Slab Shield Vs Brute Shield...

[LeonAudacity]

Hi all,

I'm  looking for input for my bullgryns to go with mauls. I'm unsure which shield type is best, slab, or brute, and if there are any beneficial HQ units to run behind them/transports/tactics to get them in to close combat effectively. The bullgryns will be pretty much my only dedicated CC unit in my army (rest at least 50 guards men, 12+ special weapons, multiple HQ units, x3 russes, x2 transports, x1 valk, x4 heavy weapons squads, 25 scions.

 

On a side note, my army is primarily Cadian (Cadian colour scheme) and I have about 25 Scions. I have never been a fan of Cadian colours for the bullgryns. Looking for opinions for black and grey colour scheme, or dark grey and a lighter grey colour scheme (thinking same for Scions too).

 

Thanks in advance.

[zero88]

If an Astropath or Primaris is going to be tagging along, then Slabshields all the way. The 1+ is obviously boss but if you get hit by heavy AT weapons like lascannons the save is still the same as a 4++ from the Bruteshield. If there's no psyker support, I would do two Slabshields and one Bruteshield. A priest is basically mandatory though to run with them. Then if you have points to spare or Transport capacity to spare, a lot of people also like a Lord Commissar with a Power Fist.

[Tyr13]

Well, my bullgryns havent left the painting table yet, but from what Ive heard, a mix is best. Probably 2 slab shields to one brute shield. The idea being, if your opponent fires at them with high AP stuff, you start allocating wounds on the brute shields, and if small arms fire comes first, you allocate to slab shields.

 

As to characters, both psykers and priests seem decent. Priests give a cheap +1 attack buff, while psykers can give some serious defensive or offensive buffs.

 

Ill have to disagree about slabshields with psyker support though: A brute shield similarly gets a +1 from psykers, and if you *really* dont want to take damage, you can add the take cover stratagem to take them to a 2++ save. The commissar can probably be skipped though, especially if youre going with a minimum squad (it takes six T5, 2+ wounds to even get them to a point where battleshock *might* affect them, and even then its just on a 6...)

[duz_]

Personally I think just slab shields.

Having run a mix before I find its better to keep them same.

Reason being if you need the 4++ and take a wound then any small arms fire after will kill that model.

Only time a 4++ is necessary is for stronger than AP-2 which is actually somewhat limited and designed for armoured units. So unless youre playing Harlequins you probably wont have to worry about it because they should be dedicating that to your tanks.

 

As for character support a priest at a bare minimum. A Psyker helps either for smite or +1 save (which will allow you to give your Brute shield a 3++). I like to throw in my Lord Commissar with Pfist for giggles, but generally unnecessary with their leadership and a unit of 3.

 

Throw them in a Valk drop em off nearby and charge a unit. Put them in a chimera and drive them up the board or walk them. All viable options. If you put them in a transport you'll be limited to 3-4 of them depending if you want character support. Im actually wondering if just 4 of them is better than the additional characters. Works out cheaper and the extra attacks it generates are the same as the priest bonus who is usually targeted quickly.

 

If you do some searching there is a recent thread somewhere that we've discussed bullgryns.... I think

[Withershadow]

You never just send a single Chimera.  The Ogryn Bodyguards are also fantastic for protecting those force multiplier models.