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So I'm gonna build my 5 man squad of Raptors, running 2x Plasma Pistols. For the Champ I am unsure which loadout to go with.

Power Sword+Plasma Pistol
Power Fist and Plasma Pistol
Lightning Claw and Plasma Pistol
Power Fist and Lightning Claw
Paired Lightning Claws
Power Fist and Power Sword


Personally I like the Power Sword aesthetic, but I reckon one of the other loadouts is more useful. Unfortunately magnets are a no go right now and pinning is difficult due to shoulder pads.

Can anyone help me out?

don't you think that's a bit much for a 1W model? Plus plasma pistols are kinda meh with only 6" range but the lightning claw and power fist combo seems really useful for any situation in which you're in CC. But if you already have 2 plasma pistols feel free to get a 3rd one, I'd go with a lightning claw then, as you should be able to damage vehicles with your plasma so it'd be better to be good at CC

Is there any reason you're going with plasma pistols in the squad? Meltaguns are cheaper and better in every respect - the only reason for taking plasma pistols is because your models are already armed with them, or various other modelling reasons.

I see the champion as complementing the special weapons in the squad. If you're tank-hunting with meltaguns, take a powerfist. For anti-troop use flamers and a power maul. If you're using plasma, take a power sword or axe for killing marines/terminators.

The plasma pistol, twin LCs or PF + other all seem too expensive on a one wound model, though your usage may vary...

I want my Raptors to furfill a role simlar to my Warp Talons- Lots of Attacks in CC, but were my Warp Talons handle MEQ, with Dual LC and MoK, I want the raptors to kill the other thing. I want to run MoK and have the 4-5 attacks on the charge, but still have the versitility of Plasma to kill Tanks, TEQ and Marines. And rather than lose an attack to a Plasmagun, or restrict myself with a Meltagun, I want a bit of versitility.

Personally I lean towards the aesthetically pleasing Power Sword/Plasma Pistol, or the effective PF+LC, but I am put off by the Champion of Chaos and Unwieldy special rules. I have no problem with them individually, but not together.

If you want the ability to kill any target, go LC and PF. While it's a lot of points on one champ, at least you don't have a plasma on him as well, so he can't get hot and die.

Don't forget the LC can go at the same time as his INT, but if you want a cheaper option, go with two power weapons, one power sword one power axe.

I'm still not sure what you mean by 'restricting' yourself with a meltagun - what does the plasma pistol give you that a meltagun doesn't?

An extra attack in CC- and fluffwise, tabletop wise and preference, I prefer CC. My Chaos are "World Eater descedents." Plasma is my preference over Melta, because it can tackle near any target and longer ranged. Plasma Guns are longer than Meltaguns, and once you factor in the fact Meltaguns are really needed within 6" thats a hell of a short range when I could just assault with Krak Grenades or Meltabombs.

I am as yet undecided but I am taking all this into consideration.

Barrywise wrote:
don't you think that's a bit much for a 1W model? Plus plasma pistols are kinda meh with only 6" range but the lightning claw and power fist combo seems really useful for any situation in which you're in CC. But if you already have 2 plasma pistols feel free to get a 3rd one, I'd go with a lightning claw then, as you should be able to damage vehicles with your plasma so it'd be better to be good at CC

Plasma pistols are 12" range.

Plasma pistols are quite bad. You will fire it twice a game, tops, and some of the time it will kill your champion and all the pricey upgrades you put on him.

If you really want a good combo for a Raptor champion and have the points to spend, go with Lightning Claw+combi-weapon. A combi-melta if you face lots of mech, a combi-flamer to flank hordes and thin them out with your speed.

Are you sure you lose the bolt pistol (and hence the extra attack)? The codex states that you replace the bolt pistol if you choose the plasma pistol, but for the special weapons it just says that you take one of them, nothing about replacing a weapon.

I understand about your Khorne point though - Berzerkers only get plasma pistols, so if these are effectively Berzerkers with jump packs it would make sense for them to have the same weapons!

Actually it appears you are correct. So all I would have to do it pin the weapons to the leg or something.

But I am hesitant. It would be 5pts cheaper to go Plasmagun and Meltagun than 2x Plasma Pistol. But I have a role in mind, which is Beserkers with JP, as you correctly put it. If I give them special weapons, can I trust myself not to play them as a Deep Striking Alpha strike unit? That's my problem. I want to have them as a CC unit specifically and if I arm them with special guns like a Meltagun its likely they will degrade into the Tank Hunter role every other player uses Assault Marines and Equivilents for.

For the regular raptors, melta guns do not replace their bolt pistol so you have:
* exactly the same CC attacks as a plasma pistol dude,
* a ranged weapon with exactly the same range, a higher strength, lower AP, can pop AV14, and can instant-death T4 characters if you are lucky/they are unlucky,

For the champ a power sword paired with maybe a plasma pistol for cool looks.

Also, icon of wrath is a must.


*ninja'd*

Not really. They can already reroll charge range if they walk and FC isn't a must take.

Hey all. Started building today and realised that the special weapons that come with the boxes don't have handles and so NEED to be in the hands, which does not suit me at all. So I have decided to go with my orginal plan of 2x Plasma Pistol and for the champ I've settle on the Sword+Plasma Pistol. I reckon the AP2 with prescision shot outwieghs the quite minor risk of killing oneself. Also, aesthetically and usagewise it suits me better.


Thanks for all the help, much appreciated.

I just go for a Power Sword + Bolt Pistol on my Raptor Champion.

Know in advance that Chaos Bikers are strictly speaking better than Raptors however, Raptors ARE fun, and they ARE cool, and they ARE worse than bikers

Power Sword gives you about the same killing power as a single claw, since the pistol and cc weapon give you an extra attack, and 2 Claws is too expensive for only having ap3 and 1 wound. Same with Fist + Claw. IF you want a Fist + Claw model put it on a lord- preferably on a Bike so he is t5 (or 6 with MoN) and has a 4++. The combination of multiple wounds, resistant to s8 instant death, and a 4++ invulnerable save is a MUCH better platform for expensive cc weapons. And Plasma Pistol just isn't worth it, too expensive and can kill your champ.

Power Sword punches ap3, which is about the toughest thing Raptors should ever be engaging, so it works pretty well. Don't spend a ton of points on your Champion, he'll get buffed plenty if you are getting Marks, Icons, or Veterans.

upgrades for aspiring champions are rarely a good idea. but if you really want to I would say go with a single lightning claw.

1 lightning claw is better than a power sword and pistol.

Unfortunately you are both too late. I already glued the Sword and Plasma Pistol on already.

But it does mean I have 2 Right Handed powerfists, a power sword and 3 plasma pistols to add to Chaos Marine Champions. It also gives me 2 Flamers, Plasmaguns and Meltaguns to pin/magnetise to my Chaos marines to use as special weapons.

BronzeJon wrote:

Plasma pistols are 12" range.

I was thinking that the whole time until you posted that.