Best Primaris Captain for a backline Chapter Master?

[Scrapknight]

Hi all! I'm building up an Ultramarines successor Space Marine list and one of the things I want to eventually get is a Captain to serve as a Chapter Master to buff my gunline. He'll be working alongside a Chaplain at minimum and mostly be buffing ~20 intercessors, a couple of dreadnoughts, a couple squads of eradicators and so on. I want to keep all my army Primaris if at all possible. So, which Primaris captain profile would be good for this role? I was looking at the Indomitus one since he's a) cheap and b) pretty darn hard to kill, but the Gravis captains could also be good. If you guys have any suggestions, I'd really appreciate it. Thanks!

[CCE1981]

With everything you plan on buffing I think that you need the Vox Espiritum forcing you into a Primaris type. That extra 3” range will allow your gunline to spread out more. That being said, I don’t believe any gun is going to add that much to your firepower. I would say go ham on the Support role. A Captain in Phobos Armor would increase that role, and be a bit harder to kill with his camo cloak, and a weapon that will help remove buffing Characters.

 

Forgot about his 12” deep strike denial as well.

Edited June 19, 2021 by CCE1981

[TheNewman]

Phobos captain also lets you take the Infiltrators with their vox array and benefit from his reroll wherever they're standing from a "get everything into the buffing aura" perspective. His bespoke warlord traits only help Phobos units but Eliminators did just get a significant point reduction.

[The Unseen]

The one with the heavy rifle in gravis is pretty good, pretty much a heavy intercessor captain. Gun at least does something, and he has a master-crafted power sword for close work. The Indomitus one is also good, and is very tough, but will contribute basically nothing at range.

[Scrapknight]

Thanks! Yeah those were both ones that stuck out to me. 

 

The Phobos captain does seem quite good, especially since I'm taking a couple of squads of Infiltrators to hold objectives (that can also be redeployed!) The only problem with the Vox Espiritum is that right now it's on my Chief Apothecary. Thoughts on who should get it?

 

I really like the Gravis captain with bolt rifle model and it feels more in character with what I want my chapter to be like lore-wise, but I do kinda see how being plus or minus one gun doesn't make a giant difference. How big a problem do you think his slower movement would be? I don't really plan on having a lot of other Gravis foot-slogging troops, only really a squad of Aggressors (since they come in every useful Combat Patrol, mostly lol.) 

 

Again, really appreciate the tips guys :)

[The Unseen]

If I had infiltrators I would definitely bring the Phobos one just because giving them rerolls from anywhere on the table is probably worth more than a single gun, even if it is a good gun that hits on 2's.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

I’d go with a smash captain and the 3++ relic plus a jump pack. Captains are great fighters so might as well take advantage.

[CCE1981]

The increase of foot print of 6”+ 3” is much bigger than the increase of footprint of 3” + 3”. It sounds like you have a large gun line, the re-roll 1s to hit I think will help you more than a 6++. Just keep your Chief Librarian closer to you counter attack unit. You Apothecary, if you take only one, should get better armor to increase his survivability.

 

Since this guy is your Chapter Master you can take Black Blow Fly’s Suggestion and make a Smash Captain as well. Just have him supporting your counter attack unit. Vanguard Veterans and Plasma Inceptors are still really good for their now increased price.

[Scrapknight]

Makes a lot of sense. I wish they'd just make more Primaris HQ models with jump packs and bikes already!

 

Luckily, I will have a fair few plasma Inceptors, though as an Ultramarines successor I'll have Master Artisans and the strategem that lets them reroll 1s so they can operate more independently regardless. That much melee power on the Captain is hard to deny though. I think at that point things get into more of a general listbuilding question, but all good things to consider! Thanks!

[Karhedron]

The quite like the Gravis Heavy Bolt Rifle version. T5 7W is pretty tanky, even without further upgrades. He can survives failing a couple of invulnerable saves against 3D weapons like Thunder Hammers and still hit back while waiting for your Apothecary to patch him up. Edited June 19, 2021 by Karhedron

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

Gravis w/MC HVY bolt rifle, and the armor indomitus and iron resolve

That gives him T6, and I believe 9W with an invulnerable save, with an FNP save.

 

So you're looking at T6 9W 2+ 4++ 6+++ getting rid of him won't be easy

Edited June 19, 2021 by Inquisitor_Lensoven

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

I would give him the burning blade and imperium sword.