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.

Which do you get more mileage out of generally? I can't decide if it's worth going claw to re-roll wounds or go sword for the same number of pts and keep the extra melee attack from sword + pistol. I kinda considered power fist, but for more points and a 1 wnd model I didn't think it'd be worth it. This is for a CSM aspiring champion if it makes any difference in the answers.

If its just a regular aspiring you might consider saving your points or going with a lghtning claw since your regular CSM will rarely be in cc with TEQ

Thanks, so far claw seems to be the favorite. Also, yeah it's for a regular aspiring champion. I had 20 CSM guys sitting in the closet and was trying to go ahead and put them all together,

My rule of thumb is

If you're taking anything that has a good initiative (4+), then take the claw. The claws beats the sword hands down. Unless you've got an individual sword that looks cool.
If you've got plague marines or anything else I3 or less, I'd take the fist.
If you're dumb and love taking a model cos it looks cool, take a claw AND a fist. It only makes an aspiring champion 60pts+. But you do get +1 attack (thats what I've got in my NM's)

I take Lightning Claws with my Champions purely because it fits the backstory behind my force, but after a few games with them I realised that I'd rather have the Claw than the Sword.

Math has been done on this. Claw > Sword on the attack, Sword > Claw on the defense.

Yeah, the math has been done.

If on a 1A base model, take the sword and pistol.
If on a 2A base model receiving a charge, take the sword.
If on a 2A base model making a charge, take the claw.

Mauls and swords are comparable.

And if you're not at least I4, take an axe.

I play Salamanders, so the extra attack I would get from taking the Power Sword (and coupling it with a pistol) doesn't outweigh the bennies of taking a combi-melta.

I play EC, so LC+MB on every champ.

Thanks for the tips, claw it is.

It really depends on the model.
If it has 2 base attacks then they are almost the same.
Against another sergeant/champion both the Power Sword and the Lightning Claw will deal 0.75 wounds per turn. That said, the claw will deal higher damage on the turn you're charging and against higher T opponents (such as bikes).
On the other hand, Power Sword are better when in close combat aganst GEQ, Taus and so on, because most of your attacks will wound nevertheless, so clearly it is better to have higher numbers.

So I'd say that for Champions/Sergeants it depends on your overall strategy/opponent (lightning claws if you plan to charge a lot and/or to face many bikes, sword if you form a gunline or go against hordes).

For characters with 3 or more base attacks the Claw is almost always better.


That said, LC + PF is clearly the best combo of non-artefact CC weapons damage wise, needless to say that it is pretty expensive, especially on a normal champion/sergeant...

Is there any situation where the sword is better? I can't think of one.

If you are 1a base you aren't going to be charging anyways so the sword (and claw really) is wasted.

2a base and your going to be charging MEQ? Claw will out-wound, and is more consistent I feel. Especially in challenges were you only want 1 wound anyways.

I would never take a sword on a model that is part of a gunline or is playing defensive, you waste points with the sword just sitting there.

An ork mob is charging you with or without power weapons, doesn't create a threat.

If the model has a pistol or CCW as well, the power sword.

Otherwise, lightning claw/fist.

 Jimsolo wrote:
I play Salamanders, so the extra attack I would get from taking the Power Sword (and coupling it with a pistol) doesn't outweigh the bennies of taking a combi-melta.

Even outside of Salamanders, I'd always take a combi-weapon over either. Tactical Marines aren't meant to be in CC, plain and simple. I'd rather have Honor Guard, Terminators, Assault Marines, or Bikers get locked in rather than my tacs. Or an Ironclad, but if you ever get an Ironclad in CC then kudos.

id keep aspiring champs basic honestly--i use one lightning claw on raptor champ but foot soldiers never. if anything from those though lighting claw. Always lightning claw over sword.

I usually ignore melee upgrades for most squad leaders in 6th. That said, my Plague Marine champs always have a power fist, and my Raptor champ has the claw/fist combo.

Every other champ? Either pistol/chainsword, or combi-bolter of some sort.