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I made a little spreadsheet detailing average wounds per phase dealt by the Space Marine Captain (or any other WS 2+ S 4 A4 model):

Two numbers for multi-damage weapons are (full potential damage)/(damage against single-wound-model units)

Cool!

The power Sword seems to be the poor mans choice. It does fairly well in comparison to other optuons but is one of the cheapist options if memory serves.

Poor man's option?

Of the Power Sword, Axe, and Maul, it is generally better than the Maul against heavily armored targets and better than the Axe except for Toughness 4, 5, and 8. Not too shabby for the old Power Sword.

 Mezmerro wrote:
I made a little spreadsheet detailing average wounds per phase dealt by the Space Marine Captain (or any other WS 2+ S 4 A4 model). Two numbers for multi-damage weapons are (full potential damage)/(damage against single-wound-model units)

Did you factor in the Rites of Battle for the Captain?
Can you elaborate on the 'full potential damage', please?

I like the look of those swords...

 benlac wrote:

Did you factor in the Rites of Battle for the Captain?

Whoops. It would not affect any ratios though - just multily all results on 41/36 (1.139)
EDIT: It would slightly affect ratios. Fists and hammer would increase in effectiveness by 40/36 (1.111), which is 2.5% less than other weapons get from re-rolls. Again not that big of a difference.

 benlac wrote:

Can you elaborate on the 'full potential damage', please?

By "full potential damage" I meant no wounds lost on overkills, aka fighting multi-wound models.

 alextroy wrote:
Poor man's option?

Of the Power Sword, Axe, and Maul, it is generally better than the Maul against heavily armored targets and better than the Axe except for Toughness 4, 5, and 8. Not too shabby for the old Power Sword.

Its also the cheapist option. It dosent have a super steller performance but its a ver good all around weapon for 4 points.

 Thousand-Son-Sorcerer wrote:

Its also the cheapist option. It dosent have a super steller performance but its a ver good all around weapon for 4 points.

Maul costs exactly the same and is better at clearing up chaff or chipping wounds out of vehicles/monsters, but worse against MEQs/TEQs, and axe is (justifiably) 1 point more as it shows better overall performance.

Also hilariously power weapon could be worse than chainswords against the absolute chaff like chaos cultists or grots.

Could you add the Chainaxe to that list?

 andysonic1 wrote:
Could you add the Chainaxe to that list?

Sure
Here's for a Lord:

Here's for a 'zerker Champion (without factoring his two fights per phase, so if the champ survives to the end of the phase you may safely double all numbers):

I'm glad that we can take swords without feeling like we are gimping ourselves, like some previous editions.

Could you add the three Space Wolf specific weapons to the list? (Frost Sword/Axe & Wolf Claws)

Thanks!

It's quite helpful, thanks. Could also be useful to get a kiliness-per-point comparison but it's strongly dependent on the price of a platform. For example, a fist is quite often better on more expensive platforms with more attacks while a sword or a lc could be better for cheaper units.

I'm not too impressed by the double lightning claw, thought it'd be a bit better for it's points cost

Pwer Axe is the best value for money imo, but close second to pwr sword

Power sword looks very good for Blood Angels when combined with the +1S from their Grails.

 benlac wrote:
I'm not too impressed by the double lightning claw, thought it'd be a bit better for it's points cost

It's really the best weapon available for clearing 1-wound infantry, and unlike the mace or sword it's effective against any save or toughness.
Also double-claw only cost 13 pts if I recall corectly - on the expencive platform like the captain or Chaos Lord this price is relatively low, an on something like a sarge +1A is way more noticeable, so again 13 pts are justified.

 Mezmerro wrote:

 andysonic1 wrote:
Could you add the Chainaxe to that list?

Sure
Here's for a Lord:

Spoiler:

Here's for a 'zerker Champion (without factoring his two fights per phase, so if the champ survives to the end of the phase you may safely double all numbers):

Spoiler:

Wow so the chainaxe is clearly better than the chainsword against what you'll normally be using it against. That's very insightful.

EDIT: additional question: could you show me Kharn's damage output? I feel like even with his AP -4 axe he's no longer a threat to tanks.

EDIT2: could you also also show Helbrutes and Dreads melee weapon damage? I'm wondering if I can RAW a Helbrute with a Hammer and Scourge for maximum damage (if indeed it is max damage).

If I'm reading the chart right it seems like THs are the best choice for 2+ to hit models.

Could we see the data with the more common 3+ to hit model? I'm thinking sergeants or champions. Thanks!

Ulfhednar_42 wrote:
Could you add the three Space Wolf specific weapons to the list? (Frost Sword/Axe & Wolf Claws)

I could but I would not. The Wolves must suffer for what they did.

 buddha wrote:
If I'm reading the chart right it seems like THs are the best choice for 2+ to hit models.
Could we see the data with the more common 3+ to hit model? I'm thinking sergeants or champions. Thanks!

Sure. Here's a version for your standard support WS3+ S4 A3 character:

And answering about TH - it's only better against multi-wound models. Against the infantry it performs slithly better than the axe while being WAY more expensive
Double claws on the other hand get more advantage out of their +1A on the 2-3A models compared to other melee weapons and even on A5 Gravis Captain they out-damage anything else when it comes to clearing infantry.

So Swords are better against Vehicles
Axes are better against Infantry

Is it just me, or does that feel backwards?

 Talamare wrote:
So Swords are better against Vehicles
Axes are better against Infantry

Is it just me, or does that feel backwards?

All "basic" power weapons are bad against vehicles.
Swords are less bad against T6-7 vehicles, axes - against T8, but in the end they're all terrible at killing tanks.
What is more important is that swords are better against heavily armored infantry, while mauls are better against lightly armored, which is a complete reversal of how it goes IRL. At least they get right the bit that axes fall somewhere in between.