(Catachan) Special Characters

[lash144]

Hey there,

 

lately I´m toying with the idea to try out to run my Mech Guard as Catachan and so I´m wondering whats your opinion on their special characters?

 

1) Harker seems a bit of a no brainer for 50 points? Park him next to russes / artillery and have fun.

 

2) Not so sure about Straken. He is a beast in melee (for guard standards at least) so it´s tempting to add him to my infantry which are carried around in double flamer Chimeras. But he is also quite costly, so not really sure about him....

 

[Halfpint100]

Harker is auto include for catachan, Straken is optional. Lovely buffs and thematic, but optional

[Feral_80]

I have used Straken several times because I love the concept, but sadly he is a bit disappointing. On paper he is good, but you need to invest heavily in hth-based infantry to make him count. Also, he is neither tough enough nor punchy enough (AP -1 is poor) to really take on big monsters, despite his fame. He might be able to kill an already crippled target, or just have fun killing small critters.

[Inso]

I will be including both in my 'counts-as' Catachan army. Straken may not be the business on the field... but he is an awesome, fluffy character that demands to be in any Catachan army. Harker is a given :)

 

(I have a Catachan Squat army... so Harker and Straken will be converted Squats).

 

I'm also looking forward to Sly Marbo :)

[Galron]

I run Catachan for my mech guard army with lots of heavy flamers and random shot weapons. I don't use any special characters nor do I see any reason to do so. With a mech guard(at least mine) my force tends to do the whole bulls horns strategy and doesn't stay together beyond a mortar platoon and some artillery tanks in the back thus negating any real need for an HQ other than a basic bare officer to give orders to the mortars. My forward units do fine with their one officer telling people to re-roll ones on their plasma. Maybe Sly might have a use once I see his rules to mess with the enemy backfield.

[OnboardG1]

Harker is basically a heavy bolter team with the character rule and a reroll 1s to hit aura so I think he's a pretty solid take for Catachans. As to Straken, he gets most mileage by buffing your countercharge units supported by a priest. 3A guardsmen at S4 are no joke, even with just their bayonet. If you're not going to build for that he's probably not worth it over a regular company commander.

[Kruso]

I'm probably going to convert both for my Vostroyans in case I want to run them as Catachans. Grenade Launcher trooper makes a great Harker, just got to modify his weapon. Harker truly is worth his points in almost any list, but Straken needs a lot of infantry around him to make use of his buff.

[ThatOneMarshal]

I used Harker to some awesome use by having him parked next to 3 squad of veterans with plasma's. Was pretty deadly! He also charged a carnifex and managed to wound it with his massive biceps in that game.

[librisrouge]

I like Harker because he's worth taking and having a guardsman walking around with a heavy bolter, all by himself, is awesome. I even have two models for him, depending on my other models.

[Imperator Deus]

I'm also looking forward to Sly Marbo

 

I am too! I've heard rumours that Marbo wouldn't have a regiment keyword, can anyone confirm that? It would make sense, he couldn't receive orders in previous editions, and after all, he is the "One Man Army!" I primarily play Cadians, but I do have a 5 squad platoon of Catachans and some Veterans and Special Weapons Squads, so I could easily use him either way, but it would be more fluffy if he didn't have a regiment.

[lash144]

I like Harker because he's worth taking and having a guardsman walking around with a heavy bolter, all by himself, is awesome. I even have two models for him, depending on my other models.

Reminds me kind of Try Again Bragg from Gaunts Ghosts :D

[lash144]

I just had a idea how those characters could be utilised:

 

Take 2 Plasma Vets give them HF Chimeras and add Harker + an Officer (maybe even also an Psyker)

 

For about 500pts you get:

- 12 plasma and 48 lasgun shots hitting on 3 rerolling 1's

- plus Harkers mega bolter and those Catachan HFs of your chimeras

 

Hell you could even swap out the officer for straken and give the sergeants melee weapons.

 

What do you think?

[Feral_80]

Tried something similar. It works ok, but you pay for it - 500 pts for 22 squishy dudes and 2 metal boxes is not cheap.

 

Also, theory vs real game: not always you will manage to deploy all those guys within Harker's aura, nor all within 12" and with los of your target, so it might not always work as smooth as it seems.

 

Since Chimeras suck so badly at the moment, I am basically trying a similar detachment, but all on foot. You need officers around, but they are ok and even relatively punchy as counter-charge for their cost.

Edited December 8, 2017 by Feral_80

[lash144]

Tried something similar. It works ok, but you pay for it - 500 pts for 22 squishy dudes and 2 metal boxes is not cheap.

 

Also, theory vs real game: not always you will manage to deploy all those guys within Harker's aura, nor all within 12" and with los of your target, so it might not always work as smooth as it seems.

 

Since Chimeras suck so badly at the moment, I am basically trying a similar detachment, but all on foot. You need officers around, but they are ok and even relatively punchy as counter-charge for their cost.

 

Same restrictions apply to your guys on foot And aren´t those footslogging Vets essentially screaming "shoot me"? I for my turn would focus them hard ^^

 

Since I just started playing with 8th edition I can´t tell how chimeras where before. But are they really sooo bad now? I´ve run 4-5 Gryphonne Chimeras every game so far and they seem okay for transports. (played Tallarn btw)

Haven´t tried the other varients (namely double HF) yet.

 

EDIT: double post 

Edited December 8, 2017 by lash144

[Feral_80]

Yes, Vets would just scream 'shoot me' - that is why I don't play them. I use normal infantry squads and special weapons squads for this, I don't mind BS 4+ too much since between this and the reduced cost of plasma it allows me to field many more guys. However, to each his own, there are many variants of this thing and I believe they all work more or less.

 

Chimeras are not bad to the point of being unplayable, but they are not very good either. If you take them for mobility, infantry with movemovemove! runs equal or faster. If you take them for protection, for the cost of 1 Chimera you can have 2-3 extra squads, which are a better form of protection. Transports are a bit weird this edition, especially for Guard.

[lash144]

What shall I do as a treadhead? ;-) 

Hence I asked in another thread if there are other ways to screen, because each Infantry Squad + Chimera is +150pts.

[librisrouge]

What shall I do as a treadhead? ;-) 

Hence I asked in another thread if there are other ways to screen, because each Infantry Squad + Chimera is +150pts.

Then you're basically looking at the humble scout sentinel.

[lash144]

 

What shall I do as a treadhead? ;-) 

Hence I asked in another thread if there are other ways to screen, because each Infantry Squad + Chimera is +150pts.

Then you're basically looking at the humble scout sentinel.

 

 

But can you really screen with them? Sure you can deny deepstrike but screening, I don´t know if they work like that. (ofc I would be pleased)

[Spyboy]

What about a dual layer screen with scout sentinals farther out and armoured sentinals closer?

[lash144]

What about a dual layer screen with scout sentinals farther out and armoured sentinals closer?

That's in interesting idea which I haven't thought of yet.

 

Have you or someone else experience with it?

What do you think how many of both sentinels do I need to pull this off?

[Tirak]

Armoured Sentinels are worthless. The moving and shooting penalty means they don't deal damage and their save is easily stripped. Once they're in close combat their 1 attack is frankly pathetic.

[Spyboy]

@lash144

 

No I don't have experiance with it peraonally. I was thinking if you are running a mech list though you can keep to the theme of vehicles only so theit anti-infantry has no good targets. I would guess about 3 each at 2k. Maybe less of the armouredas you drop down in points. If you are playing tallarn they don't loose effectiveness on the move which is really good. If you try it let us know how it goes.

 

@Tira

While I agree armoured sentinals are bad, I think they might actually have a spot in a mech or tank list as support and screening.

[lash144]

I will definitely run them as Tallarn, everything else is a waste.

 

Sure they are not our best unit, but I'm looking for a screen which isn't infantry / conscripts ;)

[librisrouge]

Do me a favor, define what, exactly, you mean as a screen? I might be misunderstanding you.

[Inso]

A screen is just a barrier of either infantry or other things that goes between your tank and the enemy to try and preserve your tanks. It doesn't necessarily work as well when facing ranged weapons but it is particularly helpful in close combat because it reduces the likelihood of enemy troops being able to get into close combat with your tanks.