted to give a squad a power fist I wouldn't have the 25pts for them.