Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

Hello, Dakka. I was wondering what your opinion of the best upgrades for a Terminator armoured Chapter Master is?

Not appropriate for the YMDC forum.

Moving to Tactics.

My friend ran his with SS;Relic Blade: artificer Armor
for a whopping 185pts

That said though, he's 10pts more than Kantor

How 'bout a downgrade to captain, and an downgrade to artificer armor? That'd be a good start You've already got a 4++, so whats termy armor giving you? a 2+, relentless, the loss of frag and krak grenades, an inability to ride in rhino's and take double the space for drop pods and land raiders, and a loss of the ability to do a sweeping advance. If you give him artificer armor, you get the same 2+, same invul save, keep your frag and krak grenades, you can ride in any vehicle for half the space of a terminator, and can still sweeping advance, but you don't get relentless, an ability you will only use if you 1) have a combiplasma and fire the plasma or 2) a combiweapon and fire the bolter before assault. Plus, its cheaper!

Jihallah wrote:How 'bout a downgrade to captain, and an downgrade to artificer armor? That'd be a good start You've already got a 4++, so whats termy armor giving you? a 2+, relentless, the loss of frag and krak grenades, an inability to ride in rhino's and take double the space for drop pods and land raiders, and a loss of the ability to do a sweeping advance. If you give him artificer armor, you get the same 2+, same invul save, keep your frag and krak grenades, you can ride in any vehicle for half the space of a terminator, and can still sweeping advance, but you don't get relentless, an ability you will only use if you 1) have a combiplasma and fire the plasma or 2) a combiweapon and fire the bolter before assault. Plus, its cheaper!

This. From playing against marine armies, I've found the relic blade to be one of the better options available to increase close combat killyness.

Vulkan.

Seriously. Look at the Chapter Master/Captain. Then look at Vulkan. Look back. Then look at Vulkan again. For just a few (and I emphasize 'few') points more than a fairly well-equipped captain, Vulkan gives you an absurd amount of bonuses to your entire army, while also being generally better himself than any normal Captain could ever hope to be. Unless you're running a biker marine force, you really have no reason to not take Vulkan over a normal captain. He's just that absurdly good.

If you want TDA chapter master, give him a thunder hammer and either plasma pistol or storm shield.

Thats an awesome HQ.

I agree w artificer armor as that opens up relic blade, which you lose w TDA, and you benefit his I5 then.

Only issue with relic blades, and its a biggie, is really tough opponents like wraith lords or dreadnoughts, who you would ideally like your HQ to help take down, and relic blade is not going to do that well, for that role take a thunder hammer.

So if his role is anti infantry, relic blade and either plasma pistol or storm bolter. For added punch, at loss of initiative, hammer him up. For either the shield is good, although I prefer the BS5 plasma pistol option and accept the 4++ myself.

Final consideration, chapter master gives you an awesome ranged orbital strike, perfect for a stand off and shoot marines list. He needs to be static so this will hamper an assaulty list, he stays behind and large blast always scary when your troops close.

Happy list making.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
If you want TDA chapter master, give him a thunder hammer and either plasma pistol or storm shield.

Thats an awesome HQ.

I agree w artificer armor as that opens up relic blade, which you lose w TDA, and you benefit his I5 then.

Only issue with relic blades, and its a biggie, is really tough opponents like wraith lords or dreadnoughts, who you would ideally like your HQ to help take down, and relic blade is not going to do that well, for that role take a thunder hammer.

So if his role is anti infantry, relic blade and either plasma pistol or storm bolter. For added punch, at loss of initiative, hammer him up. For either the shield is good, although I prefer the BS5 plasma pistol option and accept the 4++ myself.

Final consideration, chapter master gives you an awesome ranged orbital strike, perfect for a stand off and shoot marines list. He needs to be static so this will hamper an assaulty list, he stays behind and large blast always scary when your troops close.

Happy list making.

Honestly a chapter master or captain has no business going anywhere near a dreadnought or wraithlord (or any S8 that can single him out) in CC. Even with a thunderhammer, one failed invulnerable save will lead to an instant death before he can swing. Captains are good for beating up on MEQs. Relic blades assist in this, and still make the captain decent vs T6 creatures.

My personal kit for a captain is Relic Blade, Artificer Armor, Storm Shield, Digital Weapons, and Bike. Weighs in at 205pts. If you don't want to get the bike, it may be worth it to keep in mind that there is only a 20pt difference in cost between the bikeless captain and vulkan. For 20pts you get a Mastercrafted weapon, and a heavy flamer, additionally you get twin-linked melta and flame weaponry and master-crafted Thunderhammers.

Fafnir wrote:
Vulkan.

Seriously. Look at the Chapter Master/Captain. Then look at Vulkan. Look back. Then look at Vulkan again. For just a few (and I emphasize 'few') points more than a fairly well-equipped captain, Vulkan gives you an absurd amount of bonuses to your entire army, while also being generally better himself than any normal Captain could ever hope to be. Unless you're running a biker marine force, you really have no reason to not take Vulkan over a normal captain. He's just that absurdly good.

This...

Anyway, if you really want a TDA Chapter master, why not Lysander? or the novamarine guy from IA9?

Loricatus Aurora wrote:If you want TDA chapter master, give him a thunder hammer and either plasma pistol or storm shield.

Thats an awesome HQ.

I agree w artificer armor as that opens up relic blade, which you lose w TDA, and you benefit his I5 then.

Only issue with relic blades, and its a biggie, is really tough opponents like wraith lords or dreadnoughts, who you would ideally like your HQ to help take down, and relic blade is not going to do that well, for that role take a thunder hammer.

So if his role is anti infantry, relic blade and either plasma pistol or storm bolter. For added punch, at loss of initiative, hammer him up. For either the shield is good, although I prefer the BS5 plasma pistol option and accept the 4++ myself.

Final consideration, chapter master gives you an awesome ranged orbital strike, perfect for a stand off and shoot marines list. He needs to be static so this will hamper an assaulty list, he stays behind and large blast always scary when your troops close.

Happy list making.

Errr? wraithlords and dreadnoughts? even with a TH, you've got to weather their instant death dealing attacks with your save that is statistically a coin flip. Keep that fella away from those big nasties =\

jdjamesdean@mail.com wrote:My friend ran his with SS;Relic Blade: artificer Armor
for a whopping 185pts

That said though, he's 10pts more than Kantor

This. My brother usually runs a similar set-up. Relic Blade just plain rock, I wish Space Wolves had access to them Anyway, with this sort of set-up, my brother killed over 500pts worth of Tyranids in a single game.

Pretty much I like to tool mine out. I'll give him a relic blade, SS. I find that I normally have enough anti-tank to deal with threats from transports so I make him a CC nightmare, by giving him S6 PW (with rerolls) and 2+/3++. Giving him a hammer can also help him survive dreads but the cost of innitiative can bite against infantry.

3+ Invunerable?

I like him bland. Just to keep my dev. squad company.
I usually get lucky with his bombardment. He then protects vulnerable units at the back of the board and gives 3 wounds with 3+/4++ to the squad.

I think I would go for a pair of lighting claws and a set of meltabombs. You can rely on 2+/4++ and you should use I5, plus WS6 and reroll to wound, 4 attacks should be a match for most things.

I already have a Chapter Master like that.

To summarize-
TDA sucks.
artificer armor, then Relicblade/SS, or relicblade/combiweapon (your NOT going to get a bonus attack from a pistol, so you might as well go a combi if not SS)
or as above, 2x LC+meltabomb (just in case for vehicles)
These are pretty much the best options. If you REALLY want a unreliable large blast, take a chapter master. The captain gives you pretty much the same bang for less bucks.

Or If you want to be special and throw your HQ at something that will instant-death him, then give him a TH and/orSS and lose your initiative bonus and pray you don't fail 1 armor save.


Easy

People take Chapter Masters?

MagicJuggler wrote:People take Chapter Masters?

Seriously that was my first thought. Just take a captain.

MagicJuggler wrote:People take Chapter Masters?

Does Pedro count?

I usually take him with razorback spam. I take a chapter master and honour guard to sleep at night.

1) Its better to take a captain than a chapter master

2) The special characters are generally better than a captain

3) Bike captains are the exception. Give them a relic blade and storm shield.

Thanks for the advice, guys!