Blood Angels Unit of the Week series Unit of the Week: Captain Tycho

[Jolemai]

 

Welcome to part one of the Blood Angels Unit of the Week series!

 
Following the release of the 10^th edition Index, there is no better time to discuss all the units we have access to. Each week a different unit will appear, with the idea being that we discuss how best to use that model on the battlefield. Where part one will discuss the units from the units found within Index: Blood Angels, parts two to four will discuss Index: Space Marines, part five will be Imperial Armour, and part six will be Legends.
 
Note, this isn't to lament any nerfs, etc, from previous editions; the rules are as they are so try to unlock its potential for those who wish to use them all the same. Similarly, this thread is only for using the option being discussed; it matters not if you feel something is a better choice as such comments aren't constructive to the topic and shall be removed.
 
Without further ado, here's this week's entry:

 

Captain Tycho

What are you thoughts here folks? How best would you play Captain Tycho?

• To compliment a list, or to build a list around? 
• Sons of Sanguinius or Gladius Task Force?
• What weapons will you use with Gifted Commander?
• What unit is he leading, if any?
• What delivery options are you using? 
• What deployment options are you using?
• Stratagem synergy of note?

 

Over to you.

 

Please note Tycho The Lost will be discussed elsewhere.

Edited August 21, 2023 by Jolemai
Updated!

[Jolemai]

Should you want your model on display here (or on another thread), then submit a photo here please.

 

(Once I work out how best to float it!)

 

***

 

As an aside, the thread setup may change over the coming weeks until I'm happy with them. This includes the photos.

[Khorneeq]

One of the first special characters I tried in this edition. His rules give so much flexibility to unit. 

Tried him with simple tactical squad. Firstly they advanced for objective (assult), stayed there (heavy) and moved with Rapid fire when enemy got close enough.

I was really pleased with their performance. Even if charged they can move out of combat shoot and charge back

[Blindhamster]

He does seem best placed in a tactical squad,

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

On 7/4/2023 at 3:49 PM, Blindhamster said:

He does seem best placed in a tactical squad,

I think he’d do fine in a tactical squad, but I think the command squad is where he’d shine.

 

you could have 2 shield bros, and 2 combi weapon bros for a durable shooty unit

the champion and him would also make it a unit that can’t be charged lightly.

[Jolemai]

Gifted Commander changes the type of all ranged weapons, which would include pistols. Meaning they can be fired alongside everything else 

 

Huh.

[Paladin777]

No, because he can't give the pistols keyword, nor does his ability take away the pistols keyword from weapons that already have it. 
 

Remember, weapons don't have 'types' anymore. They just have 'keywords.'

[Jolemai]

Here's the rule. If a lascannon gets Rapid Fire 1, why can't a bolt pistol? All ranges weapons in his unit are eligible.

 

 

 

[Cleon]

14 minutes ago, Jolemai said:

Here's the rule. If a lascannon gets Rapid Fire 1, why can't a bolt pistol? All ranges weapons in his unit are eligible.

 

I think the issue is getting rapid fire 1 doesn't remove pistol, so you end up with a weapon that has both the rapid fire rule and the pistol rule, meaning it potentially gets an extra shot, but still can only be fired alongside other pistols.

[Spagunk]

18 hours ago, Cleon said:

 

I think the issue is getting rapid fire 1 doesn't remove pistol, so you end up with a weapon that has both the rapid fire rule and the pistol rule, meaning it potentially gets an extra shot, but still can only be fired alongside other pistols.

Don't Intercessor Bolt Rifles have Heavy, Assault and Rapid Fire? If so, how does that work if all keywords apply at the same time?

Edited July 13, 2023 by Spagunk

[Kallas]

6 minutes ago, Spagunk said:

Don't Intercessor Bolt Rifles have Heavy, Assault and Rapid Fire? If so, how does that work if all keywords apply at the same time?

They all apply, but they all have specific conditions:

• If you Advance and use Assault, you cannot benefit from Heavy, because you must Remain Stationary (which you didn't: you Advanced)
• If you Remain Stationary and use Heavy, you can't benefit from Assault
• If you are within half range, you gain extra shots equal to the value of Rapid Fire. This is regardless of if you Remain Stationary or Advanced, so it applies whenever, even if you benefit from Heavy/Assault

So Tycho's buff lets you gain one of the three keywords, but it doesn't remove the others, which is why you would not be able to fire the Pistol weapons in addition to the non-Pistols, since those Pistols would become, say, Pistol and Heavy (so they can be fired in engagement range and have +1 to hit if you Remain Stationary) but because they're still Pistols, you can only fire all of your Pistols or all of your not-Pistols.

[Cleon]

8 minutes ago, Spagunk said:

Don't Intercessor Bolt Rifles have Heavy, Assault and Rapid Fire? If so, how does that work if all keywords apply at the same time?

You need to forget previous editions.

Heavy '+1 to hit if your unit remains stationary' & Assault 'Can be fired after advancing' are both abilities any weapon can have, but they will not apply at the same time as if the model has advanced, it's not remained stationary (usually) - if some odd rule combination let you count as stationary when advancing, then you could shoot at +1 to hit (although I assume such a rule would make Assault redundant).

Rapid Fire 1 just happens regardless - in half range, take an extra shot.

 

So your Intercessor above can stay still outside of half range and shoot his normal number of shots at +1 to hit, stay still inside half range and shoot one more than his normal number of shots at +1 to hit, or advance while staying over half range to shoot normally or finally advance while in half range for an extra shot at normal BS. Unless there is another model in the unit with a different weapon, there is no reason to move at normal pace - stay still or run!

[Jolemai]

Appreciate the discussion folks 

[Helias_Tancred]

I'm seriously considering running Captain Tycho in my 10th edition Blood Angel lists. From what I've read and heard, he can make a tactical squad or command squad really shine! When I first got into 40K back during 6th, Tycho was the first HQ unit I got. I loved him. The reason I decided long ago my Blood Angels were 3rd company! So yeah, I got plenty of reasons to run him :)

 

The two lascannons in a command squad with Tycho is cheesy, but its allowed by the rules and well, it sounds fun :)

 

 

edit: my firstborn Blood Angel "Honor Guard" command squad are all well-painted too ;)

 

 

[Helias_Tancred]

Here they are ... may have to paint up two lascannon marines however? lol. But inferno pistols at rapid fire 1 in melee isn't too shabby ;)

 

 

[Spagunk]

32 minutes ago, Cleon said:

You need to forget previous editions.

 

This comment was not necessary. I don't play 40k so it was a serious question as in I have not clue how modern warhammer works anymore.

[Rhavien]

22 minutes ago, Eilio Tiberius said:

Here they are ... may have to paint up two lascannon marines however? lol. But inferno pistols at rapid fire 1 in melee isn't too shabby ;)

 

 

Awesome! They look great! How did you do the banner? It's from the sang guard, isn't it? Did you scrape it off?

[Kallas]

27 minutes ago, Spagunk said:

This comment was not necessary. I don't play 40k so it was a serious question as in I have not clue how modern warhammer works anymore.

To be fair, I don't think Cleon was meaning it rudely, just that often people get tangled up in previous editions. Rapid Fire, Heavy and Assault have, for literally decades, been mutually exclusive, where now they actually exist together on weapons, it's quite a shift that folks might not quite grasp because they get caught up on how it's used to/how it's always worked before.

[Helias_Tancred]

18 minutes ago, Rhavien said:

Awesome! They look great! How did you do the banner? It's from the sang guard, isn't it? Did you scrape it off?

 

No, it's from the normal space marine command squad, it's the flat blank banner included in that kit. I just sorta winged it and came up with my own design. Thanks!

[Cleon]

36 minutes ago, Kallas said:

To be fair, I don't think Cleon was meaning it rudely, just that often people get tangled up in previous editions. Rapid Fire, Heavy and Assault have, for literally decades, been mutually exclusive, where now they actually exist together on weapons, it's quite a shift that folks might not quite grasp because they get caught up on how it's used to/how it's always worked before.

Indeed, apologies if a sloppy quick wording led taken that way, but we used to have 'Heavy Weapons', 'Assault Weapons' etc, now we have weapons with abilities added it's a complete paradigm shift that I have to keep reminding myself of - The idea that a Bolt Rifle is as 'Heavy' as a Lascannon is taking some getting straight in my head.

[Paladin777]

@Cleon @Spagunk

 

Intercessors bolt rifles don't have rapid fire either. Only Sternguard's rifles have that. 

[Cleon]

5 hours ago, Paladin777 said:

@Cleon @Spagunk

 

Intercessors bolt rifles don't have rapid fire either. Only Sternguard's rifles have that. 

Yep, but Tycho can give them Assault, Heavy or Rapid fire, so because they already have Heavy and Assault, you choose Rapid Fire. 

[Paladin777]

Fair.