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Command Squad load out with Meph


Lord Asher

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I'm trying to get some feedback on what the best load out for a command squad that will be accompanied by Mephiston.  I'm going Divination.  They will be podding in and my initial thought is to go 3 plasma.  7 Prescienced plasma shots will do some nice work on the drop (especially to tides, dreadknights, etc).

 

My only concern is the rapid fire nature and not being able to assault after shooting.  I'm wondering if this is a big enough drawback, especially in later turns.  Of course Meph can always take off and pound something by himself.

 

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Rapid fire will not be a problem the turn they arrive at least. I would add a couple of storm shields to soak any AP2 shots. I don't know if you plan to run Mephy at the front of the squad to tanks small arms fire. He can LOS AP2 hits onto the SS guys.

 

The squad is fairly small and without Mehpy to tank, will probably not last that long if he does decide to go solo in order to wreck some face. Maybe a better option is a Sternguard squad with some combi-plasmas in there. Turn 1 you drop and burn. Turn 2, revert to special ammo while Mehpy either sticks around to deter assaults and continue buffing them or runs off to hit stuff.

A regular librarian will be just turned to paste with the rest of the unit after they drop.  With Meph they have a very good chance of surviving the drop, especially with a shield or two tossed in.  I prefer command over stern for two reasons 1) Better modeling opportunity 2) FNP for Meph.

Taking into account the majority toughness rule, the only difference Mephiston has over a regular Librarian is an extra wound and a 2+ save when it comes to tanking. Said regular Librarian can take TDA and a Storm Shield to mitigate that and at with a level two upgrade, he's still fifty points cheaper than Mephiston. (Incidentally, he has the same number of Divination powers as Mephiston and you could always take a combi-plasma if you wanted the extra shot despite being BS 4).

Meph is a lot more dangerous in consecutive turns than a TDA libby. 5 attacks base (versus 2 for the libby with storm shield, that can't sweep), the capacity to go to S10 with fleet makes him very annoying.

His extra wound is also extremely valuable. 

IMO it isn't close. Meph's most significant downside is his lack of an invuln. Storm shields that he can LoS to mitigate this a lot, which the command squad provide.

Well, if I'm not mistaken Mephiston can roll for biomancy gaining psychic focus (as Sanguine Sword is given) as he is ML3 he can roll for three powers gaining also primary? So if you are lucky you can get endurance, so command squad with plasma guns will be relentless (so double tap and charge) which brings other option - relentless grav-guns! On drop this would be spectacular :-)

 

 

Another (crazy) suggestion... Mephiston + ML2 Libby + command squad in drop pod - it almost looks like deathstar :-) It would be resilient (with SS), it would have large damage output (endurance = relentless grav-guns and ethernal warior, and better FNP) and turn after drop they could potencialy assault up to three targets (again - endurance on command squad would mean relentless grav-guns + charge!) if Mephiston and Libby split fo command squad. Pricey as hell, but I can almost imagine face of your opponent when those boys show up :-)

You are right, and it's certainly not a terrible idea. I personally would prefer Meph roll on Sanguinary or Divination (same applies to the other Libby if you are running 2).

Divination offers a lot to this squad. Prescience (especially on Plasma) is great, so is the 4+ invuln and ignores cover.

 

Sanguinary offers Fear of the Darkness (a great alpha strike spell), Blood Lance, Wings (great for moving past screening units) and the primaris is good for Meph in consecutive turns.

Right - prescience and plasma-guns would be easier to achieve than endurance and grav-guns. Also remark about wings is interesting (for some nasty surprise ;-) - deploy this scary unit behind drop pod or other obscuring object to hide it from interceptor and then redeploy and let it rip)

Psychic Shriek is pretty good for taking out MC, Meph is bs5 also so hitting is more reliable. Personally i would not take plasma, you can always pod a 5man assault squad with 6 plasma shots close to Meph and then give them prescience. You could go prescience, shriek and the str 10 automatically every game i think?

  • 2 weeks later...

Just reporting back on the performance of the meph/melta/command squad I took to a tourney over the easter weekend.

 

I won the tourney with 5 major wins and 1 minor loss.

 

A pod army is tough to play, but was devastating against certain opponents. Meph's command squad played as expected. Strong melta drop that continues to be a threat due primarily to Meph's S10 supported by storm shields.

 

They definitely pulled their weight.

Meph, BA Libby and GK Libby in a command squad, 5 melta total. podded

 

10 purifiers. Podded

 

8 legion of the damned podded

 

2 x TAC squads podded and 5 strikes normally deep striked

 

1 dreadknight, vindi on the board

 

The tourney used a pretty comprehensive comp system so I couldn't take an NSF with my CAD. The GK were an allied detachment.

I am slowly becoming convinced that running Meph with a commnand squad w/ storm shields is the best way to run him. Two weeks ago, I ran Meph and a SS CS in a Redeemer. My BA list finished in 2nd place in a 14-player tourney. My only loss was to a SM player that fielded a list featuring two imperial knights (one being FW), a Sicaran, a SR, and some centurions. 

 

The free FNP combined with LOS models that have an invuln save is very delicious. All three of my vets had storm shields. I loaded one of them with a melta and the other two with power weapons. In retrospect, two or three meltas would probably have been better (as mentioned above).

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