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.

Since I've finished my BaC box, I've wondered what the actual applications of the Chaplain are.

With the Consuls, there seems to be a good use for most:
Champion - Budget Praetor combat skill
Vigilator - Sneaky HQ
Master of Signal - Bombardment, higher BS
Siege Breaker - Phosphex, Tank Hunters
Librarian - Psychic power
Forge Lord - Super Techmarine
Primus Medicae - Super Apothecary
Praevian - Automata
Herald - Free banner
Delegatus - Discount RoW

I still can't figure out how to best use the Chaplain - any pointers? Good units to put in?

Giving fearless to your large squads of non-ATSKNF marines is a big bonus (no sweeping advances). Also the hatred Bonus to his unit makes them more effective in CC so a go place to put him can be in your strong CC unit.

agurus1 wrote:
Giving fearless to your large squads of non-ATSKNF marines is a big bonus (no sweeping advances). Also the hatred Bonus to his unit makes them more effective in CC so a go place to put him can be in your strong CC unit.

This right here.

If you have a squad that missed the Sermons of the Imperial Truth, you attach a Chaplain to that squad so they can get their Sermon on the go. Another use would be if you were fighting Word Bearers because those religious nutcases worship daemons and you really want to ingrain that Imperial Truth into their heads via Crozius Arcanum.

Alternatively, you could also use them to give a certain squad the Zealot special rule.

Hatred, Fearless, Cause Fear and more attacks with a power weapon are some of the best offensive buffs for a melee unit.
Pop him in a good CC unit and watch heads roll.

On a P&M note, some of GW's best models are chaplains. (The resin terminator chaplain and jump-pack chaplain spring to mind.)

I would certainly rank the Chaplain above the delegatus for general utility.

The Legion Chaplain Consul is an indirect buff for the "secondary" characteristics of a squad. The Morale and Leadership portions, with the trade off of losing Going to Ground and falling back from "Our Weapons are Useless!". The other Consuls have a more direct role in your army- they unlock Mechanicum units, they help you shoot better, etc. etc. The Chaplain you attach to a unit, and he really doesn't do much until the unit has to take a morale or pinning test, and that turn they charge into close combat.

The big, nasty units usually have stubborn, or fearless already, so you don't gain much from attaching the Chaplain to them. So that leaves the lower tier squads in your army, and do you really want to spend 85+ points to make one squad Fearless when they can just take a Vexcilla? Yeah, still a chance of failing a morale or leadership test, but I'd rather take those odds for only +10 points.

While morale and leadership play a bigger factor in 30K then 40K, it's still a minor, secondary consideration for an army and regulates the Consul Chaplain to the lower end of desirability during army selection.

 Warp Angels wrote:

agurus1 wrote:
Giving fearless to your large squads of non-ATSKNF marines is a big bonus (no sweeping advances). Also the hatred Bonus to his unit makes them more effective in CC so a go place to put him can be in your strong CC unit.

This right here.

3rdzees.

Also, the chaplins weapon is "modeled", give him a power axe vs the maul.