How to arm sergeants for the 3rd legion?

[spu00sed]

I have finally gotten back into my pre heresy Emperors Children army, after a 5 month break due to buying a car, lured in by the horus heresy books by forgeworld

 

With a new edition I have come across a dilemma and a problem.

 

Originally I was going to have every officer (except one maverick with a fist) armed with a power sword, since all officers and gentlemen carry sword. However with the new types of power weapons this would leave me more vulnerable to terminators and such like.

 

My planned (and mostly purchased army) contains

 

Captain

Contemptor

6 man sternguard

5 man terminator (waiting for heresy era armour)

10 man tactical (need another 2)

5 man tactical

5 man assault

5 man devastator

 

I have already built two tactical sergeant

Power sword and plasma pistol

Power fist and combi plasma

 

This leaves me my assault, terminator, devastator and assault sergeants and my captain left

 

My original plan was power swords on all sergeants and a relic blade on the captain.

 

Now I am thinking of

 

Assault sergeant: Twin lightning claws and plasma pistol, or power sword and power axe

Devastator sergeant: Power axe and bolter

Terminator sergeant: Power sword and storm bolter

Captain: Relic blade and combi melta

 

Any ideas on what I should do?

 

How would you arm the officers of the perfect legion?

[Haywire]

Myself? I would give them all swords (With relic blade for the Captain)

They're very up themselves, and I can't see them wanting to use 'barbaric' and 'crude' weapons like axes and mauls...

 

Then and again, Eidolon used a Thunder Hammer.

 

I stick with my assertion, however, that they would probably look best with swords.

[Arachnid99]

I'd stick with your first instinct and go for swords but you could opt for something more exotic like a meteor hammer or a whip that counts as something else, if it looks crude and easy to use then it's not for the 3rd Legion.

[Rik Lightstar]

From an Army List point of view, I'd have to say there's little use for a power weapon of ANY type on the sergeant of a 5 man devastator squad, if they're in combat, they're DEAD simple as, save yourself 15 points for something else, alos it's very heavy on the Elite Choices, I'd be tempted to do without the terminators (until you expand the force) and bulk up the other units, dependent on how you had them equipped you could have nearly enough points to take the 2nd tactical, assault and devastator squads to full strength. Ideally get the tacticals up to 10 then split the remaining points over the Assault and Devastator Squads.

 

Rik

 

p.s. on topic, swords look the best, and you can't take both twin claws AND a plasma pistol.

[Jacinda]

and you can't take both twin claws AND a plasma pistol.

Actually, yes you can.

Trade CCW for TLC and trade bolt pistol for plasma pistol.

[NemFX]

Ultimately, Fulgrim wanted his legion to be perfect.

 

Eidolon used a thunderhammer.

Lucius used two swords (one of a Terran make, the anathaem sword given to him by Fulgrim)

 

I imagine it's captain's choice. So, whatever you think is best, or would be best on the table.

[Haywire]

Really, whichever way you go, you may well have to overly 'pretty up' the weapons. Probably with a fair few eagle motifs like lightning claws looking more like curved talons, and axes/hammers using an eagle's head for the claw... and such. Lots of gems and shizzle too, perhaps? Just generally make their weapons look really fancy.

[VoteForPedro]

From a tactics perspective (as it's the tactics forum!) I'm here to argue for the boring choice:

 

Don't buy them any equipment!

 

Yes, yes, it's very dull but think about it a little. For one, upgrade equipment for sergeants is expensive. At the very least you are looking at a cheap power weapon, rising to the rather ludicrously priced plasma pistols and then the other close combat bits and pieces. Stripping back on these will save you a ton of points.

 

Secondly, Combat Tactics! Most of your squads are going to be rubbish in close combat, this is a sad truth about playing vanilla marines. Sure, they will beat the heck out of guardsman, firewarriors and other junk but upgraded melee weapons are totally wasted on those. The only time you'd want upgraded weapons are against other marines and, unless it's vanilla marines vs vanilla marines, they are likely to give you a kicking, regardless of upgrades. No, they best bet is to keep things cheap, use combat tactics to get out of combat when you inevitably lose and then shoot the snot of them.

 

Note: this mainly applies to tactical squads and devastator squads. Terminators are more limited in their upgrade choices, Assault Squads probably need a power sword to have some punching power. Captains and best with relic blades/ power swords as they allow them to use their higher initiative.

 

Finally: This is purely from a gameplay perspective, from a fluff perspective things are different!

[Knives]

I always thought it was Gentlemenly to slap someone with your glove before challenging them to a duel ... I just think The powerfist should have been turned off before doing so would have made better sport out of the event...

 

All serious aside... Swords are the iconic weapon to use but being creative will also add some points from anyone you play, for example Imperial Gaurd models don't even have power axe models do they? ... So Space Marines would be logically to have weapons that would work in all situations.

[spu00sed]

Thanks for the help

 

I will go back to my old plan of power swords on everyone.

 

Possible keep the sword and axe on the assault seargant, they are somewhat unhinged and like to experiment with different combat styles