How to properly use a Chaplain (post PA4)

[Berzul]

So, presuming PA4 will give us Litanies... How would you best use a Chaplain ot Interrogator-Chaplain in your army?

[Gederas]

Probably the same way as always? Chaplains tended to be support units for melee, now they're support units for everything. So all that changed is they became more generalists, which is good.

 

If we get the same "+1 to hit" as other Chaplains.... My Hellblasters are going to be very, very fun. Well, fun for me. Not so much for my opponents :lol:

[Chaplain Raeven]

1. Get close.

2. Start smashing.

3. ???

4. Profit.

 

Seems like their a fair number of Melee litanies. If you just use them the way we used to, they'll be even more deadly than before. The Mantra of strength seems particulary nasty.

[G8Keeper]

Probably the same way as always? Chaplains tended to be support units for melee, now they're support units for everything. So all that changed is they became more generalists, which is good.

 

If we get the same "+1 to hit" as other Chaplains.... My Hellblasters are going to be very, very fun. Well, fun for me. Not so much for my opponents

 

Also excellent for power fists, thunder hammers etc.

[Chaplain Elijah]

The litanies are perhaps what interest me the most about PA4 so i've spent quite some time thinking about combos

Litany of Faith

Probably the least interesting, we already have a strat' for vehicles that does that.

Catechism of Fire

Unit get +1 to Wound with shooting.

That is powerful for units with saturation (Aggressors with Boltstorm) or when you really want to wound on 2+ (Leviathan with Storm Cannons). To be even more mean if you're Chaplain have Master of Maneuver you get to reroll Advance and then shoot at 18'' with the Aggressors Assault weapons.

Exhortation of Rage

Unit get additionnal attack on each 6 To Hit.

This is okay. Used with Asmodai (who got a +1 Attack bubble already) who would also use the standard litanie at the same time (reroll failed To Hit bubble) and a Deathwing Ancient (+1 Attack bubble), that's how you make Deathwing Knights roflstomp anything they touch.

Mantra of Strength

User get +1 Attack, +1S and +1Dmg.

Chaplain Dread (139pts) get on the charge 6 attacks 2+ to-hit (reroll the 1 with two Fists) S16 AP-3 Dmg4.

Smash Chaplain with Jet Pack and Mace of Redemption (99pts) get on the charge 5 attacks 2+ to-hit S8 AP-3 Dmg D3+1.

Pretty much mandatory.

Recitation of Focus

Unit get +1 To Hit with shooting.

Sounds meh at first glance but given our vehicles should get Grim Resolve and that a squadron of Fast Assault is considered a single unit there is some combos : S10 AP-4 DmgD6 Vindicator hitting on 2+ rerolling the 1 ? Yes please. Land Speeder Squadron (remember the +1AP from Devastator Doctrine) hitting on 3+ after moving ? Ok thanks. 5 Black Knights Jinking but still hitting on 3+ with Weapons of the Dark Age ? I'll take that. Some of these means your Chaplain has to be on a bike but hey that's still a possibility as for today.

Canticle of Hate

Bubble +2 to Charge Roll & Consolidate at 6''.

Mandatory for deep striking unit(s). Given your Chaplain has to use this Litanie at the start of your turn he must be on the board before Deep Strike take place so this litanie must be used with a Smash Chaplain (remember the build with Mantra of Strength ? Good) and then you Deep Strike your (Deathwing Knights) unit(s) around him. Combined with Master of Maneuver you have 75% of probability to make a 9'' charge.

Also reminder that Chaplain bubble reroll to-hit in CC is now a Litanie and that we should get a specific DA litanie.

Edited January 6, 2020 by Chaplain Elijah

[Isiah]

... and I guess that ‘specific DA litanie’ is hopefully where we see some Unforgiven flavour - that’s my hope anyway

[SnakeChisler]

time for the biker chaplain to reappear should be good with deathwing knights 20" move should do it

 

or are biker index characters getting the heave ho?

[Syphid]

Mantra of Strength, For the Lion! trait, and Master Crafted Thunder Hammer and Wolf and the Lion strategem... 6x STR 12 attacks on the charge each at AP-3 and D5. 116 points for the InterroSmasher with Jump Pack. Edited January 8, 2020 by Syphid

[Berzul]

I wonder if, given our gunline focus as a codex, our special litany (should we get one) will be one best suited for ranged units than close combat units.

[eternal_warrior12]

The Templar canticles were mostly a snooze so hopefully our unforgiven fare better. I use the +1 to wound to great effect often.

[Master Sheol]

Mantra of Strenght on I-C in TDA near a DWK squad

So tasty :)

[Chaplain Elijah]

I wonder if, given our gunline focus as a codex, our special litany (should we get one) will be one best suited for ranged units than close combat units.

 

You've answered your question yourself :)

Other than that it could be a Litanie related to moral.

[Berzul]

 

 

I wonder if, given our gunline focus as a codex, our special litany (should we get one) will be one best suited for ranged units than close combat units.

You've answered your question yourself :)

Other than that it could be a Litanie related to moral.

Can hardly think how morale could need MORE of a boost for us.

 

Already it is 99.99% of the time a non-issue for us. Should we bother at all with the 00.01% case in which it IS an issue?

 

Morale, as a system, works in such a way with our codex, that I honestly forget the phase even exists (and I do NOT mean this as a good thing, or as praise to the morale system we have this edition).

Edited January 8, 2020 by Berzul

[Chaplain Elijah]

I agree but GW designers seems to think we like to gunline and have issues with moral when fighting Fallens ;)

[Isual]

I wonder if, given our gunline focus as a codex, our special litany (should we get one) will be one best suited for ranged units than close combat units.

 

Especiallly because we are a shooty army it's propably something about killing fallen in close combat.

[Hantheman]

+1 to wound or +1 to hit are both very good for us. Potentailly worth running two. 

 

Hurricaine bolters with +1 to wound on dark talons is very good. +1 to wound with palsma makes up for the str 8 cap. Black Knights with support could delete almost anything with full re-roll, +1 to hit from signal the attack, +1 to wound from litany (if can get close enough) and 3 damage.

[G8Keeper]

+1 to wound or +1 to hit are both very good for us. Potentailly worth running two. 

 

Hurricaine bolters with +1 to wound on dark talons is very good. +1 to wound with palsma makes up for the str 8 cap. Black Knights with support could delete almost anything with full re-roll, +1 to hit from signal the attack, +1 to wound from litany (if can get close enough) and 3 damage.

 

Add a talonmaster for re-roll 1's to wound and ignore cover and you're laughing... hard. The best of it, my regular gamers will probably allow me to use litanies on an Interrogator Chaplain on bike :)

[Hellunder]

We've already discussed a lot of this here:  http://www.bolterandchainsword.com/topic/360432-what-will-be-your-favorite-vanilla-litany/

 

But yeah, the big change is how they will be very useful both for shooting and melee.

[SnakeChisler]

I was quite shocked to see Interogator getting to choose just 1 litany the only exception being Asmodai.

 

The SM codex gives you far more flexibility I wonder how long were going to have to wait for a full release, I'd have thought Chaplain powers could have been a bit more than cut and paste especially for Interogator's.

 

Even a simple buff to the roll to say a 2+ rather than an extra litany, there still Deathwing so that's something I guess

[Berzul]

So, in terms of litanies, there is no difference in using a chaplain or an interrogator, is therw?

[UtariOnzo]

Seems so, unless you fancy the small stat buff and the Deathwing keyword for strats/warlord traits/relics (which now is a not entirely pointless consideration)

[G8Keeper]

So, in terms of litanies, there is no difference in using a chaplain or an interrogator, is therw?

 

In terms of litanies no.  But it's worth considering Interrogator for the DW warlord traits alone.

[Lion El Jason]

Aah the great Chaplain nerf...  I probably won't use them anymore but the DA specific Litany is interesting as being stationary affects A LOT of stuff with DA now.

[Grimdark_Garage]

Im to use my DA tonight for the first time since PA4 dropped with a big emphasis on my debuting Chaplain! (he's been ready so long but never had a reason to field him)

 

Will be debuting my Aggressors to move and then Fire Strom at 21".

Taking a 5 man unit of Hellblasters as well so they're Rapid Firing at 21". Re-roll 1's to hit to mitigate any overcharge.

Finally, a 10 man intercessor unit with bolt Rifles as a screen but also to use the Rapid Fire strategem at 36".

Angels Ambit to increase the aura to 9" so im not as condensed.

 

Should hopefully wreck face!

Really excited to finally have Litanies but more than that, that I have a unique Litany that should slot into my plans really nicely. 

 

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Defo gonna roll 1-2 on my Litany roll. I can just feel it!

[Berzul]

I am trying to figure out what would be the best way to play a Chaplain in my army.

I have no chaplains in jump packs, so going for the beat stick version is not really optimal for me. TDA CHaplains are somewhat inefficient on paper, given the way litanies work.

I think I COULD go for a chaplain in a drop pod, maybe, as a precursor to a Deathwing strike on turn 2, but that leaves him somewhat exposed.

Most likely I'll go with a chaplain for either the 6" move-and-fire aura, or the +1 to shoot to a unit ability. Perhaps paired with some Devastators? Making 4D3 plasma shots at +1 to hit would be very nice indeed.