So, what's the point of assault Intercessors?

[leth]

I play desthwatch and I will 100% take them in the new edition over shooting intercessors in my kill teams. Combat squad off a 5 man melee unit will be huge for claiming objectives. 

[Mandragola]

I think there could be problems with these guys. The core issue is lacking the option for a melee weapon on the Sergeant, like normal Intercessors can have. 5 guys with chainswords can easily be less effective than 5 guys with rifles, if one of them has a thunder hammer.

 

However, they could certainly have their niche. AP-1 across the squad is going to be very helpful nearly all the time. And lots of chapters make them more effective. I think these guys are an excellent addition to a Blood Angels army for example. For an army like Imperial Fists, which does most of its damage in the shooting phase, they probably aren't too useful.

 

Even then, I could see myself bringing some. A squad with limited shooting is perhaps ideal for doing actions early on in the game - planting flags and so on. 

 

Bladeguard could be a problem for assault intercessors. I think they might be a far more effective unit.

 

Finally, if nothing else, I really like the running poses. If all else fails I can glue bolt rifles on them and have a squad of charging guys with bolt rifles. Now to choose which kind of bolt rifles...

[Ishagu]

Their value very much depends on your chapter, that's all it comes down to.

 

My Ultras probably won't be running them, but Blood Angels definitely should, as an example.

[Jorin Helm-splitter]

I think they will have a place as a budget melee escort for characters. I do think you'll want a transport for them, and even if you play a more aggressive chapter I don't think you want them to be the sole troop choice, objective secured units will be key.

[Daynga-Zone]

As a couple of others have said, they’re nice running legs for me, but I do see where assault oriented armies will like them. As DW giving up SIA shots isn’t worth it. Nice to have some good, primaris sized chainsword arms too.

[Karhedron]

Wolves and Blood Angels will certainly be able to leverage Assault Intercessors most easily. However I do feel the SM Troop slot is getting a little crowded with 6 different units to choose from. Still, the option to have a melee-orientated Troop unit is definitely nice to have.

 

Certain characters on foot will definitely benefit from having some fighty troops to ride with them as you won't necessarily be able to afford Bladeguard in every situation Ragnar Blackmane and Mephiston for example are combat beatsticks that don't need much help dicing stuff in melee but will benefit from some bodies to shield them, mince hordes alongside them and have ObjSec to hold objectives once the enemy have been driven off them.

[Brother Kraskor]

Wolves and Blood Angels will certainly be able to leverage Assault Intercessors most easily. However I do feel the SM Troop slot is getting a little crowded with 6 different units to choose from. Still, the option to have a melee-orientated Troop unit is definitely nice to have.

 

Not a bad problem to have. Could really wind up some Necron/Custodes players saying stuff like that.

 

BT will have seven (!) troop choices (although of course only one is permitted for maximum zeal points).

[Mandragola]

 

Wolves and Blood Angels will certainly be able to leverage Assault Intercessors most easily. However I do feel the SM Troop slot is getting a little crowded with 6 different units to choose from. Still, the option to have a melee-orientated Troop unit is definitely nice to have.

 

Not a bad problem to have. Could really wind up some Necron/Custodes players saying stuff like that.

 

BT will have seven (!) troop choices (although of course only one is permitted for maximum zeal points).

 

It's a terrible problem to have! I've somehow got to choose between effectively 8 different units, once you consider the 4 different kinds of intercessors we now have. Ugh.

 

The annoying thing is that I could definitely make use of these guys, even as a Crimson Fist player. I run Pedro Kantor (a bargain now at 155) and he means these guys get 5 attacks each on the charge. Having ap-1 in melee makes a real difference. It obviously sucks that they can't have thunder hammers, but if I'm fielding them alongside dreadnoughts and stuff that isn't such an issue.

 

So these are arguably a perfect complement to my stalkercessors, who can sit at home and guard objectives. Except that maybe I also want infiltrators to claim the midfield and screen out enemy reserves, or maybe it would be better to bring incursors to do the same job for fewer points. And maybe I want intercessors with auto bolt rifles, or normal ones, since I'll be on tactical doctrine lots of the time. I don't know!

[jaxom]

It all comes down to preferred play style. More troop choices means more tools to accommodate different play styles.

[Brother Kraskor]

 

The annoying thing is that I could definitely make use of these guys, even as a Crimson Fist player. I run Pedro Kantor (a bargain now at 155) and he means these guys get 5 attacks each on the charge. Having ap-1 in melee makes a real difference. It obviously sucks that they can't have thunder hammers, but if I'm fielding them alongside dreadnoughts and stuff that isn't such an issue.

 

 

I strongly suspect the sergeant will be given power weapon options when the datasheet gets incorporated into a codex. Would be bonkers for the Assault Intercessors to have fewer combat upgrades than shooty Intercessors. (I hope so anyway because I've modelled mine with a power fist!)

[jaxom]

I suspect it’s a case of requiring a multipart kit to be compatible with the chapter upgrade dories where those weapon options can be found.

[Lord Nord in Gravis Armour]

I suspect it’s a case of requiring a multipart kit to be compatible with the chapter upgrade dories where those weapon options can be found.

 

...unless they go ahead and release a chapter-independent kit with all of the weapons options on one sprue. There should be plenty of room if they get rid of the shoulder pads, heads and sparkly bits. Presumably if they have that in mind, then the arms will fit the torso of the multi-part AI sergeant as well as they fit the regular Intercessor sergeant.

 

(And hopefully said kit will come with a Plasma Pistol that's attached to an actual organic arm instead of the two augmetics we've gotten as readily-available Primaris bits so far).

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Bionics rawk !

[War Angel]

You guys know that the rules for the box are exactly what’s in the box with no divergence whatsoever..... as soon as we get a codex or standalone box, they’re going to be able to take thunderhammers..... might even just be a weapon choice for intercessors....

[Lord Nord in Gravis Armour]

Bionics rawk !

 

For Marines that have been around for longer than a century and loose change, sure.

 

For Primaris Marines, to have EVERY Hellblaster and Assault Intercessor Sergeant with a Plasma Pistol running around with a bionic arm is just embarrassing.

[MegaVolt87]

 

Bionics rawk !

 

For Marines that have been around for longer than a century and loose change, sure.

 

For Primaris Marines, to have EVERY Hellblaster and Assault Intercessor Sergeant with a Plasma Pistol running around with a bionic arm is just embarrassing.

 

 

Isn't that normal for Iron Hands though even though they are primaris? Not current on the new IH lore. 

[Dracos]

or Primaris are just really bad handling plasma weaponry ?

[Tyberos the Red Wake]

 

Bionics rawk !

 

For Marines that have been around for longer than a century and loose change, sure.

 

For Primaris Marines, to have EVERY Hellblaster and Assault Intercessor Sergeant with a Plasma Pistol running around with a bionic arm is just embarrassing.

 

 

You know, there's probably a reason bionic limbs and plasma weapons keep showing up together.

[Dracos]

 . . . like that epic scene in Astartes. Sgt was a baaaad maaaaan.

[Lord_Caerolion]

Playing devils advocate, but who's to say it's not that the bionic limbs are a precautionary measure, better able to withstand plasma backwash than a flesh-and-blood limb? "Congratulations, brother Bob! You're promoted to Sergeant, here's your power sword and plasma pistol. Now, please report to the Apothecarion to receive your new bionic arm to hold said plasma pistol. We need to take care of these relics, after all, and the smell of melted flesh just takes forever to get rid of!"

[Medjugorje]

 

Wolves and Blood Angels will certainly be able to leverage Assault Intercessors most easily. However I do feel the SM Troop slot is getting a little crowded with 6 different units to choose from. Still, the option to have a melee-orientated Troop unit is definitely nice to have.

 

Not a bad problem to have. Could really wind up some Necron/Custodes players saying stuff like that.

 

BT will have seven (!) troop choices (although of course only one is permitted for maximum zeal points).

 

for myself now there are 2 of them.

[Marshal Reinhard]

Usage of bionic limbs and plasma pistols most certainly are correlated. But there ought to be at least a few cases where, you know, it hasn't happened (yet?) At least there's the birthday captain with a normal hand holding his.

[War Angel]

Playing devils advocate, but who's to say it's not that the bionic limbs are a precautionary measure, better able to withstand plasma backwash than a flesh-and-blood limb? "Congratulations, brother Bob! You're promoted to Sergeant, here's your power sword and plasma pistol. Now, please report to the Apothecarion to receive your new bionic arm to hold said plasma pistol. We need to take care of these relics, after all, and the smell of melted flesh just takes forever to get rid of!"

Or, maybe you only get to have a plasma pistol if you’ve lost your hand?

 

“Sorry about your hand brother bob.... here, have a plasma pistol!”

[FinalCookie]

I think it's probably a given that when the full box/codex drops, the sergeant will get access to more wargear.

 

I don't know how often they will be riding in a transport, as normal intercessors will probably make better use of them; but I suspect there's a niche for them in either outflanking on turn 3 or leaping out of LoS blocking terrain in the midfield. Blood Angels, White Scars, and Space Wolves will get the most milage out of them.

[Brother Kraskor]

I think it's probably a given that when the full box/codex drops, the sergeant will get access to more wargear.

 

I don't know how often they will be riding in a transport, as normal intercessors will probably make better use of them; but I suspect there's a niche for them in either outflanking on turn 3 or leaping out of LoS blocking terrain in the midfield. Blood Angels, White Scars, and Space Wolves will get the most milage out of them.

 

BT have a strat that allows them to get into combat regardless of what they've done up until then (transport, advance, anything) so we will be making use of them in Impulsors I suspect! No charge though so enemy will have the chance to strike first if there's no Judicar around.