Tactics Using New Chaplain Abilities

[L30n1d4s]

Now that Chaplains have access to the new Litanies of Faith, I think they will have a whole new :lease on life" in competitive play (just like their Heretic counterparts have had since the new CSM codex released).

 

Here are the new Litanies, if you have not seen them (as a reminder, they "cast" successfully on a 3+):

 

 

1) - +1 Strength, +1 Attack, +1 Dmg for Chaplain in close combat

 

2) - 6" aura around Chaplain, all friendly <Chapter> units in range get 5+ FNP against MWs

 

3) - Select one friendly <Chapter> unit within 6", this unit gets +1 to wound for shooting if it targets the closest enemy unit

 

4) - Select one friendly <Chapter> unit within 6", any unmodified 6s to Hit in melee get an extra attack

 

5) - 6" aura around Chaplain, all friendly <Chapter> units in range get +2" to their charge distance

 

6) - Select one friendly <Chapter> unit within 6",  this unit gets +1 to Hit for shooting attacks

 

7) - 6" aura around Chaplain, all friendly <Chapter> units in range re-roll all to Hit rolls in melee

 

 

Looking at these, I think there are some amazing tactics that be done with each of them, here are some examples:

 

 

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1 - (+1 to Wound for shooting at nearest target) -- Use Ultramarine  Chaplain and Guilliman with 10 Ultramarine Intercessors on turn 1. Activate the Tactical Doctrine "early" on the Intercessor squad using the UM Warlord Trait (so Bolt Rifles go up to AP -2 and the whole unit can still move and shoot out to 30" with maximum shots), then use the Stratagem to give them Rapid Fire 2 and the Chaplain litany to give them an additional +1 to wound. Finally, add in Guilliman's re-rolls to hit and re-rolls of 1s to wound and you get 40 x S4 AP-2 D1 shots at 30" range, which yield the following:

**Against Guardsmen, this gives an average of 34 unsaved wounds

**Against MEQs, this gives an average of 18 unsaved wounds

**Against Custodes Vertus Praetors, this gives an average of 10 unsaved wounds

**Against T7 3+ save Vehicles, this gives an average of 14 unsaved wounds

**Against Imperial Knights, this gives an average of 8 unsaved wounds

 

2 - (+1 Strength, +1 Attack, +1 Dmg on Chaplain) -- Combine this ability with the new Relic Crozius (S+2 AP-2 D2, MWs on 6 to Wound), Might of Heroes psychic power from a friendly Librarian (+1 Strength, +1 Attack, +1 Toughness), and the Assault Doctrine (improve AP by -1 on melee weapons, +1 damage for White Scars) and you get, using a Primaris White Scars Chaplain on the charge, 7 x S8 AP-3 D4 attacks, all hitting on 2+s. Add in "The Imperium's Sword" Warlord Trait (for another +1S/+1A on the charge), a nearby Captain for re-rolls of 1s to Hit,  and "Honour the Chapter" to fight twice in a turn and you are up to 16 x S9 AP-3 D4 attacks:

**Against an Imperial Knight, you are averaging 15-16 hits, 10-11 wounds, 8-9 Unsaved Wounds, and 34-35 total damage

**Against a squad of Primaris Marines, you are averaging 15-16 hits, 12-13 Unsaved Wounds, and 12-13 dead Primaris

**Against a squad of Custodes Vertus Praetors, you are averaging 15-16 hits, 10-11 wounds, 5-6 Unsaved Wounds, and 5-6 dead Custodes Bikers

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These are just some initial ideas, so would be very interested in other tactics other people have come up with using the new Chaplain Litanies.

 

Any tactics others have come up with/used in test games so far with the new Chaplain abilities?

[MajorNese]

As someone prefering range, the +1 to hit seems the most useful. Just like the Phobos WL trait - use on plasma, and overcharge with impunity. Or take down fliers with weaponry not designed for it. Or just boost a large unit to the point where a captain's reroll is enough to all but guarantee a hit. The large unit being supported by chappy's Ld buff, so increasing the unit size leads to less morale problems. Bonus points for having someone for Heroic Intervention, could come handy.

 

I'll try it sometimes. My AdMech primaris all run around in skull masks, skipping the one skull mask+cowl guy seems unreasonable anyway.

[zero88]

When are they "prayed"? I'm assuming it's at the start of the Battle Round and only if he's on the table.. otherwise +2" charge coming out of Deep Strike with Assault Terminators would be broken.

[Kallas]

When are they "prayed"? I'm assuming it's at the start of the Battle Round and only if he's on the table.. otherwise +2" charge coming out of Deep Strike with Assault Terminators would be broken.

 

Yeah, start of each Battle Round.

 

But that doesn't rule out the potential to use it on Deep Striking units: give a Chaplain a Jump Pack; sing the song of their people; move and advance into position; Deep Strike dudes.

 

Assuming a Turn One DS from a Drop Podded unit, the Chaplain can make his aura reach out 19" from his starting position, minimum (12" + minimum 1" advance +6" aura range). Considering most deployments have 24" between deployment zones, that's only 5" short of touching their DZ - and that's a minimum roll for the advance. Chuck a reroll in there and it's further, easily.

 

Additionally, you can string out a unit to get the +2 without sacrificing initial deployment. Basically, have one model as close as possible to the unit(s) you are charging; then have models at maximum 2" coherency until they hit the 6" bubble from the Chaplain. Anyone who doesn't need to be strung backwards can be up front as normal. Boom.

[MajorNese]

Battle round?!?

So...Round 1 starts, you activate a power, then both player turns happen?

 

In that case - how is it exactly worded, when do you choose the target unit of that power?

Because if you go second and had to choose a target for (i.e.) the +1 BS, your opponent could just kill that unit before it even gets used. That could severely limit its uses...

[Kallas]

Battle round?!?

So...Round 1 starts, you activate a power, then both player turns happen?

 

In that case - how is it exactly worded, when do you choose the target unit of that power?

Because if you go second and had to choose a target for (i.e.) the +1 BS, your opponent could just kill that unit before it even gets used. That could severely limit its uses...

 

Yes, Battle Round:

"At the start of the battle round, this model can recite one litany it knows that has not already been recited by a friendly model that battle round. Roll one D6; on a 3+ the recited litany is inspiring and takes effect until the end of that battle round."

 

For Litanies that target a particular unit, they would need to be in range of the Chaplain at the moment it is successfully recited. That means that Catechism of Fire (+1 to wound with ranged vs nearest enemy unit), Exhortation of Rage (6 to hit in melee, make an extra attack) and Recitation of Focus (+1 to hit with ranged) would all need a target unit to be present alongside the Chaplain.

 

The Litany of Hate (reroll melee hits), Litany of Faith (5+ FNP vs MW) and Canticle of Hate (+2 to charges, +3" to pile in/consolidate) are all 'aura' Litanies, and so would only require the Chaplain to be on the board at the start of the battle round and could affect any friendly unit within the specified range (all are 6", and all affect a whole unit in range, I believe) at the time that they are relevant.

 

Edit:

For your last point, yes, it could be a problem. 

[MajorNese]

Ah, okay...

 

Battle round is what I interpreted from it too, but found it just too unintuitive to be entirely sure - in pretty much no other instance (besides maybe Apostles) is the mechanic of a turn-based ability dependant on if you go first or second. Usually the earliest point is the start of the player turn.

[Kastor Krieg]

This is awesome. I have so many Templar chaplains to paint :>

[Raktra]

Time to make me some new Iron Fathers.

[mertbl]

How many litanties can he do each turn?

 

The answer is probably there but I've never really looked at the chaos version.

[Iron Father Ferrum]

How many litanties can he do each turn?

 

The answer is probably there but I've never really looked at the chaos version.

Only one.

[Panzer]

He works literally the same as the new Dark Apostle, only that he has different effects to pick from. ^^

[Lemondish]

He works literally the same as the new Dark Apostle, only that he has different effects to pick from. ^^

Specifically all his effects aside from the mortal wounds defense are offensive. There's nothing quite as powerful as the 5++ or -1 to hit defensively.

[Rogue]

Ah, okay...

 

Battle round is what I interpreted from it too, but found it just too unintuitive to be entirely sure - in pretty much no other instance (besides maybe Apostles) is the mechanic of a turn-based ability dependant on if you go first or second. Usually the earliest point is the start of the player turn.

Ad Mech canticles also kick in at the start of each battle round, which potentially allows your opponent time to react to them before you can do anything about it.

[Panzer]

 

Ah, okay...

 

Battle round is what I interpreted from it too, but found it just too unintuitive to be entirely sure - in pretty much no other instance (besides maybe Apostles) is the mechanic of a turn-based ability dependant on if you go first or second. Usually the earliest point is the start of the player turn.

Ad Mech canticles also kick in at the start of each battle round, which potentially allows your opponent time to react to them before you can do anything about it.

 

 

The difference here is that the AdMech canticles affect the whole army while with the Chaplain and Dark Apostle it affects only one unit. One offensively buffed unit your opponent can easily deal with, a whole army offensively buffed he can't do anything about to counter it. ^^

[MajorNese]

Yep, that's why I found it weird. AdMech canticles like Shroudpsalm make sense especially when going second, so that way you can activate it when needed. Army wide, so no way to shut it down (by killing the unit) before it comes to use.

 

It would have made more sense to do it at the start of the player turn, but GW decided otherwise. Well, at least we can designate units as fire magnets if we go second...

[Panzer]

Doing it at the start of a battle round is awesome for defensive buffs, but horrible for offensive buffs if it affects only one unit and the opponent is going first. Gotta hope there's enough LoS blocking terrain to hide the buffed unit behind I guess.

Imo we should be able to activate such effects even when he's embarked in a transport (and then only target a unit that is embarked in the same transport) too. That would make it much more useable.

[MajorNese]

Imo we should be able to activate such effects even when he's embarked in a transport (and then only target a unit that is embarked in the same transport) too. That would make it much more useable.

The chaplain informed me that there is insufficient space inside a transport to do his inspirational poses.

 

Yes, it would be more usable, but pretty much all effects and abilities are prevented from working while embarked. Back in the day, having a techmarine in a LR meant he could repair that thing on the move, which was pretty useful. But nowadays, you hope that those guys have to sprint along while welding it back together. Or getting on a bike, and hoping it won't get disintegrated by a Discontinued Index missile. Which brings me back to topic - if they FAQ the Chaplain on Bike entry to have the new abilities, that would solve some problems.

[Closet Skeleton]

30 Reivers with +3" charge out of deepstrike supported by Suppressors for overwatch denial is going to be a lot of pain for 510 points (1000 with the support but that's still a lot of room left in your list).

 

With the 6s to hit autowound stratagem and White Scars doctrine even knights will be worried.

 

Successors can get up to +4" and duelist to pack some pain (an army of reivers with basket hilts would be awesome).

[Marshal van Trapp]

30 Reivers with +3" charge out of deepstrike supported by Suppressors for overwatch denial is going to be a lot of pain for 510 points (1000 with the support but that's still a lot of room left in your list).

 

With the 6s to hit autowound stratagem and White Scars doctrine even knights will be worried.

 

Successors can get up to +4" and duelist to pack some pain (an army of reivers with basket hilts would be awesome).

That actually sounds terrifying! I now wish there was a phobos chaplain instead of librarian so I could put a chappy further up the board to start

[Panzer]

30 Reivers with +3" charge out of deepstrike supported by Suppressors for overwatch denial is going to be a lot of pain for 510 points (1000 with the support but that's still a lot of room left in your list).

 

With the 6s to hit autowound stratagem and White Scars doctrine even knights will be worried.

 

Successors can get up to +4" and duelist to pack some pain (an army of reivers with basket hilts would be awesome).

 

You can't buff a unit that's not on the board, so it won't work with deep striking units.

[Marshal van Trapp]

 

 

30 Reivers with +3" charge out of deepstrike supported by Suppressors for overwatch denial is going to be a lot of pain for 510 points (1000 with the support but that's still a lot of room left in your list).

 

With the 6s to hit autowound stratagem and White Scars doctrine even knights will be worried.

 

Successors can get up to +4" and duelist to pack some pain (an army of reivers with basket hilts would be awesome).

You can't buff a unit that's not on the board, so it won't work with deep striking units.

The aura prayers would no? Not the select a unit ones

[Kallas]

 

30 Reivers with +3" charge out of deepstrike supported by Suppressors for overwatch denial is going to be a lot of pain for 510 points (1000 with the support but that's still a lot of room left in your list).

 

With the 6s to hit autowound stratagem and White Scars doctrine even knights will be worried.

 

Successors can get up to +4" and duelist to pack some pain (an army of reivers with basket hilts would be awesome).

 

You can't buff a unit that's not on the board, so it won't work with deep striking units.

 

In the case of the Chaplain's Litany, that only matters, in this instance, if the Chaplain itself is not on the board, as the +2 to Charges Litany (Canticle of Hate) doesn't target a unit (but it does still go off at the start of the battle round).

 

For the stratagems, that'd depend on when they're applied. The 6s to hit autowound is a melee one, I believe, and I would expect it to be triggered in the Fight/Charge Phase.

[Panzer]

Yeah only if you have to target a unit. Didn't know the +2 to charges one is a non-targeted aura.

[Kallas]

Yeah only if you have to target a unit. Didn't know the +2 to charges one is a non-targeted aura.

 

Yup!

 

"If this litany is inspiring, add 2 to charge rolls made for friendly <CHAPTER> units whilst they are within 6" of this model. In addition, when a friendly <CHAPTER> unit makes a pile in or consolidation move whilst within 6" of this model, models in that unit can move up to an additional 3". This is not cumulative with any other ability that adds to a unit's charge roll or increases the distance it can pile in or consolidate."

 

That final line is an important one that a lot of people have missed/not been told about. You can't stack it on top of the Hungry For Battle Successor Tactic, for example. +2 is still a great bonus, and it can free up one's Successor Tactics for other useful ones, but it's important to note.