+ Captain / Chapter Master - Tactica and Strategica +

[Race Bannon]

The Authority

Captain's are without equal within a Space Marine Chapter. Known as "Shadow Captains" within the Raven Guard, these warriors have increased autonomy leading the Marines of their respective Companies and auxiliaries.

Chapter Master's (or Master of Shadows) are powerful individuals within the Imperium of Man. With the mighty arsenal of an entire Chapter, they have the jurisdiction to decide the fate of billions at his command and answer to very few within the galaxy other than the High Lords of Terra.

More details can be found here:

Games Workshop

Warhammer 40,000 Wiki

Lexicanium

To guide discussion:

What are unit’s strengths?

What are the unit’s weaknesses?

How would the unit be used tactically (by itself or in concert with another unit)?

How would the unit be used strategically (as part of an overall plan)?

What formations can the unit be found, as mandatory or as an option?

Edited April 12, 2017 by Race Bannon

[Damo1701]

Shadow Captain

 

What are unit’s strengths? Versatility with equipment and tactics.

 

What are the unit’s weaknesses?  Still subject to Instant Death fairly easily.

 

How would the unit be used tactically (by itself or in concert with another unit)?

 

A) Jump Pack - Joining a Vanguard Veteran squad, armed with Artificer Armour and Swiftstrike and Murder.

B) Jump Pack - Join an Assault Squad, Artificer Armour, Power Fist, Lightning Claw, and Raven's Fury.

C) Bike - Join a Bike mounted Grav/combi-grav toting Command Squad, all have storm shields.  Captain armed with combi-Grav, Melta bombs, Thunder Hammer.

D) Terminator/Cataphractii Armour - Thunder Hammer/Lightning Claw.  Join Cataphractii squad armed with Heavy Flamer/Chainfist + Combi-bolters/Lightning Claw.  Teleport or Stormraven mounted.

E) Cataphractii Armour - Combi-Plasma/Power Sword.  Join Grav Cannon Devastator Squad.  Drop Pod/Storm Raven deployment.

 

How would the unit be used strategically (as part of an overall plan)?

 

A) Character or squad hunting.  AP3 + Extra attacks will mince almost any squad encountered.  2+/4++ gives survivability.  Vanguard armed with Lightning Claws 2x Stormshields and either power swords or claws.

B) Vehicle hunter with heavy infantry capability.  Can fight either at initiative or use the power fist. Assault Squad for support.

C) MEQ/MC/GC hunting squad.  Hitting hard, few casualties in return.

D) HVT mission.  Hard delivery via Skies of Fury, or Assault after shooting via hovering Stormraven.

E) Assist in S+P Grav Cannons, mobile and can deal with multiple threads.

 

 

What formations can the unit be found, as mandatory or as an option?

Battle Demi Company

Pinion Battle Demi Company

Strikeforce Command

Shadow Force

Bladewing Assault Brotherhood

Hunting Force

Stormlance Battle Demi Company

[Lord Lorne Walkier]

I use option (A, A) All of the time. This has been the one true constant in my list for years, along with the grab bag Vanguard. AP 2 and armour are his weakness. Against the wrong enemy he can shrink up. Aginst the right one he can seem brokenly good.

 

Mine leads my BAB. He was also my warlord unroll the last 2 games. I felt conflicted on his use as a WL, wanting to keep him safe and putting him in the thick of it all. I have started using a CAD with a Librarian as my WL and I think I'll keep it. He is now unleashed and it has been good.

 

I call it the Shredder build.

[RedJoker]

Another big use of Captains especially in Pinion-Battle Demi-Company is to kit him out with Cataphractii armor (through the AUX choice; Command), throwing him in a squad of devastator squad + pod.

 

U can use him to soak up wounds, it does put a heavy price tag on a unit of grav+amp Devs. However, granting the squad "Slow + Purposeful" is a nice buff for the podded devs.

 

Generally I try to keep him low cost.

If I'm looking to have more fun I'll give him a combi-melta with a chainfist ontop of his Cataphractii armor.

 

But much like what has been said above.... he may just get doubled out, fairly easily unless you obliterate your target on the Drop.

[Race Bannon]

Catapult armor + Grav Devs = not fluffy. But certainly functional.

[Race Bannon]

Found THIS thread talking about loadouts for Captains.

[NattyMac]

Interesting thread. Just returning to 40k, I'm glad to see this discussion, because it wouldn't have occurred to me to beef up a Raven Guard captain with terminator armor. I wish the RG had more named characters than just Shrike for standard play. Shrike (and Korvydae) favors close combat, but I'd like another for RG that exploits RG's stealth but gives a little "beef" to the TSF's shooters like the tactical squads. Probably my background in the infantry--need some fire to go with he maneuver and close combat. With the TSF I'll probably put Shrike with one formation and another captain with Ex Tenebris with another faction. Edited March 5, 2017 by NattyMac

[Claws and Effect]

Interesting thread. Just returning to 40k, I'm glad to see this discussion, because it wouldn't have occurred to me to beef up a Raven Guard captain with terminator armor. I wish the RG had more named characters than just Shrike for standard play. Shrike (and Korvydae) favors close combat, but I'd like another for RG that exploits RG's stealth but gives a little "beef" to the TSF's shooters like the tactical squads. Probably my background in the infantry--need some fire to go with he maneuver and close combat. With the TSF I'll probably put Shrike with one formation and another captain with Ex Tenebris with another faction.

You'd actually be better off using a generic captain with a jump pack and the relic Swiftstrike and Murder.

 

Swiftstrike and Murder are a pair of lightning claws with a special rule that adds another hit for every hit you make. Potential of up to 14 hits on the charge, with Shred giving rerolls to wound.

 

Cost 160 instead of Shrike's 185, and he isn't locked into a Warlord Trait of questionable usefulness. You lose out on Infiltrating a jump infantry unit and Stealth.

 

That build is so popular it has a nickname: Murderwings.

 

And actually, there is another Captain we can use. Shadow Captain Solaq from the Shadow Force Solaq box set. Plasma pistol, power sword, and the face bird that makes him harder to shoot at.

 

I recommend picking up the Angels of Death supplement if you haven't already.

Edited March 5, 2017 by Realityburn

[Nusquam]

Murderwings droppin' orbitals and takin' heads. If only I could be so grossly incandescent.

[Damo1701]

Murderwings droppin' orbitals and takin' heads. If only I could be so grossly incandescent.

For me, it would be murderwheels, for the relentless. I'd have him in a command squad, all toting Grav, Storm Shields, and apothecary.

 

Interesting aside, murderwheels has the option to take an additional Storm Shield. Now, as all the bikes need a hand for Grav and a hand for bike control, where would the shield go? Simple. Mounted either on the front of the bike, or mounted on a leg.

 

That's the only issue taking the CM upgrade.

[Claws and Effect]

Murderwings droppin' orbitals and takin' heads. If only I could be so grossly incandescent.

You can. As far as I'm aware, the Chapter Master upgrade is still legal in the Strike Force Command auxiliary choice.

 

Edit: Just double checked the FAQ. The only restrictions mentioned are captains leading demi companies, which I assume extends to the Shadow Force and BAB formations.

 

Upgrading a captain taken as a Strike Force Command element to a Chapter Master should be legal. If I can find the points for it in my list I might do that.

Edited March 5, 2017 by Realityburn

[Nusquam]

Take a chaplain as your demi hq and Murdersomething as your command slot. The bike is the optimal route, T5 to avoid ID by S8 in a bike command squad for FnP. You drop orbitals and grav before ripping and tearing with rerolls to hit if you also give your chaplain a bike.

[NattyMac]

And actually, there is another Captain we can use. Shadow Captain Solaq from the Shadow Force Solaq box set. Plasma pistol, power sword, and the face bird that makes him harder to shoot at.

Can you use Solaq in regular games? I've seen a lot of debate about using him outside War Zone: Damocles-specific games.

[Race Bannon]

He's a unique dude.  RAW suggests, nope.

 

But I would personally allow it because ... that's fun?

[Shadow Captain Vyper]

I don't see how he's any different than any other unique/named character in the codex? The issue you will run into is that none of the RG formations are going to name him specifically (to my knowledge) so you're only going to get him in a CAD or Allied Detachment, or in a Shadow Force.

[Race Bannon]

In his Shadow Force to be exact ;)

[Shadow Captain Vyper]

In his Shadow Force to be exact

Fair enough. I can still see him being useable in a CAD/Allied detachment HQ slot though, right? Although that being said, I don't see WHY you would want to use him. Isn't he pretty much garbage-tier in terms of itemization/cost/benefits? And don't even get me started on that helmet.

[Race Bannon]

Sure, if you want.  Solaq isn't really too special because (I think) he is part of an expansion pack that could also be used as a starter set.  So he wasn't designed to use over complicated SR.

 

Having said that, *I* would allow him to be used as a replacement to the stock Captain in Formations because, c'mon, it's just a game.

[NattyMac]

Yeah, he seems like a good sub for a standard captain, especially against a shooter-heavy enemy, but not much beyond that. Edited March 7, 2017 by NattyMac

[duz_]

Solaq was a bit lack luster for me

So I chopped off his plasma gun and gave him a bolt pistol to use as a barebones tax HQ captain.

My second Solaq will become a jump chaplain.

[NattyMac]

I don't see myself running him with any formation other than his own Shadow Force. I actually like the funkiness of the Solaq figure, but the power sword/plasma pistol combo doesn't do anything for me. I'm planning to build a Murderwings from mostly Vanguard Vet and Forgeworld bits (w Sanguinary Guard jump pack) and a second captain from the SM Commander kit and assorted other bits.