Straken worth using as a HQ choice?

[Claws and Effect]

I'm looking at picking up some Guard to splash in with my Raven Guard, but I wanted to keep it as fluffy as possible. So I wracked my brain trying to think of a Guard commander that has actually worked with Shrike in the fluff.

 

Straken was the only one I could think of (in the Phil Kelly story in the Damocles compilation).

 

I was considering a couple Infantry squads, a heavy weapons squad, one unit of conscripts, and maybe a Hellhound.

 

Just wanted to know if Straken is a good HQ choice.

 

Thoughts?

[Truesight]

Straken is amazing, I've used him to great success in my games.

 

Combine a Priest, Straken and Commissar together with your infantry and suddenly your guardsman are unbreakable 3 attack machines on top of being shooty. Power axes and mauls start becoming a great investment when you get 4 swings.  They aren't berserkers but they are still only 4 points and suddenly giving tactical marines pause.

 

He's a budget beat stick too, getting 7 (with warlord trait) s6 2 damage attacks with rerolls will shock people, mine smacked up a daemon prince before.

 

He's a Company commander with plasma pistol (35 points) and a priest whose buff stacks (35 points).  You're paying 20 points on top for a lot of kick ass.

 

So yeah, in short he's a good HQ choice! 

[duz_]

Straken is a solid choice, great way to buff artillery too, as he's one of the only source in the Guard index to offer re-rolls of 1 to hit! ;)

[DrLoveMonkey]

I'd definitely say so! If you want to keep him fluffy, from what I recall, field him with infantry and light vehicles, which it looks like you're doing.

 

I'd recommend also considering some scout/sentinels, usually with heavy flamers. They're dirt cheap and do a great job tangling your opponents battle lines and drawing heavy fire.

 

As for Straken himself he's a bit of an odd duck. If you're not making a priest Commisar conscript Death Star he's still good, and I'd say worth the points, but nothing amazing. What he is, however, is easily underestimated. Most people won't expect you to charge forward with an infantry squad and a colonel, and much less actually take out a squad of 5 marines with it.

[Claws and Effect]

I'm basically looking to add a little something different to my Raven Guard army.

 

The Imperial Guard component will be limited to 500 points or so out of a 2000 point list.

 

I tend to use minimum sized squads, so I lacka da dakka (at least until my Fire Raptor is done ;))

 

Also looking to add an Inquisitor and a trio of assassins.

[DrLoveMonkey]

For 500 points trying to keep a balance of fluffy and powerful I might go something like this.

 

 

 

+ HQ +

 

Colonel 'Iron Hand' Straken [5 PL, 90pts]

 

+ Troops +

 

Infantry Squad [3 PL, 52pts]

. 7x Guardsman

. Guardsman W/ Special Weapon: Flamer

. Guardsman w/ Vox-caster: Vox-caster

. Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol

 

Infantry Squad [3 PL, 52pts]

. 7x Guardsman

. Guardsman W/ Special Weapon: Flamer

. Guardsman w/ Vox-caster: Vox-caster

. Sergeant: Chainsword, Laspistol

 

+ Elites +

 

Command Squad [3 PL, 51pts]

. Veteran w/ Medi-pack: Medi-pack

. Veteran w/ Regimental Standard: Regimental Standard

. Veteran w/ Special Weapon: Plasma gun

. Veteran w/ Vox-caster: Vox-caster

 

Sergeant Harker [3 PL, 50pts]

 

Veterans [6 PL, 87pts]

. Veteran Sergeant: Boltgun, Chainsword

. 5x Veteran w/ Lasgun

. Veteran w/ Special Weapon: Plasma gun

. Veteran w/ Special Weapon: Plasma gun

. Veteran w/ Special Weapon: Plasma gun

. Veteran w/ Vox-caster: Lasgun, Vox-caster

 

+ Heavy Support +

 

Heavy Weapons Squad [3 PL, 72pts]

. Heavy Weapon Team: Missile launcher

. Heavy Weapon Team: Missile launcher

. Heavy Weapon Team: Missile launcher

 

Heavy Weapons Squad [3 PL, 36pts]

. Heavy Weapon Team: Heavy bolter

. Heavy Weapon Team: Heavy bolter

. Heavy Weapon Team: Heavy bolter

 

++ Total: [29 PL, 490pts] ++

Edited August 30, 2017 by DrLoveMonkey

[Halfpint100]

Personally, I would remove the 4 vox casters and replace with a catachan platoon officer for 20 points. Gives you that extra order since straken might be running off somewhere punching something (like he should be!) 

[DrLoveMonkey]

Personally, I would remove the 4 vox casters and replace with a catachan platoon officer for 20 points. Gives you that extra order since straken might be running off somewhere punching something (like he should be!)

Good point, I'm often torn between officers and casters. On the one hand more officers let you get more orders and not be so dependant on as few characters, but casters just make it so easy to keep giving orders to everyone regardless of where they are.