Chaos Terminators

[Lord Morgrim]

Greetings Lords of Chaos,

I have my Lord in TDA with a daemon weapon and so I have built a terminator unit to accompany him. Should i take them all as champs to cover the challenge contingency? Or should only a couple of them be champs. How do you take them?

On a related note how do you arm your termis?

[Sception]

You should mostly hold off until the new book is out, on account of likely changes to the options and points costs of terminators.

 

Right now, the champ upgrade is probably too costly for the whole squad, but you might want one or two to soak challenges. Combi plas seems like the best shooting option, particularly if you've got enough anti-tank elsewhere in your list, and for offense, a mix of free swords & axes with a fist or two seems best. Icon is dependent on how many you're running and how safe you think you can keep it, with tzeentch being the most significant boost. In general, for a lord retinue I'd consider six or so terminators, two with combi bolter and power sword, two with combi bolter and power axe, and two champs with combi plas and power fist, one carrying the icon of tzeentch if you've got the points to spare.

 

But...

 

What if the points costs of terminators change such that six is too much? What if different types of power weapons have different point costs? What if the champion upgrade becomes prohibitively expensive, or super cheap? And we know icons are being replaced with a dual icon/mark system, so how will that effect things?

 

If you've got the modeling chops to do magnets, then do that, though you might need to magnetize the shoulder pads separate from the arms, since you don't get spares of the former, and that's further complicated by the pads not quite fitting on the shoulders (the rims of the pads get in the way of the trophy spikes). You might try magnetizing the arms, but using blue tac to hold the shoulder pads in place? That might work. I'm not sure how you'd indicate champions or not, though I'm sure you could work something out.

 

Otherwise, I'd just assemble their torsos, but hold off on the arms & painting until you can look at the new book and judge what kind of terminator squad would work best for you then.

[Lord Morgrim]

Thanks for the advice....they will be making a debut tomorrow against orks i think....will let you know how i go!

 

What about the Reaper ? Is it of any use?

[Sception]

Ignoring cost, the gun is OK if you're walking terminators, as opposed to delivering them via deep strike or land raider. In either of the cases, you're better off looking to the shorter ranged heavy flamer or combi weapons, but walking terminators like the reapers high strength at range, and ability to continue firing over multiple turns. However, walking your terminators is generally the least favorable means of delivery (though I suppose things might be different in 6th?), and once you consider its hefty cost (for the cost of one reaper you could have equipped a whole squad of five with combi weapons) you'll generally find better uses for the points.

 

I've got a couple reaper conversions using autocannon bits from the defiler, and while I like the models I hardly ever use them.

 

 

Of course, a new book IS on the way, and the reaper autocannon may improve in effect or reduce in cost sufficiently to make it a respectable choice again, so I wouldn't completely rule it out.

[Ammonius]

I plan on having a unit of all champion terminators at the appropriate points level. Having lots of precision shots/strikes seems like a good time.

 

As for arming them, I'm arming my terminators with magnetized arms :)

 

However, the first ones I've built are: Two twin-linked bolters, Two combi-meltas, Two power axes, Two power fists, a reaper auto cannon, and a chainfist. This way I have two standard guys to absorb shots in front, two guys with melta shots in case they wind up behind a Leman Russ, and the reaper to keep the unit shooting after they clean up their initial target. (No, I have not used them yet, so my plan could be garbage)

 

Here's hoping we get some really naughty options in the upcoming codex :(

[Brother Ambroz]

I've been running mine as a retinue for my Abby counts as in fluffy games. They're all magnetized but my usual combo is 2x chainfists, 2x mauls, 1 LC pair, heavy flamer and combi weapons. The LC champion can take on any PA in a challenge, the chainfists can handle other 2+ saves and the mauls can handle pretty much anything else. It also frees up Abby to mop up the rest of the squad. Granted it doesn't work all that great against invulns but that's why its just for fluff games at the moment.

[Bearingtheword]

I run four upgraded as Champs as a retinue for my Coryphaus (Lord). Precision shot has been paying off quite well so far. Thinking about doing the same for my Dark Apostle as well. I will definitely be magnetizing the arms on them if I do as I made the mistake of not doing so on the first four. I also prefer to run a hvy flamer over the reaper as I usually either teleport (deepstrike) them in or bring them in via a Dreadclaw. It (the hvy flamer) has worked well in the past for me. A for Icons, I have just been running undivided for now, but that will likely change with the new dex. Hoping the base cost and champ upgrade costs drop some but not gonna hold my breath on it.

 

~BtW

[Brother Ambroz]

BTW you know that if you take a lord with your termis they become fearless because of your lord? That would make the undivided icon sort of useless.

[Lord Morgrim]

Thanks Tanith i didnt know that...