Ultramarines Fulmentarus Terminator Squad discussion/advice

[Dark-Storm-01]

So looking to make a squad of Cataphractii into a Fulmentarus squad
 

I've been looking for the old entries for them so I can see how they've changed between the old edition of Heresy and now.
 

From the look of it the main change, besides the nerf, is to the Peritarch targeter and how it works.
 

In the old entry I found it was just part of the Terminators wargear with them being able to take the ranged and melee weapon as normal
 

Whereas now in the legacies of the Heresy PDF it seems Games Workshop have decided to nerf it further and make it so that the Peritarch Targeter is similar to "ye olde" 2nd Ed era Cyclone Missile Launcher Terminator where the targeter took up the entire hand.
 

To add to that instead of the whole squad benefitting (and to different levels depending on how big the squad was) from how many targeters there were the current rule is that the specific model with the targeter is the one to benefit from both night fighting and twin linked rules.
 

So to my mind there's only really two ways to go about making the squad loadout
 

Either they all have a targeter and forgo a melee weapon for all to benefit from night fighting and twin-linked rule (and with my dice rolling twin-linked is a definite good idea lol)

Or I go with 1 or 2 per 5 man squad with something like this:
 

Main 5 man squad =

Sergeant - Thunder Hammer,  then 1 or 2 x powerfists/chainfists/lightning claws + 1-2 targeters

Additional 5 man squad/expansion = 3-4 more powerfist/chainfist/lightning claws + 1-2 more targeters
 

Unfortunately the options for the autocannon squad is no longer available to take

I know they're probably not worth running nowadays as a legacy unit but I'd still like to build some. Have asked this same question elsewhere but seems I'm destined to go unanswered so asking here as well.

 

[MARK0SIAN]

I would either go with all targeters or none. If you try to make them a mixed unit you’ll often be in situations where only a couple can shoot effectively or only a couple can fight. Twin-linked and night fighting on two guys is unlikely to make up for them not being able to swing a power fist if they get into combat. 
 

Either make them a fully ranged unit and try your best to avoid combat or sacrifice the targeters and pay the points for them to have a decent melee weapon. If I was going to run them I’d probably go with the latter so I had a terminator unit that shoots better than an average terminator unit and can still fight. 
 

To be honest though, there’s no real way of getting around the heavy nerf they took. They’re simply not a good unit, certainly not for the points and I think trying to make them work is putting lipstick on a pig.

 

Good luck though, hopefully you’ll at least enjoy converting and painting them.

[Dark-Storm-01]

17 minutes ago, MARK0SIAN said:

I would either go with all targeters or none. If you try to make them a mixed unit you’ll often be in situations where only a couple can shoot effectively or only a couple can fight. Twin-linked and night fighting on two guys is unlikely to make up for them not being able to swing a power fist if they get into combat. 
 

Either make them a fully ranged unit and try your best to avoid combat or sacrifice the targeters and pay the points for them to have a decent melee weapon. If I was going to run them I’d probably go with the latter so I had a terminator unit that shoots better than an average terminator unit and can still fight. 
 

To be honest though, there’s no real way of getting around the heavy nerf they took. They’re simply not a good unit, certainly not for the points and I think trying to make them work is putting lipstick on a pig.

 

Good luck though, hopefully you’ll at least enjoy converting and painting them.

To be honest after seeing how they were to what they are now, I agree about them just not being worth it but as a UM player there not being much by way of UM specific stuff, I still wouldn't mind at least making a 5 man squad just for the look of it.

It's a shame that Games Workshop did nerf that as hard as they have. I get they were anti-fun in the previous edition which I never experienced as it came and went while I was on a break from the hobby but damn they really kicked us UM players in the nadgers with the downgrade.

However, as for melee weapons, which would you say are actually worth going for? Is the Decurion taking a Thunder Hammer worth it for example?

[MARK0SIAN]

3 hours ago, Dark-Storm-01 said:

To be honest after seeing how they were to what they are now, I agree about them just not being worth it but as a UM player there not being much by way of UM specific stuff, I still wouldn't mind at least making a 5 man squad just for the look of it.

It's a shame that Games Workshop did nerf that as hard as they have. I get they were anti-fun in the previous edition which I never experienced as it came and went while I was on a break from the hobby but damn they really kicked us UM players in the nadgers with the downgrade.

However, as for melee weapons, which would you say are actually worth going for? Is the Decurion taking a Thunder Hammer worth it for example?

I love a thunder hammer so I tend to slap them on everything that can take them. They look cool plus brutal 2 really helps against things with a decent invulnerable save.

 

Other than that, I’d go with power fists and maybe 1 chain fist for the rest if you’re doing a unit of 5. If you were going for a 10 man unit I’d throw in some lightning claws on a few of them too. 
 

I tend to take the view that terminators are likely to come up against other terminators or at least other elite units at some point in a game. Having reliable AP2 (plus the ability to instant death other two wound marines) just makes the power fist the best choice, even with the unwieldy downside. 
 

The only thing I’d be a bit wary of with these guys is that their BS is 5 but their WS is still only 4 so they’re not an elite melee unit in terms of their skill. They’ll only hit as well as regular terminators whilst being significantly more expensive and if they run into a contemptor or a more elite terminator unit they’re going to struggle, even with power fists. 
 

Hope this helps, I’m sure they’ll look cool when they’re done and at the end of the day, that’s often enough in itself in this hobby. 

[Dark-Storm-01]

5 minutes ago, MARK0SIAN said:

I love a thunder hammer so I tend to slap them on everything that can take them. They look cool plus brutal 2 really helps against things with a decent invulnerable save.

 

Other than that, I’d go with power fists and maybe 1 chain fist for the rest if you’re doing a unit of 5. If you were going for a 10 man unit I’d throw in some lightning claws on a few of them too. 
 

I tend to take the view that terminators are likely to come up against other terminators or at least other elite units at some point in a game. Having reliable AP2 (plus the ability to instant death other two wound marines) just makes the power fist the best choice, even with the unwieldy downside. 
 

The only thing I’d be a bit wary of with these guys is that their BS is 5 but their WS is still only 4 so they’re not an elite melee unit in terms of their skill. They’ll only hit as well as regular terminators whilst being significantly more expensive and if they run into a contemptor or a more elite terminator unit they’re going to struggle, even with power fists. 
 

Hope this helps, I’m sure they’ll look cool when they’re done and at the end of the day, that’s often enough in itself in this hobby. 

Thanks

As I already have 10 regular Cataphractii (2 AoD starter boxes) set up with an auto cannon, a flamer and mix of melee weapons, as well as 3 singles I bought off of ebay so that I can make another autocannon & flamer + another regular cata, that squad is sorted.

So with the 10 I have left I could, I suppose, do 2 5 man squads, 1 with the targeters and 1 with weapons.

If I want any more Terminators in the future I think I'll get some Tartaros to mix it up.

Also recently found some of my ancient 90s original plastic indomitus terminators, which I've rebased, so can throw them in to my Heresy army too

[MARK0SIAN]

31 minutes ago, Dark-Storm-01 said:

Thanks

As I already have 10 regular Cataphractii (2 AoD starter boxes) set up with an auto cannon, a flamer and mix of melee weapons, as well as 3 singles I bought off of ebay so that I can make another autocannon & flamer + another regular cata, that squad is sorted.

So with the 10 I have left I could, I suppose, do 2 5 man squads, 1 with the targeters and 1 with weapons.

If I want any more Terminators in the future I think I'll get some Tartaros to mix it up.

Also recently found some of my ancient 90s original plastic indomitus terminators, which I've rebased, so can throw them in to my Heresy army too

Sounds good, Terminators are (at least for me) one of the coolest units of the setting so I love seeing people make a lot of use out of them 
 

You could also go for a terminator command squad which is a really cool unit!