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I've always liked using the Captain of the Ultramarine's 2nd Company, but I took a break from using him when the last codex dropped.
Now with a new Codex, is he any more valid? I know he's no SmashFether or Tiggy, but can he be used effectively in games? What kind of bodyguard do I give him if I were to field a Gladius Strike Force?

As a foot character, he's okay for his stats, utility, and price. However, I can never, for the life of me, figure out a perfect bodyguard for him.

Maybe Assault Centurions or Tactical Terminators? Both went down in price...

Now Honour Guard are in Elites, they make the best bodyguard for Cato, I think. Durable, cheap-ish per model compared to other dedicated hard Assault units, and will compliment him without upstaging him/rendering him unnecessary. A small unit as a counter-charge unit or a larger one in a pod/LR for a spearhead.

Sicarius is still the worst named character for UM. .

When I tried out a small Ultramarine force with the 6th edition sm codex, his rule that allowed a tactical squad attached to him to infiltrate or outflank was bloody good. Turned out that Ultramarines weren't for me but from my experience of using him, he was ok. I used him and a tactical squad to infiltrate and capture the relic on turn 1 and held it for the rest of the game.

He's 10 points cheaper from the last codex. He is neither the worst or the best HQ, I would say middle of the road.

If you like him and play high point games, he does unlock a wicked Spear formation that does an all turn one drop pod assault for the whole army. Spear of Sicarius in WD 70 i think.

He seems cool and I like the model, never played him myself. Side note: Sicarius means "man of daggers" in latin. Cool that he's a hand to hand stud.

barnowl wrote:
If you like him and play high point games, he does unlock a wicked Spear formation that does an all turn one drop pod assault for the whole army. Spear of Sicarius in WD 70 i think.

Isn't this an apoc formation?

 raiden wrote:

barnowl wrote:
If you like him and play high point games, he does unlock a wicked Spear formation that does an all turn one drop pod assault for the whole army. Spear of Sicarius in WD 70 i think.

Isn't this an apoc formation?

IIRC it is from the warhammer world exclusive campaign pack, but not apoc. It does require you to drop a full battlecompany of marines on the table, with full 10 man squads, though. So barring apoc games, you are unlikely to see it.

Sicarius is fairly priced for what you get. He’s on foot, so has limited deployment options. The plasma pistol boosts his points up (hate the way they price those things) He’s a little tougher then a stock captain due to FnP, a little better in CC due to FC. Some nice army wide buffs in the trait, tac squad boost, and reserves. He’s a generalist, which tends not to be popular. Most people want to field specialists, who do one thing, and do it well. But he’s very Ultramarine.

I’m not a fan of the stock model. I built my own with parts from the new UM upgrade sprue.

I think Cato is worth it. They changed his warlord trait from being a one time use Furious charge to now he has it all the time. Which if i'm not mistaken spreads to all the models he is in a unit with. I'd take him with his command squad. Normally this is what i run below;

Cato

Command squad, Apoth, Banner of the Emporer, 3 bolters, melta gun, 1 storm shield, 4x power swords.

Stormraven or Drop pod to get them in. Usually a Stormraven.

I like to take Cato because he buffs the army. Everyone uses his leadership value. He can give a special rule to a tactical squad. I usually infiltrate a unit. You also get +1 to reserve rolls.