Sword brethren loadout

[War of the Eagle]

So with sword bretherin being Vet Intercessors with the addition of severely limited power weapon options, I don't think they stack up vs Bladeguard as well as I had hoped.

Other than the explanation that the box only comes with 1 of each power weapon, it seams daft to limit every 5 to one selection of each (power swords exempt). The only reason to take them over blade guard would be to take a squad of 5x lightning claws or thunder hammers. And while I love the look of power mauls, no one has ever said they are a superior option to power swords, so why cant I rock 5?

They do get to ignore passions, and can be brought in weird numbered 4man squads if you want tho.

Well I plan to have 1 squad for fun, how would you run them?

Edited October 10, 2021 by Acebaur

[Sete]

I think they are flexible veterans that can be used accordingly. They can easily grab objectives with the strat for example and used as a linchpin to hold other units to avoid the passions on the Crusader squads for example. I think they are extremely flexible unit, and will have their tactical uses.

[Marshal Mattias]

Agreed - they aren't an obvious auto-include for every list, but I think there is a wealth of potential here. It's gonna take some time with the codex to unlock them, but this is definitely a good topic for deeper discussion.

 

Maybe the thread title could be a little more constructive so as to match your post, like:

"Sword Brethren Tactica Discussion" for example?

[BitsHammer]

I think they are flexible veterans that can be used accordingly. They can easily grab objectives with the strat for example and used as a linchpin to hold other units to avoid the passions on the Crusader squads for example. I think they are extremely flexible unit, and will have their tactical uses.

To follow up on this I think the optimal build will be to take all chainswords or power swords and one to two of a specific weapon option based on what you need them to flex into. T3 horde clearing? Chainswords and lighting claws. Orks? Chainswords and Power Mauls. Power Armour? Power Swords and Power Axes. Season with pistol options to taste.

 

Basically they have tools for any meta but we'll definitely be leaning one way or the other with them if they're used.

[T14]

They are essentially veteran intercessor assault squads with better (if somewhat quirky) availability of weapon upgrades.  Small squads would be great as first movers to mitigate the unwieldiness of AAC, while 10 man squads could be tooled up to be hammers to the BGV anvil.

 

I will need to magnetize mine somehow. Their optimum loadouts will vary wildly depending on your list build and what opponent you are facing.

And my firstborn SBs will need jump packs to become Vanguard vets.

[redmapa]

The load out sucks but you can make it work, I think all powerr swords in a 5 man squad or 2 lighting claws in a 10 man will be the best loadout.

 

I agree with T14 and my initial opinion regarding BGV vs SB, they achieve different rols and taking both isnt expensive in points so you can plant the BGV on objectives and perform actions and throw your SB into the fray. They have a purpose but they arent THE solution to every problem.

[Medjugorje]

oh no .

 

 

#Most people are disappointed because they thought (as I did) they would be BGV like. But in reality they are better Intercessors. 

- More attacks, no passions and cheap.

- you can use them to do actions ( 4 models as cheap unit)

- you still have the option for obsec on this unit because the stratagem which does it IS AWESOME

 

and as redmapa said: loadout is the only thing which is bad.

Edited October 9, 2021 by Medjugorje

[General Strike]

This book is great, and I need to just tool my Sword Brothers to do what I want. I might get a second box and convert them into proper BVG anyway.

 

Edit: wrong thread.

Edited October 9, 2021 by General Strike

[Blindhamster]

I think they sound cool tbh, they’re more or less what I think veteran intercessors should have been

[War of the Eagle]

Changed the title to be a bit less negitive. I am happy to have options. But im not a big fan of rolling 5 differant attacks in melee. The Strat that give them exploding 6s is nice for them tho.

[9x19 Parabellum]

I think give them chainswords for the most part and keep them cheap.  Don't try to make them BGV; they are not that. They won't have the durability of BGV.  Do we know if they can do double chainswords?  If so I think that would be the best loadout. 3 attacks base + 2 chainsword + 1 shock assault attack for premier blender unit.  This would be a great use/loadout for an army building around AAC, as they'll be able to fall back, if for example, your opponent tries to tarpit with you something like a rhino or vehicle for which chainswords will be useless.

 

I think they (GW) missed a design opportunity if they wanted the 'diverse weapon load' aesthetic to be on the table. They should have done something like holy trinity for SoB.  "Fury of Arms: If this unit contains at least 1 power axe, 1 power sword, 1 chainsword and 1 power maul, and all models attack the same unit, then every model equipped with one of those weapons can re-roll failed 'to-hit' rolls."

Edited October 9, 2021 by 9x19 Parabellum

[redmapa]

You can also have a 5 man squad with a hammer and the relic sword on the squad leader (if they have one) to get two D3 weapons or three in a 10 man squad. Its not great but a bit of help to nudge the squad in a certain direction.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Do they have 2 or 3 wounds per model?

[Hidenheart]

Do they have 2 or 3 wounds per model?

Two wounds per model.

Edited October 9, 2021 by Hidenheart

[Vanger]

Think of them as chainsword toting maniac ablative wounds for your special weapon of choice wielding Relic Bearing Champion of the Feast.murdermachine.

Edited October 9, 2021 by Vanger

[templargdt]

Have the rules spilled somewhere? How do people know what they can do now?

[ChargingSoll]

Have the rules spilled somewhere? How do people know what they can do now?

Codex reviews are out now and some sellers have gotten the box early.

[T14]

Have the rules spilled somewhere? How do people know what they can do now?

Some reviewers are leafing through the book on camera. HD resolution, pause function and squinting furiously at the screen FTW.

The youtube channel "Mob Rules" might be interesting to find

[BitsHammer]

 

 

Have the rules spilled somewhere? How do people know what they can do now?

Some reviewers are leafing through the book on camera. HD resolution, pause function and squinting furiously at the screen FTW.

The youtube channel "Mob Rules" might be interesting to find

Yeah of the "man reads book" reviews they give the best page views.

[Orange Knight]

I don't strictly belong in this part of the forum as I'm not a Black Templar player (very tempted to jump on the bandwagon), but I'm wrapped up in the excitement of the release so I've chosen to comment.

 

I've seen a lot of discussion regarding the Sword Brethren, and some misconception that are perhaps leading to disappointment.

 

I think the unit is excellent, particularly in the context of this army. They are very cheap for what they bring to the table.

 

You can equip the entire unit with power swords for the low cost of 25 points per model. A unit of 10 will have 40 attacks on the charge at Str 5 before any auras or special abilities are added to the mix. That's very impressive for a squad that costs 250 points in total, and can be given all sorts of additional synergies and abilities such as objective secured, an invul and a FNP, additional attacks and strength, etc etc

 

The more exotic weapons are upgrades to the squad that would perhaps be more useful in an MSU playstyle that uses the unit as a cheap vehicle for a hard hitting veteran, but I'm convinced they are best kept cheap as a unit that will dispatch general infantry and even other Astartes through the volume of attacks.

[jaxom]

 

I think they are flexible veterans that can be used accordingly. They can easily grab objectives with the strat for example and used as a linchpin to hold other units to avoid the passions on the Crusader squads for example. I think they are extremely flexible unit, and will have their tactical uses.

To follow up on this I think the optimal build will be to take all chainswords or power swords and one to two of a specific weapon option based on what you need them to flex into. T3 horde clearing? Chainswords and lighting claws. Orks? Chainswords and Power Mauls. Power Armour? Power Swords and Power Axes. Season with pistol options to taste.

 

Basically they have tools for any meta but we'll definitely be leaning one way or the other with them if they're used.

 

 

That was my thinking, particularly pyre pistols, chainswords and lightning claws for clearing chaff. Especially with the strat to give the pyre pistols Blast.

[Marshal Loss]

Weapon restrictions aside (which sadly seems par for the course these days), they're only disappointing if you were expecting them to just be better BGV/BGV equivalents. When kept cheap they still pack a lot of punch and will nicely slot in as one of a multitude of CC threats simultaneously rushing up the board, and we've got obsec for 1CP in the toolkit if required.

 

It's very tempting to throw in a crazy array of weapons just for the rule of cool but I think that way disappointment lies.

[T14]

A five man "variety is the spice of life" squad with hammer, claws, maul, axe and sword is only 12 points more than an all Powersword variant.

Is it optimized? Not really.

Is it flexible? Oh Yes.

Does it make Sigismund Salivate? You know it does, Brother! (especially when doubled in size)

 

Leave the gun upgrades at home and this thing will behave admirably against most things that are not chaff

[Marshal Valkenhayn]

A squad of 10 of these guys is an Ork and DG murdering machine. BGV are still better for holding down objectives and being a killy roadblock, but their damage 2 is wasted against things like Plague Marines or Ork boyz. 25 points per model gives you power swords on a unit that can hammer out attacks at an easy 4 AP, which you could also make explode on 6+ to hit or do mortal wounds on 6+ to wound, or even auto wound on 6+ to hit depending on how you stack your buffs. That is insanely efficient for dealing with anything T5, and the game has gotten a bunch of those recently.

[L30n1d4s]

Agree with Marshal Valkenhyne.... if you add in Helbrecht for +1S (bringing them up to S6, which is so good against Orks, Admech, Drukhari, Gravis Marines, Death Guard, Custodes, etc.) and also full rerolls to hit, then they become "super blenders" against anything that is not T7 or above.

 

10 Sword Brethren with Helbrecht and Grimaldus (6+++ and 3+D3 Advance auras, plus multiple Litanies to further support them) make a great "second wave"/counter Assault unit for a Black Tide style list.

Edited October 9, 2021 by L30n1d4s