Equipping Champions

[Verbal Underbelly]

Hmmm for me it's about variety and the rule of cool. I like all my champions to be different now that 6th ed has made other options worthwhile.

 

Tactically speaking I think it's about mirroring the load out of the plague marine squad. My three plague marine squads are as follows.

 

2 melta guns = powerfist, icon

2 plasma guns = plasma pistol, lightning claw, melta bombs, icon

2 flamers = power sword, melta bombs, icon

 

Perhaps not the most efficient loadouts but the models look really good!

 

:)

[compgeek1602]

I would never load mine like that, but I have to admit they would look awesome! However, I usually only run one, maybe two squads of plagues, as I run huge squads, so I won't really run into a situation where I need that much variety. Plus, there are myriad ways to model a PA, so each of my PA plagues look completely different.

[paraelix]

Man I love this codex - I really do. If you want it you can have it.

Except for Sonic Blasters on Noise Marine Asp Champs, or even Noise Marine Champs with 2 CCWs :/

[compgeek1602]

@paraelix- They may not be able to take a sonic blaster, but they can take a doom siren in addition to their other weapons, so you can have a doom siren and two close combat weapons. IE, a Chain or power axe and bolt pistol. So, yes, they actually can take 2 CCW's.

[paraelix]

@paraelix- They may not be able to take a sonic blaster, but they can take a doom siren in addition to their other weapons, so you can have a doom siren and two close combat weapons. IE, a Chain or power axe and bolt pistol. So, yes, they actually can take 2 CCW's.

Shame that you only really take Noise Marines for their sonic weapons, which are ranged. Doom Siren is good, and a nice Overwatch ability. But if you're running around trying to make combat, you're using them wrong.

[Kelanen]

On a normal unit champ I'd say mostly keep them bare. Definitely consider a combiweapon or meltabombs if you have points left at the end, but certainly nothing like Powerfists. That was a waste of points in 5th, and got moreso in 6th.

[nurglez]

Combi weapons are rather useful, more so then some melee weapons. The I3 and fighting in challenges is a worry, but only force weapons and str 10 weapons will counter FNP, so thats like a 5+ invulnerable save.

 

In my 3 squads I was thinking powerfist for the squad along with my lord (dual meltaguns) and my 2 plasma squads can have combi plasma's. If spare points going for power weps on the plasma squads (axe/sword/maul depending on how I feel when I make the model) and melta bombs.

[John_f]

Nowadays, I usually run small 5 man squadsnof plague marines. Two plasma, naked serg.

[Circus Nurgling]

Nowadays, I usually run small 5 man squadsnof plague marines. Two plasma, naked serg.

 

I've been doing more of this as well.. just can't find the points for all the trimmings anymore.

[Seahawk]

Unfluffy! Need 7! :)

[compgeek1602]

@Seahawk: Exactly! Although, I usually run double of 7, ie, 14. I just love how hard to kill that squad is. Is it a bit ungainly at times? Sure, but it hits so hard it's not even funny. That unit is downright terrifying for most opponents I've faced so far. I love having units that attract attention like that, as they allow my softer, but yet meaner, units to get in close. When hidden behind walls of T4 cultists they become even better, as for some unexplainable reason, everyone I've faced has decided to shoot my cultists before my plagues....o_0

[John_f]

@Seahawk: Exactly! Although, I usually run double of 7, ie, 14. I just love how hard to kill that squad is. Is it a bit ungainly at times? Sure, but it hits so hard it's not even funny. That unit is downright terrifying for most opponents I've faced so far. I love having units that attract attention like that, as they allow my softer, but yet meaner, units to get in close. When hidden behind walls of T4 cultists they become even better, as for some unexplainable reason, everyone I've faced has decided to shoot my cultists before my plagues....o_0

 

Well, fluff in all honour but you basicly gain nothing from running them 14 strong. They are already fearless so strengh in numbers are unneccesary. Also, one big unit can only take two plasma and only fire at one target wherea three smaller units can take 6 plasma and fire at three differn targets. Plus you have three scoring units compared to one.

[compgeek1602]

I don't run plasma, so that's not an issue. I run melta, and I don't really shoot with them either. I use them in assault. I play extremely aggressively, running for the first turn, and charging on the second. I don't like having a large amount of kill points in my army because I tend to lose with my particular approach if I have more than I have to. I have three scoring units, 4 if my Warlord rolls that trait. I contest the others, and hold one or two, maybe three. I really, really hate having more than ten kill points. In my 2000 point list, I have precisely 10 kill points. 11 in my 2500 pt list. I'm not worried about my plagues running, I'm worried about them being reduced to two or three models, which immediately become worthless in my experience. I keep this from happening by having giant blocks of them. 2 14-man blocks of plagues are resilient all out of proportion to their numbers. I'm not really sure why, honestly, but I've never lost that unit. Not once. Not even when they were the direct focus of 1500 points worth of extremely shooty eldar. So, maybe some don't gain anything, but I definitely do.

[John_f]

I don't run plasma, so that's not an issue. I run melta, and I don't really shoot with them either. I use them in assault. I play extremely aggressively, running for the first turn, and charging on the second. I don't like having a large amount of kill points in my army because I tend to lose with my particular approach if I have more than I have to. I have three scoring units, 4 if my Warlord rolls that trait. I contest the others, and hold one or two, maybe three. I really, really hate having more than ten kill points. In my 2000 point list, I have precisely 10 kill points. 11 in my 2500 pt list. I'm not worried about my plagues running, I'm worried about them being reduced to two or three models, which immediately become worthless in my experience. I keep this from happening by having giant blocks of them. 2 14-man blocks of plagues are resilient all out of proportion to their numbers. I'm not really sure why, honestly, but I've never lost that unit. Not once. Not even when they were the direct focus of 1500 points worth of extremely shooty eldar. So, maybe some don't gain anything, but I definitely do.

 

Well, only 1/6 mission is about kill points. Also 5 x "2-3 models" is exactly the same as one blob of 15 with the exception that you can shoot at 5 different targets and claim/contest 5 different obejctives. Also if your enemys deathstar is shooting, he can only target ONE of those units. Im sorry but I have a hard time seeing how a big blob can be better, since the unit is fearless anyhow.

[compgeek1602]

Okay, that's fine. It's just what works for me. I ran little 7-man units. They died. I don't run them anymore. It seems to work for you, so you do your thing and I'll do mine.

[compgeek1602]

Well, only 1/6 mission is about kill points. Also 5 x "2-3 models" is exactly the same as one blob of 15 with the exception that you can shoot at 5 different targets and claim/contest 5 different obejctives. Also if your enemys deathstar is shooting, he can only target ONE of those units. Im sorry but I have a hard time seeing how a big blob can be better, since the unit is fearless anyhow.

 

5 5 model units with all plasma would be more than twice as expensive as my 14-man blob. I'm sorry, but I have a hard time seeing how that is more efficient. That seems like a terrible waste of points to me, as those little units die ridiculously fast. One round of hurricane bolters and a charge from a dread and that unit is completely toast. I don't even want to think about what a DC dred with blood talons would do to such a dinky unit. Devastators would mulch through that in two turns of shooting. A vindicator would wipe that entire unit in one try.

 

Those little five man units die so fast I can't even use them. Plus, every mission is about kill points if there's a tie, which I end up in quite often. Well, at my club at least. That whole draw thing is considered stupid by everyone I've ever played, so we use KP's if there is a tie in VP's. So, to alleviate this, I have an absolute minimum of kill points. I've gone some games losing only one. All I need is a tie in points and I win because most people don't really think about kill points anymore specifically because of what you just said: only 1 mission uses them now. So, everyone I've faced does what you do, and takes like fifteen five-man units. I then hold my two little objectives at the end of the game, and we've tied for points. Except..... He had like 25 KP's in his army, so I win. So, if it's a tournament, I still get a draw, and if it's in my local league, I win. That's good enough for me.

[John_f]

Well, in MY gaming group we have a local rule that says that whoever have the most 5 man unit at the end of the game wins, therefore my set up is superior :)