The disposable HQ

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**Nightlord1987**

So I've been toying with the idea, in this age of super Death Stars and over the top dead killy weaponry everywhere to go against common meta and use (much like a troops tax) the cheapest HQ options available, and spending points otherwise.

My first choice is a Big Mek with Finkin Kap. Grants me two Strategic Traits, which benefit the army as a whole.

Hide him in reserves (or out flank) and lure him far away from the action. Make the enemy lose focus to take him out.

Anyone else try something similar?

**luke1705**

Depends on the army. Tyranids wish they could use only HQ's. I've seen 1200 points just in Flyrants. Centstar spends about 25% of the army's points between Draigo, Tiggy and Loth. Eldar can never have too many Farseers. The list that has repeatedly won Adepticon had:

Fateweaver
Nurgle Herald
Nurgle Herald
Tzeentch Herald
Tzeentch Herald

Totalling roughly 850-900 points

Automatically Appended Next Post:
That being said, many armies will do as you have stated. Something that I don't know if has caught on for many people is having a non-HQ warlord. Many times the HQ options for a warlord are bad (or he is a force-multiplier so it would be better not to put additional incentive on his death). Just have some other character be your warlord. This can mean that you don't even need a traditional HQ choice if you select certain formation detachments, or just have a complete army of formations. Very doable for any army post-Necrons codex

**Nightlord1987**

A very good point!

I often find I have to spend an equal or greater cos in a delivery service for most tooled out HQs, that are all singled out together anyways.

Might have to try a non HQ Warlord in a list for next time, or in a formation heavy list.

**vipoid**

Nightlord1987 wrote:
So I've been toying with the idea, in this age of super Death Stars and over the top dead killy weaponry everywhere to go against common meta and use (much like a troops tax) the cheapest HQ options available, and spending points otherwise.

I think it can definitely work - especially with support HQs like psykers, CCSs and such (which usually need minimal upgrades to function well). It might also depend on whether your HQ options are any good to begin with. e.g. a SW player who chooses not to use a tooled up TWC-Lord is probably losing out a hell of a lot more than a DE player who discards his crap HQs in favour of a 10pt Lhamaean.

Personally, I usually enjoy spending some points on at least one of my characters. With the armies I collect, it's probably not the best use of points, but I just think it's more flavourful to at least give my Warlord some gear.

**locarno24**

As noted, there is some argument for non-HQ warlords, too.

A Bully Boyz Meganob Boss is at least as tough as a lot of people's HQ choices, as is a Centurion-armour Veteran Sergeant.

**Icculus**

Honestly, I have been using just a single weirdboy ML2 as my HQ choice in some games. Especially in low point games. At 1000 points he can do quite a bit. I actually just played a match against another ork and my weirdboy trukk squad went against his Warboss trukk squad. I was able to get my weirdboy in a challenge with the warboss and thanks to having gotten force off in the previous turn, I insta killed the warboss.

But lately I have been a fan of taking a very low point HQ choice. For example I have been taking a single, unupgraded chaplain with my black templar just to get the rerolls on the first round of combat.

**vipoid**

This might sound like a silly question, but what counts as a cheap HQ?

As in, what's the cut-off point after which they can no longer be considered cheap?

**Icculus**

vipoid wrote:
This might sound like a silly question, but what counts as a cheap HQ?

As in, what's the cut-off point after which they can no longer be considered cheap?

Good question, but I'd probably consider it at 100 points or less.

**Caederes**

It really depends on the army, some factions stay competitive because of their HQ choices - Tyranids being the prime example - while others have HQ choices that are just too good not to take - Tau and Eldar come to mind here. I find that spending a lot of points on HQ choices that buff your army is a sure bet nowadays, almost in complete contrast to several editions ago.

**Crazyterran**

It's probably a good idea to make a non HQ your choice your warlord unless you are fishing for a specific warlord trait on a special character.

Captain smashfether doesn't necessarily gain anything when you roll on strategic, and it just gives extra incentive to kill him on top of the already powerful incentive.

Sniper scout sergeant camping the objective in the rain in the back corner, however, is a decent choice, as snipers are a low priority target and a 2+ cover save is a hassle to deal with.

Or perhaps in your (red scorpion) centurion Death Star, your centurion sergeant is the warlord so that Loth and Draigo/smashfether can do their thing without risking handing over extra vp.

As for actual cheap HQ choices, (Ultra)marines do it quite well. A 65pt Techmarine gives you a powerfist, 2+ armour save, and a bolstered terrain piece. Telion can give your camping scouts a better save, and the thunderfire cannons he is hanging out near rending. Hell, a librarian isn't bad either, as who doesn't love prescience?

**jasper76**

Its always good to have a cheap HQ model to throw out. I play Legion Marines, and I have a stock Centurion with a Bolter upgrade...53 points IIRC. I mostly use cheap HQs in low points games like 1500 or less where dumping alot of points into HQs can hurt you alot more.

**Icculus**

Yes, some armies can really revolve around the HQ choices. Chaos Daemons is another one.

But there are a few armies where the HQ can just be used as a force multiplier, and all of the cool powerful stuff comes from the units on their own. Space Marines are like that. They have a few cool HQ

Automatically Appended Next Post:
Yes, some armies can really revolve around the HQ choices. Chaos Daemons is another one.

But there are a few armies where the HQ can just be used as a force multiplier, and all of the cool powerful stuff comes from the units on their own. Space Marines are like that. They have a few cool HQ units but really they don't have as big of an effect on the overall army. So when you could spend 250 points on a fully tooled out chapter master, you could bring in another big squad of grav cents, a coupld stormtalon flyers, another biker unit instead.

**DirtyDeeds**

Dark Eldar can take a 10 point HQ

**Slaphead**

Depends on the army, but anything less than 100pts I would class as cheap. For Space Marines, a techmarine is dirt cheap as is a mastery level 1 librarian with no upgrades (65 points). For Blood Angels a stock sang priest is only around 60 points. You would most definitely want them buried in a unit or inside a vehicle (techmarine) if you don't want to give your opponent an easy slay the warlord point. In a lot of cases, the superior numbers you will be bringing can make up for a squishier cheap HQ.

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DirtyDeeds wrote:
Dark Eldar can take a 10 point HQ

Wow, which unit is that and how would you use them?

**Icculus**

Slaphead wrote:
Depends on the army, but anything less than 100pts I would class as cheap. For Space Marines, a techmarine is dirt cheap as is a mastery level 1 librarian with no upgrades (65 points). For Blood Angels a stock sang priest is only around 60 points. You would most definitely want them buried in a unit or inside a vehicle (techmarine) if you don't want to give your opponent an easy slay the warlord point. In a lot of cases, the superior numbers you will be bringing can make up for a squishier cheap HQ.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

DirtyDeeds wrote:
Dark Eldar can take a 10 point HQ

Wow, which unit is that and how would you use them?

Its one member of the court of the Archon. the Llamean. Actually pretty useless, but it serves the purpose of fulfilling the HQ slot so you can be bound.

**DirtyDeeds**

Icculus wrote:
Slaphead wrote:
Depends on the army, but anything less than 100pts I would class as cheap. For Space Marines, a techmarine is dirt cheap as is a mastery level 1 librarian with no upgrades (65 points). For Blood Angels a stock sang priest is only around 60 points. You would most definitely want them buried in a unit or inside a vehicle (techmarine) if you don't want to give your opponent an easy slay the warlord point. In a lot of cases, the superior numbers you will be bringing can make up for a squishier cheap HQ.

Automatically Appended Next Post:

DirtyDeeds wrote:
Dark Eldar can take a 10 point HQ

Wow, which unit is that and how would you use them?

Its one member of the court of the Archon. the Llamean. Actually pretty useless, but it serves the purpose of fulfilling the HQ slot so you can be bound.

She can even buy a Venom for an additional 65 points (with a second Venom Cannon, of course). But she serves no purpose other than to fulfill the HQ slot.