Does anyone still use Mephiston? If so, how?

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

I did a search through the forum and couldn't find anything more recent than a year old about Mephiston, and much of that thread was off topic of my question.

 

Seems like Mephiston used to be in almost every list and especially tournament lists. I don't see much talk about him at all anymore.

 

I got interested in the idea of using him after looking at Dante's Avenging Host. I've got a tournament upcoming that will be a 2800 point tournament. Depending on how the sideboard rules work, I was contemplating building my army using that Formation or perhaps a "poor man's" version of it, bringing less than the full compliment of Storm Ravens and a ML2 Librarian kitted-out as close to Meph as possible.

 

So ... do people still use him, and if so, how?

 

How do people feel about stuffing him inside a Storm Raven solo and using him as a "problem solver", sticking him where he's really needed on turn 3/4 when the Raven is able to deploy its cargo?

[NTaW]

I see his use in Command squads first and foremost, with Death Company, Vanguard, or Sternguard as valid alternate options.

 

Putting him in a Stormraven puts a huge target on that bird and he won't even get a save if it blows up. Dude shouldn't be able to suffer Instant Death /grumble grumble...

[Dont-Be-Haten]

I can not stress how much of an immediate threat he is in a drop pod with either Vanguard vets or death company with a powerfist/splashable pistols. A command squad with 3 storm shields is also great. If you don't mind allies, I have this really awesome narrative theme with Cypher, since he gives the shrouded bubble and is eternal warrior, which gives Mephiston an extra reliable cover save against pesky AP2 and AP1 weapons. Definitely love him with the new Fulmination or Libarius powers. And he got a pseudo buff with the new FAQ being one of the few Psykers that can still cast 3 powers a turn. Nothing wrong with rolling on biomancy for him either since he is still hard as nails. Getting a chance at smash making his melee attacks AP2 never hurts either!

 

You have several options with Mephiston, it's just how you utilize him.

[Helias_Tancred]

The only psyker I have is the Librarian in Terminator armor. I want to expand my use of psyker powers, and I plan on getting him. Sadly my DC are jump pack, but I could stick him with a sternguard squad? I also have a command squad too.

He is IIRC one of the strongest psyker characters among the space marines and imperium?

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

Do people have problems with Storm Ravens getting shot down?

 

Maybe my local meta is unusually light on the anti-air/aircraft scene, but I haven't even had my Valkyrie shot down without delivering its cargo. I don't own a Storm Raven yet, but I assume that it would be at least as survivable.

[Dont-Be-Haten]

Do people have problems with Storm Ravens getting shot down?

 

Maybe my local meta is unusually light on the anti-air/aircraft scene, but I haven't even had my Valkyrie shot down without delivering its cargo. I don't own a Storm Raven yet, but I assume that it would be at least as survivable.

Anti-Air for days at my locals. Flying circuses and kaju flyers everywhere. And the imps player I play the most runs 3-4 vendettas, it's one of the reasons I started buying flak missiles on devistators squads...ive been looking at the new flyers. To give guidance support in order to have my SR be a viable transport. I can't tell you how many dreadnoughts and DC the Vermillion Tears have lost because they took a ride-a-long with a Storm Raven...

[NTaW]

Do people have problems with Storm Ravens getting shot down?

 

Maybe my local meta is unusually light on the anti-air/aircraft scene, but I haven't even had my Valkyrie shot down without delivering its cargo. I don't own a Storm Raven yet, but I assume that it would be at least as survivable.

 

Your meta sounds softer than a soup sandwich on Fliers. I haven't been able to use my Stormravens as transports (reliably anyway) for over a year in my club.

[Remtek]

I have been using him quite a bit, he is really different now.  He shines the brightest with allies (blob), but for mono BA he works pretty well with 5 bikes, giving him poor mans wings. 9 tacticals in pod is pretty good too. I found the command squad to be a bit light on wounds in practice and i don't really need the extra attacks, tacticals are cheap and objective secured. 

[Xenith]

but for mono BA he works pretty well with 5 bikes, giving him poor mans wings.

 

What do you mean by this? The bikes don't let Meph move 12". They would be able to jink, though.

[Remtek]

The bikes have a longer base, can move 12 and conga-line giving him quite good charge distance. Pile in moves are also more forgiving as you only need to be within 2 inches of the long base. 

[Arkaniss]

I haven't used him for years, though I'm soon to re-paint him and see what he can do. My plan is to run him with foot DC in some fashion. I'll experiment with options!

[Charlo]

One great aspect of him is that if you roll on Sanguinary, you know you'll always going to get some sort of combat monster.

 

You'll always have Quickening / Force/ Sanguine Sword/ +1 Other Sanguinary power.

 

So you can (depending on psychic phase) turn him into a S10 AP3 I9 9A Monster. AP3 is the only let down here really and it's arguable if you'll really need S10 unless you want to knee-cap some knights, the S6 from Furious Charge could more than suffice.

 

Fulmination is pretty cool for him, chance of a 3++ and lots of cool movement.

 

Of course, there is always Biomancy - if you get Iron Arm just just that and maybe sword if the enemy is super tough and you're good to go as he gets AP2.

[RedemptionNL]

You'll always have Quickening / Force/ Sanguine Sword/ +1 Other Sanguinary power.

Note that you can get two other powers if you select them both from the Sanguinary discipline, as Quickening will then be granted through the Psychic Focus rule.

[evildrcheese]

I used him quite extensively when the latest codex dropped.

 

Meph, 9 Sternguard, smattering of combi plas, powerfist on the sgt, all in a rhino.

 

Meph roles on divination and they go to town. You had to point them at the right targets but they were consistent for dealing damage and some of the Div powers are great when stacked with special ammo, especially the ignores cover one.

 

I stopped using it mostly because it was pretty pointy. However I might revisit it at some point, I like the idea of adding Cypher in...

 

EDC

[Charlo]

 

You'll always have Quickening / Force/ Sanguine Sword/ +1 Other Sanguinary power.

Note that you can get two other powers if you select them both from the Sanguinary discipline, as Quickening will then be granted through the Psychic Focus rule.

 

 

There is a lot of debate on this. I agree with you, but I know others don't see it that way, so I was being conservative :)

 

I really bloody love our discipline. Cannot wait until we (hopefully) get a conclave.

[evildrcheese]

Yeah, if we got a conclave I wouldn't hesitate in getting Meph back on the table.

 

EDC

[Jolemai]

You'll always have Quickening / Force/ Sanguine Sword/ +1 Other Sanguinary power.

Note that you can get two other powers if you select them both from the Sanguinary discipline, as Quickening will then be granted through the Psychic Focus rule.

There is a lot of debate on this. I agree with you, but I know others don't see it that way, so I was being conservative

I really bloody love our discipline. Cannot wait until we (hopefully) get a conclave.

*sigh*

It's only a debate when people haven't read the rules correctly.

Sanguinary Sword is not a Sanguine power, it is a Mephiston power that takes up one of his slots. After that he can choose whatever he wants and provided he chooses two from the same discipline, he will also get the Primaris. Otherwise, he'll need to swap one of the powers rolled for it.

[Charlo]

Ah nice.

 

See I always thought it was that but saw a hell of amount of contention.

 

Still, only getting 3 powers per turn is a little lame (assuming the FAQ goes ahead), but I quite like the change.

[Dont-Be-Haten]

Don't open the ca...too late....

 

In all seriousness though, the only thing I don't like about Mephiston is the horribly dated model and the fact he doesn't have eternal warrior. When he was a marine sized monstrous creature it was less of an issue, especially when he got free wings.

 

Otherwise I play a counts as Mephiston in many lists. In my Vermillion Tears Fluff, there is a narrative of cypher disappearing for about 200 years, and during some of that time it was spent with the VTs, but under the guise of a lost astartes in the warp. Long story short my "counts-as" Mephiston stays beside in battle to watch him, because something just feels unsure about him.

 

Anyways, this is represented in one of two ways for me: Cypher, Mephiston, and a Command Squad with Ccw and plasma pistols or melta guns. I opted not to take storm shields since Cypher gives the shrouded bubble. I put them in a drop pod, and it has been very successful and fun.

 

Or I take some sternguard with a powerfist sergeant and some melta guns/combi-melta to threaten armour/mc turn one.

 

Recently a fellow BA enthusiast suggested Vanguard vets with removed jump packs and some storm shields splashed in for extra resiliency. He suggested a 5 man squad with 3 shields, 2 LCs, 1 PF and melta bombs. I haven't tried it yet, but it seems like it would do really well, as he's had good success with it. You have loads of combinations with the Vanguard as well, and it is something I've really been looking into lately.

[Charlo]

Can't say I agree about his model. I still think it's one of the best most awesome sculpts ever.

 

Would not be against a cool posable plastic one though!

[RedemptionNL]

Like all models from that era (like Dante), he's a full head shorter than the modern marines. He just seems weedy when standing next to his brothers.

[Riot Earp]

yeah i like the model too.

I field him from time to time in fun games but not in the competitive sector. (where i play seldom full BA armys a.t.m. hmm...")

[Nicodemus Doloroso]

The size is a real issue. I painted up an old metal grey knight in blue to use as a librarian and he looks so small and skinny next to my other marines that it just looks ridiculous on the tabletop and I've never used him in a game.

[RedemptionNL]

Yeah, I have a Mephiston model laying around in the assemble and paint queue. I guess I'll just give him a higher base so the smaller size is less noticeable.

[Charlo]

Honestly I think there is but a single change that would make Mephy SUPER viable.

 

Make him Jump-Infantry, represent his old wings.