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Sup?

I'm currently putting some CSM Raptors together, but I am indecisive on how to equip the champions. I'm gonna have two six man squads, one with two Plasmaguns and one with two Meltaguns (if that's relevant, I don't know, I'm fresh-faced new you see )

I'm thinking Plasma pistol and Power Sword for the one in the Plasma squad. But for the other one I have no idea. Are Lightning Claws as badass as they look? Would appreciate some help on this one.

Many thanks.

A power fist, there is nothing worse than getting stuck in combat with dreadnoughts or other mechanised walkers.

I'd roll powerfist, as the rest of the squad can deal with infantry.
Are you giving them a mark? personally I'd stick with a powerfist with any mark except slaanesh, where it'd be wasted.

Don't give him both a PF and PP though, nothing worse than your only anti tank combat guy blowing himself up

If the Slaanesh mark is such a waste I am not giving them any mark at all, because I'm putting together a Slaanesh army, hehe.

So Power Fist and Bolt Pistol then? What about the other one? Is Plasma Pistol and Power Sword an alright combo?

Fist

I normally play Orks, so every unit and it's dog tend to have a powerfist in.
Jump infantry are fast enough to pick your targets, so you're unlikely to get stuck against a Dread unless you charged it. You get a more flexible choice of targets with a 'fist, but nothing wrong with taking power weapon instead, you just need to pick your targets more carefully.

You could do worse than take twin LC, which are pretty tasty, and IIRC can't a raptor champion take meltabombs? Just a thought, If you are worried about Dreads and such.
Unfortunately I can't check it, my friend has my CSM codex...

I'm also going to jump on the fist wagon, but I'll also say that LCs with a meltabomb isn't bad either. Raptors have the ability to choose who they're attacking better than most stuff, which means that you don't have to live quite so much in fear of getting charged by a dreadnought. In a squad with meltas, the fist is also less necessary for taking down vehicles.

The fist is still the best option most of the time, but the LCs also open up some options as well, should the rest of your list dictate.

I wouldn't bother with a power weapon, though, and I certainly wouldn't bother with a plasma pistol, even if the rest of the squad has plasma.

As much as I want to say add a fist, the fact that raptors are so fast and can carry two melta guns means you should really toss on a power sword.

Odds are you have obliterators, or other good anti tank in your army. Your raptors can roll around popping transports and wiping out the contents. Most players put a power fist in these transport units, therefore with MOK and a power weapon your squad should wipe them out to were your lack of a fist won't matter.

If your raptors get caught by a dread, that's your own damn fault.

Powerfist on both. Punchface!

juraigamer wrote:As much as I want to say add a fist, the fact that raptors are so fast and can carry two melta guns means you should really toss on a power sword.

But a power weapon adds so little, why not just save the points and give him a chainsword?

Dual LC and a Meltabomb on a 2 melta or 2 flamer raptor squad

Ailaros wrote:

juraigamer wrote:As much as I want to say add a fist, the fact that raptors are so fast and can carry two melta guns means you should really toss on a power sword.

But a power weapon adds so little, why not just save the points and give him a chainsword?

Because raptors with melta guns scream transport popping killers. With a power sword, and mark of khorne, you can pull off 5 attacks on the charge, which tends to kill 2-3 marines. The powerfist is good, but in this case I would say to get your swings in before your opponents fist, because raptors are expensive.

juraigamer wrote:
Because raptors with melta guns scream transport popping killers. With a power sword, and mark of khorne, you can pull off 5 attacks on the charge, which tends to kill 2-3 marines. The powerfist is good, but in this case I would say to get your swings in before your opponents fist, because raptors are expensive.

The day you fail to blow that transport is the day you are grateful for the fist. If you're taking a meltabomb as well, your paying 5 less points for a 1/6 chance you will hit. If you immobilize it, the meltabomb is sadly not AP1- would you like to hit it once at S8, or 3 times at S8? Also since the P.weapon swings at I4, Im going to put those Pweapon hits on one guys, so that turns into "tends to kill 1 marine"

the fist, on the other hand...

Jihallah wrote: If you're taking a meltabomb as well, your paying 5 less points for a 1/6 chance you will hit.

If your opponent forwent shooting in the previous turn to move at cruising speed. Plus, raptors are quick enough (and able to fly over other units enough) to be able to pick more sedentary targets.

Plus, the raptor squad itself also comes with krak grenades. I'm not saying that taking a fist doesn't give you better tank busting power, but what I am saying is that with 2 BS4 meltaguns, 4 S6 and 1 S8 melta attack on the charge, a raptor squad actually already comes with a pretty hefty dose of anti tank, even without the fist. Swapping out that S8 melta in favor of 3 S8 non-melta doesn't actually increase the tank killing power by that much of a percentage.

Of course, it's not a non-zero improvement, and, more importantly, the fist gives you the ability to hunt down MCs and walkers rather than run away from them, so the fist is still a good upgrade. Meanwhile, the lightning claws also open up some opportunities (like attacking termies), and can be a viable option in their own right.

In any case, it's certainly less of an auto-include than a fist in a berzerker squad (or, really, any troops choice in the codex).

What the poster above me said really sums it up.

I'm still convinced fist over PW+MB. PW on its own, or even just a MB however...

Lightcavalier wrote:Dual LC and a Meltabomb on a 2 melta or 2 flamer raptor squad

I vote for that, especially on the melta team, and especially with MoS.