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Now it would seem that for 5pts extra a model, artificer armour and a power weapon is a steal, and to make the unit even more flexible, you can choose between a 3 to 10 man squad, top that with the option of relic blades and you seem to have a winner. But unfortunately thats where the honour guards flexibility ends, seeing as though they cannot take any options but a relic blade (and standard). The command squad on the other hand can be equipped with a huge variety of weapons as well as options that can seriously buff the squad such as storm shields and an apothecary. So forgetting about bikes, is the wider variety of options worth losing out on a power weapon and artificier armour for a mere 5pts?
Yes I know there is the option of the melta pod and the grav bikes, but barring these and thinking primarily of assault, is it ever worth taking a command squad, when you can just upgrade to chapter master for 40pts and have access to an honour guard (as well as stat increases and orbital bombardment)?
Heres my gripe: I WANT an honour guard and the most beautiful minitures I own are some golden converted spartan looking marines with red capes and crest helms (ebay job). I really want to use them! Problem is the squad includes an apothecary, a powerfist, a stormshield and a plasma pistol. I am not taking these models apart as I couldnt do a paint job a tenth of the standard. But because I want to use them as assault I'm being ripped off points wise when I could have honour guard! I know from my BA honour guards that 3+ just doesn't cut it when you are investing 200+ points into a 5 man non jp unit (unless you're running corbulo). Is there any effective way for me to run this unit without it being a squishy points sink? Just to emphasise ITS BEAUTIFUL!
Help appreciated. Thank you.


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P.s.when I say on foot, I aren't discounting transports, just bikes.

Honor Guard can hit hard rolling out of a Land Raider. For almost any other setup, I prefer Command Squads because FNP + mass special weapons is just too good. But Honor Guard with an IC are pretty beastly for their points cost if they're coming from an assault vehicle.

With the loadout that the unit is running, a command squad really is your only option. If my math is right than that unit comes in at 155 with the options you have listed. What does the rest of your list look like? What chapter tactics are you wanting to use?

It has power weapons as well, I just didn't include them because HG can also have them. The above options take it to 175pts and the 3 power weapons take it to 220pts. Its a pity because the armour looks more like a sang guard armour than marine (artificier) and two of the power weapons have been modeled as double handed weapons so could be relic blades (esp with the detail on them).
Im currently thinking of running an Iron Hands detachment with a hard as nails chap master with shield eternal etc. Including 2 ravens and a raider for IWND and lots of scouts to take objectives, 1 unit of grav bikes thrown in to see what they run like, all allied with BA inc Dante, priest, sang guard with a few infernus (dante bomb), 10 death co in pod, an outflanking flamer baal and a fast vindi to distract firepower. Totals to 2.5k with upgrades. But thats with HG not CS. Id want a 5man HG with chapter banner for 160 rather than the above squad for 220. But they're so priddddy! (That 2500 inc a 160pt HG)

They fill in different rolls:

The Honour Guard is a great CC bomb, they'll throw massive amount of PW attacks and combined with a CM and a decent delivery system they'll shred through most enemy units (not all, but most).

The Command Squad is a great support unit for a special character: want Tigurius to survive longer? Give him a CS with apothecary and some SSs. As you mentioned, they can also be a great Special Weapon delivery system (pods, etc...) I'd say that the only way to turn them into a CC monster is to put them on bikes.

The way you describe them sadly doesn't fit either scenario (sorry). It sounds like they have the looks of an honour guard but the gear of a command squad. Personally, I'd probably try to convert them back to HG.

Hope it helps.

Yeh cheers for the advice. I reckon i'll just run them as honour guard in friendly games if the opponent lets me and just leave them at home otherwise.