Are Storm Shields worth it for Characters?

[Karhedron]

Storm Shields have been through multiple changes over the last few years with different rules in 8th, 9th and 10th editions. For Characters who already have an invulnerable save, GW have settled on a simple +1W and I am trying to work out if it is worth it. On the face of it, an extra wound seems like a solid survivability buff but a lot of the weapons likely to be hitting Characters do multiple damage. Against 1 Damage weapons, the extra wound is always good but against 2 or 3 Damage weapons, its value depends on whether the new number of wounds takes you over a threshold.

 

For example, a Captain with a Shield goes from 5 wounds to 6. Against a 2 Damage weapon, 3 failed saves will kill him, with or without the shield, Against 3 Damage weapons, 2 failed saves will kill him in either case. This means a Captain only benefits from a Shield against 1 Damage weapons which is not particularly impressive.

 

A Captain in Terminator armour goes from 6 Wounds to 7. This is a lot better as it it now takes 4 failed saves to kill him from 2 Damage weapons and 3 from 3 Damage weapons. Captain on bike is the same. The forthcoming Chaplain in Terminator Armour goes from 5 Wounds to 6 so again benefits much less.

 

Storm Shields are free in terms of points but you give up the opportunity to take a shooting attack. My feeling is that Captains and Chaplains benefit more from taking a shooting weapon of some sort while Terminator and Bike Captains benefit from taking a Shield.

 

What are other peoples' thoughts?

[Sir Clausel]

I havent really thought about it as i generally go for looks rather than rules. And i like shields so i use them alot :p

But if you do take a black templars chaplain in terminator armor with tannhausers bones in a assault terminator squad with shields and hammers you get one rediculous tough nut to crack. (if you take uphold vow that is)

Then he takes 1/2 damage with 6+++(5+++ while squad is alive) and then that extra wound could be a very big deal. 

[Paladin777]

I think it's worth it on characters that start with 6 wounds (though not necessarily a standout 'better' choice), and isn't for ones with 5 wounds. Simple as that. 

in regards to that Templar character, that's pretty similar to a Gravis Captain with Artificer armor. 6w, T6, 2+/4++/5+++, and half damage. One tanky beefcake!

Edited September 26, 2023 by Paladin777

[Dracos]

Well amusingly enough I have both a Gravis and Terminator Captain in my 2k list and the Gravis gets a gun and the Terminator is getting a Relic Shield. give me a chance and I’ll put that shield on my Gravis Captain also. 
 

I hadn’t actually done the math but it just felt right. Generally I’m not a fan of character shooting unless it’s a really special kind of weapon. 

[ValourousHeart]

I suspect that it will great depend upon whom you play against.  If you play great friends who all bring interesting an unique meta defying lists, SS in your list will be dependent on if they fit the theme of your list.

 

On the other hand, if you are playing against people that are chomping at the bit to tell their 4yo that Santa doesn't exist...  Then yes only a noob would settle for a 96.8% survival rate when they could have 97% survival rate instead.

 

2 hours ago, Dracos said:

I hadn’t actually done the math but it just felt right. Generally I’m not a fan of character shooting unless it’s a really special kind of weapon. 

 

This right here is why for the longest time a lot of people took Sammael on Jetbike instead of Speeder.  Both were good, but the speeder was better at clearing chaff.  The jetbike had that cool factor until Custodes got their jetbikes.

[Orange Knight]

It's very much worth it to go from 6 to 7 wounds.

 

Not so much to go from 5 to 6.

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

13 hours ago, Dracos said:

Well amusingly enough I have both a Gravis and Terminator Captain in my 2k list and the Gravis gets a gun and the Terminator is getting a Relic Shield. give me a chance and I’ll put that shield on my Gravis Captain also. 
 

I hadn’t actually done the math but it just felt right. Generally I’m not a fan of character shooting unless it’s a really special kind of weapon. 

I’ve been waiting for a shield equipped gravis unit for so long.

 

it would be so dope if you could drop a gauntlet in exchange for a shield on aggressors.

 

but that invuln would step on the toes of terminators making that unit clearly better, but 4 wound aggressors with shields would be  in keeping with the gravis/terminator balance

[Dracos]

That’s a great idea and wouldn’t step on Bladeguard either. 

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

5 minutes ago, Dracos said:

That’s a great idea and wouldn’t step on Bladeguard either. 

I can’t believe BGVs weren’t gravis from the start lol

[Cenobite Terminator]

Shields look cool and an extra wound could be a game changer.

Edited September 28, 2023 by milddead

[CCE1981]

10 hours ago, milddead said:

Shields look cool and an extra wound could be a game changer.

It’s an opportunity cost thing, the same can be said about doing an extra wound if you bring a storm bolter instead of the Storm Shield.

 

What @Karhedron is saying is that you get a lot more mileage going from 6 wounds to 7, rather than Characters that go from 5 wounds to 6.

 

Survivability Increase from 5 wounds to 6:

-Against damage 1 is a 20% 

-Against damage 2 is a 0%
-Against damage 3 is a 0%
 

Survivability Increase from 6 wounds to 7:

-Against damage 1 is a ~17%

-Against damage 2 is a 33%
-Against damage 3 is a 50%

 

So that mileage is a LOT better going to 7 wounds vs 6, and the opportunity cost might not be worth it.  
 

If you just like the looks go for it.  The smidgen of shooting lost isn’t likely to turn the outcome of a game.

[Cenobite Terminator]

How many times does a key model lose its last wound to an exploding vehicle? Sure it doesn’t happen all the time but sucks when it does.

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

29 minutes ago, milddead said:

How many times does a key model lose its last wound to an exploding vehicle? Sure it doesn’t happen all the time but sucks when it does.

Bruh have I got a story for you 

 

can’t remember exactly what he had, but it was 3 characters and a squad.

WS dude killed a Russ in melee with a termy chappy, and 2 other characters and a squad of something.

 

the explosion killed all 3 characters and half the squad

[Commander Nicky]

Having 6 Woulds due to a storm shield helps when attack by several type of weapons. Played a game against an opponment where he had D2 and D3 weapons. Due to luck (or short of if from my side) my Terminator Librarian died all to early... My point is, it all depend on situation, athrough I am more keen on a Terminator Captain with 7 wound and no secondary weapon, than a captain with 6 wounds and a secondary weapon...

 

Maybe... (The annoying answer) it is worth it 

[Dracos]

@Commander Nicky uhm

 

5 or 6 wound characters against 2 or 3 damage weapons will kill the  character if they take 3 or 2 hits repetitively

 

7 wound character survives those attacks because it has 1 wound left. Even against 1 damage weapons 7 is a great break point for wounds.
 

Only 4 damage or more weapons are efficient at that point and those kind of weapons should be attacking vehicles and monsters not characters. 
 

7 wounds is kind of a unicorn number for characters in my opinion.