Terminator retinue

[Vesper]

Hey guys,

I plan on making a 10 men strong terminator retinue to roll with my Abaddon in apocalypse games.

I think I'll go for a mark of Khorne with banner, to make sure Abaddon ends up where he's needed.

But I just can't decide how to equip my little deathstar. As I don't care about points costs, I'm only interested in efficiency. So how would you equip those ?

[Sception]

for a guts out deathstar, I'd go tzeentch, or slaanesh w/ banner, rather than khorne.

 

For weapons, maybe, champ w/ c.fist, c.plas, & Icon (depending on mark), 5x sword & c.plas, 2x axe & c.melt, 2x mace & c.melt?

 

or maybe ditch the ranged upgrades to spare some points?  Or go for all plas?  Something like that.

[Vesper]

More than the attack bonuses, I favour Khorne for the reroll of the charge range. But yeah, with the old Furious Charge rules, they would just have been awesome...

I just don't freaking know...

[Brother Ambroz]

I'd say go all out with maces. That'd be a ton of strength 7 attacks hitting on 4s and woundiing pretty much anything on 2+. Be enough to overwhelm nearly anything just with saves. For the champ I might go with fist/claw or both.

[minigun762]

Someone says Apocalypse games and I can't help but feel like you have to gear up for super heavies and titans.

Offensively, that means fist weapons and/or melta weapons on the rank and file terminators. You could run plasma/power fist on most guys with a few chain fists thrown in as support or melta/hammers & axes again with a few chain fists tossed in. Of the two, I'd lean towards the first option.

 

Defensively, I'd only consider MoTz. Apoc games tend to be overloaded with high S low AP weapons supported by template or blast infantry killers. The 2+ save is enough to handle the basic infantry killers and no other mark will provide significant durability against SD and similar weapons.

[Vesper]

At this moment, titans are pretty scarce in the area. But yeah, a Chainfist or two are clearly a good addition. Yet, as they'll hang out with Abaddon, I intent to throw them at other big baddies, possibly in terminator armour or very elite like an Incubi retinue. So I need something "In your face", when I have other little terminator squads to dispatch threats like titans.

Mark of Tzeentch is ok, but the banner is just plain useless, just like the Icon of Despair. By going all Slaanesh, I fear to waste the clear advantage of the I5 with power axes/chainfists/powerfists. That's how I made up my mind for Khorne (but I may be super-wrong, so tell me !).

[minigun762]

Khorne mark & banner combo is a fairly safe better. I prefer the extra durability of MoTz but Khorne does add a significant offensive increase.

 

Assuming you take Khorne, I'd mix mauls with fists. Mauls provide high S I4 attacks while the fists provide high S AP2. I like the high S for both weapons as it gives you increased chance to wound big nasties or go for instant kills.

[Vesper]

Tzeentch would have been great with a worthy banner, and I'd lie if I told you Slaanesh wasn't tempting, Feel no Pain and I5 are obviously serious business. Offensive and defensive buffs, that's pretty awesome. But having I1 AP2 weapons, it would have felt like a waste. Still, the (relative) lack of durability in the Khorne combo bothers me.

I miss 3.5 so bad.

[Trevak Dal]

 

At this moment, titans are pretty scarce in the area. But yeah, a Chainfist or two are clearly a good addition. Yet, as they'll hang out with Abaddon, I intent to throw them at other big baddies, possibly in terminator armour or very elite like an Incubi retinue. So I need something "In your face", when I have other little terminator squads to dispatch threats like titans.

Mark of Tzeentch is ok, but the banner is just plain useless, just like the Icon of Despair. By going all Slaanesh, I fear to waste the clear advantage of the I5 with power axes/chainfists/powerfists. That's how I made up my mind for Khorne (but I may be super-wrong, so tell me !).

Well, with the Slaanesh mark, you could potentially grant Abaddon Feel No Pain (along with the terminators...). Similarly, granting Abaddon Furious Charge too is pretty awesome.

[Brother Ambroz]

Vesper what about 7-8 mauls, a couple chainfists and Slannesh? Would mean only a few I1 attacks while still providing a large amount of high strength attacks.

[minigun762]

I don't like Slaanesh because most of the best terminator weapons are I1 and FnP loses some value in Apoc games (assuming players are using super heavies). Even something fairly run of the mill like a basic baneblade will negate FnP with most of its weapons.

[Vesper]

Vesper what about 7-8 mauls, a couple chainfists and Slannesh? Would mean only a few I1 attacks while still providing a large amount of high strength attacks.

That would be an option, for sure, but I can't see myself going out without some AP2 goodness. So I guess I'm stuck with Khorne.

I consider taking say 5 mauls, 3 PF, 1 Chainfist and dual lightning claws on the aspiring champion, what do you guys think ?

On the shooty side, the heavy flamer feels like an auto-take, but when it comes to combi weapons, it's pretty hard to consider the amount of plasma, melta and flamer I should take.

[Canardwc]

For Apocalypse and Abaddon terminator retinue, i would take the 4 marks ( of course pay for it) and an icon of vengeance. You can also have a look at Justaerin terminator squads from Betrayal (p 245).

[Vesper]

I don't plan to break the rules (otherwise, I'd use the 3.5 codex with some work). So I can't do that.

[Khestra the Unbeheld]

Zhufor is what made me a believer in Terminator retinues for Apocalypse.  He and his little 4-Termy Khornate death squad have 3 Warhound Titans and I don't even remember how many superheavy tanks to their kill tally, and taking down Zhufor is rough ticket without Str D weapons. 

 

Throwing Abaddon into a mass of Nurgle Terminators isn't a terrible option, though the lack of FnP is a factor (sure wish Typhus conferred it onto his squad).

 

Another alternative is a Tzeentch TDA Sorcerer with sigil and a crew of Tzeentch Termies.

 

You know, the heck with it.  Field a Chaos Annihilation Force formation and use ALL the options!! 

[Vesper]

The Chaos Annihilation Force is what I intent to use.

Say

10 terminators + Abaddon (+a sorcerer in TDA, maybe)

5 terminators (most likely Nurgle ones)

5 terminators (same)

 

I just need advices about how to equip them.

[Nehekhare]

Thinking about apocalypse...

 

abby has all marks, so any marked IC may join him.

 

Abby

Typhus

Lord in TDA, MoK, vet, axe of BF, combi-melta

Lord in TDA, MoS, vet, murder sword, combi-melta

Sorcerer in TDA, MoT, vet, mastery lvl3, spell familar, scrolls of magnus, combi-melta

in a Land Raider with dozer, dirge, xtra armor

 

for the bargain price of 1296pts! ;D

[Vesper]

Haha, a little bit overkill for my liking. But that reminds me of the epicness of the Tzeentch chosen terminators back in 3.5. Those were the days.

I'd like to stick with

10 terminators + Abaddon (+a sorcerer in TDA, maybe)

5 terminators (most likely Nurgle  or Slaanesh ones)

5 terminators (same)

[Hellios]

At this moment, titans are pretty scarce in the area. But yeah, a Chainfist or two are clearly a good addition. Yet, as they'll hang out with Abaddon, I intent to throw them at other big baddies, possibly in terminator armour or very elite like an Incubi retinue. So I need something "In your face", when I have other little terminator squads to dispatch threats like titans.

Mark of Tzeentch is ok, but the banner is just plain useless, just like the Icon of Despair. By going all Slaanesh, I fear to waste the clear advantage of the I5 with power axes/chainfists/powerfists. That's how I made up my mind for Khorne (but I may be super-wrong, so tell me !).

 

I wouldn't throw Terminators into Incubi unless you have a champion to keep big A out of the challenge. Any Incubi that get to strike will probably rip a terminator a new one. Even with Big A there I'm not sure I would suggest it. I would advise shooting Incubi as they are pretty squishy... or throw something like a huge blob of cultists or plague zombies at them. The Incubi might win but they will spend too long killing something that Warriors could kill just as easily.

 

Fighting against other terminators you have a few issues.

 

2+

3++ (Stormshield)

Striking before you.

AP2 weapons.

 

I suggest a mix of chainfists and mauls. Chainfists will kill anything that really needs killing. Mauls will allow you to strike before most AP2 attacks at a high S and because you intend to throw this unit at things like other terminators being AP4 (rather than 3) doesn't matter much. The idea here is that a large number of maul attacks should do damage to pretty much anything in combat (hopefully before or at the same time as most enemy attacks), the chainfists should then be able to finish of any survivors.

 

Your big issue will be AP2 weapons that strike at the same or higher I than you. Luckily big A should be able to kill somethings fairly quickly (A bigger issue if the enemy strikes at the same time or before Big A). Enemy characters are likely to be a source of this kind of attack. You can then use a champion or weaker character (Sorcerer in TDA?) as a sacrifice to allow big A and the squad to wreck the rest of the unit or if you think Big A should be able to handle him and that the squad can deal with the rest you can go that way. Incubi are another unit that could be a threat and while you can beat them with this unit... I would just shoot them. 

[Vesper]

 

I suggest a mix of chainfists and mauls. Chainfists will kill

anything that really needs killing. Mauls will allow you to strike

before most AP2 attacks at a high S and because you intend to throw this

unit at things like other terminators being AP4 (rather than 3) doesn't

matter much. The idea here is that a large number of maul attacks

should do damage to pretty much anything in combat (hopefully before or

at the same time as most enemy attacks), the chainfists should then be

able to finish of any survivors.

Your big issue will be AP2 weapons that strike at the same or higher I

than you. Luckily big A should be able to kill somethings fairly

quickly (A bigger issue if the enemy strikes at the same time or before

Big A). Enemy characters are likely to be a source of this kind of

attack. You can then use a champion or weaker character (Sorcerer in

TDA?) as a sacrifice to allow big A and the squad to wreck the rest of

the unit or if you think Big A should be able to handle him and that the

squad can deal with the rest you can go that way. Incubi are another

unit that could be a threat and while you can beat them with this

unit... I would just shoot them.

 

 

That is exactly what I intend to do. Abaddon is a complete beast and with an aspiring champion terminator and the sorcerer in TDA, I should be able to manage the challenges well.

Mauls and Chain fists should do just fine. I still think I'll take two lightning claws on the aspiring champion.

On the shooty side, I contemplate picking two heavy flamers, a few combi melta and some combi plasma. What do you guys think ?

EDIT : The new quote system is awful.

[Beachymike123]

i'll throw my vote in for mauls all the way too. they will be able to strike most characters with decent value, and most things less than space marines will either lose a save or suffer ID. guard and eldar are the ones that will suffer most, although as pointed out dark eldar (who have a higher I than craftworld eldar anyway) are the ones to avoid in combat (even kabalite warriors are I5 although sybarites will only have AP3 power weapons or agonisers, its the incubi and most characters you want to avoid). best tip to deal with most targets imho is to take combi-plasmas - the boltgun can fire at decent range and rapid at close range, while you can shoot one plasma per turn to harry the enemy, and anything up to AV13 will worry, and against infantry the AP2 will slice through anything in its path as well as providing ID to a fair few. if you wanted to spice it up a bit, a chainfist or 2 wouldn't go amiss, theres always fun with the extra dice and just the thought of it tearing through flesh (human or xeno, preferably xeno) just makes me grin manically