Super duper command squad

[Seahawk]

So with the Dark Vengeance minis finally giving me a legal DA army (and a better looking Azrael/Ezekiel to boot!) I've been fiddling with an army and having a lot of fun with a certain ridiculously expensive command squad. Basically, it goes like thus:

 

Azrael

Ezekiel w/ divination

Command Squad w/ 2 power axes, 2 plasma pistols, apothecary, chapter banner

 

All packed into a land raider. :)

 

 

Getting 3 powers with Divination is boss. I always swap one for Prescience (of course) and I often get Forewarning, which I use to protect their transport.

 

When they get close they pile out and assault stuff. Prescience makes sure the plasma pistols don't kill themselves, as well as giving rerolls for two rounds of combat, rather than a Chaplain's single round. They have a 4+ inv save, feel no pain, and 5 attacks each on the charge! Azrael has freakin' 7 attacks! He and Ezekiel both have arty armor, which is amazing for keeping them alive (especially with Precognition on Ezekiel).

 

Of course, that's the only shining example of power in the codex that I've found (and it tallies in at 855...). So far it's working and I like it. Has anyone else effectively put their eggies in the basket like that?

[Chaplain Lucifer]

Expensive, but if it works, it works. :)

A shame my DA are currently 2000 km away from me... I would like to test that command squad.

[Seahawk]

I even use it in 1500 pt games, which starts to get ridiculous. :)

[EPK]

Shame Zeke is only mastery level 1. They should have thrown another bone to an old codex and made him level 2. But that's a nice little deathstar regardless. I was happy just to take C:SM as allies and get a Librarian (with Ld. 10, thank goodness) in TDA with storm shield and force axe, but this is on a whole other level - and completely DA to boot. I don't know if I can get by price though.

 

What's the rest of your list to support this?

[Seahawk]

Last night vs GK (I didn't know the opponent ahead of time though ;)) at 1500 it was:

 

Azrael

Ezekiel

Command Squad

Tactical Squad - plasma pistol/gun/cannon (DV minis)

Tactical Squad - plasma pistol/power sword, flamer, heavy bolter

Ravenwing Squad - 2 plasma guns, meltabombs

Attack Bike - multi-melta

Land Raider

 

The attack bike was hilarious; first it bounced and bobbled over a ruin, immobilized a flakka dread, then proceeded to drive up and plant a krak grenades until it died. It next bouncied back over the ruin to slag a chimera, then charged the =][= dudes only to get slapped by the Inquisitor. By the bottom of the 6th, I had boarded them for the win. :rolleyes:

 

In higher games I simply add a predator annihilator and deathwing squads, because that's all the other DA models I own! :tu:

 

 

Yea, being mastery 1 really bites on certain turns, but for the most part it's no big deal. The reason I'm sticking with him instead of a regular librarian is two reasons: he gets to roll for 3 powers (more options at least) and the big one is the artificer armor he has. Seriously, I'd run bog standard characters if they could get it, but they can't! Bah! Plus, a SM librarian doesn't get Divination, ie the best discipline hands-down no contest. That, of course, makes absolutely zero sense, especially because they have Tigurius, who is, I dunno, the most amazing Diviner the Imperium has right now. But whatever, that's what other chapters are for, right?

[EPK]

Hmmm... you made me want to try fitting Zeke in my standard list. He would be sloggin' it with Belial and a squad of Hammernators though (w/CML and Apothecary and Banner). I had a rule of never taking two HQs with anything below 2000 points (sometimes 1750), but I suppose with allies now, people are doing it more with lower point games.

 

Something like -

 

Belial

Zeke

DW x 3 (all CML)

10 man Tactical, PG, ML (manning the Quad gun emplacment )

Typhoon w/MM x2

Defense line + Quad Gun

 

It may seem light on Heavy weapons at first glance - but I figure DW contribute 6 ML shots, the tactical adds another and the Typhoon 4 more - 11 MLs. Then the quad gun.

 

The rerolls within 12 are nice as I will probably have a second DW supporting the command. Forewarning wouldn't be as useful here for full TH/SS squad, but if the second supporting DW had non-TH/SS that would still be beneficial to them at least.

 

Though I suppose the Divination spells shine most supporting units that can actually shoot (unlike hammernators - though the CML is in there). So you are definitely using Zeke more optimally because of that and the fearless he confers.

 

You also made me want to get that DV Libby painted ASAP so he looks good out there.

[Seahawk]

Yea...I never really care about points in games, I just like to take take what seems fun and effective! :P

 

The number of boots suffers for it, but meh I don't have other models anyway! :lol:

 

On the charge, between the two characters power swords they're likely to almost completely destroy a squad of MEQ; the power axes mop up/cut through what they can't, and with 10 attacks with rerolls to hit, that's likely to happen.

 

You know, I did debate with having just a bog standard librarian, but then I compared him to Ezekiel and the choice was obvious: +1 W, Ld, Sv, and psychic power, 2 master-crafted weapons, and the book of salvation are all very much worth a mere +50 points. To point it out, it'd be:

 

15: +1 A & Ld

15: Artificer armor

15: +1 Wound

10: Master-crafting

5: +1 psychic power

??: Fearless bubble

 

Even without factoring in a cost for the Book (which is pretty darn awesome), you're already looking at a savings of about 10 points. Basically, I struggle to find a reason to take a 120 point jo schmoe over a 170 point Ezekiel. The opposite is true with my Ultramarines; I'll pretty much never take a 265 point Tigurius over a 100 point librarian. I suppose the opposite again is true for my BA; Why take a librarian when Mephiston is in the book? I really want to have a kickin' psyker, but GW really shafted me in the SM book. No Divination, terrible stats, bad options. Ah well, I'm rambling again...

[EPK]

You know, I did debate with having just a bog standard librarian, but then I compared him to Ezekiel and the choice was obvious...

 

I was looking at it from a similar stance. I had a list with C:SM as allies with a Librarian in TDA w/SS. 30 more points and I had Ezekiel. Of course it also meant I had to lose the Talon which was the point of the allies but the Quad gun fills the role, and a bit cheaper. Of course people are going to learn to take those emplacements out first thing.

[egon1six]

I ran this list against a chaos army this weekend to great effect! Thank you for this list. It is alot of fun. The only thing I wonder is how will it fare against a gunline (IG of Tau?)

[Seahawk]

I did fight a Tau player in the Relic. Ended in the epic tie, mainly because I immobilized my land raider on the first turn, taking it out of the game. With combat squadding, I suffered heavy casualties and didn't have enough men to win, but only barely. I think I need a pair of rhinos for the tac squads to keep them safe.