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The latter part of this would have been the follow up question "Why not?" but the answer is that grav centurions are far better.

And I get it, a ton of rerolling grav shots is really really good.

And maybe I don't see a lot of centurions in general, but I have never seen assault ones, and I feel as if they're at least decent on paper.

I mean, 2+ armor, T5, 2W, I4 S9 power fists with, I think, armorbane? I mean, at-initiative power fists on their own sounds pretty good. And I know you imperials get nervous when your melee units don't have a rerollable 3++ (sissies), but my meganobz, for example, can do good work with no melee invluns of any kind. I'd expect that assault centurions could get some damn good work done, especially if you filled in their lack of invluns with a psyker for things like invisibility, endurance, forewarning, etc. I get that's luck based, but still, there are options to improve their durability, which sounds pretty good on its own.

At any rate, it seems to look at a T5, 2W, 2+ armor model and discount its melee viability due to no base invluns seems a little drastic, but that is coming from an ork perspective.

And with a drop pod option to get them to the fight quickly, it seems like I'd see them a bit, if only for fun.

So, what's the problem with them? Too expensive? 3 in a drop pod not enough to make a big difference? Or are they just completely overshadowed by the utility of grav cents?

Throw a durable HQ with them and you get what Tactical Terminators could be, and you get a unit that can compete with the likes of Assault Terminators.

Honestly, Terminators have been bad for so long that having Honour Guard and Assault Centurions are a welcome addition to more fun games where you kinda want your foot retinue to make it to melee.

Do you just footslog them? Also, how many can you take in a squad?

I use an Assault Centurion in Space Hulk (house rules).

The low number of attacks is not doing them any favors. 1A each,with a non-vet sarge base. They do have paired weapons, which helps, but 6 attacks at WS4 is not all that good.

They look like they could sub in nicely for tactical terminators. A little light shooting, with some smashing and crushing if you get stuck in. Better in CC then the terminators, but lack some of the perks of TDA (5++, native DS). They are OKish generalists that need support to work. No lack of that in the marine codex to start with.

Compounding this of course is the opportunity cost of not building that $78 box as DevCents, which are mechanically far superior.

Wait, assault cents only have 1 attack? That is pretty abysmal.

 Kap'n Krump wrote:
Do you just footslog them? Also, how many can you take in a squad?

Either a Drop Pod with a Deathwind Launcher or a Spartan w/ Armoured Ceramite (which isn't admittedly too great anymore).
I just take the minimum three, and upgrade the sergeant to Veteren status and with the Omniscope.

People don't use them because they're bad at assault, slow and purposeful (at least I think) and t5 won't save you from ap 2 las cannons or the sort once you're out of combat, or even high str low ap weapons in CC.

Hammernators are better at their job in all ways. Sure you lose a toughness, wound, and 3 imitative but in return you cost less points, get an invuln, lose very bulky, and get an extra attack. Not to mention real world cost, centurions are like 30 bucks more and you get less, worse (imo) looking models.

Yes, they have hurricane bolters or whatever but 6 bolter shots can't really do much unless you're fighting the squishier races, and even then those models are probably cheap.

And also like you said, why take assault when you could take devastator instead?

It's not just the hurricane bolters. They have heavy flamers or meltaguns slung underneath their seige drills. Last time I fought my buddys nids I brought 3 and a terminator libby who was lucky enough to get forewarning. I cut up a carnifex, Tyranofex, a warrior squad and put 3 wounds on a second carnifex before they finally fell. They can be absolutely brutal against the right targets, (MCs, vehicles) but getting them into combat is the only real problem.

I use them in casual games, transported in a LR. Lot's of points

Dantes_Baals wrote:
It's not just the hurricane bolters. They have heavy flamers or meltaguns slung underneath their seige drills. Last time I fought my buddys nids I brought 3 and a terminator libby who was lucky enough to get forewarning. I cut up a carnifex, Tyranofex, a warrior squad and put 3 wounds on a second carnifex before they finally fell. They can be absolutely brutal against the right targets, (MCs, vehicles) but getting them into combat is the only real problem.

They are normal, not heavy flamers. TL’d, so a little better then normal though.

Being S&P, they can’t wall of death them, which is a let down. Especially due to the fact that they are likely to be charged given half the chance. Due to the low number of base attacks, they really want the bonus ones for plowing in.

 Kap'n Krump wrote:


I mean, 2+ armor, T5, 2W, I4 S9 power fists with, I think, armorbane?

Don't sell them short. They're S10 now. That being said, they're still bad because they cost a ton of points for a slow melee unit.

 Mulletdude wrote:

 Kap'n Krump wrote:


I mean, 2+ armor, T5, 2W, I4 S9 power fists with, I think, armorbane?

Don't sell them short. They're S10 now. That being said, they're still bad because they cost a ton of points for a slow melee unit.

You think 185 points is a lot for a unit that can eat MCs and armor all day long? When run with Pedro I've seen them cut through a 345 point knight like it was butter. Try running them against guard playing with armor. You can flame and bolter the bubble wrap (omniscope) and then grind the armor to bits.

I will admit they are an extremely situational unit. Not to boast, but after 15 years of running BA I've kinda become an ace at knowing where to place pods and DSing units so they can get the charge.

Dantes_Baals wrote:

 Mulletdude wrote:

 Kap'n Krump wrote:


I mean, 2+ armor, T5, 2W, I4 S9 power fists with, I think, armorbane?

Don't sell them short. They're S10 now. That being said, they're still bad because they cost a ton of points for a slow melee unit.

You think 185 points is a lot for a unit that can eat MCs and armor all day long? When run with Pedro I've seen them cut through a 345 point knight like it was butter. Try running them against guard playing with armor. You can flame and bolter the bubble wrap (omniscope) and then grind the armor to bits.

I will admit they are an extremely situational unit. Not to boast, but after 15 years of running BA I've kinda become an ace at knowing where to place ppds/DSing units so they can get the charge.

Best part is that Pedro can launch his Orbital Bombardment and keep moving.

Seriously, Assault Centurions do a lot for any Chapter Master accompanying them while the Master himself helps with their own weakness of not having an Invul or boosting their combat abilities.
Tyberos gives them PE: Infantry and Pedro gives them another attack. Calgar and Smashfucker can tank wounds that they shouldn't be dealing with. Meanwhile, Hurricane Bolters help with low amount of attacks, and giving them Splitfire lets them launch Bombardments on top of helping shooting HQ's (Pedro, Master carrying Betrayer's Bane or Primarch's Wrath, Lias).