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So I just got done painting a really cool metal powerfist commander a few minutes ago, only to realize that I never use powerfists on my guardsmen. We can't exactly take them in a lot of places, and the main spots I want one (powerblobs, ogryn) don't have access to them. The only places I could think to use one would be for a vet squad in an aircav list, with meltas/shotties, and maybe demolitions, so they can lay some hurt on just about anything. I guess you could always put one on your commander to discourage people from charging him, but with only 5 guys in the squad it's doubtful that he'd survive long enough to use it.

Are there any other good ways to use PF's with IG? Like a Lord commissar with one running around with some ogryn for example? Priests can count as well since they're carrying a counts as chainfist.

The only powerfist even remotely worth it is the one on Yarrick and even then not really.

What about on a commissar or a platoon commander in a Platoon Command Squad with flamers for counter attack?

I only use pf's at 2500+ pts games. First is with the lord commissar, *ususally chilling with ogryns. Second is on a big CCS, filled out with a few advisors and bodyguards. Its not a great unit but the bigger numbers and the fist helps to clean up lone models or weak squads in the vicinity.

Any other time I just think the points are better spent elsewhere.

Company Commander
Lord Commissar

sometimes Veteran Sergeant

Those are the guys where fists are useful.

Lord Commissar actually must have a fist. WS 5 3 attacks 4 on the charge is gold against MEQ. As good as 3 plasmaguns...
same applies to company commander. It is not very expensive and can kill annoying combat squads.

Veteran sergeants shouldnt normally take a powerfist, but aggressive vets or forward sentries could have.

MasterSlowPoke wrote:The only powerfist even remotely worth it is the one on Yarrick and even then not really.

Yarricks worth it but not for the Power Fist.


Honestly, PFs are not that great on Str3 models anyway. Krak Grenades come in greater numbers and same strength.

PWs are better because you retain inititive and are cheaper. besides, Guardsmen shouldn't be trying to kill vehicles in combat.

They're not worth the points on IG.
Sorry. IG aren't SM.

If only infantry squad sergeants and commissars for infantry squads could take them...*sigh*

Blacksails wrote:If only infantry squad sergeants and commissars for infantry squads could take them...*sigh*

Actually, in the DKoK list, they CAN!

Happygrunt wrote:

Blacksails wrote:If only infantry squad sergeants and commissars for infantry squads could take them...*sigh*

Actually, in the DKoK list, they CAN!

I know! And grant FnP to one of those big nasty blobs! *drool*

Blacksails wrote:

Happygrunt wrote:

Blacksails wrote:If only infantry squad sergeants and commissars for infantry squads could take them...*sigh*

Actually, in the DKoK list, they CAN!

I know! And grant FnP to one of those big nasty blobs! *drool*

Blobs that are WS4!

If only they could take more tanks, they would be my only army...

I'll stick a PF on my CCS if i have 15 points to spend at the end of a list and literally no where to put it.
3 PF attacks aren't bad when you consider the enemy has to deal 6 (7 or 8 with advisors) wounds before they take him out.
Obviously you don't go charging in willy nilly. But if there's a Carnifex that's deepstriked, shoot it with CCS melta then charge in with 4 S6 attacks, that's another wound.
Or small elite units with only a couple of models left. Sanguinary guard are only scary when there's more than two of them

Oh and Commissar Lords should ALWAYS get them.

I've done punchy PCS squads (powerfist, commissar with power fist), but not very much. They're a countercharge unit at best, and I always played a little too aggressively to make as much use out of them as I would have hoped.

A lord commissar with carapace armor and a power fist isn't a shabby way to spend 95 points, especially if you have some specific purpose (like putting with ogryn), though it's not necessary.

Vets should only get a power fist if they have a lot of stuff to back them up, like yarrick, or something.

The only other place to put a power fist is on a CCS, but it's in a squad that doesn't have stubborn. I guess as a 15 point throwaway, as the officer himself isn't that bad, but the only way I can see it working really well is if you put it in a squad with a bodyguard and kell for 2x powerfist action along with +1 combat resolution and a reroll for morale if you fail.

As for priests, they're not really the same. The point of a priest is to last long enough to give the rest of the squad rerolls on the charge. Most of the time, when I played with them, they scarcely got to use their eviscerator (unless I could multicharge a vehicle), as with T3 W1, it's tough to keep them alive...

Ailaros wrote:

As for priests, they're not really the same. The point of a priest is to last long enough to give the rest of the squad rerolls on the charge. Most of the time, when I played with them, they scarcely got to use their eviscerator (unless I could multicharge a vehicle), as with T3 W1, it's tough to keep them alive...

I would love for priests to be an upgrade character (exactly like infantry squad commissars), and have a 5-10pts reduction. Then they would be awesome.

Actually, I'd be willing to pay 15 points MORE if I could just make them hidden. Actually, you would probably have to pay even more than that. I mean, it IS a hidden eviscerator after all, in a squad that can take up to 54 wounds as a shield.

Or keep them as they are, but give them back W2, so they had a better than 50-50 shot of surviving a single chainsword blow...

You actually can't Blob DkoK anymore. They don't have that special rule anymore IIRC.

Grey Templar wrote:You actually can't Blob DkoK anymore. They don't have that special rule anymore IIRC.

Nope, still there. No update, FAQ, or aligning of the planets have altered that. You can still put down a glorious 60-man blobs at WS4 with fists, pistol and CC weapon, and FnP.

I must be missing something, how do DKOK blobs get FNP?

Quartermaster. HQ unit that can grant one unit within 6" FnP for a turn. Take a CCS for orders, then take a cheap QM for FnP for a squad. Or two QM for double the (lack of) pain!

My friend often slaps a fist on his CCS. It's never failed to slap at least one or two marines once they hit his lines. It helps grind them down in a sense, but its nothing special and it works for him. I wouldn't champion it, but I'm not shutting it down completely. Its just and option, and a place where points can be saved for competing by avoiding it.

Also- Straken

Yeah, Straken is awsome. He's basically an I3 chainfist.

I've seen him Falcon-punch Monoliths and ask for more.

Personally i'm not a fan of them. A PF Lord Commissar is okay but if he's targeted in combat he dies before he can do anything.

Peace Out!
Jonny!

Yeah like I said, I wasn't expecting anything awesome, I just had a model with one on it and was wanting to use it since I just got him painted

I've heard of people using them with vetsquads in an aircav style list, giving them the demolitions doctrine, shotties, and meltas, and supposedly this works well. Has anyone tried that?

Blacksails wrote:

Grey Templar wrote:You actually can't Blob DkoK anymore. They don't have that special rule anymore IIRC.

Nope, still there. No update, FAQ, or aligning of the planets have altered that. You can still put down a glorious 60-man blobs at WS4 with fists, pistol and CC weapon, and FnP.

Slightly unrelated, but can the Watchmaster still take a lasgun? I don't see the rule anywhere, but there is a distinct lack of pistol armed guardsman on the FW website, and I remember reading the rule somewhere.

That sounds really expensive, especially when you include the price of the vendetta. Were I to go for power fist vets, I think it would be with like three grenade launchers (yes, I just suggested that), or possibly forgoing special weapons altogether. Even then...

I don't know, it seems like you'd need a lord commissar or yarrick or something to make this work.

I never field a power fist in my IG army. It's too expensive for a small command unit. I'd rather use it to buy a Regimental Standard or an Auto-Cannon or Las Cannon.

A Guardsman with a powerfist makes Warriors and Nobs giggle...

Something to remember is that IG generally strikes last. Unless you're fighting grandma McGillicuddy who is armed with a wet sunday paper with lead weights tied around her limbs.

If you have the points, and nothing else to spend them on, go for it. Don't build your list around it.

yep, this is what I was figuring I would hear. It sounds like giving a guardsman a powerfist is like giving an ork a sniper rifle, not a good idea

Figured it wouldn't hurt to ask though!

MrMoustaffa wrote:yep, this is what I was figuring I would hear. It sounds like giving a guardsman a powerfist is like giving an ork a sniper rifle, not a good idea

Figured it wouldn't hurt to ask though!

Well, it's not THAT bad.

Back in 4th ed, I used to give my SO a power weapon and eventually switched it to a fist and never looked back. The poor showing of my officer's power weapon was what initially lead me to be skeptical of power weapons sergeants before I actually started playing with power blobs a few years ago.

The only reason I don't keep a power fist anymore is because officer squads became much better for doing shooty stuff, while getting basically no better for a role as choppy. As such, I put a heavy weapon in the squad, which does somewhat limit the usefulness of a fist, especially given that there might also be a MoO and a standard in that squad.

Plus, it has the problem of being JUST too expensive. I never have a 15 points casually laying around, and if I do, there's usually something better to spend it on.

I've never had much use for them.

Initiative 1?

They are great on vehicles but I haven't found an advantage to them over regular power weapons.