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So I often wonder what is the best melee weapon to equip my space marine HQ. There are so many options with Pros and Cons.

My personal favourites are:
Thunder hammer (aesthetically) but is also good although I despise losing the high initiative of a character.
Relic blade, S6 is good, but no bonus attack and only Ap3
Lightning claw, re-rolls, but no bonus (unless spending more points) only S4 (usually) and Ap3.

So what are your favourites and why?

The good 'ol chainsword.

SGTPozy wrote:
The good 'ol chainsword.

Beat me to the draw. Dang.

Powerfist. Classic. Looks great and beats down enemies with ease. I couple it with the Shield Eternal.

Relic Blade is my choice.
Lethal against anything without 2+ armor and those situations are generally avoidable.

As you said, wasting that high Initiative is a punishable crime.

It's hard to say, really. For my BA, both the power sword and power fist have their place. Axes have found their way out of my lists.

I've always been fond of lightning claws.

But for good old-fashioned badassery, you need a chainsword.

Thunder hammer.

It's as effective as a powerfist, but 5 points more cool.

Thought about relics?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
And I don't mean relic blades...

Powerfists, something about them is just so cool, and the way they are portrayed in the fluff is so awesome, especially Decius in HH Flight of the Eisenstein.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

Poly Ranger wrote:
Thought about relics?


Automatically Appended Next Post:
And I don't mean relic blades...

Good point, Asterion's Black Spear also is awesome!

I really like the Teeth of Terra (relic chainsword).
Other than that, Thunderhammers/Powerfists are a good choice paired with Shield Eternal.

I've found that, though it's VERY pricey, the incandescent blade (relic) is very powerful.

+3 Strength, AP:2, and does not deny the +1 attack for 2 hand to hand weapons to boot.

Sure, it can wound you too, but it's only a 50/50 chance to wound and that's only if you roll a 1 to hit, plus you get your invulnerable save against it if you do happen to fail it.

Swinging at ST:7 AP:2 and I:5 with +2 attacks on the charge (Charge + Armed for HtH) is pretty heinous.

That's my choice. Take it easy for now everyone.

-Red__Thirst-

Mace of Redemption

Deathwing Knight Power Maces. Holy hell are those things scary, especially in smite mode. More so if there's CSMs on the receiving end.

 Hanskrampf wrote:
I really like the Teeth of Terra (relic chainsword).
Other than that, Thunderhammers/Powerfists are a good choice paired with Shield Eternal.

yeah teeth of terra has a soft spot in my heart. it allows you to model a captain/CM with a chainsword and still be pretty damned effectiive with it

I think it's pretty obvious that the burning blade is the best melee weapon in all of 40k.

I wasn't including relics in this initially but Blood Angels have an Ap2 power sword that's 20 points (valour's edge).
I think that's one of the best value options there is.

The burning blade is mental (in all terms)
The mace of redemption is pretty good S7 Ap3 at initiative for 30 points.

Boniface wrote:
I wasn't including relics in this initially but Blood Angels have an Ap2 power sword that's 20 points (valour's edge).
I think that's one of the best value options there is.

The burning blade is mental (in all terms)
The mace of redemption is pretty good S7 Ap3 at initiative for 30 points.

Personally I don't want any melle weapon that isn't AP2,on a marine HQ. You likely aren't striking first with I5 anyways so just use a power-fist or thunder hammer. Only other weapon I would consider is the burning blade then again it's probably not the relic you want to take so it's back to the power fist.

 Xenomancers wrote:

Boniface wrote:
I wasn't including relics in this initially but Blood Angels have an Ap2 power sword that's 20 points (valour's edge).
I think that's one of the best value options there is.

The burning blade is mental (in all terms)
The mace of redemption is pretty good S7 Ap3 at initiative for 30 points.

Personally I don't want any melle weapon that isn't AP2,on a marine HQ. You likely aren't striking first with I5 anyways so just use a power-fist or thunder hammer. Only other weapon I would consider is the burning blade then again it's probably not the relic you want to take so it's back to the power fist.

I would say I5 is often first, or at least at the same time.

All SM and CSM are I4 or 5 (there might be some I3 and 6)
Tau are almost all I2-3 (excluding Farsight and Aun'shi)
Orks are mostly all I2-3
Necrons are mostly 2-3
AM is mostly 2-3

So really only Eldar and Dark Eldar and some Tyrannids are above I5.
It always seems a shame to me losing the I when it can have such a drastic difference.

I can't bring myself to make a beatstick HQ choice that cannot handle most situations.

Whilst special rules can add flavour, getting str 8+ and ap2 are my priorities.

That fancy powersword is all well and good, but when you get charged by a wraithknight, or need to remove a walker of some kind, TH and PF can get the job done, whereas most others can't.

suppose this is a good reason to equip your HQ with a grav pistol. chance of knocking the enemy down to I1 (I think)

Boniface wrote:
suppose this is a good reason to equip your HQ with a grav pistol. chance of knocking the enemy down to I1 (I think)

All you need to do is overpay for a mostly useless pistol.

Sorry if I sound bitter, but the current pricing on grav, and more importantly plasma, pistols irritates me. I want to use them, but 15 points is criminally overpriced.

That being said, there is a lot of synergy with grav pistol/power axe.

Solarite Power Gauntlets for the Imperial Fists Horus Heresy Army.

I1, Sx2, AP1, and it isn't a specialist weapon so +1A with the bolt pistol. Rar, Hulk Smash!

 Nevelon wrote:

Boniface wrote:
suppose this is a good reason to equip your HQ with a grav pistol. chance of knocking the enemy down to I1 (I think)

All you need to do is overpay for a mostly useless pistol.

Sorry if I sound bitter, but the current pricing on grav, and more importantly plasma, pistols irritates me. I want to use them, but 15 points is criminally overpriced.

That being said, there is a lot of synergy with grav pistol/power axe.

I dunno if I'd say it's useless, definitely over priced.
Just before a charge you fire it, BS5 so 2+ to hit, 2-4+ to wound (you're generally not gonna use it unless you have a high Armour enemy whom usually has high I) it's Ap2 so maybe no save. You charge with I1 weapon and fight at the same time.

Yes it's not perfect but it has more uses than a plasma or bolt.

I'd consider Plasma Pistols as 10 points.

I'd ALWAYS RUN Plasma Pistols at 5 points.

At 15 points, GTFO Plasma Pistols!

Power maul and the Zen of smashing.

A VERY underrated power weapon. All puny Xeno with a Toughness of 3 and/or 4+ save fear it.

Nothing like clobbering everything but the toughest meanies in the table with a Strength 6 maul. And if there's a multi-wound model taking hits and survives, it strikes at Iniative 1 next time.

...And it's all for 15 points. When the strength of the power sword isn't enough or you don't have enough points (or balls) to take the power fist, you want a power maul.

 Tigramans wrote:
Power maul and the Zen of smashing.

A VERY underrated power weapon. All puny Xeno with a Toughness of 3 and/or 4+ save fear it.

Nothing like clobbering everything but the toughest meanies in the table with a Strength 6 maul. And if there's a multi-wound model taking hits and survives, it strikes at Iniative 1 next time.

...And it's all for 15 points. When the strength of the power sword isn't enough or you don't have enough points (or balls) to take the power fist, you want a power maul.

For MEQ, the sword, for TEQ, the axe, for everything else: the Maul!

It is the most versatile of the stock power weapons. 4+ or worse, you get to cash in rolls. The extra strength lets you put wounds on anything, so helps against MC, or just forcing armor saves. Concussive is gravy.

I really need to kitbash up some for my VVs.

Chain axe because chainswords are for babies

 Great White wrote:
Chain axe because chainswords are for babies

The Carcharadons would like a word with you.

 Nevelon wrote:


For MEQ, the sword, for TEQ, the axe, for everything else: the Maul!

It is the most versatile of the stock power weapons. 4+ or worse, you get to cash in rolls. The extra strength lets you put wounds on anything, so helps against MC, or just forcing armor saves. Concussive is gravy.

I really need to kitbash up some for my VVs.

The most versatile, yes, and that's why I love it.

However, I'd also love to use power swords, but they lack the strength, and S4 AP3 is just silly. When it comes to Relic blades, I wouldn't really want to pay a power fist's worth of points from AP3 - would you?
And Power axe also needs a boost. Why would I NOT take a power fist instead? S5 versus S8 is pretty obvious, especially when both hit at Iniative 1 and are AP2. Okay, you get +1 attack with an axe for not being a Specialist weapon, but that alone doesn't convince me at all.

And no, the power lances don't exist.

 Rippy wrote:

The Carcharadons would like a word with you.

Not to mention the Black Templars, who already are shaking because of hearing that.