Wargear: Artificier Armor

[L30n1d4s]

I was musing the other day about GKs, and in particular about how Strike Squads, Purgation Squads, and even Interceptors (i.e. pretty much everything Power Armor except Purifiers) are not considered competitive compared to Terminators, Dreadknights, Stormravens, etc. in the current codex.

 

Given that GKs, both by fluff and gameplay design, are the ultimate "elite" army that always takes to the field outnumbered, they of course have to maximize their survivability (the only competition for them in this category is perhaps an all Deathwing army). Also, according to the fluff, they have the most access to rare and specialized equipment of any Space Marine Chapter in existence (hence the ability to give almost every Battle-Brother a suit of TDA, if they choose, or to give every member of a squad a specialized NFW, or to take the rare Psycannon/Psilencer/Incinerator weapons).

 

So, based on all this, what if all Power Armor GK units had the ability to upgrade to Artificier Armor on a model by model basis (i.e. just like each GK can choose to upgrade to a specialized NFW on a model by model basis)? I am not sure what the exact points cost would be, but perhaps something like for +5 points per model you can replace Power Armor with Artificier Armor. That would mean AA GKs in a Strike Squad cost 5 MBs base, compared to TDA GKs which cost 8 points more per model base.... TDA would have advantage of 5++, Relentless, and 2A base, but would also cost more points, not be able to ride in Rhinos/Razorbacks, have more expensive Special Weapons, and not be able to conduct Sweeping Advances.

 

Fluff-wise, this could be justified by GKs having access to basically whatever elite wargear, armor, etc. they want, especially given that they have their own entire forge world dedicated just to their chapter.

 

Gameplay-wise, while it doesn't mitigate the problem of Psycannons becoming Salvo 2/4 weapons or make up for the loss of Psybolts, it does make GK Strike Squads, Inteceptors, Purgation squads, and Purifiers SIGNIFICANTLY better against both shooting and close combat attacks.

 

Imagine a 5 man Strike Squad, all members upgraded wth Aritificer Armor, plus an Incinerator and a Daemon Hammer on the Justicar (now that he has a 2+ save, he can survive long enough to Swing at I1)... this whole unit would cost the same as 6 Power Fists, but would be quite a decent threat on the battlefield against hordes (Incinerator and SBs), MEQs (NFWs), and even vehicles in close combat (massed S6 and S10 attacks from Hammerhand), while being able to shrug off lots of enemy shooting and close combat due to their superior saves (it would take an average of 18 BS4 bolter shots to kill a single model).

 

Thoughts?

[jeffersonian000]

If we want to go down this road, might as well just replace all of our PA with Artificer Armor, rolled into the already high cost of our PA models. Because I surely would take AA on all of my Intercepters.

 

SJ

[Quozzo]

If we want to go down this road, might as well just replace all of our PA with Artificer Armor, rolled into the already high cost of our PA models. Because I surely would take AA on all of my Intercepters.

 

SJ

I think that would be the only unit to benefit from artificer armour, as an extra 8 points would give you the benefit of 5++ save, relentless (making psycannons useful) and 2A base (which falchions cost half of that)

 

Fluff wise, i would love to see it and think they missed out on a good unit for us. Think Sanguinary Guard but with teleporters!

[jeffersonian000]

Yeah, they always seem to miss the mark with GK. Any all Psyker army? Let's give Librarian Dreadnoughts to another codex! Psyker Devestators with 24" range weapons? Let's give them Night Fighting, which is useless at 24" range! It's like Digital Weapons on a Brotherhood Champion.

 

At least they fixed DreadKnights, and GKT.

 

SJ

[Reclusiarch Darius]

laughingriptides.png

 

It won't functionally make any difference. And our infantry are already expensive enough.