Astorath The Grim In 6th Edition

[GrimKnight]

As a big blood angels fan, I have been avidly reading the FAQ for their codex with regards to 6th Edition. I have just read about Astorath's Executioner's Axe and wondered what everyone thought about the new profile? I personally think it has made less of a frontline combat character, now that he always strikes in the I1 step of combat. All comments and replies welcome!

[Killax]

Your tought is right and this is exactly why you'll often see pieces of the model (in the form of Mephy) but not often the character himself.

 

He still is cool in fluff armies and quite good as a characer but in the end we do have better HQ's for around the same point cost.

 

Now if he made Death Compagny scoring (or something along those lines) it would have been an other world, potentially.

[Demoulius]

Its a huge dent in his viability if you ask me.... Hitting at I1 is a huge disadvantage, even more so for characters with an higher then avarage initiative :(

 

That said his S6 AP2 reroll succesfull invul saves is also pretty beastly :ph34r: doesent he also have arti armour? (dont play him, dont got codex handy) cause if so hes alot more survivable now :) So its not all gloomy ^_^

 

He can bash the best of them and only a few things will punch through his armor, which is a nice trade off....I guess? :tu:

[Drunken Angel]

Initiative 1 is not great but thats 5th ed thinking. Find one AP2 close combat weapon that strikes at models inititative in TEQ or MEQ lists ? there are not many out there are there? heck even Draigo only gets an AP3 force sword.

I have found axes awesome so far and axes paired with artificer armour on a model that gets a 4++ invun is good, add in the re-roll for sucessful saves and he is decent. Not a close combat beast but pretty decent and the fact he unlocks more DC units makes him pretty useful fluffwise. Its not Astoraths initiative thats the problem its lack of eternal warrior which is codex wide for us we only have one ET in the Sanguinor who can take an axe and looks pretty good now even at I1.

[GrimKnight]

I must admit, I completely forgot that Astorath had a 4+ invun because of his rosarius. Challenges I guess are the way forward with him, because as Drunken Angel pointed out there aren't many AP2 close combat weapons out there that don't strike at I1, unless on a dreadnought etc. I can see Astorath fast becoming a regular in my armies now. :D

[Blindhamster]

Find one AP2 close combat weapon that strikes at models inititative in TEQ or MEQ lists ? there are not many out there are there?

 

-Chaos Daemon Weapons

-a few of the Chaos Characters weapons too.

-Tycho strikes at I and ignores all armour saves

-Dark Eldar Incubi have the option to do so

-O'shava

 

There are probably a fair few more, I just don't have any of the books to hand to go through them.

 

oh and HH praetorian blades (which btw, I think they ought to update relic blades and the Axe Mortalis to be)

[daboarder]

But its not a problem, with correct positioning there is no way for the opponent to kill astorath. You cannot single him out and if you use his low I to manoeuvre him and pile in correctly he won't get challenged, and even if he does most things won't gimp him in a duel, baring some of the nastier chaos lords.

[Deschenus Maximus]

His axe really needed to be AP2, or else the special ability was pretty pointless (most things with an invul that actually matters have 2+ armour). Unwieldy comes with the territory, but its too bad they didn't compensate for that a bit more by making his axe +2 strength instead of a straigth S6. At least he would have been able to take advantage of FC that way.

 

Do keep in mind that Asto has a bolt pistol. So if you need your high Init for some reason, you can use it to strike at user strength and AP -.

[CitadelArmyGuy]

He can use his pistol in melee to strike at normal initiative, that's true- but then he melee attacks are AP- and so I wouldn't try this unless facing down a 1-wound model with 3+ Sv or worse.

 

Don't ever shoot his pistol either. Use his high BS and potential Precision Strike to throw a Krak grenade instead (as mentioned in a recent tip-thread).

[JamesI]

Do keep in mind that Asto has a bolt pistol. So if you need your high Init for some reason, you can use it to strike at user strength and AP -.

I've done this with Dante. Now, he was down to 1 wound at the time and fighting a bunch of ork boyz, so I wanted to make sure he swung and they have negligible armor anyway.

 

As for Astorath, I have not used him yet in 6th. I think his axe is really good and the I1 penalty is no where near as bad as I originally thought it would be.

[Deschenus Maximus]

He can use his pistol in melee to strike at normal initiative, that's true- but then he melee attacks are AP- and so I wouldn't try this unless facing down a 1-wound model with 3+ Sv or worse.

 

Ya, its just an option that is sometimes going to be useful.

 

Don't ever shoot his pistol either. Use his high BS and potential Precision Strike to throw a Krak grenade instead (as mentioned in a recent tip-thread).

 

Ooh good thinking!

[Drunken Angel]

The thing about Astorath is not his statline its decent sure but it is that he unlocks lots of Death Company, players around here have learnt to stay well clear of Death Company they are a very good counter charge unit. Avatars, Demon Princes, Terminator lords, terminators, plague marines etc etc have all died easily to DC. Most units now find somewhere else to be when the Sanguine psychos hit the table. Its easy enough to find a way to protect DC whether its sitting on an objective granting a +1 cover save on terrain or invisibility, forewarning gives a 4++ invun. I got that in one game and by the blood of sanguinius they were unstoppable. Its been pointed out but I will say it too it is simple enough keep Astorath in the pack and assault at initiative step. I prefer unit blessings rather than witchfire etc as its easier to get the buffs onto your unit.