Best Loadout for Blightlords

[Xenith]

Hi all,

 

I managed to snag 2 copies of Warhammer conquest and so have 2x lord felthius and the tainted cohort.

 

This rather nicely makes 7 blightlords and a lord with manreaper.

 

What's a good loadout for 7x blightlords?

 

I'm thinking convert a spewer to a blight launcher, then have 1x flail, 2x storm bolter+ axe, 2x storm bolter + sword.

 

What should the unit champ get?

 

Thanks!

 

Xen

[Closet Skeleton]

Best load out for blightlords is 4 axes, 1 flail and 4 combi-bolters or 5 axes 5 combi-plasma. I use the plague spewer but its a vanity item despite being lethal when it works. Swords are best if you know you're going to be using putrescent vitality but are also for some reason more expensive and terminators are so expensive you need to save every point you can on them or they'll weigh down your army list and limit your strategies.

 

Blight launchers are sub par on blightlords since terminators want to be teleporting into range while plague marines can carry double the blight launchers and are going to spend longer at 24" (hopefully with several such squads clustered around an arch contaminator lord), I'd rather have a combi-plasma. Really blightlords want to be in combat not wasting points on guns.

 

Really you want Blightlords to be kept cheap enough to be disposable or to heavily invest in buffing up a full unit of 10.

 

Combi-flamers should be viable on Blight Lords now but still nothing is as efficient as a combi-bolter.

 

Man reaper lords of contagion look bad compared to the Dark Imperium load out. I'd make a terminator sorcerer or combi-melta and balesword lord instead.

[Charlo]

I think you're on the money with that loadout, but I'd just consider giving the 4 guys with axes/ swords some Combi-Plas/ Melta.

 

There is probably an argument to be made for all axes or all swords too, I think all axes is probably better as that S5 is the magic number to still be able to reliably hurt T8.

 

Could consider a reaper autocannon too, as the S7 & 4 shots is nice.

[Bulwyf]

4 Bubotic axes

1 Flail

3 Combi plasma

1 Reaper autocannon

 

Best loadout by far.

[Dallas Drake]

I like: 10 guys - 6 axes & combi-bolters, 2 flails and 2 blight launchers and axes. Comes in at 432 points and can handle anything, I've run this load out lots and like it. Arch contaminator, Blades of Putrefaction & Vets of the Long War on the axes and flails works really well.

[Tokugawa]

BLords is a 0 or 10 choice. 5 guys is never anywhere close to "competitive" in 8th, so taking 5 weapons you look most handsome would be ok.

[BlackTriton]

Pretty much all of the above.

rather than proposing a loadout, lets look at the options:

 

By far the best weapon to equip blight lords is the flails: save points on a range weapon and its awesome against pretty much anything. 

I largely prefer the Bubotic axes, the +1S and aura of rust, combined with the lower point cost makes it the obvious choices.

sword doesn't has a obvious use, -3AP is situationnal and -4 (from aura of rust) is a waste. most target with 3+ armor are T4+ so +1S has a big impact. Against T3 the axes have the option of putrescent vitality getting them a S6 and again, -2AP is often plenty. 

 

Blight launcher is hit or miss with people, but I would take it over plasma since its a multi-wound weapon without chances to explode.

Reaper auto canon is the only strictly bad option, its S7 is wasted on small target and D1 is horrible against T6-T7. take the Blight launcher everytime

Plasma / Melta are interesting... but investing this heavily on range weapon on a unit that wants to be in combat (and dosent fly) is hard to justify for me.

Flammer type weapon are als interesting, but better take Bloat-drone or DeathShroud, they do it better.

 

If you go with unit of 5, investing on ranged weapon might be the way to go. the increased firepower might make up for smaller unit size. Smart movement and cloud of fly could protect your investment and keep them shooting.

On large squads they get expensive quickly. Keeping to combi-bolters and counting on the impact of larger volleys is probably the best way to go.

 

The only competitive event that saw them shine had them equiped with: 10 models, 2 flails, 2 Launcher, 8 B.Axes, 6 Combi-bolter.

[Guest]

I was planning on running 7 (not competitive, but fluffy) with 1 flail and 6 axes, buy still undecided on Combi Bolter or Combi plasma. Plasma gives me a chance to kill any high toughness units.

[Dallas Drake]

I was planning on running 7 (not competitive, but fluffy) with 1 flail and 6 axes, buy still undecided on Combi Bolter or Combi plasma. Plasma gives me a chance to kill any high toughness units.

 

From personal experience you want them in melee more often than not. I just don't think plasma is worth it. Far better to give them the functional and cheap bolters so they can shoot out some chaff (remember, double tap at 18") then charge something juicy.

 

Part of using Blightlords well is understanding the melee phase. Getting a grip of taking models hostage, and slingshotting using charges and pile ins is essential. A tip for using Blightlords is to almost always multi-charge units, people moan about the low movement but I often get them where I need them to be with the charge roll, pile in, and consolidates; just because you change something doesn't mean your whole unit has to pile into it, you only have to get at least one model within 1". With some practice you can shut down multiple units and slingshot a fair distance. I also quickly math out how to not quite wipe out chaff units in their turn too, i.e. charging 10 Cultists might only get one or two blightlords within 1" so I'm only putting a few axe attacks out, ideal situation is a few cultists hanging there in their turn.

 

 

The only competitive event that saw them shine had them equiped with: 10 models, 2 flails, 2 Launcher, 8 B.Axes, 6 Combi-bolter.

 

Also, the way he used them was key to their success. There was a podcast interview with the dude who used them and he talked a lot about mitigating their low movement and how the buffs really stack nicely on them. Take the Bubotic axe for example, get within range of arch-contaminator warlord (which gives re-roll 1s to hit too) and then stick Blades or Vets on them and they are scary good. Against loyalists those flails will just paste most stuff. Absoltely brutal unit in melee.

[Xenith]

There's a lot of food for thought!

 

The flail is a given, it's too good. 

 

Double tapping plasma at 18" is also tasty...but expensive.

 

It seems axes are the way to go - the kit comes with 2 swords, however I'm sure I can convert something up. I have 2 plague spewers, one of which can be converted to a blight launcher, and the arm magnetised, so this isn't too big a deal.

 

I'm honestly thinking boys over toys and have this unit as:

 

3x SB+Axe

1x Blight Launcher + Axe 

1x Flail

[Dallas Drake]

There's a lot of food for thought!

 

The flail is a given, it's too good. 

 

Double tapping plasma at 18" is also tasty...but expensive.

 

It seems axes are the way to go - the kit comes with 2 swords, however I'm sure I can convert something up. I have 2 plague spewers, one of which can be converted to a blight launcher, and the arm magnetised, so this isn't too big a deal.

 

I'm honestly thinking boys over toys and have this unit as:

 

3x SB+Axe

1x Blight Launcher + Axe 

1x Flail

 

I used some of the axes from the Rotbringers Putrid Blightkings, also the cleaver you get in the Plague Marine box (and would not likely equip a PM with) makes a good bubotic axe for them too. Then again, I converted all of mine from Deathshroud models as I wanted them as bulky and intimidating as possible.

[Closet Skeleton]

BLords is a 0 or 10 choice. 5 guys is never anywhere close to "competitive" in 8th, so taking 5 weapons you look most handsome would be ok.

 

I agree but there's a debate as to whether they should be in one unit of 10 or two units of 5.

 

10 Blightlords is a bully unit you throw a ton more resources into buffing. 2 units of 5 are a tough distraction unit that you can afford to throw one or both away.

 

I was planning on running 7 (not competitive, but fluffy) with 1 flail and 6 axes, buy still undecided on Combi Bolter or Combi plasma. Plasma gives me a chance to kill any high toughness units.

 

The first ed fluff for Chaos Terminators stated that they don't use sacred numbers so I consider 5 to be fluffy as well even it that's very out of date.

 

Flammer type weapon are als interesting, but better take Bloat-drone or DeathShroud, they do it better.

 

I used the flamer extensively and never used Drones and only used Deathshroud once but the Blightlord flamer is completely different to the drone flamer. Drones can move fast and flame what you want to flame, Blightlords teleport down and you can't rely on them making the charge. The Blightlord flamer is for when you drop them in front of a nasty enemy melee unit.

 

The problem is that while its useful 14 points is too much for a weapon that usually only gets fired twice a game.

 

 

It seems axes are the way to go - the kit comes with 2 swords, however I'm sure I can convert something up. I have 2 plague spewers, one of which can be converted to a blight launcher, and the arm magnetised, so this isn't too big a deal.

 

Axes are better because they're cheaper but its only 1 point so you're not screwing yourself over if you have to put a few swords in.

[McElMcNinja]

I'm going to try:

8 Blightlord Terminators

6 Combi-melta

1 Balesword

6 Bubotic axe

1 Blight launcher

1 Flail of corruption

 

If I were to go up to 10, it would be another BL w/BA and FoC.

[General Strike]

Let me look at my left over sprue and see if I have any axes left. If you're in the states I will send them your way.

[Prot]

I'm going to try:

8 Blightlord Terminators

6 Combi-melta

1 Balesword

6 Bubotic axe

1 Blight launcher

1 Flail of corruption

 

If I were to go up to 10, it would be another BL w/BA and FoC.

This is close to what I used. The Plasma drives me nuts. I just don’t get it with this army. I find plasma a complete waste personally. I respect that some people like it, I just never got it working for me.

[McElMcNinja]

I haven't used a heavy melta army since 7th, but I thought I would try it again. I don't understand why PM champions can only take plasma weapons, I would run 3 meltas in each unit if that was an option.

[ashc]

I've gone for the combibolters and axes on mine, along with the flail and blight launcher; I am really tempted by the plasma though as my main opponents are space marines... do people find that they need any character support or do they go off on their own to do their stuff? I think if I had the combiplasma the answer is a definite yes however if you go combibolters it's not so clear cut.

[General Strike]

I like plasma for the extra rapid fire range, extending the RF range helps with slow movement. A Daemon Prince rushing in helps with re-rolls for my DSing termies, since my DP wants to be in CC.

[CastellanDeMolay]

Reaper auto canon is the only strictly bad option, its S7 is wasted on small target and D1 is horrible against T6-T7. take the Blight launcher everytime

I think you're exaggerating the case against the Reaper Autocannon. While it doesn't synergise spectacularly well with anything else in the unit, bar Combi-Plasma, it looks to be roughly on par with the Blight Launcher in terms of damage output. 1 Damage isn't bad when it's 4 shots, so it has the same damage potential as the BL, and while the extra strength may well be wasted the D2 on the BL could be too, depending on the target. I think the real strength of the RA is the 36" range, which helps to mitigate the BL's main weakness, their 4" Movement. Clearly the RA isn't optimal for any one role, but I think it's a solid all-rounder. 

[DemetriiTZ]

Couple of things:

#1: Combi-melta + 2 Melta is legal -- you simply use Index options, which allows the champion to choose items from the Champion's Wargear section. You use the Codex's updated point values for the CMelta, of course.

 

#2: Reaper Autocannons are bad for a variety of reasons, and the issue you raise regarding the weapon being a fair "all-rounder" weapon is a little off -- first and foremost, a Blight Launcher is not "Damage 2", it is "Damage d3", which means a Launcher can deal 6 damage, while an RA can only deal 4. While it is true a Launcher has a reduced strength and range, it also rerolls to wound, and can reroll ALL to wound rolls if you have a nearby Arch-Contam. Finally, because the weapon is an Assault weapon, a Blight Lord squad can always advance and fire. The S7 on the Reaper seems like it'd wound T6 a little better than a BLauncher, but this is actually untrue -- rerolls put the BL over the top on T7+ as well. Even better, Launchers synergize with the maximum range of CBs, meaning all weapons can fire on an enemy at 24'', while an RA overextends at 36''. Even versus T3 infantry, a Launcher kills more on average than an RA due to rerolls to wound. Plague Weapon is a very strong rule. The only thing an RA has going for it is higher potential damage on hordes of 1W models with bad saves and bad toughness, and Blight Lords can sleep-walk through 80 Cultists in melee with flails, so..

 

#3: Starting Lords on the table is probably the worst possible choice to make, even WITH Warptime. They absolutely NEED to DS, 95-99% of the time. You'll curbstomp clueless people with Warptime Lords, but it has the same problem that Grenade strategies have: you telegraph your punches. The enemy knows where the BLs are, and thus where to either avoid, or concentrate force.

 

Dropping Lords on a weak flank and pummeling squads of infantry with bolter spam is where they shine -- if they flub the charge, they flub the charge, but at least they will be sitting on an objective they DS in on, and continually pounding weak squads at range. They excel in one role: they are durable flank-aggressors who can camp a key area. They are certainly more than competent in melee, but what they really are is (with combibolters, axes, flails, and launchers) infantry-mulching backfield/flank invaders who can also kill anything they can reach in CC.

 

#4: The role of Launchers on Lords is a simple one -- you have a weapon which can threaten anything in the game, and fire with no penalties. Do not expect them to utterly demolish anything they hit -- they chip away reliably at anything from Cultists to Orks to Knights. Their biggest benefit is their versatility. Sure, you could drop them in a pinch and simply run with 8 CBs + 2 Flails, but I think BLs are $.

 

#5: Forget swords, they suck. You're already gaining -1 additional AP when you roll a 6 to wound, and you already gain +1 to wound from Blades, and another +1 with VoTLW -- S5 is money, because it means you wound anything in the game on 5's at the worst, and reroll. The reroll makes it even nastier, because now you're able to fish for 5+'s when you have Blades and Vets on 'em. Axes, every time.

 

I hope this helps.

[BlackTriton]

 

Reaper auto canon is the only strictly bad option, its S7 is wasted on small target and D1 is horrible against T6-T7. take the Blight launcher everytime

I think you're exaggerating the case against the Reaper Autocannon. While it doesn't synergise spectacularly well with anything else in the unit, bar Combi-Plasma, it looks to be roughly on par with the Blight Launcher in terms of damage output. 1 Damage isn't bad when it's 4 shots, so it has the same damage potential as the BL, and while the extra strength may well be wasted the D2 on the BL could be too, depending on the target. I think the real strength of the RA is the 36" range, which helps to mitigate the BL's main weakness, their 4" Movement. Clearly the RA isn't optimal for any one role, but I think it's a solid all-rounder.

I think its generous to call the reaper equivalent to the blight launcher, and it cost 50% more.

It is therefore a simply bad option.

 

EDIT to scratch outdated information.

 

at 10 point the reaper might be a choice for blightlord since they do not suffer the penalty for heavy weapon.

I still largely preffer the multi damage (and build in rerolls) from the blight launcher.

[DemetriiTZ]

Reaper and BL are both 10, now. RA dropped 5 in CA. It's still bad, though. With -2 AP, at 10 per, I'd consider it, but it'd still be questionable. Make it S7 AP1 D2 Heavy 4 and we'd be cooking: a mini-Anvilus/Butcher inbetween with no -2LD modifier.

[Bulwyf]

I love the reaper autocannon. It gives you more range and does more work as a result. It thins out hordes better. When you play Necrons with quantum shielding you'll appreciate high STR with low damage with more shots.

[Closet Skeleton]

#3: Starting Lords on the table is probably the worst possible choice to make, even WITH Warptime. They absolutely NEED to DS, 95-99% of the time. You'll curbstomp clueless people with Warptime Lords, but it has the same problem that Grenade strategies have: you telegraph your punches. The enemy knows where the BLs are, and thus where to either avoid, or concentrate force.

 

 

One should almost always deepstrike ones Blightlord terminators but after using them in many games there have been times when they needed to be on the table. When fighting a melee horde opponent then you want those rapid fire 18" storm bolters on the table turn 1 and the slow movement of your terminators becomes kind of irrelevant. Its just kind of obvious not to deep strike in that situation since there won't be much space to do so anyway.

You can't warptime after deep strike anymore.

[DemetriiTZ]

BLs clear hordes just fine, even if they DS.

 

Orks and 'Nids around here know what happens if they try Da Jump or Zergrush -- they swarm around some unkillable frontline PBCs, and promptly get obliterated by a DSing countercharge. Da Jump is easy to zone, and I run enough firepower to crush hordes at range -- they have no good options in the meta. DG counters hordes very hard when you build them in a certain way. Indirect fire (and not just PBCs, but Deredeos + PBCs) is not something that Grotshields enjoy.