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I like to play smaller games of 750-1000 points, i find that way each model gets a little more attention in the narrative feel as each model lost means something. Something that i have found is that most people in the campaign were spending a large amount of there points just on HQ units, some players going upwards of 400pts of them in a 750pt match! So to limit this, and to simulate the small-scale engagements i have decided to put a cap of 100pts on each HQ slot (So 200 Max, Tyranids get 200 for 1 slot). This is partly due to some games being dominated by a T5 EW 2+/3++ Chapter Master and partly to say, we are playing a skirmish, i find it hard to believe the great Rule of Commaragh Vect himself would trouble with such a match.

Anyway, onto the challenge. I will provide several different categories for which the HQ should excel at, and it's my fellow Dakkanaughts job to come up with the HQ that is best suited to the job for 100pts or under. This is just a little experiment we are doing to see how different armies preform at lower point levels and i am wondering who Dakka thinks is the best ''Cheap mans HQ''.

Categories:

Melee GEQ killer; A large amount of attacks will be essential!:

Ranged GEQ killer; Get those templates ready!:

Melee MEQ killer; AP 3 or better will serve you well:

Ranged MEQ killer; Boom! Headshot!:

Melee TEQ killer; Power fist slap fight?:

Ranged TEQ killer; I heard you like plasma!:

Melee Monster killer (T6 3+ sv); Poison is your friend:

Ranged Monster killer; Poison is your friend:

Most survivable:

Best force multiplier:

Cheapest while still effective!:

Thanks guys, i am honestly wondering which armies will do well in this!

For number 1 and 5. Ork Warboss. Give him a power klaw, boss pole, cybork body, and 'eavy armor and he comes in at 99 points. He is a true beast in close combat. For ranged GEQ and TEQ (don't really know what those stand for just read description) the mek with shokk attack gun, boss pole, cybork body, and 'eavy armor also comes in at 99 points. He gets an AP2 large blast. Orks are probably your best bet with low points yet deadly HQS

Herald of Tzeentch surely deserves a special mention here?

1) Summon a bodyguard unit
2) Summon a second Herald of Tzeentch
3) Repeat steps 1 and 2 as Warp Charges allow
4) ALL THE WARPFLAME

If time is not a concern, I'm fairly certain he'd win in every category given enough turns. Give him long enough and the Lords of Change start rolling in.

Warboss
'Eavy armour
Power claw
Boss pole
Da dead shiny shoota
99

Good in close combat and a decent number of ranged shots. All for 99 points.

If you'll allow me an extra 5 points I might suggest Baron Sathonyx. So going through your list

Ranged: only 2, 18", 4+ poison shots at BS6 but
Melee: he has 5 attacks on the charge at str 6 (FC=str7) with WS6
Survivability: 2++ from shadow field
Force Multiplier: +1 to roll for first turn, grants stealth, grenades and hit and run to the unit he is in
Bonus: Power from pain, can get FNP, Furious Charge and fearless

P.S. his base strength and attacks are both 3. the math behind that if form his equipment. Hellglaive give +1A +1S then +1A on the charge and +2S from his board on the charge. If only he wasn't AP5.

Otherwise the Succubus can be outfitted nicely for right around 100 points for whatever you want but is only suited for a combat role instead of a force multiplier

A Space Marine librarian with Terminator Armour a Storm Shield and a Force Axes comes in at 100pts, and is quite flexible. Rolling on Biomancy gives you Smite as a Primaris Power, for awesome AP2 shooting + an extra something (Iron Arm!).

Eldar Autarchs can be specialized for most of the roles the OP suggests, but not all at once:

Melee GEQ killer:
Firesabre

Ranged GEQ killer
Deathspinner, Jetbike

Melee MEQ killer
Firesabre, Or Jetbike+LaserLance

Ranged MEQ killer
Reaper Launcher

Melee TEQ killer
Power Axe, Banshee Mask

Ranged TEQ killer
Fusion Gun, Jetbike (you'll have to kite them)
The Uldanorethi Long Rifle might be a more reliable option, if you set them up 120" away

Melee Monster killer
The Shard of Anaris is what he needs, but would push the point cost to 110
Against MCs with 2+ armor save, the best he can he can do use use a Power Axe and a Banshee Mask
Against MCs with 3+ armor, a Laser Lance, Jetbike and Banshee Mask is probably his best bet

Ranged Monster killer
Camp with the Uldanorethi Long Rifle, or kite with a Fusion Gun + Jetbike

Most survivable
Autarchs subscribe to the "what is dead cannot hurt me" school of thought

Best force multiplier:
The Farseer fills this roll so much better. The best Autarchs can do is mess around with reserve rolls slightly.

Cheapest while still effective!
At 95pts, and Autarch on a Jetbike /w a Laser Lance can do a lot of work.

Cadre Fireblade for the force multiplier. He is 60 points, has 2 BS5, S5, AP5 shots, and lets your squad of fire warriors fire an extra shot. 36 S5 pulse rifle shots at 15 in, or 24 at 30. Take the leader with split fired market light for added fun. All for 193 points.

100 points?
Cant even get a simple 2-gun tau suit commander this way, and fireblades/ethreals got no noteworthy upgrades, and both are mere infantry buffers, not doing much on their own.
Guess you can buy darkstrider for exacly 100 points, but he isn't very good for his price, and once again-he's mostly an infantry buffer.

Inquisitor
Rad granades, liber heresius, Ml 1, force sword, power armour, digital weapons. 98pts

A buffing character who is fairly competent at killing meq.
5 ws4 st3 ap3 force attacks on the charge. The opponent will be at -1t, and if you have gone for hammerhand power he will be at +1s. So realistically the equivalent of 5 ws4 st5 ap3 attacks rerolling one failed 'to wound' roll due to digital weapons. He will also of course be in a unit with a priest so will be rerolling failed to hit rolls as well. 3+ save. Not the best you can get at 100pts but pretty snazzy nonetheless!

His buffs are excellent for his points! All opponents units in close combat will be -1t, his unit (or another) will likely be +1s if you've gone for hammerhand, he can grant scout, counter-attack, split-fire, fear and hatred (one use each for one turn each), to his unit. Also has ld10 stubborn and frag, krak and psykout granades which benefit the unit. When combined with a priests buffs of fearless, rerolls to hit and maybe rerolls to wound, whatever unit he is in is buffed to the rafters!



Ork Big Mek
With mega armour, kustom mega-blasta, powerklaw and the lucky stikk. 100pts
Each turn he gets a st8 ap2 shot that has a 5/9 chance to hit due to the lucky stikk. He can also reroll to wound rolls and saves. In combat he has 4 (on the chage) ws4 st9 ap2 attacks with rerolls to hit and wound (depending how lucky you feel). Also obviously a 2+ save and SnP if you want to move big gunz. Due to his rerolls he will have a better average than an ork warboss in kills.

BA choices are literally either an unupgraded librarian or an unupgraded captain. I think 150pts are ok as a limit but 100pts unfairly hinders some armies over others.

Monster hunter

DE archon, Shadowfield(or clonefield if you like) and fleshguantlets

High WS, Init, attacks, 2++ and 4+ posion weapon with ID. If going after things with EW go for the venom blade.

Clone fields can be brutal in low point games.

Melee GEQ killer: Chaos Lord w/ MoK, Power Maul, Gift of Mutation 100p

Ranged GEQ killer: Sorcerer w/ Burning Brand of Skalathrax, generate Pyromancy (Flame Breath/Inferno) 90p

Melee MEQ killer: Chaos Lord w/ MoK, Lightning Claw, Gift of Mutation 100p

Ranged MEQ killer: Chaos Lord w/ Burning Brand of Skalathrax, VotlW 100p

Melee TEQ killer: Chaos Lord w/ MoK, Power Axe, Gift of Mutation 100p

Ranged TEQ killer: Sorcerer w/ MoT, Plasma Pistol, spell familiar, generate Tzeentch Power (Breath of Chaos) 100p

Melee Monster killer: Chaos Lord w/MoK and Power Fist (hope to not get instant killed) 100p OR Sorcerer w/MoT, Terminator armor and force axe (Instant kill with Force power) 100p

Ranged Monster killer: Sorcerer w/ Spell Familiar, Mastery Level 2, generate Biomancy and Telepathy (Smite/Leech Life + Psychic Shriek) 100p

Most survivable: Chaos Lord w/ MoN or MoT and Bike 100p

Best force multiplier: Sorcerer w/ Spell Familiar, Mastery Level 2, generate all from Daemonology 100p

Cheapest while still effective!: Lord or Sorcerer with the Burning Brand of Skalathrax


That's my take from just the Chaos Space Marine codex. Many of them rely on sorcerers getting the right power and managing to cast them, but if they do some of these would work great since you get two shooting attacks. Also, the Burning Brand really dominates in low point game

 BoomWolf wrote:
100 points?
Cant even get a simple 2-gun tau suit commander this way, and fireblades/ethreals got no noteworthy upgrades, and both are mere infantry buffers, not doing much on their own.
Guess you can buy darkstrider for exacly 100 points, but he isn't very good for his price, and once again-he's mostly an infantry buffer.

Atleast Tau can get an HQ for a hundred. Us poor nids start at 125 for the cheapest, so can't even compete.

If you're willing to be a little flexible with the points cost, the answer is easily

CCS - 4x plasma guns, priest.

4x BS4 plasma guns that usually ignores cover is a LOT of shooty for this points cost, and melee comes in the form of a slightly beaty SO and from a priest who has at-initiative Ap2, fearless, gives everyone hatred, and has other CC goodies (hello, 4++!). And the CCS can also buff other squads nearby, and the priest is an IC if you really need his abilities somewhere else.

At a strict 100, you'd still do well with this with either 2x plasma guns/2x grenade launchers or 4x meltaguns, and no priest, or with the priest and 3x grenade launchers, depending on which you wanted to do better with, shooting or assault.

Pretty much the only thing it scores poorly on is durability, but otherwise there's a lot going for it.

megaboss, 100 points, 2+ save, S10, AP2, 5 attacks on the charge.

'eadwoppas killchoppa on a warboss is pretty sweet at killing anything. I4, S8, rending, instagib on 6's.

What about command squads for guard, they generally go to about 170 points but are the ultimate support unit, with orders, pie plates, long range guns, reserve modifiers, a level one psyker, rerolls on orders and fnp. A 100 points restriction is unfair for a gunline guard player, and adequate squad is somewhere between 90-150 points and is the lynchpin for gunline guard. You should consider putting him at 150 points due to the fact that it is a squad and very squishy.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
A guard company command squad with a 160 point limit can do anything besides melee. Base it is an insane but fragile force multiplier. Only for units that get orders though.

Guard CCS for 100 points:

CCS, lascannon, Master of Ordnance. Cheap and shooty

CCS, regimental standard, detached Commissar. LD and Orders

CCS, 4 meltas. Give them a ride in a valk, vendetta or chimera as nuke something.

So, in short, there's plenty a CCS can above within the limits. Building a shooty buffing modifying bells and whistles squad is a bad idea even in larger lists.

Or, there the Lord Commissar, who's always handy.

I use mine as a long rang fire unit with an officer of the fleet, telepath and vox to buff and force multiply.

ML2 rune priest with a jump pack? For 105 he could be on a bike.

Melee GEQ Killer:

DE Succubus with hydra-gauntlets. 70 Points for WS 8, I 8, 4++ save and 5-10 attacks (4+1d6)

I'll give a mention to the humble Farseer.

100 points on the dot and he's an excellent force multiplier, being a very strong psyker with access to great disciplines which provide great boons to units around him (re-rolls to hit from Guide/Prescience being the best example). Plus he rocks a 4++ and is not too shabby in combat either.

Melee GEQ killer
Herald of Slaanesh on chariot

Ranged GEQ killer
Crisis Suit Commander with Flamers

Melee MEQ killer
Skulltaker

Ranged MEQ killer
Chaos Lord, Burning Brand

Melee TEQ killer
Herald of Khorne, Lesser Reward, Greater Reward

Ranged TEQ killer
Crisis Commander w/ plasma guns

Melee Monster creature:
Chaos Lord, Murder Sword

Ranged monster creature:
Crisis Commander with Plasma Guns

Most survivable:
Herald of Nurgle on Palanquin with Greater Reward

Best force multiplayer:
Ethereal

Cheapest while still effective:
Ethereal

Coteaz is 100 pts.

For low-point games I like my HQ not to be a force on to himself, but to provide benefits to others in the Army.

So if you are running space marines, Just a simple Chaplain with an auspex can do wonders. He gives everyone fearless and re-rolls to hit in the first round of combat, and the auspex takes away a targets cover saves. So even if you stick him with sternguard, you can use the auspex to remove the cover and then use a different type of special ammo on the target.

So my vote for best Force Multiplier would either go to the Chaplain or a Librarian for some of his powers.

Overlord with a warscythe! He doesn't really DO any thing, but as necrons he IS your only option. You could change his weapon but even if you do you won't really ever get much out of that 100 points

Best Force Multiplier (Ranged Monster Killing): Ordo Hereticus Inquisitor, Psyocculum, Tome of Vethic

Specifically for murdering Monstrous Synapse creatures - attach him to a squad - that unit gains BS10 and Monster Hunter when firing at a Hive Tyrant or Tervigon.

Ranged MEQ killer - Chaos Sorceror with the Burning Brand of Skalathrax - might as well have some pyromancy to throw as well.

Seems like quite a fun idea.

But then, I generally prefer a minimalist approach on my HQs anyway.


Melee GEQ killer;

- Archon with Venom Blades and Shadow Field - 100pts

- Succubus with Venom Blades - 65pts (probably won't last long though )

- CCS 3x Pistol/CCW, 1x Medic, Company Commander with PF. "We can take 'em!"


Ranged GEQ killer; Get those templates ready!:

- CS - Heavy Flamer, 3x Flamer - 85pts


Ranged MEQ/TEQ killer; Boom! Headshot!:

- CCS - 2x Plasmagun, 1x Meltagun "Alright lads, things are about to get hot!"

- Haemonculus with Liquifier Gun and Shattershard - 75


Ranged Monster killer:

- CCS - 4x Sniper Rifle - 68pts (Alternatively, the MEQ/TEQ killer above might also work)


Most survivable:

- Archon with Shadowfield (depending on how good your are at not rolling 1s)


Best force multiplier:

- CCS - 60pts (Orders!)

- 2x Haemonculus - 100pts (Pain tokens for some, tiny American flags for others)


Cheapest while still effective!:

- CCS - 60pts (Can still give orders... but how dull )