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So, maybe my search skills are weak, but...

Power weapons seem to have a different issue when they're on characters who are forced to take/make challenges (Company Champions, CSM characters, BT characters, I assume I'm forgetting some), especially the 1-wound/sergeant level. Unlike regular units where you might be able to protect them or otherwise pick your fights, with these, it's basically who you're forced to engage.

It seems like run of the mill power swords would be the best since they're more flexible, does anyone prefer others?

I built a new chapter champion for my UM HG squad with a thunder hammer. Sure, he’s a 1W guy striking last (something I generally avoid) but at least he has a 2+ armor save. So most of the things that are going to cut through that are also going to be striking last. While there is a chunk of it out there these days, AP2 at I is still pretty rare.

For guys like a company champion, who’s just in normal power armor, I would not want to strike last. So he just gets a sword.

If you are just going to duel marines, take the sword. It excels at killing MEQ. But once you step away from fighting things with that profile (such as including an invuln, more T, etc) the maul pulls ahead. Sure, they are going to get their armor save, but the +2 S helps spam wounds. Concussive is a nice touch as well, assuming you survive to the second round.

Spears are too niche to count

Axes are only good if you have someone else who also needs to issue a challenge, or some other way to boost your survivability. Would not take on a 1W guy otherwise.

In general you shouldn't take Power Weapons on any sergeant. The general rule I think is:
1. Axes on models with FNP and an Invul
2. Mauls for things attacking vehicles
3. Lances for models with Hit And Run or with Init5+
4. Swords on anything else.

Thanks for the info.

This would be on a company champion, but I broadened the question since it applies about equally to a few situations, regardless.

I like the reasoning for the TH chapter champion. I hadn't been thinking about it in that way.

 Nevelon wrote:
I built a new chapter champion for my UM HG squad with a thunder hammer. Sure, he’s a 1W guy striking last (something I generally avoid) but at least he has a 2+ armor save. So most of the things that are going to cut through that are also going to be striking last. While there is a chunk of it out there these days, AP2 at I is still pretty rare.

RIP UM Chapter Champion if you fight DEldar. S4 AP2 at I6 is killer.

 Tactical_Spam wrote:

 Nevelon wrote:
I built a new chapter champion for my UM HG squad with a thunder hammer. Sure, he’s a 1W guy striking last (something I generally avoid) but at least he has a 2+ armor save. So most of the things that are going to cut through that are also going to be striking last. While there is a chunk of it out there these days, AP2 at I is still pretty rare.

RIP UM Chapter Champion if you fight DEldar. S4 AP2 at I6 is killer.

That's how many units though?

 Tactical_Spam wrote:

 Nevelon wrote:
I built a new chapter champion for my UM HG squad with a thunder hammer. Sure, he’s a 1W guy striking last (something I generally avoid) but at least he has a 2+ armor save. So most of the things that are going to cut through that are also going to be striking last. While there is a chunk of it out there these days, AP2 at I is still pretty rare.

RIP UM Chapter Champion if you fight DEldar. S4 AP2 at I6 is killer.

Yup. No arguments that there is stuff out there that will drop him like a chump. But AP2 at I6 is going to gut the champ no mater what I give him, so sticking with the sword just saves me the 15 points. It’s a risk/rewards thing. Against most things I’ll still get to swing. But not all. For those that are going to be a problem, I’ll just have to fall back on the old “shoot the choppy ones, chop the shooty ones” philosophy, and hope I can deal with it before I get stuck into CC.

Last resort, I'll just put my faith in the Emperor and hope that I somehow live to swing, and then put a hammer through the head of those smug little pointy-eared gits. The dice gods are a fickle lot, stranger things have happened.

While I'm mainly a HH player, the principle is still the same.
I always run a power sword or a fist on unit sgts.
If you take the sword, take melts bombs too so you can cover all bases.
Last thing you want is to be close to armour you can take a chance on but lack the strength to do so.

Had plenty of games where the melts bomb has paid for it's self 20x in 1 turn of luck.

Also keeps you striking at initiative against run of the mill stuff.

Slayer-Fan123 wrote:

 Tactical_Spam wrote:

 Nevelon wrote:
I built a new chapter champion for my UM HG squad with a thunder hammer. Sure, he’s a 1W guy striking last (something I generally avoid) but at least he has a 2+ armor save. So most of the things that are going to cut through that are also going to be striking last. While there is a chunk of it out there these days, AP2 at I is still pretty rare.

RIP UM Chapter Champion if you fight DEldar. S4 AP2 at I6 is killer.

That's how many units though?

Actually quite a few units have AP2 at initiative

A champion is never then most efficient choice - you take him because he's cool so give him what looks cool. I have a special power sword bit for my company champion so that's what he has, and he does okay. Sometimes he dies horribly, sometimes he decapitates Aspiring Champions, and once in a while he does something heroic like kill two Ork Warbosses in a single game.

Generally speaking I don't give power weapons of any sort to my squad sergeants except for in my Assault Squads. The return on points is minimal in Tactical Squads because the squad is unlikely to win combat anyways so one extra wound from a power weapon won't push it over the edge. I do have one Veteran in a Tactical Squad who has a power fist and he does well enough, as the squad usually operates on the flank and picks on vulnerable things, so it's nice to have a power fist if I need to tie up a dreadnought or a monstrous creature.

I actually think the power weapons are fairly well balanced against one another so there's a place for all of them in your collection.