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So, I've got a Warboss conversion going on. The model I'm converting is a Fantasy Orc with a huge axe. I want him to have the best melee weapon available, and I've been thinking about wither taking a PK or Eadwoppas Killchoppa. The Killchoppa is a good choice, mostly because the Warboss is modelled with, yes, a huge axe. The Killchoppa is a S+2 AP5 Rending axe which makes all to wound rolls of 6+ Instant Death. This would be awesome in challenges and combat vs say Terminators, because I get to strike at I4. On the other hand, the PK is a S10 AP2 Unwieldy weapon. It will take down vehicles, but I'm screwed in a challenge against anything else than Power Fists. What do you guys thinkI should take?

The Killchoppa means that you will spend significant parts of every game watching your opponent pass 3+ armour saves. Relying on 6's isn't the best plan, as my Killing Blow reliant Tomb Kings can attest. The Killchoppa looks fun for a backup character - if you are desperate to get another Warboss in, but can't afford the Powerklaw - but in general it is outweighed by the AP2 powerklaw. It is sad, since my favourite Warboss model (and best painted to boot) has a big choppa, but the Powerklaw is ubiquitous for a reason, and that reason is power armour.

Surviving challenges is a problem. The way around it is not to use higher init, since half the time that won't help enough, but instead to throw the unit Nob into the challenge instead, or to rely on the Megarmour if you are using that model (and your opponent doesn't have a powerfist, obviously).

So, I'll just say it's a counts-as for a PK?

The killchoppa is OK if you take it as a backup weapon IN ADDITION to a power klaw, which you are allowed to do as it's a relic, and you have decided not to take da lukky stikk for some reason. In most situations the power klaw is far better, but there are some potential threats (e.g. monstrous creatures) that have worse initiative than the boss, and being able to take them out before they get to swing back might save the day.

In any event, it's usually easier to deal with challenges from hard enemy characters by accepting with boss nobz or meks so that the boss can still swing against the unit.

Except in that case you are spending quite a few points on a weapon which you might only use occasionally.

Stick with the PK.

 welshhoppo wrote:
Except in that case you are spending quite a few points on a weapon which you might only use occasionally.

Stick with the PK.

I would argue that it depends on the army. I can see it getting mileage against tyranids and necrons. But in no circumstances would I suggest taking it over a power klaw.

Who is the warboss hanging out with?
If you've got him in a unit of Nobz where you already have 2 or 3 other power klaws, then he can do just fine with the killchoppa.

It is unfortunately a very niche weapon as others have suggested and in the vast majority of the cases you will end up wishing you had brought or used a PK instead. If you want instant death it might be better to go for the 40 point Killa Klaw relic from the Ghazghkull supplement as you can at least still choose to use it as a normal PK and switch to its 1 instant death "falcon punch" attack in a pinch for MC like the Wraithknight/Riptide.

While killchoppa sounds good on paper, it has some problems.

1. Striking at ini.
"So, what's the problem here, i thought, it's the main advantage?!" - you might ask. But striking at ini means you pile in at ini. You're surrounded with 1-2-3 ini guyz and now the warboss would have to pile in first. But he won't be able to get closer cause others haven't piled in yet. Means, if you're out of striking range, you're not likely to get there for at least one phase. If you position your warboss the way he's always able to strike - he's always in danger of being challenged out - means you now can only utilise mek and nob challenge eaters and not use a pile-in trick to avoid extra losses.
At the same time, ini4 is not a life-savior. It might be good vs some number of slower foes but since you're just ap5, you have ~30-40% chance to get this rend.
2. It's not a PK. s10 ap2 is just too good to pass by.
3. No DLS.

All in all, as said above, it's too situational. You're better off with a PK and DLS the majority of time.

What about using it as da Choppa of da Ragnarok from Waaagh Ghaz? I'm not sure it mathhammer betters than Killchoppa always but it has potential to fill the PK role if you kill enough.

I used to run a warboss with headwoppa killchoppa. This was because I had the old warboss model with the axe.

I have successfully ID a couple monsterous creatures with it. It works better against tyranid ones because they don't have a save from it. Daemons always tend to make that invuln when I roll a 6 for them.

I guess it all depends on the army you are playing against because a mech army would be careful around the s10 pk

 TheCupcakeCowboy wrote:
What about using it as da Choppa of da Ragnarok from Waaagh Ghaz? I'm not sure it mathhammer betters than Killchoppa always but it has potential to fill the PK role if you kill enough.

Arguably worse because you only get the +1S -1AP Bonus after the model with it inflicted casualties in melee that turn, and that it doesn't stack based on how many models you removed. Given that games average around 6 turns and you generally won't be able to get into combat until T2, you won't get the maximum benefits of the weapon very quickly.