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.

Hey all,

So I was trying to find some previous posts on this topic but wasn't getting anything super informative. Basically, what I was asking is which power weapon(s) tends to be used the most and why? I know that it varies from army to army and unit to unit to some degree but the general consensus that I have seen is:

Axes - for anti terminator. Best choice if you can't decide because it can kill anything, despite being initiative 1. Definitely seems to be the most popular choice.
Mauls - for anything Xenos (usually) it is absolutely amazing. Great on librarians too as can cause lots of wounds for force weapon chances.
Swords - too niche to be used, as they are only more effective than the other two if fighting a 3+ save opponent. Use axes or mauls instead.
Spears - crap

Is this correct?

I have been getting a lot of "swap out that sword for an axe or a maul," which strikes me as somewhat odd. I like swords a lot actually (but maybe that's just my DA roots and iconography). I disagree with the love for axes above all else. To me, I'd rather just pay to get a power fist if I am already going last. I can insta-kill, destroy vehicles, ignore any armor, and am already at initiative 1 just like the axe. Swords seem to be the same as the old power weapons except against 2+ opponents, and are all around pretty useful, as MOST things in the game do not have a 2+, and if they do, usually have some sort of invulnerable save too. Going against non 2+ save at initiative and ap3 is just like the days of old. Mauls are great against hordes of Orks, IG, and other medium armored xenos. The str 6 is also more reliable than a krak grenade against vehicles as it allows you to have more attacks than the one that a grenade allows. Spears just seem really terrible because they are good for one turn and then are utter garbage.

Anyone else have some differing thoughts?

Take a look at each weapon in an environment of space marine vs space marine. Most of the time you are hitting on 4s and wounding on 4s. That's t4 and ws4 on both sides of a combat. Now throw in the ap and str modifiers of each weapon. Yes swords do ignore marine armor, but you should only be landing 25% of your attacks as wounds. Mauls will hit the same amount if the time and more of those hits wound, but they dont ignore marine armor. Axes will once again hit half of the time and wound a bit more than swords due to the +1 str. All of these wounds bypass armor at the expense of striking at initiative 1.

So looking at power weapons in this respect, adjust the weapon skills and toughnesses of the armies you fight the most and see what weapon will pay off more. Most people prefer axes because they ignore armor, speeding up combat. If its axes vs axes at worst your models will just trade deaths.

For the most part though, I feel like cc is very weak in 6 th and generally a waste of points to buy too many cc upgrades on units.

I actually like power lances in some situations - like when you want two power weapons for the extra attack.

Power Lance + Power Axe is +1 str on the first turn, +1 attack, AP3, at initiative, and still +1 str/+1 attack on the second (and successive turns), with AP2 at initiative 1.

Plus, there's something especially cool about a bike champion or mounted chaos lord leading a charge with a power lance.

A power axe and melta bombs--at least on a Plague Champion--are 5pts cheaper than a power fist and fill the same role.

It is worth saying that a single claw tends to out perform a sword.

From a Chaos perspective, I give axes to plague marines because they are already slow and a claw to noise marines because they are faster than I4.
If my local meta was Xeno heavy, I'd take a maul instead of the claw.

I have found the Power Lance/Spear to actually be very devastating.
Currently I am using 3 of them.
First: I have one of my Thunderlords armed with one and he has wrecked a lot of things, with 7 S6 I5 AP3 Attacks on the charge the only issue I have had is vs. Terminator Armor, but that is why I also carry a Power Axe. I win most challenges outright with him.

Second: My Blood Angels Company Champion, he gets 5 S5 I4 AP3 Attack [with the Banner], he also winds most challenges.

Third: One of my Rough Rider Veteran Sergeants, as above especially when mixed with “For the Honor of Cadia!”

Even if I don’t get the Charge I can easily deal with most 4+ save armies with one.

It is just a mater of how you use it. if I can get the parts together I am looking at making a Vanguard unit with the 300 theme [Power Spears/Storm Shields]. With Heroic Intervention they should inflict a lot of damage on their arrival.

Hasnt this been done to death already?

 minigun762 wrote:
It is worth saying that a single claw tends to out perform a sword.

From a Chaos perspective, I give axes to plague marines because they are already slow and a claw to noise marines because they are faster than I4.
If my local meta was Xeno heavy, I'd take a maul instead of the claw.

Yes, the single lightning claw is the best. The maul is the best all rounder and the axe is a specialized weapon for killing teq that you should probably only use if you know your opponent is, already striking first, also striking last or cannot hurt you.

The sword is almost always worse than the lightning claw, never take it unless you have to.

Been touching on this in another thread. Specifically here and here. The thread is about Force Weapons, but really it still applies to Power Weapons. In the thread (first link) I run the numbers for a Primaris Psyker (WS 4, S 3) using each of the weapons, including benefits from some Biomancy powers, and against multiple targets. TEQ/MEQ mostly, but also MCs. The second link touches on dealing with GEQ (and worse) and some of my reasons for what I said since the OP in that thread had some questions.

Basically it comes down to asking yourself a few questions:

1) What is my model's Initiative?
2) Is this model's Initiative greater than or equal to most of the things I expect him to fight?
3) Does it matter?

The important answer is the answer you give number 3. Running the numbers and discounting Initiative, Axes are better than Swords which are better than Staves. The deciding factor is the AP value of the weapon. Strength is nice, but nothing beats having a low AP.

So it then, in my opinion which is based on the math I've been doing, you have two possiblities:

The Turn You Charge
1. Power Axe
2. Power Lance
3. Power Sword
4. Power Mace

A Normal Turn In Assault
1. Power Axe
2. Power Sword
3. Power Mace/Lance

The +1 Strength is the only thing that makes a Lance worth considering, but if you end up stuck in combat you'll really rather have the AP 3 at your normal Strength. So if you wipe out things, or devastate them so that there is no doubt who will win the second round of combat, the Power Lance is worth while.

Personally I'd rather just keep the Sword over the Lance, but then I play Space Wolves and expect to receive charges occasionally. I'd rather keep the Rending on my Thunderwolf Lord than take a Lance. AP 2 is too important in Challenges (BTW Anpu42, I like your solution of just carrying more weapons )

Edit: I didn't touch on Lightning or Wolf Claws at all. I can run the numbers down for you if you'd like but since it wasn't what was asked I'm just pretending they don't exist.

Power lances are for hit and run units, if you can break cc and charge back in to get the bonus again.

I have also gone with the following philosophies:
1] I just don’t put Unwieldy on “Characters” unless they have a Storm Shields or come with a free "Power Weapon".
2] I would rather inflict Wounds that penetrate armor, make them make saves.
3] I always try to have a extra attack.

My example is my Space Wolf Death Star: The Top Gear Wolves
Clarkston: Thunder Hammer/Storm Shield {S10 AP2 I1 Attacks}
May: Power Fist/Wolf Claw [Belt of Russ] {S10 AP2 I1 Attacks or S5 AP3 I5, with rerolls Attacks}
Hammond: Power Lance/Power Axe [Belt of Russ] {Charge S6 AP3 I5 Attacks and then S6 AP2 I2}
>I am thinking of making one more with a Power Maul and Frost Axe. {S7 AP2 I1 Attacks or S7 AP4 I5}

It depends on your meta.

If you will typically deal with 3+ armor saves, Monstrous creatures, or challenges against people with 3+ armor saves, then Power swords are the way to go.

If you expect to only deal with 4+ armor saves (or unly invuln armor saves) power maul is the way to go. Also, if you're fighting HQs or people with toughness 3 (and you're a marine) you get Instant Death!

If you deal with 2+ armor saves and low initiative, the axe is what you want.

In terms of unsaved wounds generated, the Axe is by far the most effective weapon. Of course that doesn't take unwieldy into account.

Comparing the Maul and Sword, the Maul is the best take all comers weapon. Against 2+ armour, the Maul generates more wounds due to the +2 Strength and neither negates armour, so the Maul wins. gaps close

Against 3+ armour, the sword is roughly twice as effective as the Maul against targets with Toughness equal to attacker's Strength or lower. The gap closes as Toughness increases, and the Maul is equally effective against +2 Toughness targets as the Sword is. It opens up a little at +3 Toughness, with the Sword ahead, but the Mace wins +4 Toughness up.

Against 4+ armour both negate, so again the difference in ability to wound pushes the Maul ahead.

So overall, I'd go for a Maul over a Sword unless I knew I was going to be fighting Marines and only Marines. The +2 Strength has other advantages as well, such as raising Marines to S6 for attacking vehicle rear armour or T8+ models.

One minor bonus of the power maul is that it's fairly useful smashing vehicles if you don't pack a melta bomb.
In essence, it's an extra two krak grenades which isn't horrible.

Power Sword - Best against MEQ
Power Axe - Best against TEQ and MCs with good armour saves if you can strike at the same time or before them
Power Lance - Slightly better than the Sword if you never get charged.
Power Maul - Slightly worse than Sword vs MEQ, best against GEQ, Vehicles, MCs with poor armour saves, Swarms (and anything else multiwound and T3), pretty much everything that isn't MEQ or TEQ.

All my feelings on the matter were stated earlier by different people.

Power Lances: only for hit and run or if duel close combat weapons

Power Swords: Do yourself a favor and get a claw instead

Power Axe: A no brainer if your Int is already low but up to you if you may be facing 2+

Power Maul: my favorite (i face mostly xenos) as minigun said can damage light armour and strikes at int with much better Str than normal.

Power Fist: If I'm going to have one it's going to be a chain fist instead and will be for krumping. As stated though power axe and melta bomb does its job for less.

Hashbeth wrote:


If you will typically deal with Monstrous creatures then Power swords are the way to go.

Most MCs have T6
if you are str4 you wound on 6s
with a maul you wound on 4+, so you generate 3 times as many wounds as the sword. If the MC has a 3+ save, you are doing just as well
If the MC has a 4+ save, you are doing three times the damage
If the MC has a 2+ save, you are doing three times the damage
If the MC has an invulnerable, you are doing more damage.

Take the DP for example. He may be T5 so you might think the sword will do better. But the maul is likely going to net you twice as many wounds. The DP might not have 3+ armor and even if it does, the 5++ is going to eat too much into the sword's damage to be effective.


The maul is better against almost all MCs, even a bunch of them with 3+ saves.
The sword is the niche weapon that handles relatively low toughness models with 3+ armor, without invunerables. It just so happens that these types of models are very common, making the sword somewhat viable.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 minigun762 wrote:
One minor bonus of the power maul is that it's fairly useful smashing vehicles if you don't pack a melta bomb.
In essence, it's an extra two krak grenades which isn't horrible.

The maul is the TAC choice in that against any situation, you are gaining something without losing anything. The maul makes you better in combat, 100% of the time.

The sword makes you better against some enemies, specifically those with 3+ saves, no invul and toughness that is equal to or lower than your own. You dont give anything up, but you dont get anything against guys with invul saves, vehicles, 2+ saves. Depending on what you face it might be 0%, it might be 100%. It's a scalpal, drastically increasing your combat effectiveness against a very select group of enemies(that are usually very common)

The axe makes you better against all enemies, 100% of the time, but you lose something. You lose your change to strike at normal init. Sometimes that doesnt really matter, like when you are facing someone who already has higher init than you.

Cool thanks for all the replies. I guess it really does come down to personal preference a lot of the time. Maybe I really like the sword because it is a decent TAC for my local meta, which is mostly Marines, CSM, Space Wolves, (which it is good against) and then IG, Necrons, and Orks (which it is less effective against but still better than going last imo).

I should state that my armies are Dark Angels and Orks (so all klaws there) and tend to have lots of powerfists from the deathwing or lots of ap2 shooting via plasma. Perhaps that's why i don't like the axes so much? If i am fighting TEQ I will just shoot them. If I am fighting marines, the sword is good and against xenos etc, the maul is good too. Plus, a lot of my friends bring axes to counter the terminator 2+ save, so being able to hit them first (usually IG blobs with tons of sergeants and commissars etc or Space Wolves grey hunters) is a good way to negate those slower axes.

On the topic of lightning claws, it always occurred to me that unless you are taking a storm shield or a second lightning claw, it's better to take the pistol + sword for the consistency of the extra attack. Is that wrong?

I guess it boils down to the squad and its purpose, which is a good thing. For me it's:

Ravenwing Sergeant: Sword or Maul + melta bombs (on melta squads). This squad is meant to shoot and then charge for a finishing blow, not take down big things in close combat. As such, reducing casualties on my end by striking at higher initiative (or at least equal) + the hammer of wrath hits should be able to kill off the last few dudes (or dudettes) in the squad. My RW tend to have lots of plasma already, so ap2 is not necessary in cc as I will just shoot them instead. On my squad with flamers, I will use a maul, as the general purpose is to just beat up xenos and cause tons of wounds.

Tactical Sergeant: Varies. Depending on squad's purpose. Now most likely going to have combi-weapons for shooting though. If armed squad armed with plasma, probably a sword. If squad has flamers and heavy bolters / missile, probably a maul. If squad has melta and anti-tank, then probably an axe.

Terminator Sergeant: Always TH/SS (despite the crappy FAQ wording I think this is still allowed) to soak up damages in challenges.

With these configurations, my squads can deal with most targets effectively in some way, I just have to adjust in order to allow the right tactic to be used against the right enemy.

I'd like to hear some other reasoning based on squad composition, as it seems to be dictating my load outs. Are then any of you out there that just live by the sword or axe or maul and only take that option? I seem to be in the minority of people here that praises the sword over the axe.

- VardenV2

 VardenV2 wrote:


On the topic of lightning claws, it always occurred to me that unless you are taking a storm shield or a second lightning claw, it's better to take the pistol + sword for the consistency of the extra attack. Is that wrong?

no the single claw is almost always better


assuming model Str = T, WS = WS
model base attacks = 2
Sword gets .75 wounds
Lightning Claw get .75 wounds
so they are the same.
But if you charge, the sword does 1 wound, while the LC does 1.125, so it is better

If you have 3+ base attacks the LC is better than the sword
If the enemy T is higher than your strength, the LC gets better
If you have 1 base attack, the sword is better than the LC
If your strength is greater than the enemy toughness, the sword is better

So basically the LC is equal to or better than the sword in almost all cases.
Because few models that can take a single claw only have 1 attack and few models have T3/Sv3+ that you really need help killing in CC.

I'd add to the Lightning Claw vs Power Sword thing that they are only equal if you get +1 attack from having two weapons. Given the same number of attacks, the Lightning Claw will edge out due to the Re-Roll. Its why you see them paired with Storm Shields a lot.

cowmonaut wrote:
I'd add to the Lightning Claw vs Power Sword thing that they are only equal if you get +1 attack from having two weapons. Given the same number of attacks, the Lightning Claw will edge out due to the Re-Roll. Its why you see them paired with Storm Shields a lot.

OK that's what I thought. I'm not the math hammeriest person ever but it's something like this:

Lightning claw and pistol = base attacks + charge w/ re-roll to wound. (ex. sgt 2+1 = 3 total with re-roll wounds)
Pistol + Sword = base attacks + 1 for 2ccw + charge (ex. Sgt = 2+1+1 = 4 total attacks)

So the sword can potentially inflict more wounds whereas the claw will more consistently cause wounds. Against IG and T3 etc the sword is probably better because more kills can occur, which is good. Against harder to wound characters, bikes, etc. the claw is more useful as the chances to wound go up. The more ya know

Regardless, DA look better with swords and mauls anyway

To me the choice is based on who gets what. This is from my Dark Angels PoV, this is mostly different that how I do things with my other Marine Armies.

Terminator Champion: the Halberd of Caliban is a no brainer.
Power Armored Company Champions: I am going more towards Power Lances/Spear and Storm Shield with a Storm Shield [the Sword of Caliban is a Death Trap] and don’t deal with TEQs at all.
Ravenwing Champion: See Power Armored Champion

Deathwing Terminator Sergeant: I just leave him with his Sword or go with Paired Lighting Claws [Fluffy fop me]

Tactical Squad: I tend to go with Combi-Plasma/Lighting Claw, if I am loosing an attack because of the Bolt Gun I might as well get an re-roll to wound and a Power Fist in now a Death Trap. I don’t even bother with the Champion.
Scout Squad: If I would give them anything, it would be the Power Maul or Power Sword just to do something before dying

Assault Squad: Sergeant Gets Paired Lighting Claws [Fluffy]
Ravenwing Attack Squadron: Power Lance to go with the Hit and Run
Ravenwing Black Knights: Power Maul for the S6 Attack, I would rely on the Corvis Hammer to death with 3+/2+ Saves.

Devastator Squads: The Sergeant gets a Power Axe [Fluff, Devastator Sergeants is one step away from becoming Tech Marines]

 VardenV2 wrote:

cowmonaut wrote:
I'd add to the Lightning Claw vs Power Sword thing that they are only equal if you get +1 attack from having two weapons. Given the same number of attacks, the Lightning Claw will edge out due to the Re-Roll. Its why you see them paired with Storm Shields a lot.

OK that's what I thought. I'm not the math hammeriest person ever but it's something like this:

Lightning claw and pistol = base attacks + charge w/ re-roll to wound. (ex. sgt 2+1 = 3 total with re-roll wounds)
Pistol + Sword = base attacks + 1 for 2ccw + charge (ex. Sgt = 2+1+1 = 4 total attacks)

So the sword can potentially inflict more wounds whereas the claw will more consistently cause wounds. Against IG and T3 etc the sword is probably better because more kills can occur, which is good. Against harder to wound characters, bikes, etc. the claw is more useful as the chances to wound go up. The more ya know

Regardless, DA look better with swords and mauls anyway

you dont need the pistol, so you can be rocking a combi plasma/SS if you want. This is another advantage of the single claw

And yes, while the sword can potentially kill more, consistency is usually more valuable. If you had the option to take a weapon that would kill exactly one and only one meq(auto hit, auto wound, no save of any kind, assault 1) or a 100 shot weapon that while it could theoretically kill 100 meq instead averages 1 dead meq(think Str1 BS1 AP- assault110). A weapon like this would kill nothing almost half the time.

Also note that while the sword might be better against killing IG, you actually dont want to kill IG. If you get into combat with IG, you will win eventually. You want to win slowly so that next turn you are still in combat with the IG and cannot be shot by the plasma vets sitting nearby. The cases where your Str is higher than enemy T are usually the cases where you dont want to kill them too fast(or cases where they are gonna kill you so fast it doesnt even matter eg: Incubi, Harliquins)


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 Anpu42 wrote:
To me the choice is based on who gets what. This is from my Dark Angels PoV, this is mostly different that how I do things with my other Marine Armies.

Terminator Champion: the Halberd of Caliban is a no brainer.
Power Armored Company Champions: I am going more towards Power Lances/Spear and Storm Shield with a Storm Shield [the Sword of Caliban is a Death Trap] and don’t deal with TEQs at all.
Ravenwing Champion: See Power Armored Champion

Deathwing Terminator Sergeant: I just leave him with his Sword or go with Paired Lighting Claws [Fluffy fop me]

Tactical Squad: I tend to go with Combi-Plasma/Lighting Claw, if I am loosing an attack because of the Bolt Gun I might as well get an re-roll to wound and a Power Fist in now a Death Trap. I don’t even bother with the Champion.
Scout Squad: If I would give them anything, it would be the Power Maul or Power Sword just to do something before dying

Assault Squad: Sergeant Gets Paired Lighting Claws [Fluffy]
Ravenwing Attack Squadron: Power Lance to go with the Hit and Run
Ravenwing Black Knights: Power Maul for the S6 Attack, I would rely on the Corvis Hammer to death with 3+/2+ Saves.

Devastator Squads: The Sergeant gets a Power Axe [Fluff, Devastator Sergeants is one step away from becoming Tech Marines]

2 good points:

one it really depends on the army you are playing

two do what your fluff dictates or what you want to model. If it looks cool and your channel your inner Waagh you can beat anything.

One unit I think is intriguingly good with the lance is Mark of Khorn/Icon of Wrath units. Generally, you are looking at 5 S6 AP 3 attacks per base on the charge with these units. So, say on some MoK Termies, you could potentially have 25 S6 AP 3 attacks on the charge, and for relatively cheap. Once you hit something with that, the second round of CC becomes a largely moot point.

And yes, while the sword can potentially kill more, consistency is usually more valuable. If you had the option to take a weapon that would kill exactly one and only one meq(auto hit, auto wound, no save of any kind, assault 1) or a 100 shot weapon that while it could theoretically kill 100 meq instead averages 1 dead meq(think Str1 BS1 AP- assault110). A weapon like this would kill nothing almost half the time.

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I would take the 110 shot though. It might average the same, and you will have dud shots, but the bursts could be incredible and game changing.

Best use of a power sword is as a force sword since there aren't any force claws.

 Anpu42 wrote:
To me the choice is based on who gets what. This is from my Dark Angels PoV, this is mostly different that how I do things with my other Marine Armies.

Terminator Champion: the Halberd of Caliban is a no brainer.
Power Armored Company Champions: I am going more towards Power Lances/Spear and Storm Shield with a Storm Shield [the Sword of Caliban is a Death Trap] and don’t deal with TEQs at all.
Ravenwing Champion: See Power Armored Champion

Deathwing Terminator Sergeant: I just leave him with his Sword or go with Paired Lighting Claws [Fluffy fop me]

Tactical Squad: I tend to go with Combi-Plasma/Lighting Claw, if I am loosing an attack because of the Bolt Gun I might as well get an re-roll to wound and a Power Fist in now a Death Trap. I don’t even bother with the Champion.
Scout Squad: If I would give them anything, it would be the Power Maul or Power Sword just to do something before dying

Assault Squad: Sergeant Gets Paired Lighting Claws [Fluffy]
Ravenwing Attack Squadron: Power Lance to go with the Hit and Run
Ravenwing Black Knights: Power Maul for the S6 Attack, I would rely on the Corvis Hammer to death with 3+/2+ Saves.

Devastator Squads: The Sergeant gets a Power Axe [Fluff, Devastator Sergeants is one step away from becoming Tech Marines]

I was under the impression that if you take the company champion he has to be given the blade of Caliban, which is a pile of garbage. That's why I just would never take the champion :/ The Halberd of Caliban is beastly though.

@Exergy, I know that the pistol with the lightning claw makes no difference, but it is what the model would be armed with (free bolt pistol then 15pts for the claw) I was just using it to clarify and to notice that the pistol had no effect. Of course, coupling the claw with a shield is a great choice, but I was implying that the points costs were the same. A combi-plasma or storm shield is a great option to pair with the lightning claw, and I will probably equip my vet squad sergeant as such, ala captain 'Merica. Seems to me though that the best overall use for the tactical sergeant is with a combi-weapon, as it's a shooting based squad anyway.

Another curious thing came up, not sure if it is worth it at all, but it's cool. Has anyone made their sergeants take two pistols? Like, a bolt pistol and plasma pistol or 2x bolt pistol. It's not any shootier, as you can only shoot one per turn, but it would technically be better than a plasma pistol + chainsword, as the bolt pistol can be an alternative if worried about overheat etc. It's not really worth it to take, but just wondering if anyone has done it and if they like it. Alternatively, do you think modeling the sergeant with a bolt pistol in one hand and plasma pistol in the other (or boltgun+plasma pistol) would be a decent conversion for a "counts as" combi-plasma?

- VardenV2

 VardenV2 wrote:
Alternatively, do you think modeling the sergeant with a bolt pistol in one hand and plasma pistol in the other (or boltgun+plasma pistol) would be a decent conversion for a "counts as" combi-plasma?

- VardenV2

I'd buy it. Seems like a fairly clear way to distinguish a combi plasma, plus it looks cool and gives you an excuse to use all of those plasma pistol bits that are collecting dust.

 minigun762 wrote:

 VardenV2 wrote:
Alternatively, do you think modeling the sergeant with a bolt pistol in one hand and plasma pistol in the other (or boltgun+plasma pistol) would be a decent conversion for a "counts as" combi-plasma?

- VardenV2

I'd buy it. Seems like a fairly clear way to distinguish a combi plasma, plus it looks cool and gives you an excuse to use all of those plasma pistol bits that are collecting dust.

Sweet. My plan was probably true grit a bolter and then have a plasma pistol, maybe with a different look, to then be the "combi" part. I would basically use these guys instead if I was using vets with combi plasmas in the same list. If I am not, then I would probably just use those vets as the sergeants with combi weapons... but the dual wielding thing is a cool alternative. Just not sure how people would handle it. I never intend to play at a tournament or anything though so unless it's "that guy" I assume nobody would have a problem with it.

The only small, nitpicky concern I have with the dual pistols is someone saying you're using the "gunslinger" rule.

if you go bolter & PP, you remove that issue entirely.

 minigun762 wrote:

 VardenV2 wrote:
Alternatively, do you think modeling the sergeant with a bolt pistol in one hand and plasma pistol in the other (or boltgun+plasma pistol) would be a decent conversion for a "counts as" combi-plasma?

- VardenV2

I'd buy it. Seems like a fairly clear way to distinguish a combi plasma, plus it looks cool and gives you an excuse to use all of those plasma pistol bits that are collecting dust.

Hahahaha very ture, I have so many PP laying in bit boxes it's rediculous. I do agree completely about using a bolter and not a bolt pistol though.

Also, the chapterhouse combiweapons are pretty amazing. they do seem a little pricy I will admit but the combi weapon pack comes with bolter, gernade launcher atachment, melta atachment, flamer atachment, and plasma atachment plus all the magnets just dab some glue and slide em in. It's also useful for pulling the extra part off to represent when the combi shot has been fired and easy changing out for different builds.

For casual play nobody should have an issue with that at all just explain what it is in the first place.

 minigun762 wrote:
The only small, nitpicky concern I have with the dual pistols is someone saying you're using the "gunslinger" rule.

if you go bolter & PP, you remove that issue entirely.

I don't have my rule book with me. What is the gunslinger rule? Space marines don't get it do they?