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.

A fairly straightforward question for the Dakka community:

Is there any competitive use for Power Fists or for Storm Shields on power armored marines in C:SM or in DA?

I've been trying for some time to sort any out, but with the horrendous points cost that they run, at least in C:SM and even the new DA codex (I'm less familiar with the other marine codices), I'm not hopeful.

Some of my most beloved old 1st edition veteran/command squad marine combinations seem painfully overpriced:

Power fist and Bolter at a 25 point premium over a bolt pistol (at this price, terminator armor is a free upgrade for 1 point less in C:SM!)
Power fist and Storm bolter at a 28-30 point premium
Storm shield and bolter or bolt pistol at a 10 point premium
(and we won't even mention double close combat weapon, which looks fantastic but doesn't even appear legal anymore!)

I figured that with all of the other folks here who love to tweak, analyze, and compare, someone might have a suggestion before I put these guys back in the display case for another edition (some of them haven't seen competitive play in 20 years!).

Thanks!

V

They're good for squads which include an IC. The IC takes the challenges and the fist/hammer Sergeant strikes the enemy squad. And They're good on tough ICs too; they have the wounds and invulnerable saves that ensure that they survive to strike.

Both answers make good sense to me, thanks Crimson - I have mostly seen folks take a power weapon that strikes at initiative for the sarge and have him take the challenge while the IC goes to town on the squad; and the ICs that can use them seem pretty weak in general (DA company master, C:SM Captain on foot or Chapter Master). Did I miss a good one?

It really depends on whom are you fighting in the challenge. If the enemy is an IC, they'll probably strike before your sword armed sergeant and slaughter him anyway, so the sword is wasted. He is good against other sergeant type characters though. Some people like to powerful ICs to fight each other, while other prefer to throw cheap sacrificial sergeant to the challenges. Power fists certainly got worse in this edition (but sadly kept their price), but they still have their uses.

I personally like to use Captain type of characters, and PF or hammer is a decent choice for them. Of course, as the Captains themselves are not such a great choice to begin with. Chaplains can take power fists too, though that is kinda waste, as they come with free maul.

In C:SM, I run seargents with PF/TH and SS, for challenges. Failing that I run a DA Searge with Lightning claw with LC and PF-I can choose which I want!

 Verthane wrote:
Both answers make good sense to me, thanks Crimson - I have mostly seen folks take a power weapon that strikes at initiative for the sarge and have him take the challenge while the IC goes to town on the squad; and the ICs that can use them seem pretty weak in general (DA company master, C:SM Captain on foot or Chapter Master). Did I miss a good one?

Captains on bikes. They're T5 so they won't go splat against most Power Fists.