Herald Consul

[Charlo]

So I really like this Consul and think it has some real buff potential, obviously having to be the warlord kinda sucks as well as requiring another compulsory HQ... But he can take a RoW so that's nice.

 

Only real issue is you are basically restricted to "put him in a transport with a flighty unit", but if you are a loyalist not too fighty or that WS5 will be wasted!

 

I did just have the idea of popping one with my assault marines in Day of Revelation BUT with no access to the jump pack to the best thing about BA consuls; the Blade of Perdition makes it far less attractive.

 

But keeping it rather generic - what do people think of these guys? Loyal/ Traitor & Blackshield.

 

Personally I think the Traitor one is the best - Nightlords with extra charge movement and re-rolling 1's to hit on the charge? Nasty.

[Lord Asvaldir]

Yeah the Herald consul would be great for night lords, if only his deliver methods weren't so restrictive. Can't infiltrate with terror squads and cant roll with an assault marines unit,so you're limited to a veteran weapon masters squad in a dreadclaw, or rolling in a spartan with terminators. Plus needing a second hq isn't ideal. If those two issues were resolved, then I might run a herald a whole lot more often.

[1ncarnadine]

I can't tell what they were thinking exactly, but I feel like they forgot the full implications of the Rite of the Command rule when they wrote the rules for this guy. Then he'd be a buff unit that could also unlock a RoW, but you'd have to take something else as your Warlord. 

 

I think the key to running one might be to find special characters who have weak warlord traits, but otherwise offer some neat utility and don't have Jealous Command. Zardu Layak might be a decent option (because you probably don't care about Ashen Circle anyway), and the Herald can hang out with Gal Vorbak units.

[Sol_Invictus]

I've been thinking about running one with my Blackshields but can't decide if Blackshields can choose which type of banner or not. Since you have to declare Blackshields as Loyalist or Traitors I assume you can choose between the Dark Banner and the others based on your allegiance?

[1ncarnadine]

^You get the Dark Banner. Picking sides as Loyalist/Traitor is just worked out for rules like Hatred(Traitor) or for Loyalist vs Traitor scenarios, tournaments, etc

[noigrim]

The extra vp if he gets killed looks bad

[Charlo]

The extra vp if he gets killed looks bad

 

Just make sure you have enough mooks to accept the challenges for him ;)

 

But yeah - it's kinda sucky.

 

I think Hilariously a loyalist DG one could work well, bringing Deathshroud to WS5 and making them up to the level of Justerian/ Fire Drakes (which they aren't far from) - but then you sacrifice Mortug's incredible warlord trait - quite possibly one of the best reasons to go loyalist DG from a gamey perspective.

 

The blackshield banner is actually pretty nice for a lot of their WbW traits, as they require successful Ld tests or impose a negative. Plus fear can be handy.

[Sol_Invictus]

^You get the Dark Banner. Picking sides as Loyalist/Traitor is just worked out for rules like Hatred(Traitor) or for Loyalist vs Traitor scenarios, tournaments, etc

 

If that's the case I probably won't be taking one then. Seems like the Loyalist/Traitor benefits are quite a bit better.

[K3nn3rs]

I think the buff is underwhelming for the loyalists.

 

Considering that the command squad banner bearer grants fearless I feel the herald consul

Should at least have stubborn - then I'd consider taking it.

 

I also think the wargear is far too restrictive - terminator armour would provided some great modelling opportunities.

[Charlo]

Yeah, it seems like they should have a fearless banner thing included - it seems stupid for them to have the option of a command squad with a second banner in.

 

The buff is fine for loyalists - it's just not got too much good application as the best combat units are WS5 already - though, even a basic TDA deathstar with WS5 will be nasty.

[Kizzdougs]

Possibly the most characterful Consul for the Emperor's Children (along with the Primus Medicae and Legion Champion), but as I'm a loyalist they have pretty much zero appeal from a game play perspective.

 

I'll probably still end up building one just for fun. I'm planing something with the Custodes vexilla/standard ;)

[Nusquam]

He's way too underwhelming for my taste. I would consider one for my Dark Furies if he could take a pack, just to model something cool. But really he's only good at buffing basic troops, which isn't a good enough trade off for me considering the restrictions he has. Plus 2 VP for killing him? That alone is not worth buffing a units WS to 5. What would you even buff? Terminators?

The Dark Banner and Traitor banner are pretty good, but still too restrictive for me.

[SkimaskMohawk]

Yeah the Herald consul would be great for night lords, if only his deliver methods weren't so restrictive. Can't infiltrate with terror squads and cant roll with an assault marines unit,so you're limited to a veteran weapon masters squad in a dreadclaw, or rolling in a spartan with terminators. Plus needing a second hq isn't ideal. If those two issues were resolved, then I might run a herald a whole lot more often.

 

Kurze, Siege Breaker, Herald. Horror Cult.

 

I put my Herald in a midfield tac blob and just run them to make sure key units are in the banner bubble, while conga lining the raptor blob as well

[God-Potato of Mankind]

I find it super meh. 

 

I mean for a starter, 4 points?! 40 points? That's on par with the best Consul options, but he brings a very limited benefit and has a very limited set of wargear.

 

Forgelord is 35 points and can rad-grenade for a measly 10 points, which is vastly more useful than the +1WS skill.

 

Traitor one *could* be useful but most melee traitor legions already have inherent bonuses to getting into combat - so why bother? For example, World Eaters already have rerolls for charges and so on. The bonus is inbuilt into their Legion rules! 

[Charlo]

The command squad option is really baffling for loyalists too. Take a command squad! To give them +1WS.... Except they can't!

 

He can't even take a JP to be fluffy with BA (or any mobility options for that matter...)

 

Honestly the only thing I can think of is putting him in a Vet squad to give them +1WS and then they can choose another skill too, or a unit of Terminators for WS5 that aren't limited to 5 men by a command squad etc.

 

At least the Traitor one is a little more universally powerful, great with EC emphasizing the speed aspect.

[Ishagu]

I think he's utterly and completely useless for loyalists.

[Dono1979]

He's great fun with the Blackshields, I would run him with loyalists as well, fits my armies fluff perfectly.

[Charlo]

I think he's utterly and completely useless for loyalists.

I can see some use in something like IF Cataphracti with SS/TH. That extra point of WS is pretty good. Gorgon terms aren't bad either to be fair.

 

Though, you could just make a command squad.

[Ishagu]

Or add a Chaplain instead for better results.

 

I just don't see his benefit. He should have a fearless or morale bubble with combat resolution bonuses.