Calgar rules

[Captain Idaho]

 ...Doyle and Calgar rule!

 

Dated pop culture references aside, let's talk about Calgar. I personally feel it's a mixed bag here.

 

He comes with his Victrix Guard, not a surprise seeing as they're a single boxed set. Essentially an extra couple bodyguards who have decent attacks.

 

Calgar has lost attacks and wounds, but as he comes with the Victrix Guard, the association with them is probably included regarding people's consideration.

 

To be fair, even with less attacks than the previous edition, he's far more dangerous simply because he has a flat 3 damage.

 

He certainly can't be killed easily if he's hiding in a unit. The unit in question if a death star type play is likely to be Bladeguard, so they won't die quite as easily as some of the Gravis alternatives. 

 

I do find his place in the army to be dubious outside specific builds just for him, though. In much the same way as a Star Dragon in a High Elf list of old, I suspect the plays around him would have to be specific to the death star aspect of him.

 

Thanks to Rites of Battle, other Captains actually end up generating more Command Points in comparison to Calgar, thanks to this ability costing a Strategum zero. 

 

You see, a Captain can use a Strategum for no cost, even if it has already been used that turn. This is bigger than a single Command Point being generated as it means you can use a 2 Command Point Strategum for free and double up on units using them for added benefit.

 

What's more, a generic Captain can join units that Calgar might not be able to. As an example, you might want a Jump Pack or Biker Captain, or a Terminator Captain. Points on characters you don't need will be limited by who is joining what unit, so I imagine the amazing potential of Chaplains will take over much of the focus of many armies particularly for melee.

 

Calgar is certainly going to cost more than the equivalent Captains who might join a Bladeguard squad or Aggressors squad which means you have to ask yourself; is the increased combat potential of Damage 3 weapons and a couple extra Victrix Guard better than a superior leader who still kicks Xenos and heretic tail?

[Tacitus]

18 hours ago, Captain Idaho said:

 ...Doyle and Calgar rule!

 

Dated pop culture references aside, let's talk about Calgar. I personally feel it's a mixed bag here.

 

He comes with his Victrix Guard, not a surprise seeing as they're a single boxed set. Essentially an extra couple bodyguards who have decent attacks.

 

Calgar has lost attacks and wounds, but as he comes with the Victrix Guard, the association with them is probably included regarding people's consideration.

 

To be fair, even with less attacks than the previous edition, he's far more dangerous simply because he has a flat 3 damage.

 

He certainly can't be killed easily if he's hiding in a unit. The unit in question if a death star type play is likely to be Bladeguard, so they won't die quite as easily as some of the Gravis alternatives. 

 

I do find his place in the army to be dubious outside specific builds just for him, though. In much the same way as a Star Dragon in a High Elf list of old, I suspect the plays around him would have to be specific to the death star aspect of him.

 

Thanks to Rites of Battle, other Captains actually end up generating more Command Points in comparison to Calgar, thanks to this ability costing a Strategum zero. 

 

You see, a Captain can use a Strategum for no cost, even if it has already been used that turn. This is bigger than a single Command Point being generated as it means you can use a 2 Command Point Strategum for free and double up on units using them for added benefit.

 

What's more, a generic Captain can join units that Calgar might not be able to. As an example, you might want a Jump Pack or Biker Captain, or a Terminator Captain. Points on characters you don't need will be limited by who is joining what unit, so I imagine the amazing potential of Chaplains will take over much of the focus of many armies particularly for melee.

 

Calgar is certainly going to cost more than the equivalent Captains who might join a Bladeguard squad or Aggressors squad which means you have to ask yourself; is the increased combat potential of Damage 3 weapons and a couple extra Victrix Guard better than a superior leader who still kicks Xenos and heretic tail?

The difference between 1 CP per Your-Command Phase, and 1 CP Free Strat per Battle Round is likely to be very small (most games probably nil) as there's currently only one 2CP Cost Strat that hopefully won't be used often - and I'd be far more likely to use one of the mainstay freebies for cost than the 2CP one anyway.  The real benefit is the generic Captain can Repeat, while Calgar cannot.  One can hope that GW rewrites that, just like I hope all the Primarchs will no longer have to choose One from their list.  Bigger/Better Models should have more bespokedness. 

 

That was always one of the things I thought they did best with the Chaos Primarchs.  Any given Captain might have one Warlord Trait that is exemplar of their Legion.  The Primarch had them all because each of those captains was just one facet of the Primarch.   Continuing that, I hope the Captains get Rites, the Chapter Masters get Rites +  (Say a Freebie Repeat and 1 CP per turn) while the Primarch gets Rites++ and I don't know what that is maybe Rites, 1 CP per turn, and Repeat as many Strats as you want not just through Rites - that's probably way over the top but it gives you an idea of what I mean. 

 

 

I suspect Calgar is going to FEEL like he took a huge price hike, but it'll be sticker shock over the two Victrix who are no longer optional.  He was what about a buck fifty last edition?  I bet he's closer to 250 this time around. 

 

[Captain Idaho]

Well 2 Command Point Strategums includes Heroic Intervention and Counter Offensive as well, but yes the ability to double dip on a Strategum is immensely powerful. Both those things combined makes Calgar just not quite as good in my view, unless you go for a Deathstar and get the Land Raider out as well.

[Tacitus]

I was wrong, he gets the two Victrix at a discount - sort of.  It looks like all LEADER characters took between a minor and major price drop.  Guilliman went way up, but that was somewhat expected based in his combat changes. 

 

I think the difference between Calgar's abilities and a captain is going to be relatively small - pretty much just the double up, but that means you use his first when you can - i.e. only Reactionary-Opponent-turn strats will be tough to use on his unit if your opponent is able to draw them out on the other units first. 

[Lord_Ikka]

A 6-man Bladeguard squad with Calgar and his Victrix along with a Bladeguard Ancient is 460 points (my choice to run them, though just 405 without the Ancient or 480 with a Primaris LT if you're looking for Lethal Hits). If you want to transport them the cheapest way is a 195 point Repulsor. Definitely not the worst way to spend a quarter of your points, but I don't know if it will be the best way in the Gladius Detachment. Right now only getting 2 CP per turn (1 in each Command Phase) doesn't look too bad if you have a Captain to shrug off one use of a strat, but further down the line it might be useful to get 3CP with different Detachments bringing the possibility of new strats into play. I think Calgar offers durability and straight killing power over just a Captain, as well as Advance/Charge, which if he's foot-slogging could be well worth it. Going to have to play it out a bit to see.

[Sea Creature]

I believe you can use the CP generated by Marneus for whatever you want, which is more flexible.

[Sea Creature]

Played two games today… one with PrMarneus BGV murder ball and one with good ole Bobby G. Bobby is so super shreddy it’s absolutely disgusting. PriMarneus is no slouch either. Get out and play some games. Smurfs are super fun and very competitive right now.

[Captain Idaho]

Murder ball, I like that.