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Hey, I'm a bit lost with the direction that I should take while list building for Apoc.

The detachments incite to build specialized groups, which is emphasized by the fact that units must stay quite close.
But then, you must have a Character as the detachment warlord for it to generate Command Asset.

I guess I should aim to maximize the command asset generation, but if it is easy for some factions (Imperial Guard with its specialized characters), it can be difficult for other who lacks fast HQ or remotely useful backline HQ.
Then should I pay some tax character to have more assets ?

Yes, I would suggest including a "tax character" in each detachment if possible to generate command assets. With how easy it is to take out characters in Apocalypse, the more you have the better IMO. Also, you sometimes end up with somewhat odd situations with certain models having higher leadership (ex. my Tech-Priest as Warmaster below).

As an example, here is a 150 point list I created with all of the models I have for my Imperial Guard army. Some detachments that are more specialized (i.e. very mobile) I tend not to include a warlord.

IMPERIAL GUARD (150)
Supreme Command (Vostroyan)
Tech-Priest Enginseer (5) (Warmaster)
Tank Commander +sponsons/Punisher (15)
Tank Commander +sponsons (14)
Tank Commander +sponsons (14)

Battalion (Vostroyan)
Company Commander (2) (Warlord)
Command Squad (4)
Commissar (2)
Infantry Squad +ML (4)
Infantry Squad +ML (4)
Infantry Squad +ML (4)

Battalion (Vostroyan)
Company Commander (2) (Warlord)
Commissar (2)
Infantry Squad +ML (4)
Infantry Squad +ML (4)
Infantry Squad +ML (4)

Vanguard (Vostroyan)
Astropath (1) (Warlord)
Astropath (1)
Astropath (1)
Special Weapons Squad (2)
Chimera (7)
Armored Sentinel (3)
Leman Russ +sponsons (12)
Leman Russ +sponsons (12)

Outrider (Vostroyan)
Hellhound (6) (Commander)
Scout Sentinel (4)
Scout Sentinel (4)

Spearhead (Vostroyan)
Basilisk (7) (Commander)
Heavy Weapons Squad (3)
Heavy Weapons Squad (3)

Here is my Space Marines list with all of my models:

SPACE MARINES (171)
Battalion (Imperial Fists)
Primaris Captain in Gravis (6) (Warmaster)
Primaris Lieutenant (4)
Intercessors x 5 (6)
Intercessors x 5 (6)
Intercessors x 5 (6)
Aggresors x 3 (8)

Battalion (Imperial Fists)
Primaris Captain (5) (Warlord)
Intercessors x 5 (6)
Intercessors x 5 (6)
Intercessors x 5 (6)
Hellblasters x 5 (7)

Spearhead (Imperial Fists)
Primaris Captain (5) (Warlord)
Primaris Lieutenant (4)
Primaris Ancient (4)
Hellblasters x 5 (7)
Hellblasters x 5 (7)
Hellblasters x 5 (7)

Outrider (Imperial Fists)
Primaris Librarian + Phobos (5) (Warlord)
Inceptors x 3 (11)
Inceptors x 3 (11)
Suppressors x 3 (8)

Patrol (Imperial Fists)
Primaris Captain + Phobos (7) (Warlord)
Infiltrators x 10 (14)
Eliminators x 3 (8)
Reivers x 5 + Grapnels (7)

You are encouraged to build up your units as big as possible so they survive longer and throw more dice and cards used on them have more impact, but you also want to keep your detachments smaller and have synergy between the units that make it up.

Every unit it will be issued the same order. So a pure melee unit in a detachment with a pure shooting unit means every turn one of them is wasted in all likelyhood.

So you want your characters to synergize. Even if they are not fighting or shooting but they provide some kind of a buff or heal or whatever. You do kind of want them in there generating cards. But best to make them a functional component of the detachment as well.


What army are you trying to build?

Several, but let's assume I'm mostly concerned about deep strikers.
There are not that much armies that have ds HQ. Take ork kommandos or tau pathfinders/stealth suits for instance (I don't count special models).

Or take a SM tank detachment. Feels strange to have a techmarine run after the tanks. Put him in a razorback/rhino ?

 IronSlug wrote:
Several, but let's assume I'm mostly concerned about deep strikers.
There are not that much armies that have ds HQ. Take ork kommandos or tau pathfinders/stealth suits for instance (I don't count special models).

Or take a SM tank detachment. Feels strange to have a techmarine run after the tanks. Put him in a razorback/rhino ?

The tanks will often want to use the Aimed Fire! order for the +1 to hit, which means they're not moving. If you do move them, well, the Techmarine can jog along, as the units in the detachment are allowed to be 12" away from their commander.

Similarly, deep-striking units will just have to land where their detachment commander can get to within 12" of them. You need to plan ahead a little, maybe, but you're doing that anyway what with how the orders system works. So you could run the respective detachment across the table before you bring in the deep-strikers. Also, if their detachment commander dies before they drop, you just shift detachment command to the next unit. Which might even be one of the deep-strikers.