Leaders Without Bodyguards

[Jolemai]

I don't mean those with the Lone Operative rule.

 

Is there any reason to take a Leader without a bodyguard? Or are you just asking for trouble?

[Karhedron]

Seems to me they would be easy to kill off without a bodyguard. Also most Leaders apply buffs to their attached units. If you don't attach a unit, those buffs go to waste.

[sonsoftaurus]

Maybe in a lower point game some could still be tough enough, like a Gravis Captain. 

[tychobi]

Bike captain with artificer armor and a relic shield seems like an ok solo. Free armor of contempt and all he gives up is assault for guns.  2+4++5+++, 7 wound at t5 isn't terrible 

[9x19 Parabellum]

A Captain in Gravis Armour coming out of a transport that has a couple unused slots is a beast.  Give him artificer now you got a T6, 2+,4++,5+++,  6 wounds, who halves damage and hits like a truck in close combat. Also you're not wasting any buffs since he has no bodyguard buffs (his Rites of Battle can be used on anyone).

 

If you play BT you could also give him Tannhauser's Bones and reduce incoming damage to 1/4. (I think).

[Blade of Sigismund]

Some factions, yes. Space marines, no.

 

I think the only one I would run is the lone operative reaver lieutenant guy. 

[Karhedron]

On 8/28/2023 at 11:29 PM, 9x19 Parabellum said:

Also you're not wasting any buffs since he has no bodyguard buffs (his Rites of Battle can be used on anyone).

 

No, Rites of Battle can only be applied to the owner's unit.

 

Quote

Rites of Battle: Once per battle round, one unit from your army with this ability can be targeted by a Stratagem for 0CP, even if another unit from your army has already been targeted by that Stratagem this phase.

 

The bit in bold highlights that only the unit with the ability can benefit from it. The Captain cannot hand it out to an unrelated unit.

[Grim Crafter]

I dont know all of the stats of all leader in the game, but some still feel off as to how they attach to bodyguard units. Either because it feels wierd not been able to attach to a certain unit, for example Mephiston not being able to go with bladeguard veterans but allow with sternguard,  it feels of with such a  melee character. Anothers just might be not worth taking in a body guard unit if they really are meant to stay far behing, for example Tallyman, he is good giving the +1 to hit but he is even more valuable by giving that free CP that barely ever fails, so if you get im on the table for the CPs only than why would you attach im to a unit, even MSU plague marines and only to keep em hidden at the back? I think that until all armies get their proper codexes all of this will remain wierd regarding some characters.

[TheArtilleryman]

A Phobos lieutenant with a grav chute can be really useful and cheap to save in reserve, deep strike in and clutch late game objectives. In small games this can be particularly useful as most armies will have few units and will have taken a bunch of casualties by the and so there may well be a free objective or two.

[Karhedron]

Ghostweave cloak for 15 points is not a bad idea if you want to run a Lone Phobos Lt for shenanigans. 

[Brother Hellion]

It seems to me Leader characters  need bodyguards in this edition because:

A) The passive buffs are too good to pass up

B) They die like lemmings attempting a high dive competition when they are alone

C) The combined force unit typically controls objectives better and withers Battleshocks more.

 

Its almost like the good ol' days of 6/7th edition where you create a bike squad of Captian/liberian/Apothicary/Chaplin attached to three man bike squad and have it roll across the battlefield like a steam roller only to run into a chaos knight with a 60+ unit of chaos doggies walking to intercept.

 

[AutumnEffect]

A Chaos Lord in Terminator Armor marked to Slaanesh with the Intoxicating Elixir could be worth a go as a lone distraction piece.

110 points nets you 6 wounds with a 2+/4++/5+++ that halves all incoming damage.
You can spend a CP on Skinshift to then heal him 3 wounds.

 

Tough enough he's not trivial to kill and cheap enough to not mind losing. Deep strike him in and run around.

[MadEdric]

I used a terminator lord in one of my games as a distraction.  Marked Khorne so not as survivable as the Slanesh version, but he did do the work.

Gave him the collar for an extra d3 attacks and S and while he didn't survive the game, he did hold up one side of the board as a unit of bikes and coptas slowly chewed him down, by the end only the boss on the wartrike had survived and he was weakened enough for the traitor guard to take out and keep that side.