Company Champion

[Ultramarine vet]

So, I have looked over my space marine codex extensively, and I have found that a company champion can be pretty dang effective. Not sure if this has been done before, but it probably has been. Anyway, here is what I have thought of doing with him.

 

Stratagem: Hero of the Chapter

Warlord trait: Champion of Humanity

 

Stratagem: Relics of the Chapter

Relic: The Burning Blade

 

Pyschic power: Might of Heroes

 

So, with the strength that the burning blade and MoH gives, he is at S8. The extra attacks from MoH and Champion of Humanity gives him 7 attacks on a charge. It also allows him to add 1 to hit rolls and wound rolls. So with all that, and his ability Superlative Duelist, he hits and wounds on 2s with rerolls for both, even against Hive Tyrants which is what I'm building him for.

 

Also, I have decided to use the custom chapter tactic Whirlwind of Rage, which gives him additional hits on unmodified hit rolls of 6. So he hits on average, about 8 times. Combine all this with the fact that he always fights first against character units, as well as a librarian next to him with null zone active, I don't see any character unit surviving his wrath.

 

What do you guys think? Is there any errors in my thinking, or what I can do with all this? As far as I see it, this is all legal and allows him to be exceptionally deadly.

Edited March 19, 2020 by Ultramarine vet

[ThirtySixNights]

It's all very cool, but you're dedicating.. 2CP, about 150 points and a whole half of your chapter tactic pretty much for something the Emperor's Champion can do.

 

If you're already sacrificing your choice of chapter, you might as well take him to kill hive tyrants instead, he does it better without relying on a librarian. You can take a whole drop pod with him and he's still cheaper, practically guaranteeing a first charge with their chapter tactics.

 

On average the Emperor's Champion does 10.36 wounds to a Hive Tyrant, of which half would be saved due to it's invulnerable.

 

If you offer a more generous scenario, and say he is able to fight in their assault doctrine, he is now dealing 10.96 wounds at AP-4.

 

The company champion you proposed would be able to get an average 14 wounds on a hive tyrant, of which half get saved by it's 4+ on average, yes you can fight him twice but there's no scenario in which he survives being hit back by the hive tyrant.

 

If you fight the Emperor's champion twice you've got a good chance of killing the hive tyrant in a single assault, and the emperor's champion is likely to survive an onslaught, since he is -1 to hit and has a 2+ and 4++ and a 5+++ against the smite he's likely to suffer at any point in time.

 

Did I mention he's also half the points of your combo, requires no CP investment, and as a bonus your chapter tactics remain more useful than a flat 16% accuracy in combat buff. In fact you get a super doctrine that is more like a 25% combat buff with low strength attacks.

 

If that doesn't sound strong enough, let's propose another example.

 

Chaplain Grimaldus costs about the same as a librarian (cheaper than a primaris one), let's throw in his buffs + the single litany (even though he can cast two) exhortation of rage for good measure.

 

Our Emperor's Champion now has double exploding 6's thanks to this little buff.

 

He now deals a mighty 14.43 wounds on average, again which half would be saved.

 

If grimaldus himself attacks, he's much more impressive than a librarian in combat, and if you fight twice either way, you're looking at a dead hive tyrant.. on average.

 

He is also dealing d3 damage rather than flat d2, which might seem worse but if you reroll a d1 result at any point, you can reliably increase the damage by at least 1.

 

 

And again, even with this scenario and discounting the CP reroll, you're investing no command points in strategems, relics or psychic powers which could be denied.

 

He is the cheapest way to reliably deal the most wounds on a hive tyrant.

[Ultramarine vet]

It's all very cool, but you're dedicating.. 2CP, about 150 points and a whole half of your chapter tactic pretty much for something the Emperor's Champion can do.

If you're already sacrificing your choice of chapter, you might as well take him to kill hive tyrants instead, he does it better without relying on a librarian. You can take a whole drop pod with him and he's still cheaper, practically guaranteeing a first charge with their chapter tactics.

On average the Emperor's Champion does 10.36 wounds to a Hive Tyrant, of which half would be saved due to it's invulnerable.

If you offer a more generous scenario, and say he is able to fight in their assault doctrine, he is now dealing 10.96 wounds at AP-4.

The company champion you proposed would be able to get an average 14 wounds on a hive tyrant, of which half get saved by it's 4+ on average, yes you can fight him twice but there's no scenario in which he survives being hit back by the hive tyrant.

If you fight the Emperor's champion twice you've got a good chance of killing the hive tyrant in a single assault, and the emperor's champion is likely to survive an onslaught, since he is -1 to hit and has a 2+ and 4++ and a 5+++ against the smite he's likely to suffer at any point in time.

Did I mention he's also half the points of your combo, requires no CP investment, and as a bonus your chapter tactics remain more useful than a flat 16% accuracy in combat buff. In fact you get a super doctrine that is more like a 25% combat buff with low strength attacks.

If that doesn't sound strong enough, let's propose another example.

Chaplain Grimaldus costs about the same as a librarian (cheaper than a primaris one), let's throw in his buffs + the single litany (even though he can cast two) exhortation of rage for good measure.

Our Emperor's Champion now has double exploding 6's thanks to this little buff.

He now deals a mighty 14.43 wounds on average, again which half would be saved.

If grimaldus himself attacks, he's much more impressive than a librarian in combat, and if you fight twice either way, you're looking at a dead hive tyrant.. on average.

He is also dealing d3 damage rather than flat d2, which might seem worse but if you reroll a d1 result at any point, you can reliably increase the damage by at least 1.

And again, even with this scenario and discounting the CP reroll, you're investing no command points in strategems, relics or psychic powers which could be denied.

He is the cheapest way to reliably deal the most wounds on a hive tyrant.

Well actually, technically, it's only 1 CP and 47 points for the champion himself. Unless you're counting the librarian's cost, which would total to 135 points. Also, the chapter tactic is not only going to benefit the champion, it will heavily benefit my assault terminators and assault marines. So I wouldn't say it's prioritizing him. More like making use of a very cheap model to be able to kill a vast majority of characters. And actually, the champion averages more like 16 wounds. He usually hits 8 times and wounds every time.

 

Also, I am not a Black Templars player. So I will not be fielding an Emperor's Champion, or Grimaldus. I am a custom chapter guy. The champion I have built does the same thing for very little in the way of points and CP, even when compared to the Emperor's Champion.

[ThirtySixNights]

I was assuming the relic costs 1CP, unless you don't take any others?

 

But yes, it's great and does a lot. Well done. Thanks for sharing.

[Ultramarine vet]

I was assuming the relic costs 1CP, unless you don't take any others?

But yes, it's great and does a lot. Well done. Thanks for sharing.

 

I could take a second, but it wouldn't hurt me since I hoard CP. Lol. I usually field at least a brigade and a spearhead, or a brigade and a battalion. Which is a great amount to be able to spend a few on some new tricks up my sleeve. Thanks.

[BloodyB]

I admit I like this idea, using the unit exactly as it is used in the fluff with some effectiveness is always delightful. In so far as hacking space roaches apart with the Fallout™ shishkebab can be considered 'delightful'.

 

I think that if you have an assault heavy army then this is certainly a good choice for solving your bug problem. Not the most efficient, but pretty dang good. Maybe take your second tactic as either Warded or Knowledge is Power, the first can block Smite wounds and the the second can help block Smite entirely, as well as make powers more likely. Warded is probably the better pick, but the second choice can be good too.

 

If you have the CP to spare, consider upgrading the Champ to charter champ, the special relic he can take is comparable to the Burning Blade, but has 3 damage and you get 1 more attack to boot. And the other guy gets a free -1 to hit modifier! Maybe a bit CP hungry, but it gives your guy higher damage and better odds of surviving if he whiffs.

 

Just my thoughts.

[Claws and Effect]

Thought I'd share this tidit:

 

The Chapter Champion is AMAZING if run as Deathwatch.

 

All the above still applies and he gets access to a relic power sword that does not allow invuln saves. It hits for 1 damage per wound unless your target is some kind of xenos.

 

I'm looking at fielding a list with that guy and multiple xenophase blades carried by Captain and Sgts to ruin the day of any units that bank on a good invuln to stay alive.

Edited April 3, 2021 by Claws and Effect