Best melee weapons for Astartes

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

I’ve always like wolf claws .

[eternal_warrior12]

I take whatever’s available you know? One time I beat a brood lord to death with a length of rebar that had a chunk of concrete on the end. Good times

[Swordsman]

We have to see the new codex point cost, however I think that the good old power fist would fit very well with the previewed flat D2.

 

The hammer for sure have better damage, and D3 is a great bonus vs W3 models, but if the price will be too high it may don’t be the top choice.

 

With the codex we will get the full picture.

[Karhedron]

At least one rumour has had the Hammer going to 4D but apply the usual pinch of salt.

[Mandragola]

Yeah two of the datasheets in boxes have D4 thunder hammers. A third has them still at D3, and these things are full of errors so nobody knows what the end result will be. I'd be surprised by D4 personally.

 

I think the 1D weapons like chainswords, power swords and axes are good weapons for units. They kind of inevitably work well as allrounders because they get a lot of attacks, partly due to their low cost meaning you get a lot of bodies. So Chaos termies or blightlords with axes are pretty common, for example.

 

But for characters and Sergeants I think you look at the damage stat of the weapon first. You have a limited number of attacks that you're paying a lot for, and you want them all to be worthwhile. This is why the original Primaris Captain with just a power sword was so disappointing. If Thunder Hammers really become D4 then I think they'll be a no-brainer choice.

[Karhedron]

If Thunder Hammers really become D4 then I think they'll be a no-brainer choice.

Even if they stay at 40 points for Characters, they could well be worthwhile. Add in Master Crafting or Artisan of War and Smash Captains dealing 5D per hit will obliterate Knights with ease and potentially even one-shot Primarchs.

 

Standard BA Smash Captain will do 9 attacks on average, that is potentially 45 damage.

[Medicinal Carrots]

With the new codex giving lightning claws an extra attack per claw now, they are strictly the best D1 melee weapon choice. Claws average more damage than power swords, axes, and mauls against every target for any model that has 4 base attacks or less (which is anyone that can take one, barring chapter tactics or traits I'm forgetting). For anyone other than a Scout sergeant, a single claw is now more points efficient than a chainsword against any target as well. There is no reason to spend points on any other D1 power weapon for squads where lightning claws are an option (aside from aesthetics or WYSIWYG for already made models).

 

I haven't run full numbers for multi-damage weapons yet, but they're still better than D1 weapons against multi-wound targets. Among the -1 to hit weapons, my quick and dirty, inexact head estimate says to take chainfists vs vehicles, power fists vs 2 and 4 wounds, and thunder hammers agains any other multi-wound target. Grains of salt advised on this paragraph as I haven't done all the math, looked at any sort of point efficiency, or evaluated the D2 weapons with not hit penalty.