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My friend has recently begun warhammer 40k, so I've decided to convert up a Chapter master for his home-brew Chapter. So I'm looking for conversion ideas (i have a plan, but its subject to change) and what is a good loadout to give him (for him to stay WYSIWYG).

The basic concept we have in mind is an ex-deathwatch Member, particularly specialising in Tyranids. The current plan is to outfit him with SS, Relic blade, and artificer armour. The model will be based on the Grey Knights models, particularly an inquisitorial marked torso and shoulder pad, with a glaive encarmine off of the sanguinary guard, and modified Sang. Guard legs. A grey knight head because he likes the style, and a few bits and bobs off the loyalist kits I have.

But, the issue comes in where he wants his army to have a decently shooty strategy, so he's a little bit adverse to using a CC focused HQ. Is there a decent shooty loadout for a chapter master? What would be a good one? I plan to make this model stand out from the crowd, so I am using a few kits worth of bits and a lot of extras.

Well for one, go with a captain. They are cheaper, and have the same weapon options. The only reason to take a chapter master instead is if you really want to run an honor guard instead of a command squad.

Chapter masters are honestly close combat units. They have WS6 and I5. Both are fairly rare in the vanilla dex. Relic blade, storm shield, and artificier armor are generally the way to go on them. If you really want a shooty one, I guess go with an auxiliary grenade launcher and a combi-something-or-another. But they really don't do shooty well, especially since both honor guards and command squads are geared toward close combat.

Speaking competitively, a Chaptermaster of any form in a Vanilla army (except maybe Pedro Kantor) is not decent, no matter the wargear. You can get a cheaper everything with a captain, and even then the Captain's not that hot.

If you want a captain I'd say go with artificer armor, relic blade, and storm bolter with the aux grenade launcher. But since you friend wants more shooty he could try a master of the forge with a conversion beamer and gun servitors. I am not sure if the fluff calls for techmarines do Deathwatch duty or not, but if you really don't care that much about fluff then a Deathmatch techmarine would be a really cool conversion.

Would make for an interesting conversion. Since he is a deathwatch marine I would recommend picking up the deathwatch conversion pack GW sells ($25 web order). That comes with Deathwatch 5 shoulder pads, bolters, helmets and helmet less heads. Use the commander box plus extra bits.

Or you can order some of the Ultramarines tyrannic war vets and modify them.

I would suggest the first option since the commander box is plastic whereas the tyrannic vets are metal. But maybe they will give you an idea of what you are looking to do.

AFAIK He wont really be a competitive player, but a casual one. So i had the idea for the chapter master so that he can have a neat model to display and show off.

Ill try the storm bolter with grenade launcher and a relic blade if he likes the idea. i actually have something very good in mind now. At least model wise I do

heartserenade wrote:Speaking competitively, a Chaptermaster of any form in a Vanilla army (except maybe Pedro Kantor) is not decent, no matter the wargear. You can get a cheaper everything with a captain, and even then the Captain's not that hot.

I dunno... you get orbital bombardment. That's somewhat good.

IronSnake wrote:

heartserenade wrote:Speaking competitively, a Chaptermaster of any form in a Vanilla army (except maybe Pedro Kantor) is not decent, no matter the wargear. You can get a cheaper everything with a captain, and even then the Captain's not that hot.

I dunno... you get orbital bombardment. That's somewhat good.

For 25 points?

IronSnake wrote:

heartserenade wrote:Speaking competitively, a Chaptermaster of any form in a Vanilla army (except maybe Pedro Kantor) is not decent, no matter the wargear. You can get a cheaper everything with a captain, and even then the Captain's not that hot.

I dunno... you get orbital bombardment. That's somewhat good.

A single shot that most likely will scatter for 25 points?

Hence "somewhat".

Not even somewhat. It's just bad.

IronSnake wrote:Hence "somewhat".

Like I said before, the only reason to take a chapter master over a captain is if you really want to run an honor guard instead of a command squad for some reason. And the only reason I can see for that is for fluffy reasons. So really you should always choose a captain.

heartserenade wrote:

IronSnake wrote:

heartserenade wrote:Speaking competitively, a Chaptermaster of any form in a Vanilla army (except maybe Pedro Kantor) is not decent, no matter the wargear. You can get a cheaper everything with a captain, and even then the Captain's not that hot.

I dunno... you get orbital bombardment. That's somewhat good.

A single shot that most likely will scatter for 25 points?

If you're fighting a horde, it has to land somewhere. In my house we stick with the 2nd edition practice of banning named characters in small games so generic captains and masters get more of a workout

PraetorDave wrote:

IronSnake wrote:Hence "somewhat".

Like I said before, the only reason to take a chapter master over a captain is if you really want to run an honor guard instead of a command squad for some reason. And the only reason I can see for that is for fluffy reasons. So really you should always choose a captain.

I've always personally taken a Captain instead of the Chapter Master for that reason. I don't think orbital bombardment is that bad though. Scattering stinks, but I'm used to it.

I'll field my upcoming Iron Snakes CM Seydon simply because he'll look really cool. But I won't expect him to sway the battle much.