Hono(u)r Guard-- How do you like them?

[The_Excubitors]

Hi I have been working on my army for sometime, a Space Marine Chapter using Blood Angels rules, and have finally come to the point where I need to glue weapons into the hands of my Honor Guard units. I have deliberated constantly for months and really haven't come to any major conclusions. I was upset to realize that my Apoc cannot be equipped with any additional gear, so that changed my plans and now I am just unsure.

 

I have my army all planned out, and am building both a footslogging (or rB riding) HG squad and a jump pack equipped HG squad. I had intended to use no standard for the jumppack squad, and in most games using the chapter banner with the footsloggers on an objective to make my RAS and tacticals hard to budge (Feel no Pain FTW) as well as dangerous. I am fairly certain how to use these units effectively, really I am wondering about how YOU like to gear your HGs out.

 

Also how useful have veteran players found the Champion model? Is the 10pts for combat shield/+1WS worth it? Seems like I might need more wound models, especially if I am using one veteran as a standard bearer.

 

Thanks for all your input in advance :)

 

 

Tipher Leyt, Master of the Excubitors.

[Brother-Captain Lucius]

I am soon going to be running two honour guards with 4 plasma guns each.

[sonofpollux]

this is the way Im thinking of running my honor guard ( i'm in the same position as you)

 

Jump packs

Meltagun

Chapter Banner

Infernus x2

Power weapon x2

thunder hammer x1

storm shield x1

[JamesI]

this is the way Im thinking of running my honor guard ( i'm in the same position as you)

 

Jump packs

Meltagun

Chapter Banner

Infernus x2

Power weapon x2

thunder hammer x1

storm shield x1

 

I would be really uncomfortable spending over 300 points on 5 1 wound models that only includes 1 invul save. That is my main problem with Honor Guard, its generally cheaper to build similar Sanguinary Guard.

[Soups]

With the best options the codex can give a marine. 2 SPECIAL WEAPONS.

 

Commander Dante is my preferred delivery mechanism, but 12" is 12" for what I do with them most of the time

 

4 plasma guns, and 4 flamers.

 

I mostly build lists for anything, and use them for pick up games. If you tailor your lists, you can do what you will, but nothing kills Grey knights in termi armor, power armor, feel no pain, Orks, Nid swarms, monsterous creatures, and other Mephistons faster.

[knife&fork]

I've tried a number of variations but I've pretty much settled for this:

 

jump packs, 2 meltas + 2 Storm Shields (on the same models)

 

If I have points to spare there might be a powerfist and/or chapter banner in there.

 

It has two meltas for vehicles and tough units, the noviates FNP/FC bubble and 2 storm shields for tanking low AP and power weapon hits.

[Milosh]

I'm debating this very question myself.

 

For shooty Honor Guard, the utility of the previously mentioned 4 x meltagun and 4 x flamer cannot be over looked. Anti-vehicle and light infantry in one package. I personally think this configuration will be the one I'll do myself in a Heavy Bolter razorback. Reason being for me is because my army lacks a way to deal with foot slogging ork armies or Nid swarms. Furthermore, you have the 4 x meltaguns to deal with large monstrous creatures, landraiders, battlewagons and monoliths etc... The 4 x Plasma gun option is very good as well, but I think I have enough lascannons and twin linked plasma guns on the razorbacks to deal with TEQ's effectively. If your list is having difficulty with mech and hordes, then I would go with the former otherwise go with the 4 x plasmaguns.

 

For combat Honor Guard, I would keep them cheap and effective. 2 x power weapon and 1 x Storm Shield in the unit. Equipped with jump packs this unit costs 215pts in total. Another option would be to ditch the storm shield for 2 x meltaguns. This way your able to pop a transport with the 2 meltaguns and assault the occupants inside. Eitherway, I like power weapons with the furious charge and prefer to spend the 30pts on a pair of them then 25pts for a single fist.

[The_Excubitors]

I've tried a number of variations but I've pretty much settled for this:

 

jump packs, 2 meltas + 2 Storm Shields (on the same models)

 

If I have points to spare there might be a powerfist and/or chapter banner in there.

 

It has two meltas for vehicles and tough units, the noviates FNP/FC bubble and 2 storm shields for tanking low AP and power weapon hits.

 

In that case wouldn't it be much better to have the shield on a separate model, so you have no problems sacrificing him in bad roll against a plasma or something and dont lose your melta as well? why the same models?

[Jolemai]

My foot Honour Guard have a Blood Champion, Banner with Power Fist and two Power Weapons. These were built ages ago and it's probably no surprise that they rarely get used, but I can swap in my Sternguard models if necessary as they are painted the same.

 

If I were to build a Honour Guard equipped with Jump Packs, then I would spam the special weapons on them.

[knife&fork]

In that case wouldn't it be much better to have the shield on a separate model, so you have no problems sacrificing him in bad roll against a plasma or something and dont lose your melta as well? why the same models?

 

Well this was over a year ago with 5th ed rules.... :tu:

 

The reason I took the SS on the melta guys was that you couldn't play a lot of wound allocation games on a 5-man unit composed entirely of 1 W models. The honorguard doesn't have the numbers to go after anything but high value targets, preferably vehicles or single models. Naturally the meltagunners were the models I wanted to survive, so they get the SS. With those you could go straight at a Russ or vindicator and have a fair chance of surviving. The cover rules also meant that the meltagunners could break cover and draw LoS with a 3++ vs everything while the unit still had their 4+ cover.

 

Now in 6th I'm not sure what kind of layout I would use since the jumpers have been more or less retired.

[Kickrock]

The two ways I have run them have been 4 Melta w/ Jump Packs in Descent of Angel lists or 4 Plasma in a Drop Pod. I've only used the second once, and even though it worked out against Chaos I feel that Sternguard would do better.

[BassMattJaxx]

I'm finding 4x Plasma, and a boltgun on the Noviate all with jump packs to be effective.

Move 12', rapid fire a target, if it's still there then you've got FNP for some resilience.

I use them more as a support squad, rather that a beatstick unit. aka an independent strike force.

 

More so if you have a Librarian on hand to give them Prescience from the divination powers.

8 rapid fire plasma shots with re-rolls to hit, crazy! B)

 

Also I experienced that with Melta's they became a suicide unit, which sternguard are more suited to.

[Biaz]

I'm thinking 4 plasma guns and a drop pod. Haven't tried it yet though.

[Sviox]

I run my Honor Guard purely as support element in mech lists, mounted in razorback and usually accompanied by a librarian. Gives nice FNP bubble and fire support by RB. This is the usual setup:

-Sergeant with power fist (or sometimes I use simple sergeant with only plasma pistol)

-One marine with either plasmagun or in some cases power sword

-One marine with company standard and plasma pistol

-Naked priest

-2 Marines with pistols and ccw

 

Works really nice combined with some tactical squads in rhinos and assault squads jumping behind.

[Jolemai]

Don't mean to be picky, but the Sanguinary Novitae is always "naked"...

[Morticon]

Don't mean to be picky, but the Sanguinary Novitae is always "naked"...

 

Not picky at all! A very important and valid point when considering builds.

[Taranis]

Hi I have been working on my army for sometime, a Space Marine Chapter using Blood Angels rules, and have finally come to the point where I need to glue weapons into the hands of my Honor Guard units. I have deliberated constantly for months and really haven't come to any major conclusions.

I use tactical arms for my special weapon honour guard / RAS / sternguard.

Just pose the arm and lay the weapons loose onto the arms. Easy to change and keep options in a small box.

Some weapons require hand removal.

[Xenith]

I have deliberated constantly for months and really haven't come to any major conclusions.

 

Months? Bloody hell. Just stick a pin in the clenched fist, and drill a hole in all your specials!

[DietOfLiquor]

I often found myself thinking about gunslinging with IP's... so like 2 meltaguns and 4 IP's attached to dante, the ultimate tank busters or even terminator killers. :)

[DominicJ]

I just dont get them.

All I can see them being used for is a way to fit a HQ, a medic and some marines in a razor.

 

But you could get 5 DC and a HQ in a razor for less.

[Jolemai]

Power Axes and Storm Shields perhaps?

[IK Viper]

Foot HG with 4 Plasma Rifles in a Razorback with a tag along Librarian = "Delete Annoying Unit You Are Worried About" Button I also consider it to ba a points saver when figuring in how many priests to run in a list...

[Soups]

The two ways I have run them have been 4 Melta w/ Jump Packs in Descent of Angel lists or 4 Plasma in a Drop Pod. I've only used the second once, and even though it worked out against Chaos I feel that Sternguard would do better.

 

Don't forget about gunslinger.

 

This is just for the sake of having them in such a way, The range of combimeltas is (most of the time) better.

 

So, while skirting the edge of not posting points per piece of wargear at to avoid angry GW lawyers, an honorguard with 8 infernus pistols is 235 points. Give them a pod, and you have 270 points. A 8 man sternguard is 240, and with a pod and sanguinary priest is 325. So it's bargain to have them dual wielding infernus pistols, if you really need it. And with the new disembarkation rules for vehicles, you get to add 3" to your threat range (now being 6", 5th being every model having some part of the base within 2").

 

So if you want awesome, I would go for the honorguard being awesome out of a screaming hellpod. The upside is you can put a beefy HQ in there with the honorguard as well.

[Mr.darkness]

I originally took 4x plasma and jps as a hard counter to my buddies new dp, but I found that they were effective against most armies. If I ave the points then I also give them flamers, though to be honest I don't often use them, as most army lists have a good target for plasma.

[MadMek83]

Power Axes and Storm Shields perhaps?

 

That would be better for Vanguard vets. DS them next to nemy with Descent of Angel, use Heroic Intervention... That suits much better them IMHO than Honour Guard. I use my Honour guard with 4 plasma gun with a banner. First I ds'ed them wtih libby to as mobile problem solver but DS'ing makes libby useless extra round. So I deply them in cover and use them as my libby's retinue. Hunting termies, enemy HQ and such. I grant they cost over 250P but they still are great addition.