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So the new book has finally arrived, and Emperor has blessed us with various new pieces of potent (yet expensive) wargear to better crush vile xenos and nefarious heretics.

How are people planning to use these things? What relics go well with what other pieces of wargear and on what characters?

At first glance all the relics look pretty awesome to me apart from the armour and the banner. That said I probably wouldn't use them unless in a big game. A Chapter Master with the Burning Blade charging out of a Land Raider with his HG would be epic. I can't imagine the gets hot thing would be that much of a problem given his Iron Halo and the fact that he now has 4 wounds, but could go with the Shield Eternal as well just to make sure.

Honestly I really want to use the Burning Blade. I'm just not sold on its point cost yet.
S+3, AP2, and is NOT a specialist weapon or two-handed, OR unweildly. That's striking at I5 with S7 at AP2. Pretty damn good. That drawback is almost negligible. The problem is it's more than three times as expensive as a power sword, and almost double a relic blade. Also if you use a Storm Shield, you lose 1 attack. It's pretty good, but if you compare it to Daemon blades, it's really not as good considering Space Marine captains/masters will still not have enough attacks to really abuse it.

I'm thinking my default loadout is:
Artificer Armor
Bike
Power Sword (or Burning Blade for kicks)

I dunno, 4 attacks base, so 5/6 on the charge is a pretty hefty amount of attacks. Combined with it being AP 2 at initiative that will really put the hurt on a lot of units.

Also being strength 7 he can reliably hurt some of the big nasties like the riptide and even the wraithknight.

 Leth wrote:
I dunno, 4 attacks base, so 5/6 on the charge is a pretty hefty amount of attacks. Combined with it being AP 2 at initiative that will really put the hurt on a lot of units.

Also being strength 7 he can reliably hurt some of the big nasties like the riptide and even the wraithknight.

Good luck charging either one of them. The Riptide because of JSJ, plus supporting fire, and the Wraithknight because of JSJ.

That's why being on a bike is awesome. Plus then you get T5 so it takes S10 to ID you.

Problem with the bike is that then you cannot be in a transport, and apart the bike command squads kitted for CC there really aren't units that can reasonably accompany such a character. And CC weapons are crazy expensive for command squads. (Also, personally I don't like the look.)

It wouldn't be too unreasonable to have him in a normal bike squad, or even attack bikes, then split off at the last second to engage a big nasty. Heck, if you're worried about supporting fire give him a basic 3 man bike squad as ablative wounds, 63 points isn't too shabby considering they're a damn sight cheaper than an honour guard or command squad.

I'm also pleasantly surprised at Tigurius being able to take divination, but he's an expensive way to get it and even sort of redundant with2 turns of rerolly goodness from chapter tactics. Otherwise I'm genuinely surprised at the other special characters being more or less the same...Vulkan is still pretty much an auto take for Salamanders, and Kantor too. ...Lysander sure got expensive didn't he though?!

So how do people feel about Captains? Will they be used or will it just be Chapter Masters and librarians?

Well, apart from being able to take Bikes, the Command Squad does have one edge over the Honour Guard - the Apothecary. If you wanted to go the "survivable Warlord" route of artificer armour and EW storm shield then having FNP is great.

 Lotus wrote:
Plus then you get T5 so it takes S10 to ID you.

Shield Eternal.

Chapter Master,TDA with Burning Blade, Shield Eternal and the Primarch's Wrath...
295pts of shred. I'm throwing IF CT for lolz.

 phoenix darkus wrote:
Chapter Master,TDA with Burning Blade, Shield Eternal and the Primarch's Wrath...
295pts of shred. I'm throwing IF CT for lolz.

Can't take all 3 of those relics. Each relic (except the armor) replaces one of the Chapter Master's weapons, and he only has two of those.

I haven't seen much love for Armour Indomitus. It is only one of the relics you can combine with another relic, and it's actually 'only' 40 points more if you were going to take artificer armour anyway. I think a Chapter Master with it and Burning Blade could be fun, if hilariously expensive. Or it might be nice for a Librarian, considering that they don't have Iron Halos and cannot take a Storm Shield without Terminator Armour. That one turn 2++ could ensure that they survive to fry some big bad with their force weapon.

And aside that how are people planning to run their Librarians anyway? What disciplines and what gear? (Assuming not taking Tigurious or allying DA for divination.)

Since I have BA models, mine is getting a jump pack, force axe, and I'm going level 2 telepathy. Because making Tau roll leadership to do stuff is good. And frying their brains is even better. Oh yeah, this libby is in the squad with Shrike. I know it's not good, but I can choose to suck in whatever manner I like with this codex.

 Crimson wrote:
I haven't seen much love for Armour Indomitus. It is only one of the relics you can combine with another relic, and it's actually 'only' 40 points more if you were going to take artificer armour anyway. I think a Chapter Master with it and Burning Blade could be fun, if hilariously expensive. Or it might be nice for a Librarian, considering that they don't have Iron Halos and cannot take a Storm Shield without Terminator Armour. That one turn 2++ could ensure that they survive to fry some big bad with their force weapon.

And aside that how are people planning to run their Librarians anyway? What disciplines and what gear? (Assuming not taking Tigurious or allying DA for divination.)

I'm thinking the same thing. Add in a Force Axe and he's in a good position to survive Smash to kill it back in one shot. It also gives him a decent armour save on a bike that he would otherwise miss out on (although the Relentless is then wasted).

I'm too cheap to give out gear like that. If my IC die, they die. Space Marine HQs are still kind of a waste of space.

I'm thinking it depends heavily on the Chapter Traits...

So for me with IH's, I want to capitalise on the IWND and use a Chapter Master (I know they don't have one - So call it a Clan Leader!) with Storm Shield Eternal and Thunderhammer. He will be a CC tarpit of a unit and I chuck him against anything I want to bog down.

I could also see some interesting builds for Salamander the Master Crafted rules! Master Crafted Relic Blades? Is that even possible? You can make a Sick Command Squad with all the Master Crafted weapons you get for free (you still need to pay for the Weapons) but its amazing! Master Crafted Power Fist or Thunderhammer, might even consider an Axe!!!

Ravens - Jump Pack Craziness - I would be terrified of a Jump Pack Captain especially if I have vehicles. This guy might not be amazing but the tactics he can unlock are brilliant, an Alpha Strike with Drop pods backed up with Jump troops and Scouts in LLS this could be Space Marine Force that can get all up in you face in no time.

For White Scars if you don't put him on a Bike you are clearly insane! White Scars just....Well......They are amazing....Extra tough Marines with +1S, who can drive over anything and they ALL GET HIT & RUN! Christ-on-a-bike I do not want to meet this force on the Battlefield.

Is there any value to command squads not on bikes?

If my IC die, they die. Space Marine HQs are still kind of a waste of space

Word.

Even though I run a command squad on bikes, I feel this way about my hqs in general

Why didn't they release a model for the Burning Blade? That picture in the Salamanders section looks crazy. I will always use it just because of that picture alone. Now I have to figure out a way to make one.

 minigun762 wrote:
Is there any value to command squads not on bikes?

I'm debating putting them in a LR.

I like the stock LR with the TLLCs. I spend the first turn or two blowing things apart from across the table, figure out where the box of pain needs to be delivered, and then go drop it off. With the 5th ed capacity of 12 men, it was a chaplain leading a squad of assault terminators. Now that we are back down to 10 men, I'm at a loss of what to put inside. I have no plans to upgrade to a variant LR, as I love the godhammers.

If I keep the terminators, I have to find another place for the HQ. And hope that they don't need the support.
3x assault centurions can fit in with a HQ, and might be viable. I have no plans on purchasing any though.
Normal assault marines I think would be a little lackluster.
Vanguard Vets look good, but compete with other Elite picks. Sill an option.
Honor guard would require a chapter master. For me, that is Calgar, so this is point's intensive.

Gear them up for CC and let them go kill stuff. They might not be the best for the job, but they should be able to get it done. Still need to juggle points and gear and see what looks good. Not sure if it will work out in the end.