Ogryn Bodyguard Slabshield w/ Deathmask of Ollanius

[Diagramdude]

Sorry if this is already obvious and known, but an Ogryn Bodyguard is an INFANTRY character and could take the Deathmask of Ollanius for a 4+ invuln and the slabshield would add 2 to all save rolls, essentially giving him a 2++? Is there anything preventing this interaction?

[Feral_80]

No, although I am not 100% sure that was intended. It's fun, but certainly not broken given the many ways of inflicting MW for any opponent - not last, hitting your other characters and force the bodyguard to take those hits.

It might still get 'codex updated' sooner or later, who knows.

[Ranulf]

Nope, there are arguments that the Slabshield only effects the units' armour save, but rules as written:

 

Slabshield: Add 2 to any save rolls for a model equipped with a Slabshield.

 

Which I would interpret as 2+/2++ save for a Ogryn Bodyguard with Bullgryn Plate, Slabshield and the Deathmask of Ollanius.

 

Of course, those saves don't apply to the mortal wounds allocated by the Bodyguard rule.

 

-Ran

[Frater Cornelius]

For bonus point and maximum memery, get a unit of Bullgryns with Slabshields, put Celestine behind ‘em, which result in a 4++ save for them (Celestne grants a 6++ within 6” to Astra and Ministorum units, which is improved by Slabs), then use a Psyker for the +1 save power and keep the Take Cover Stratagem at the ready. Enjoy your immovable 2++ wall in addition to your 2++ Bodyguard ;)

[Lysere]

For bonus point and maximum memery, get a unit of Bullgryns with Slabshields, put Celestine behind ‘em, which result in a 4++ save for them (Celestne grants a 6++ within 6” to Astra and Ministorum units, which is improved by Slabs), then use a Psyker for the +1 save power and keep the Take Cover Stratagem at the ready. Enjoy your immovable 2++ wall in addition to your 2++ Bodyguard

 

The new custodes banner can get you a 3++ on the squad base against shooting attacks, just have to move them very carefully.

[duz_]

The new custodes banner can get you a 3++ on the squad base against shooting attacks, just have to move them very carefully.

Oh that's nasty...

[MrZakalwe]

The custard one doesn't help with melee, though, so Celestine still seems the better option (to me at least).

 

If you take her without the Geminae she's only a little more expensive too

[Frater Cornelius]

The custard one doesn't help with melee, though, so Celestine still seems the better option (to me at least).

 

If you take her without the Geminae she's only a little more expensive too

 

And much better in combat as well as staying alive ;)

[Lysere]

The custard one doesn't help with melee, though, so Celestine still seems the better option (to me at least).

 

If you take her without the Geminae she's only a little more expensive too

You can also mix the shields if you want the close combat durability since both will hit 3++ at that point, but with a banner you can also make use of a strat for the custodes to drop terminators in right on top of it, or the relic armor that's basically a super heroic intervention.

 

The problem I see with having celestine babysit them is with the acts of faith she's super fast, ogryns aren't. Until you hit combat she's effectively wasted unless you give up the invuln. That and the normal banner can take a melee weapon as well and is no slouch in combat while being very durable since it's custodes.

[Withershadow]

Mixing shields is bad due to how wounds work.

[Private Jenkins]

How do you figure that? The current wound allocation is highly advantageous to mixed shields, because you can choose which shield you want to take a wound on, until one is wounded. Unlike last edition where the choice relied on clever positioning.

[Withershadow]

How do you figure that? The current wound allocation is highly advantageous to mixed shields, because you can choose which shield you want to take a wound on, until one is wounded. Unlike last edition where the choice relied on clever positioning.

There it is.

[Tyr13]

Still not a huge issue though. Youre only going to use the invuln if its something that can potentially kill your Bullgryn outright anyway. A lascannon, melta, plasma volley, that kind of thing. So chucking a single guy with brute shield into your squad can potentially save a few guys with slabshields.

[Lysere]

 

How do you figure that? The current wound allocation is highly advantageous to mixed shields, because you can choose which shield you want to take a wound on, until one is wounded. Unlike last edition where the choice relied on clever positioning.

There it is.

 

 

With 5-6 Ogryns with mixed shields you will rarely see a time where this will have an impact. It will only matter if a slab shield is wounded and then charged by a high damage melee unit, and once dead it goes back to how you want to allocate them. Actually went up against the mixed squad myself while at the LVO.

 

Also with the psychic power you won't even need the strat when paired with a custodes banner to get your 2++ against shooting on a slab shield and you can't get a 2++ in melee with them to begin with.

[Withershadow]

Still not a huge issue though. Youre only going to use the invuln if its something that can potentially kill your Bullgryn outright anyway. A lascannon, melta, plasma volley, that kind of thing. So chucking a single guy with brute shield into your squad can potentially save a few guys with slabshields.

I don't know, unless using boosting shenanigans with allies, the 4++ provides an opportunity for enemy small-arms fire to whittle down the Bullgryns.  The slab shields necessitate high-level firepower (and with potential from strat even lascannons are saved on a 4+).  I usually prefer my Bullgryns to siphon that heavy firepower away from the rest of my army.

[Private Jenkins]

So why not mix, to get the best of both worlds? There's no disadvantage to mixing, and it gives you more versatility; have a mix, take the 2+ armour save for bolters and lascannons on the invuln. If you take a wound from bolters, just use Take Cover to get the 4+ armour save anyway, if not then save a command point and take the 4++.

[Colonel Cross]

I have messed around a bunch with Bullgryn shields and I must say, I rather enjoy mixing and matching.

[Tyr13]

So why not mix, to get the best of both worlds? There's no disadvantage to mixing, and it gives you more versatility; have a mix, take the 2+ armour save for bolters and lascannons on the invuln. If you take a wound from bolters, just use Take Cover to get the 4+ armour save anyway, if not then save a command point and take the 4++.

 

Exactly. Sure, your opponent can first shoot a lascannon at them before whittling them down with bolters... but then theyve invested (possibly multiple) LC shots *and* whatever small-arms fire they have to kill... one bullgryn. Not terribly efficient. And even if they get lucky and kill the Bullgryn with the LC shot, it had a better chance at survival than it wouldve otherwise.

 

If they shoot small arms first? Theyll put one or two wounds on a bullgryn, and a LC is now total overkill, since itll only remove one or two wounds. Theres really no downside to putting a single brute shield into a 5 man squad. Maybe a second one when youre running a full squad.

[Private Jenkins]

...That's what I've been saying...

[Withershadow]

 

So why not mix, to get the best of both worlds? There's no disadvantage to mixing, and it gives you more versatility; have a mix, take the 2+ armour save for bolters and lascannons on the invuln. If you take a wound from bolters, just use Take Cover to get the 4+ armour save anyway, if not then save a command point and take the 4++.

 

Exactly. Sure, your opponent can first shoot a lascannon at them before whittling them down with bolters... but then theyve invested (possibly multiple) LC shots *and* whatever small-arms fire they have to kill... one bullgryn. Not terribly efficient. And even if they get lucky and kill the Bullgryn with the LC shot, it had a better chance at survival than it wouldve otherwise.

 

If they shoot small arms first? Theyll put one or two wounds on a bullgryn, and a LC is now total overkill, since itll only remove one or two wounds. Theres really no downside to putting a single brute shield into a 5 man squad. Maybe a second one when youre running a full squad.

 

I disagree, giving them an opportunity to kill Bullgryns with small arms is helping their efficiency, and mixed squads never seem to work out in actual practice.

 

To each his own though.

[Tyr13]

...That's what I've been saying...

 

I was just trying to reinforce your point. :P

[Otto von Bludd]

Brute shield + Psychic barrier + Take Cover! should give you a 2++ against shooting on a Bullgryn no?  It still makes sense to mix and match because you aren't dependent on the Psychic power but a unit of these with 2++ is probably able to walk across the board through whatever is shooting at them.  Throw night shroud on them as well and that starts to sound pretty good. 

[zero88]

Yeah a 2++. And with how many CPs guard normally have you should have plenty to keep them buffed for their walk and advance across the table. The biggest issue is it keeps you from using those psychic powers on things that can make huge use of them too, like Baneblades and Russes