# Who should I pick to lead my SM army?



## yvaN_ehT_nioJ (May 24, 2007)

I wasn't sure where this topic would go put I decided to post it in here since this was 40k stuff.

Who would be the best pick to have as an HQ choice in my SM army?

A chaplain, commander, or librarian?
They all seem very good but I'm unsure of which to put in my army.


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## Hespithe (Dec 26, 2006)

I always prefer the Commander to the others as a 1st HQ choice. The leadership 10 to every unit on the board is just too good to pass up.

Now, if themed differently, then a Chaplain is the way to go IMHO. Not only will he be a bit cheaper than a similarly equipped Commander, but he makes for one mean bugger in a command or assault squad.

Either way, just try not to overburden your HQs with needless goodies and overspecialized command squads.


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## kryptixx (Jun 21, 2007)

It's pretty easy to make a good argument for each one. I personally typically field a librarian. They are the most expensive of the bunch, but the most versatile as well.

If you do field a Lib, just make sure to take advantage of what makes them unique, ie psychic hood and powers. The force weapon is always a plus too.


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## torealis (Dec 27, 2006)

i had a commander first, but had to convert a plastic chaplain... so i've got both. though it will become too much once i get the new commander box again, and ill make a librarian...


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## cccp (Dec 15, 2006)

Moved to tactics. And i go with the commander. LD 10 across the board is a massive bonus!


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## black chaplain (May 14, 2007)

i'm acually stumped eith this one. if you want a balanced army take commander (leadership 10 for everything). 

if you want an assault army take a chaplain (litanies of hate, fearless, he's cheap too, comes with a 4+ invunerable save and a power weapon). 

if you want a shooty army take a librarian (storm of the emperor's wrath, physchic hood, fury of the ancients and force weapon).


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## Stella Cadente (Dec 25, 2006)

I would choose a commander with simple equipment, and then if you want another choose another, but a commander in my mind is a must


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## LongBeard (Dec 22, 2006)

To be honest It all comes down to the rest of your list, SM characters all support the rest of your list In some way. Might be worth posting up your list and so can recommend the Ideal choice to help the rest of your force on the battlefield! :twisted:


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## kelvingreen (May 15, 2007)

I like Chaplains for purely fluffy reasons. I just like the idea of the priest leading the force.


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## Greyskullscrusade (Jan 24, 2007)

Commander for rites of battle


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## Red Orc (Jun 14, 2007)

Take all three!

(Sorry if that's not helpful, for point-squeezing reasons, but it's the way your dilemma will be most easily resolved.)


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## Cadian81st (Dec 24, 2006)

Yeah but, he's only got two FOC slots for an HQ choice. I'd either take a libbie or a commander.


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## Red Orc (Jun 14, 2007)

A I read it, commander + command squad + librarian + chaplain = 1 FOC slot.

Or did I misunderstand that bit?


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## Cadian81st (Dec 24, 2006)

I dont have my dex w/ me, but I think each person (commander, libbie, chappie) counts as one slot, and then you can add command squads and transports as you see fit.


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## Red Orc (Jun 14, 2007)

OK, found my dex under a sofa, here's what I consider to be the important bits...

p 21 Space Marine Characters
...
3. Librarians and Chaplains may be attached to another character's Command squad. Only one character of a given type may be attached to a single Command squad. *The attached character, the squad and and the character leading it are a single HQ choice*. The character is a member of the unit and may not leave it...

p 29 Command Squad entry
...
Transport
A Command squad which, including attached *characters*, numbers...
Special Skills
...(including leading/attached *characters*)...

Seems to me that you can take all three as one HQ choice, if you also take a Command squad (to use GW's peculiar capitalization); though perhaps that could be interpreted as ONLY one extra character can be attached to ONLY one Command squad, but I don't think so; whether you can take 2 commanders, 2 Command squads, and 2 attached Librarians and 2 attached Chaplains as 2 HQ choices, we can fight about later...

:cyclops:


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## Cadian81st (Dec 24, 2006)

Yeah, I read that later today when I was writing a marine list, but I was too lazy too pull the internet up and argue about it...


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## Anphicar (Dec 31, 2006)

black chaplain said:


> i'm acually stumped eith this one. if you want a balanced army take commander (leadership 10 for everything).
> 
> if you want an assault army take a chaplain (litanies of hate, fearless, he's cheap too, comes with a 4+ invunerable save and a power weapon).
> 
> if you want a shooty army take a librarian (storm of the emperor's wrath, physchic hood, fury of the ancients and force weapon).


That about sums my opinions up too, good job!  

Thats all the advice i can give you. :?


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## Engelus (Jul 26, 2007)

Chaplain all the way, and I think its worth it to splurge points on him.

I always equip mine with a Bike, 2 lightning claws, artificer armor, and terminator honors, then attach him to a bike squad or assault squad. makes for a mean squad of gas powered death (chain swords) then when the squad eventually dies, or or you feel like detaching him, he can launch across the field with a 2+ invulnerable and 5 toughness, to decimate another squad. 

with the pair of lightening claws he will consistently score 5-6 wounding power weapon hits on the charge (re-roll hits and wounds) in addition, its the best time to have the pair of Claws, cause hes got a twin-linked bolter, which he can rapid fire on the move and still charge. It's a win, win, win, situation.


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## The Son of Horus (Dec 30, 2006)

Except you can't really benefit from dual lightning claws on a bike, because you always need one hand to control the bike-- you NEVER can claim to be double-armed on a bike. Might as well give him a single claw if you're going to do that, and give him something like a combi-melta so he can take a swing at a tank if he's got nothing better to do. 



As an aside, I'm quite fond of fielding a pure Battle Company, and not having attachments from the rest of the Chapter unless it's a suitably large game (which would warrant a strike force that includes things from the Armoury, the Librarium, and the 10th Company.) So typically, that means that I only take a Captain and a Chaplain, and leave the Librarian at home. I also tend to leave the Techmarines at home unless I'm fielding multiple armoured units that aren't assigned to the Company, such as Predators, Whirlwinds, Vindicators, etc. It's odd, but the Space Marine codex actually plays better if you play to the fluff, unlike most of the other codecies that are out at the moment. 

That doesn't really help your decision from a gameplay standpoint, though. Chaplains do quite well with jump packs, tagging along with a couple of Assault Squads. Only one will be able to pick up the bonuses the Chaplain confers for leading the squad, but it's awfully hard to stop 20 assault marines anyway, let alone having ten of 'em re-rolling their misses. Chaplains are an unsubtle powerhouse, and they're best when you're aggressive to a fault with them. If you take a Chaplain, give him a good supporting cast of assault units, whether they be Rhino-borne Tactical Squads, jump packers, bikers, or my personal favorite-- a command squad of his own mounted in a Land Raider Crusader (which, admittedly, takes up one of your Heavy slots, but that's fine... the Crusader is arguably the best anti-infantry tank in the game.) 

A Captain, however, is a bit more subtle gameplay-wise. He's not as powerful as the Chaplain in an assault purely because he doesn't have Litanies of Hatred and isn't Fearless, but the leadership buff across the table is well worth having. Profile-wise, he's identical to a Chaplain, so you can still lead an assault with him without a problem. You can also give him dual lightning claws and not feel guilty about replacing a weapon that you've paid for in the base cost of the model with, like you would with a Chaplain. A Captain also has the benefit of being a decent leader for a firepower-intensive army. An often overlooked use of the Command Squad is as a fourth Devastator squad. They can have multiple heavy weapons, after all. Not as many as a Devastator squad, but they can have 'em. The leadership buff of the Captain helps with Target Priority checks, which is excellent for not only a firepower-oriented command squad, but techmarines with four heavy bolter servitors, devastator squads, and even five-man Tactical fire teams with heavy weapons.


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## Engelus (Jul 26, 2007)

pardon me, but could you point out what book it says that a bike rider cannot have two weapons. I can't find it. I'm not saying I don't believe you, I just would like to know where it is so I can read it myself.


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## dakari-mane (Mar 9, 2007)

The Son of Horus said:


> you NEVER can claim to be double-armed on a bike.


Wrong. Only if the bike lists that you do not gain the additional +1A do you not gain the +1A (CSM & DE)


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## Kapeesh (Oct 31, 2007)

4 my HQ I have both the Master and the Epistolary.
Librarian has:
Might of Heroes 
Bionics
Terminator Honours
Familiar
Combat Shield
Artificer Armour
Jump Pack
= up to 9 attacks with power weapon at 6 initiative
or 5 psychic weapon attacks at 6 initiative
all this guy can't do is bust tanks...but thats what his 9 assault marine homies are for (power fist and melta bombs)
I also have a Master for the Leadership + librarians psychic test.
Wadda ya say ta that for a HQ!?!?!?!?


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## Skr121 (Oct 3, 2007)

That the Epistolary already has 10 Ld so he won't need it. ;P But isn't that a bit expensive? Also, what do you put on your master?


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## Words_of_Truth (Sep 20, 2007)

My commanders are usually only their to reinforce the line with their improved leadership and re-rolls, due to my army being shooty i never give him much as i need the points more for much needed fire power.


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