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Rambo, my heavy flamer guardsmen, has claimed the lives of more stealers and gaunts than any man has a right to claim.

A Shas'O with Missile Pod, Fusion Blaster, Shield Generator, Multi-Tracker, Stinnulant Injector, Drone controller, two Gundrones, and being attached to a full Gundrone squad has proven fairly resilient, especially in combat against Hormagaunts.

especially in combat against Hormagaunts.

And to a Tau player this is impressive (I play tau too). Good shooting though.

Of course, if you want a really rock hard HQ choice, there is only 1:

Farsight,
7 bodyguards, each with:
Plasma Rifle, Fusion blaster, targetting array, hard wired multi tracker, hard wired target lock, hard wired drone controller with 2 shield drones each and (wargear points permitting) a hard wired shield generator.

Possibly have a few plasma and fusion and a few plasma and missile pod, just for the sake of a lot of S7 shots as well.

22 invulnerable saves, with 7 2 wound marines and 1 4 wound marine with a pile of AP1/2 fire that can all be at different targets, as well as some good cc ability (that is a lot of S5 attacks). Oh and it deepstrikes so it shoots you before you can stop it.

In no way worth it, but everyone must admit that it will kill any other solely HQ choice that exists.

My Wolf Lord is always the same:
Thunder Hammer
Storm Shield
Wolf tooth Necklace
Wolf tail Talisman
Saga of the Bear

But i also sometimes take a Wolf Guard Battle Leader:
Bolt Pistol
Storm Shield
Mark of the Wulfen
Wolf tooth Necklace
Wolf tail Talisman
Saga of the Warrior Born

I could also use the battle Leader as an alternate Lord. I am also thinking that a Storm Bolter would be good on him.

Ail-Shan wrote:

especially in combat against Hormagaunts.

And to a Tau player this is impressive (I play tau too). Good shooting though.

Of course, if you want a really rock hard HQ choice, there is only 1:

Farsight,
7 bodyguards, each with:
Plasma Rifle, Fusion blaster, targetting array, hard wired multi tracker, hard wired target lock, hard wired drone controller with 2 shield drones each and (wargear points permitting) a hard wired shield generator.

Possibly have a few plasma and fusion and a few plasma and missile pod, just for the sake of a lot of S7 shots as well.

22 invulnerable saves, with 7 2 wound marines and 1 4 wound marine with a pile of AP1/2 fire that can all be at different targets, as well as some good cc ability (that is a lot of S5 attacks). Oh and it deepstrikes so it shoots you before you can stop it.

In no way worth it, but everyone must admit that it will kill any other solely HQ choice that exists.

Although the Crisis bodyguards do have S5, their WS3 does make them wiff combat all too often. Also +4 Invulns tend to buckle under the power of anything that will ID them (e.g. IG Leman Russ template of doom or that one Effing Marine Sgt. with a powerfist).

The Farsight Deathstar's offensive output it is a force to be reckoned with, but too many armies nowadays out shoot tau (e.g. Ork Lootas + Burna Wagons) so its supposed "rock hard" standing is easily reduced to that of cardboard because there is "no rest of the army" that was to eliminate those threats due to Farsight and his Enigmatic Guards of Doom taking WAAAAAAAAAAY too much space in the list.

But in a point off this topic, can any Tau HQ be "Rock Hard" when up against Fragging Ork Bikers?

Swarmlord
3 Hive Guard w/ bone swords
prime w/ lash whip/bonesword, toxin sacs

610 points

14 T6 wounds (I know the prime's T5, majority vs. shooting, and in CC it's, well, already over.) with 3+ armour. on the charge there's 12 S5, 5 S5 poisoned, and 5 S6 attacks, all ignoring armour and capable of ID'ing (the 5 S6 always do). They can make your heavy hitters Initiative 1, your whole unit WS1, give themselves preferred enemy or furious charge, and the swarmlord has a 4++ in cc to boot.

Hardest HQ I know about. Even without the prime, as a single "unit" they're plain nasty. And shockingly hard to gun down; 17 S8+ AP3- hits are required if there's no cover. That's 3 turns of shooting from TWO long fang squads without me having cover in any of them, and because of 3 unique models I have to take 6 wounds before a model is lost.

one of the HARDEST HQs out there has to be a space marine captain with artificier armor, stormshield, relic blade, and a bike.

tell me that does not scare you, seeing that BAMF charging down the field, guns blazing?

Although the Crisis bodyguards do have S5, their WS3 does make them wiff combat all too often. Also +4 Invulns tend to buckle under the power of anything that will ID them (e.g. IG Leman Russ template of doom or that one Effing Marine Sgt. with a powerfist).

The Farsight Deathstar's offensive output it is a force to be reckoned with, but too many armies nowadays out shoot tau (e.g. Ork Lootas + Burna Wagons) so its supposed "rock hard" standing is easily reduced to that of cardboard because there is "no rest of the army" that was to eliminate those threats due to Farsight and his Enigmatic Guards of Doom taking WAAAAAAAAAAY too much space in the list.

Hey, the point was rock hard HQ, not rock hard army. Yes, the build is so horribly gimped that there is no other army. But that one squad is in no way friendly to deal with.

Even with battle cannons and the like, you have 14 shield drones to soak up ID wounds beforehand, so you're pretty safe. I've had 4 shield drones stand up against a dread keeping my few crisis suits (who couldn't damage the thing) safe.


Edit: @above:

That just put an awesome image in my mind. Not as hard as some things, but he'd be hard to deal with as well. Lysander has more resilience though (but is so much slower).

there was a game where Lysander took over 70 wounds.

He only failed ONE save. It was amazing, seeing him munch through so many tactical squads...

The Defenestrator wrote:Swarmlord
3 Hive Guard w/ bone swords
prime w/ lash whip/bonesword, toxin sacs

610 points

14 T6 wounds (I know the prime's T5, majority vs. shooting, and in CC it's, well, already over.) with 3+ armour. on the charge there's 12 S5, 5 S5 poisoned, and 5 S6 attacks, all ignoring armour and capable of ID'ing (the 5 S6 always do). They can make your heavy hitters Initiative 1, your whole unit WS1, give themselves preferred enemy or furious charge, and the swarmlord has a 4++ in cc to boot.

Hardest HQ I know about. Even without the prime, as a single "unit" they're plain nasty. And shockingly hard to gun down; 17 S8+ AP3- hits are required if there's no cover. That's 3 turns of shooting from TWO long fang squads without me having cover in any of them, and because of 3 unique models I have to take 6 wounds before a model is lost.

I was thinking this too. If you want to go single HQ slot, take the Prime out and put LW/BS on the Tyrant Guard. You'll still get I1 on anything in base to base in melee, the Swarmlord is still dishing out ID attacks, and the Tyrant Guard are dishing out slightly weaker ID attacks (ID on a normal LD test, instead of a 3D6 LD test). Still has 17 T6 AP3 wounds. Swarmlord with Tyrant Guard is fething nasty.

Brother-Thunder wrote:one of the HARDEST HQs out there has to be a space marine captain with artificier armor, stormshield, relic blade, and a bike.

I'm running one of these in a campaign coming up. I expect he will be a too many points until he singlehandedly wastes a Carnifex.

Yes, I am aware that statistically speaking, it won't happen. And yes, I'm going to try it anyway.

Why? FOR THE EMPEROR!!! That's why.

MekanobSamael wrote:

Brother-Thunder wrote:one of the HARDEST HQs out there has to be a space marine captain with artificier armor, stormshield, relic blade, and a bike.

I'm running one of these in a campaign coming up. I expect he will be a too many points until he singlehandedly wastes a Carnifex.

Yes, I am aware that statistically speaking, it won't happen. And yes, I'm going to try it anyway.

Why? FOR THE EMPEROR!!! That's why.

For the emperor indeed!

Some pretty nasty choicesso far my wolf lord even cringed at a few(swarmlord) and dear god lysander just wont die

Swarmlord + 3 tyrant guard all bonesworded up gets my vote. While slightly vulnerable at range there is no other single HQ slot that can stand with this in CC. Try S6 I6 power weapons - 5 attacks on the charge, followed up by a further 12 S5 power weapon attacks. Not forgetting the psychic powers as well!

I like Bjorn the Fell Handed as my hq choice. Nothing like the opponent looking at your troops, going "So what's your HQ choice?" and pointing at a giant metal dreadnought covered in wolf pelts. Plus the fact that he's just about the most resilient vehicle you can find. "Aha! I blew you up!" "No, you must reroll!" crew shakennnn....

Oh yeah what a dread, and a character

Personally I think the Space Wolves provide the most powerful characters.

1. Logan Grimnar
2. WL TWM FB SS RA WTN WTT Saga Bear
3. WL FW SS RA WTN WTT Saga Bear
4. WL 2xWC BoR WTN WTT Saga Bear

Those are my top 3. giving number 3 either a JP or Bike to go with a complimentary squad is never a bad idea.

I am liking those space wolf characters, may have to try one soon

How about the following:

Farseer, Jetbike, RoWar, RoWit, Fortune, Doom, Spirit Stones
Warlock x 10
Destructor x 6
Embolden x 1
Enhance x 2
Jetbikes

Rerollable, 4 + invul saves, 3 Attacks on the charge, kills vehicles, kills MC's. No failed leadership, extra initative, fast, multiple flamers, I would hate to face this. you can throw in a Singing Spear to pop transports and charge down the contents if you wish.

I am quite happy that, THAT choice is pretty epic, i hope not to face it

Word to the seercouncil.

Also a jetbike aurtarch with reaperlauncher, flyes 12in a turn and shoots 2 S5 ap3 shots that hit on a 2+ rerollable every phase.
Not devistating but very annoying.

Must be hard toget to grips with him