Best Elite Squad Killer

[L30n1d4s]

So, throwing it out to the Frater here, what character has been your best elite unit killer... anyone have a particular character build that can just go "solo" multiple squads of elite units by himself throughout the game?

 

 

By elite units, I mean things with strong durability (i.e. numerous wounds, solid Invuls, etc.), potent hitting power, the option to be buffed up so they can hit even harder (so, usually meaning "Core"), and typically, more expensive than their "normal" infantry counterparts. Units like Bladeguard Veterans, Gravis squads, Deathwing Terminators, DG Terminators (both types), Lychguard, Mega Nobz, Crises Suits, Possessed, Obliterators, Celestial Sacrosants, Storm Shield Vanguard Vets, Thunderwolf Cavalry, Custodes (all types), etc. etc.

 

 

Right now, one of my top picks for this is the Dark Angel Interrogator Chaplain: with upgrade to Master of Sanctity, a Jump Pack for mobility, chainsword (replaced by Teeth of Terra relic), and the Wise Orator/Knight of Caliban WL Traits, this guy does the business!

 

 

With just the Mantra of Strength and Litany of Hate prayers activated, he has 9 x S6 AP-2 Dmg3 attacks on the charge, with any attacks against infantry/bikers auto-wounding on a 2+ (thanks to Knight of Caliban) and full re-rolls to hit at WS2+... against a squad of Bladeguard Veterans, that an average of 8-9 hits, 7-8 wounds, and 3-4 dead Bladeguard, just from him. Similarly, he will go through Custodes or Terminators or Crises Suits quite handily, since he can put out such a high volume of Dmg3 attacks that still wound on 2+s. He also is brutal against infantry/biker characters, with every failed save pushing though 3 Dmg and so many reliable wounds that he can dish out.

 

 

But, enough about that! What about the rest of you... what Astartes characters have proven to be one man armies for you in recent (or even not so recent) games?

Edited July 6, 2021 by L30n1d4s

[XeonDragon]

I've only run him once, but I have a captain with jump pack modelled with a sword and chainsword. I ran him with a relic blade and teeth of terra, with the Imperium's Sword WL trait. 5 attacks on the charge with the sword (4 + 1 for shock assault) and 4 with the Teeth of Terra (1 from the Imperium's sword + 3 from Teeth of Terra).

 

That was 5 S8, AP-3, D2 and 4 S5, AP-2, D2 attacks. I found that really good at mincing a small squad of VGV, a Chaplain and he then got 2 of 3 BGV gone before succumbing to the counter offensive. 

 

I plan to run him again :) 

[L30n1d4s]

Sounds like a great build! What Chapter were you playing? (i.e. if you were playing something like White Scars, then you might be able to get even more attacks with Chogorian Storm as a 2nd WL Trait and you also go up to Dmg3 once you get into the Assault Doctrine).

 

One question, why not just put all the attacks on the Relic Blade (except the 3 that come from the Teeth of Terra), since the S8 AP-3 of the Relic Blade is better than the S6 AP-2 of Teeth of Terra in pretty much any instance?

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Mine is an Iron Hand Chapter Master on a bike…

 

WLT: 5+++ (Iron Hands)

Relic: Angel’s Artifice

Thunderhammer & Stormshield

 

So with Might of Heroes -> S9/T7/7W/1+ Armor Save/4++/5+++/6A

 

He can give himself the rerolls and with two stratagems for 2 CP he is +1 to hit and exploding wounds on 6s. Very resilient and wounding on 3+ at worst.

[L30n1d4s]

Wow, another great build!

 

If you have the CP to spare, have you thought about adding Imperium's Sword WL Trait into the mix?

 

Getting rerolls on charges, +1S (so S10 with Might of Heroes... wounding all those T5 units on 2+s), and +1A (so 7 attacks on the charge, with Might of Heroes active)?

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

I actually do take another WLT but it’s Master of the Codex to farm CP. Imperium’s Sword is very tempting though. One thing to think about versus say SM is to try to fish out the Transhuman strat before he charges… it’s so annoying.

[XeonDragon]

Sounds like a great build! What Chapter were you playing? (i.e. if you were playing something like White Scars, then you might be able to get even more attacks with Chogorian Storm as a 2nd WL Trait and you also go up to Dmg3 once you get into the Assault Doctrine).

 

One question, why not just put all the attacks on the Relic Blade (except the 3 that come from the Teeth of Terra), since the S8 AP-3 of the Relic Blade is better than the S6 AP-2 of Teeth of Terra in pretty much any instance?

 

Raven Guard successor. As for your question, whilst the relic blade is better, the extra attacks of the TOT make up for it (a bit like how with auto bolt rifles on intercessors the volume of shots make it superior to the rapid fire rifle). 

 

To demonstrate, 6 attacks with the relic blade at s8, ap-3, D2 does 6.944 (MEQ), 5.556 (GRAVEQ), 5.556 (TEQ and VEQ), 3.333 (KEQ) and against t4, 2+, 4++ characters, 4.167 unsaved wounds. You could master craft it, lift it to D3 and it becomes 10.4 (MEQ), 8.333 (GRAVEQ, TEQ and VEQ), 5 (KEQ) and and against t4, 2+, 4++ characters, 6.125

 

With the TOT/Relic blade set up going 5 with the blade and 4 with the TOT you get 7.268 (MEQ),  5.741 (GRAVEQ and TEQ), 5.371 (VEQ), 3.519 (KEQ) and against t4, 2+, 4++ characters, 4.583. Remember, as RG successor I get +1 to hit and wound vs characters, so that lifts the TOT contribution moreso than the relic blade. Blood Angels get that all the time, so whilst I haven't done the mathhammer on it, my gut tells me that +1 to wound would really life the TOT damage as the relic blade is already wounding many targets on 2s and 3s.   

 

So the twin-weapon set-up is superior against the normal relic blade. If the relic blade is master-crafted (so D3), then that is superior to the twin-weapon set-up and opens up the possibility of taking a storm shield for survivability. I run RG successors with whirlwind of rage, so I think that the twin set-up with 9 attacks might, over the game, be even closer to the MC-relic blade due to additional attack opportunities. 

 

The MC-relic blade and storm shield would cost 1CP (for MC) + 20 points for the shield and blade. The twin set-up would cost 1CP for the TOT and 10 points for the blade. So, I suppose if points are really, really tight, the twin weapon set up could be neat. Finally, whilst I didn't model it, one advantage the twin weapon set up would have is being able to cut through screens (GEQ type targets) with improved efficiency by allocating more attacks to the TOT. Great for hordes, which might become a think in the near future.

 

If I get some time, I'll mathhammer out the power fist and thunder hammer + TOT set up, see how it compares to the above

Edited July 6, 2021 by XeonDragon

[L30n1d4s]

XeonDragon,

 

Great points all around there. However, I wasn't suggesting dropping the Teeth of Terra, instead just put all "base" attacks into the Relic Blade (i.e. 4 from the CM profile, 1 from charging, 1 from Imperium Sword, for 6A total on the Relic Blade), then using the additional 3A from the ToT on top of that (so 9A total, just 3 with the weaker ToT profile of S6 AP-2)?

 

Hopefully that clarifies my query a little ;)

[L30n1d4s]

Black Blow Fly,

 

Yes, I agree, it would be hard to give up extra CP for the army, especially since it gives you options for the whole force.

 

WRT teasing out Transhuman early, there is probably an art to it, but if you make him use it on 6+ model units, that is 2 CP a pop, which gets expensive real quick, so making him use it on large squads can be a win in and of itself, I think.

[War of the Eagle]

Im weird but I enjoy using a Chapter Champion with Imperiums sword and Sword of triumph. Pretty cheep charicter that hits on 2s, wounds most things on 2s or 3s. Rerolls failed wounds and can fight first occasionally. 7 attacks at 3 damage can slay some elite infantry like terminators, gravis and of course charicters.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Black Blow Fly,

 

Yes, I agree, it would be hard to give up extra CP for the army, especially since it gives you options for the whole force.

 

WRT teasing out Transhuman early, there is probably an art to it, but if you make him use it on 6+ model units, that is 2 CP a pop, which gets expensive real quick, so making him use it on large squads can be a win in and of itself, I think.

I try to use him as a bully when possible taking out smaller squads and keeping him relatively safe but yeah sometimes he has to dive right into the thick of it.

[XeonDragon]

XeonDragon,

 

Great points all around there. However, I wasn't suggesting dropping the Teeth of Terra, instead just put all "base" attacks into the Relic Blade (i.e. 4 from the CM profile, 1 from charging, 1 from Imperium Sword, for 6A total on the Relic Blade), then using the additional 3A from the ToT on top of that (so 9A total, just 3 with the weaker ToT profile of S6 AP-2)?

 

Hopefully that clarifies my query a little

 Ah... understood. Yeah, that is part of the attraction - can min/max attacks with each weapon according to the target :)

[Kallas]

Im weird but I enjoy using a Chapter Champion with Imperiums sword and Sword of triumph. Pretty cheep charicter that hits on 2s, wounds most things on 2s or 3s. Rerolls failed wounds and can fight first occasionally. 7 attacks at 3 damage can slay some elite infantry like terminators, gravis and of course charicters.

 

I also very much like the Chapter Champion with Imperium's Sword and Sword of Triumph. Cheap (aside from the Relic/WLT) and very cheerful character that can lay a proper beatdown.

[Captain Idaho]

I took the following:

 

Terminator Captain with

• Thunder Hammer

• Storm Shield

• The Imperium's Sword

• The Censured Helm.

 

Dude solo'd a unit of Thunder Wolf cavalry and then did for a Wolf Lord on Thunder Wolf the turn after, more than earning the MVP award. He gets 6 attacks on the charge and with an effective 2+ reroll to hit and wound against Marines up to T8 (T10 when charging); he's a beast that also smash other races and factions through virtue of a decent statline and some rerolls.

 

When it comes to Elites, this is my boy and he'll do a number on most targets. His weakest performance is likely Custodes, but even then will pulp 1 with each failed save so is still pretty decent.

[L30n1d4s]

War of the Eagle and Kallas,

 

That is a great point about the Chapter Champion... a cheap, highly effective, dangerous combatant like that is quite effective, especially if it can be used to "trade up" during the game.

 

 

Capt Idaho,

 

I quite like your Terminator Captain build, the Censured Helm is definitely underrated, especially now that characters are not Core/cannot buff themselves with re-rolls to hit and to wound.

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

Based on stats and strat support I'd say BGV, and inceptors are the best for killing the units you describe

[Captain Idaho]

I'd add Assault Terminators to that list too, since they're armed with Thunder Hammers and have a 1+ save essentially.