Honoured Sergeant revisited with 9th

[Captain Idaho]

Let's revisit the Strategum Honoured Sergeant alongside the latest Codex rules.

 

With the additional wounds Firstborn received, as well the boosts to weapons, spending a Command Point on Honoured Sergeant isn't as wasteful or risky.

 

So I'm just going to mention my thoughts on the options and who they work well with:

 

Mastercrafted

 

This one is very interesting, with so many options. Hellblaster Sergeants with a Heavy Plasma Incinerator is something that leaps out at me. The unit he'd be in would operate far from the frontlines by preference and putting 4 damage on targets at range, or 3 without overcharging, leaps out at me as astonishing.

 

Terminator Sergeants are minor characters in their own right, now. They have 3 wounds which is the equivalent of support characters in the likes of Astra Militarum armies. Having a Volkite Charger with D3 or Plasma Blaster with D2 (with Overcharging capacity) makes the Relic version truly different, while an Assault Terminator Sergeant is going to scare folk quite a bit with his damage 4 Thunder Hammer.

 

For that matter, a Vanguard Sergeant with Relic Blade gets boosted up to damage 3 which is something special. Though I imagine you'd give that to a Captain with Relic Blade if you can.

 

An Eliminator Sergeant with Damage 4 Lasfusil could be decent, as could his sniper shots, with this Relic.

 

Other choices are still interesting but these seem to stand out to me really. Eradicators are already killing targets without the +1 damage to a single model, for example. Centurions have expensive heavy weapons already though a D3 Grav Cannon could be interesting as well the benefit to their other weapons, but the points investment is already significant.

 

Sunwrath Pistol

 

I like this bit of kit, despite folk generally hating pistol Relics. It's powerful and plenty of units can benefit from their Sergeant NOT killing himself with it! Bladeguard and Vanguard Veterans seem to be the most likely candidates to see this on their Sergeants, as could be Company Veterans. Anyone else is probably being a little indulgent though.

 

Digital Weapons

 

If you have a free CP in your planning, causing an extra Mortal Wound for free is fairly useful. I imagine this will end up on something frontline when you've already used Mastercrafted.

 

Hellfury Bolts

 

A solid choice in theory but only for a model firing a 1 damage bolter most of the time, so for Sergeants this is fairly limited.

[Swordsman]

Very good points.

 

Sunwrath is a solid choice for a bladeguard sergeant, for sure I will give it a try.

 

About the hellblaster, I think a very good setup could be a master crafted assault plasma incinerator.

I usually use a 5 man assault hellblaster squad on an impulsor, and the idea of master crafting the sergeant weapon sounds pretty strong.

 

The same could be done for plasma inceptor.

[_Valten_]

Nice topic. I really like the sunwrath pistol on an Intercessor Sergeant to be honest. With the change to the Rapid Fire strategem you could pop 4 high strength D2 shots a turn. With them being Core you’d also benefit from any rerolls from supporting characters.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

I have used master crafted on a thunder hammer for an Intercessor sergeant - he took down Trajann on full wounds one time. It’s no joke and can catch people out.

[Captain Idaho]

Ooo never thought of Rapid Fire on the Intercessors using the Sunwrath Pistol. Nasty.

 

Regarding Plasma Inceptors, same as Centurions, they have paired weapons so Mastercrafted only works on 1 of those weapons.

 

Otherwise, those Heavy Bolters on a Centurion Sergeant would be horrific! Still good on a Grav Cannon of course.

[Kallas]

Fun fact, you can Master-craft a Relic Blade - so you can have a Vanguard Veteran Sergeant with S7/-3/3D and a Storm Shield.

[Prot]

Thanks for this Idaho, and some great suggestions above.

 

I honestly never use this. I think the main reason I don't is two fold - for experimental reasons my lists change far too much from game to game. And I honestly never did a deep dive on this strat, so it's great to see some really cool ideas.

 

For me, I'm eyeing up the Hellblaster Mastercraft simply because I don't ever use them now (honestly probably still won't). 

 

Some great ideas. 

[Danosborne]

I run a squad of veteran intercessors with chainswords and heavy bolt pistols, the sergeant (Chad Hogan) is never without the sunwrath pistol, it was a reward for his performance in the first battle where I fielded him and he tanked a whole bunch of demon engines and a demon prince and survived the battle. What a guy.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

I typically use master crafted for my smash captain but I’m interested in that pistole for sure now .

[Captain Idaho]

It's a cool pistol. S8 and 2 shots at D2 is substantial.

 

Mastercrafted is hard to move away from characters for sure. I used to like it on the Hurricane Bolters of a Centurion Sergeant but since it can no longer double tap up to 24" it becomes much less impressive.

[UnkyHamHam]

I always liked to put the hellfury bolt onto my Sternguard sarge. He's got a 30" bolter so it can reach out and touch. It's also only damage 1 and at most 2 shots, so the opportunity cost is low compared to storm bolters or auto bolt rifles where you'd lose more shots. And since Sternguard can bring all manner of combi weapons, you don't feel like you're wasting a combi shot or forcing the -1 on the hellfury bolt by firing both combi components, like you would on a Tac Sergeant.

 

I also think the Hellfury bolt has merit on an Infiltrator or Incursor Sergeant for similar reasons. Maybe it will become a solid pick on Heavy Intercessor Sergeants as well. You can combo it with Hellfire on the squad Heavy Bolter as well to dish out more mortal wounds.

 

Call me a glutton for punishment, but I have fielded Digital Weapons on both my Assault Squad Sarge and Reiver Sarge at different points. Sort of used the extra MW as a melee threat bandaid to give them a bit more punch. I wouldn't say I've ever had "success" with that strategy, but I don't blame the Digital Weapons as much as I blame the Squads being poor choices.

 

Edit: I forgot to mention Eliminator Sergeants with Instigator Bolt Carbines for a Hellfury bolt option. I think that's a valid choice with low opportunity cost. You get the utility of the Carbine special rule, but can still maintain some lethality after giving up you Bolt Sniper Rifle. Plus BS 2+!

Edited October 28, 2020 by UnkyHamHam

[Prot]

That Sunwrath Pistol really is intriguing. It can be quite the finisher after an assault if timed right. Imbedded in an Assault Intercessor squad, the following turn it can potentially pop a vehicle, or tougher character.  Rapid Fire Intercessors is definitely worth a look too (since they're in all my lists anyway.)

[jonjacob]

I did a lot of thinking about these when modeling vanguard and sternguard.

 

Then I thought of the more obscure options like assault marines. If the Eviscerator was made better then master crafting it could have been good, shame really.

 

Lightning claw could be a nice option. I do like seeing one damage weapons going to a cheeky two.

 

Hellfury bolts would be good for a combi wielding sergant.

[Guiltysparc]

I have used master crafted on a thunder hammer for an Intercessor sergeant - he took down Trajann on full wounds one time. It’s no joke and can catch people out.

The TH intercessor sargent is like the spanish inquisition, unexpected and devestating. I had an ork wartrike charge in on a unit of intercessors, killing everything except leaving 1 wound left on the sargent. The sargent killed him in another round and a half. Admittedly, I had some lucky saving throws I'm his next turn, but it was awesome none the less.