# Deathstars - Love them, Hate Them, Use Them?



## D-A-C (Sep 21, 2010)

Hey everyone.

There have been a couple of threads about units that people use that, well, kinda suck from a tactical/points efficiency perspective, but which are used anyway because of fluff, fun or sheer love reasons.
*
So I was wondering: Do any of you use Deathstar Units? Do you want to try a particular Deathstar Unit? Do you Hate the Idea of armies based on a Deathstar? How have you seen your (or others in your gaming groups)** Deathstars perform?
*
Deathstars you gotta love'em: All or nothing throws of the dice that will see you either blow up Alderaan and get ready for some 'private time' with Princess Leia, or result in you arrogantly dismissing the enemy threat and then watching as destroyed by a snot nosed kid barely out of puberty.

Basically, my definition of a Deathstar unit is one which eats up a significant number of your points, for example, a Character HQ might only be 1/10th your points, but when you factor in his personal transport and the unit he is attached to and results in those points jumping to 1/5 or more of your army, you have yourself a Deathstar.



The only one I've every really tried regularly would be:

Ahriman / 8 Thousand Sons, Sorcerer, Wartime /Land Raider, Extra Armour - 754pts / 2000pt Games


This unit actually performed really, really well for me, that's why I used it again and again. I always got really lucky with my Land Raider not getting knocked out, and then I would disembark and rapid fire the sh*t out of a high priority enemy target and then if I got stuck in combat, three Gifts of Chaos from Ahriman and a Warptime Force Weapon, combined with the 4++ Saves saw me threw everything from Tyranid MC's to units of Banshees and Ork Nobz.

So do you guys/have you guys, used any Deathstar units in your armies?


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## spanner94ezekiel (Jan 6, 2011)

I like to run at apocalypse:
10x DLC & SS company veterans with LRC transport and an interrogator chaplain at 1020 points. I know it's insane but it cuts through MEQ like Draigo's blade through Mortarion's heart.


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## D-A-C (Sep 21, 2010)

spanner94ezekiel said:


> I know it's insane but *it cuts through MEQ like Draigo's blade through Mortarion's heart.*


If the negative rep feature was still around, I would neg the sh*t out of that comment lol :threaten:.

Spanner, is your real name Matt by any chance? Be honest now :laugh:


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## spanner94ezekiel (Jan 6, 2011)

Mwahahaha, and you thought Chaos was evil


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## XT-1984 (Aug 23, 2011)

I'm working on a unit of ten Chaos Terminators led by Abaddon the Despoiler. Will try Deepstriking them within 6" of one of my CSM units with an Icon so they don't scatter.

Not sure how well it will work out compared to a Landraider but either way it will make my opponent crap his pants when that unit lands on a now contested objective.


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## spanner94ezekiel (Jan 6, 2011)

So they drop in, look menacing and growl for a turn, while everybody runs away, and then proceed to shoot the crap out of them  That's always the issue with deep striking, and you're only moving 6" a turn after that so it's hard to catch anyone unless they're plain foolish.


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## D-A-C (Sep 21, 2010)

XT-1984 said:


> I'm working on a unit of ten Chaos Terminators led by Abaddon the Despoiler. Will try Deepstriking them within 6" of one of my CSM units with an Icon so they don't scatter.
> 
> Not sure how well it will work out compared to a Landraider but either way it will make my opponent crap his pants when that unit lands on a now contested objective.


Sounds like a cool plan, do you know what Icon/Equipment your gonna give your Terminators.

Also don't forget that it has now been definitively settled by GW that Abaddon pokes himself in the eye on a roll of 1 on a D6.


EDIT



spanner94ezekiel said:


> So they drop in, look menacing and growl for a turn, while everybody runs away, and then proceed to shoot the crap out of them That's always the issue with deep striking, and you're only moving 6" a turn after that so it's hard to catch anyone unless they're plain foolish.


He has a good point with this. ^


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## CE5511 (Apr 16, 2011)

My friend at the LGS runs a full squad of TH/SS termies with lysander at 2500 points. Absolutely MURDERS!!!! I hate to admit it but I'm tempted to take a spacewolves dread in a razorspam list to the tourny next week just to tie us his draigo. Deathstars are a gross waste of points but there is little that they can't kill


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## dandan1350 (Apr 22, 2010)

15 death company all with power weapons including 3 melta pistols 
astorath the grim
land raider crusader

Do believe it's around 850 points

I'm currently building it right now, hope it scares the crap out of someone!


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## D-A-C (Sep 21, 2010)

spanner94ezekiel said:


> Deathstars are a gross waste of points but there is little that they can't kill


Kinda like the real thing!!! (Well you know what I mean lol)


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## shaantitus (Aug 3, 2009)

I have used the 10 chaos terminators deep striling in the back field before. I can be expensive but fun. They were about 400-500 points in a 2000pt game. In total they killed a dread 2 oblits and a squad of havocs. Didn't get their points back but the disruption they caused won me the game.
Not sure if this is a deathstar but I sometimes run the IG ccs with creed,kell,moo,motf,lascannon team and a chimera. Its 390 points for a squad with a base cost of bugger all. But the effect it has on an infantry gunline is immense.


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## mcmuffin (Mar 1, 2009)

I run a Blackmane deathstar at 2500 pts. It is basically based on Ragnar with 10 Wolf Guard, 3 storm shields, 2 power fists and 5 power weapons in a land Raider redeemer with a Wolf Priest. Also, i make sure he buffs a unit of TWC near him with furious charge.

Lower points limit games i like Ragnar in a LRR with 10 Grey Hunters.


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## CE5511 (Apr 16, 2011)

@dandan
You can't take astorath in a crusader as he counts as jump infintry. However a normal chappie can with no problems. Same effect more or less


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## D-A-C (Sep 21, 2010)

Wow, these are some really cool entries.

Just thought of one for my own Chaos Daemons: (never tried it though)

4 Bloodcrushers, Icon of Chaos, Fury of Khorne, Instrument of Chaos + Herald of Khorne, Juggernaut, Unholy Might, Fury of Khorne, Blessing of the Blood God + Skulltaker on a Juggernaut - 510pts


Actually that seems like a steal for that many points considering it should wipe almost any other unit off the face of the earth (might have to try this one lol).


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## Doelago (Nov 29, 2009)

Draigo, a Librarian and a ten man Paladin unit with all the upgrades & a toilet sink.

Cuts through Chaos daemons like no ones business. You should see that Mortarion dudes face every time I field this. It is almost amusing.


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## Kharnas (Oct 24, 2009)

I personally don't take them but I don't begrudge people that do, they can be hella fun. 

I used them when I started out and steadily the command squad army race at the local club got fairly absurd. So I switched to Eldar and played the old Swordwind Host list, pretty much a squad of each aspect army with a few guardians running around with starcannons. I really learned to pick apart the deathstar fairly consistanly, then the shift came back that you could win games without them.

I guess it really just depends on the level of your meta, if your in it for lols then yeah deathstars can be fun and even easy to collect for new players. 
For tactical growth however most people tend to crutch on them a little and I know for me at least I didn't start getting really good till I stopped using them.


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## XT-1984 (Aug 23, 2011)

The Chaos Terminators will have:
- Icon of Chaos Glory
- 2 x Combi-Flamers
- 2 x Combi-Meltas
- 2 x Reaper Autocannons
- 2 x Chainfist
- 4 x Powerfist

Basically what you get with two boxes of the new plastic Terminators. 

And as for people shooting them and running away, I could either:

- Deepstrike them near some heavy cover and Run them into it in their Shooting Phase.
- Deepstrike them on an Objective to contest it and have the rest of my army go for the others.
- Deepstrike them near a couple of units that are going to assault to tie up my enemy.
- And if all else fails I'll just have to fit a Sorcerer with Lash of Submission in my army. 

This is in a 2500 point list mind you, and the unit with Abaddon is 725 points, so I still have a fair lot of other stuff to throw around the board.


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## mcmuffin (Mar 1, 2009)

Also, for shits and giggles i ran a super thunderwolf Deathstar. 5 Thunderwolves, 2 powerfists, 4 stormshields. With that unit there were 3 Thunderwolf Lords. 1 with Powerfist, stormshield Saga of the bear WTT, 1 with Frost Axe, Storm Shield and saga of the Warrior Born, WTT and the last one with a thunder hammer, storm shield 2 wolf buddies and a WTT over 1500 pts. Then i had 2 units of grey hunters in razorbacks to make up 1850pts. I got a serious WTF?! look when i plonked the army down. I actually won though, against Orks.


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## SGMAlice (Aug 13, 2010)

Browsing through the Blood Angels codex a while ago and noticed an interesting unit choice:

30 Death Company w/TH/Jump Packs

I think i worked out a unit of them coming in at over 1000pts.
Thats pretty Deathstar.
Edit: just checked 1950pts
Even a unit of fifteen or ten is a hefty price. 

SGMAlice


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## Stephen_Newman (Jul 14, 2009)

In one game when we used 4500 points (split over 3 FOC) I managed to field all 6 Phoenix Lords in one unit. They then infiltrated as a squad 12 inches away from a Space Marine gunline. First turn they split up, jump from cover, fleet and kicked the crap out of 6 Tactical squads in the first couple of turns. The look on the opposing teams faces was priceless.

They all died later when a bunch of Terminators were diverted to stop them completely rolling up the Marine flank but the devastation they caused was absolutely lethal.


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## Dawnstar (Jan 21, 2010)

The most typical Deathstar unit I've ever used is:

Abaddon
8 Khorne Berzerkers, Skull Champ w/ Power Weapon
Land Raider w/ Daemonic Possession
713 points all up

That's contributed to winning me a few games in the past. I'm considering one involving Death Company for my Blood Angels, seeing as I have some good success using the crazy marines :laugh:


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## Scythes (Dec 30, 2011)

Once I get my bike company up and running, only about 20 more bikes, I plan to have a bike captain with command squad. Storm shields all around, a mix of power weapons, thunder hammers, lightning claws, apothecary, etc. I've seen it run and it comes in around 700 points, but it's pretty rock solid with T5, 3+/3++ saves, FnP, and it's fast.


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## Alsojames (Oct 25, 2010)

SM Chapter Master, 10 Honorguard with Relic Blades.

Rips shit up in CC.


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## Cold86 (Sep 24, 2010)

Vulkan, 5 thunder hammer SS termies Land Raider variant with the big mean MEQ destroying flamers. This has brought a swift death to many a foe. Now once upon a time a Nid swarmlord and a bunch of genestealers led by a Brood Lord wrecked my day but its still good...

yes i run vulkan cause im a noob...But what can i say Ive always liked the salamanders and their offshot chapters the best, Very flavorful.


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## the cabbage (Dec 29, 2006)

I run a walking ork army for fun games and to allow my mates to test thier armies against hordes. It's about 100 orks and up to 5 kans/dreds depending on points. But the HQ is

Ghazgkhul
8 - 10 Nobz
4 power claws
boss pole
eavy armour
other various buffs

I haven't got the book with me but it's 500 plus and with wound shenanigans on the nobs is a monster, has killed skulltaker and skarbrand in the same game and can really smash up mech gaurd. Sounds unlikely but with ghaz'z waagh and an aggressive deployment of the army i'm ussually charging turn two and there generally isn't enough room to manouvre away from all those orks.

In the previous codex edition and BBB I ran a similar squad but with a mek in it for a KFF and two squigs for every nob which effectively made them the majority model and were then removed preferentially. Really effective.


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## humakt (Jan 2, 2008)

Cold86 said:


> Vulkan, 5 thunder hammer SS termies Land Raider variant with the big mean MEQ destroying flamers. This has brought a swift death to many a foe. Now once upon a time a Nid swarmlord and a bunch of genestealers led by a Brood Lord wrecked my day but its still good...
> 
> yes i run vulkan cause im a noob...But what can i say Ive always liked the salamanders and their offshot chapters the best, Very flavorful.


I run a very similar squad, but have 2 lighting claws and 3 TH/SS. The Redeemer is the best of the 3 variants in my opinion. The squad works around 80% of the time, but is prone to imploding once a couple of terminators have been killed.


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## mynameisgrax (Sep 25, 2009)

Death star units aren't as scary as they used to be, in my opinion. The game has really shifted in favor of shooting and transports. Virtually any unit can be brought down by shooting, and even if they aren't, they aren't that helpful in multiple objective missions, which seem to come up a lot at tournaments these days.

The best deathstars these days seem to be one of the following:

1. Some variation of terminators + super HQ in a land raider or storm raven (but if the transport is lost, they're sitting ducks)

2. Swarm Lord + Tyrant Guard (trouble moving around the board)

3. 15 Fenrisian Wolves + 2 Wolf Lords on Thunderwolf Mounts with all the trimmings (This is my favorite deathstar, because it's fast and reliable. Also, until you reach close combat, the wolves act as spare wounds. Run 2 of these units alongside some Thunderwolf Cavalry units, and you've got a scary force. Add Canis Wolfborn and you can fit in even more Thunderwolf Cavalry.)


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## SGMAlice (Aug 13, 2010)

mynameisgrax said:


> 3. 15 Fenrisian Wolves + 2 Wolf Lords on Thunderwolf Mounts with all the trimmings (This is my favorite deathstar, because it's fast and reliable. Also, until you reach close combat, the wolves act as spare wounds. Run 2 of these units alongside some Thunderwolf Cavalry units, and you've got a scary force. Add Canis Wolfborn and you can fit in even more Thunderwolf Cavalry.)


I have wondered at the effectiveness of a Thunderwolf list.
I'm not particularly into the Space Wolves but i do like the whole 'riding on a wolf' thing. 

SGMAlice


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## Ravner298 (Jun 3, 2011)

Fateweaver, a bloodthirster, 12 bloodcrushers, 3 DPs. Hope you brought guns!

For CSM, I've tried typhus with some termies in a LR for fun, but he rolled 1's 2 turns in a row....now I just run 2 dps.

Sometimes ill break out my FW khorne termies, with Lord Zhafur (count as abbadon) in a LR just because I love the way they look and they're all painted well.

DAC, it never even occured to me that Ahriman could be considered a deathstar unit, haha. Ive always seen him as an overcosted PEAK A BOO! NOW HERES SOME SPAWN!attachment coming out of a rhino somewhere.

As mentioned, deathstars have 2 huge flaws. "All your eggs in 1 basket" syndrome. They cant be in multiple places at once, and they have limited mobility.


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## D-A-C (Sep 21, 2010)

SGMAlice said:


> but i do like the whole 'riding on a wolf' thing.
> 
> SGMAlice


That's what she said ... ha, ha I'm so funny ... wait, I don't get it?



Ravner298 said:


> Fateweaver, a bloodthirster, 12 bloodcrushers, 3 DPs. Hope you brought guns!
> 
> Yeah but that's really a Deathstar Army than a unit.
> 
> ...


I made comments above in green.


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## Khorne's Fist (Jul 18, 2008)

I've been dying to put together a unit of 5 wolf guard with jump packs, thunder hammers, storm shields, and melta bombs. Comes to 500 pts, there or there abouts. Throw in a wolf lord kitted out similarly, and it's about 700.


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## Serpion5 (Mar 19, 2010)

Ten Lychguard. Attached lord with Resurrection Orb.

Bye. :bye:


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## kiro the avenger! (Nov 8, 2010)

I use shas'el- 2body guard
3 battlesuits
Hammerhead-rail gun
Everything tooled to the max!
That's 12 shield drones!


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## Abomination (Jul 6, 2008)

I haven't used a 'deathstar' unit but then again everytime I see one it's never difficult to beat. I wouldn't not use one though.


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## mynameisgrax (Sep 25, 2009)

I've seen thunderwolf lists easily wipe out opponents, but on the other hand, like most deathstar lists they have trouble with objectives, especially because fenrisian wolves and thunderwolf cavalry can't claim objectives. So it's usually an 'all or nothing' affair, either tabling your opponent, or losing by objectives.


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## kiro the avenger! (Nov 8, 2010)

When I play play death stars in objective games they often aim for my firewarriors cowering behind the biggest staffmember they can find


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## Skari (Dec 20, 2011)

I actually like the concept of a unit that can destroy most other units. But I don't like the concept of everything into one unit sort of deathstar.


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## CardShark (Dec 20, 2010)

10 wraithguard with a spiritseer with conceal a farseer with fortune to re-roll all saves (and in higher point games I like to include Jain-Zar)


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## dspadres (Jan 10, 2011)

My favorite is a Marshal with TH/SS, terminator honors, adamantine mantle, and artificer armor accompanied by a Command Squad with Furious Charge and FNP. And, if points allow or I'm in a particularly bad mood, I'll throw in a Chaplain to get some S5 power weapon hits. So he's immune to instant death, 2+/3++, rerolls hits, S9 on charge, with 5 attacks, and has FNP. 

But they're terribly expensive and I have to be careful about where I place them to maximize their damage.


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## humakt (Jan 2, 2008)

dspadres said:


> My favorite is a Marshal with TH/SS, terminator honors, adamantine mantle, and artificer armor accompanied by a Command Squad with Furious Charge and FNP. And, if points allow or I'm in a particularly bad mood, I'll throw in a Chaplain to get some S5 power weapon hits. So he's immune to instant death, 2+/3++, rerolls hits, S9 on charge, with 5 attacks, and has FNP.
> 
> But they're terribly expensive and I have to be careful about where I place them to maximize their damage.


Of course, I forgot you can still upgrade BT terminators to have furious charge. How do you get them round the battlefield? A landraider crusader I would assume.


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## dspadres (Jan 10, 2011)

humakt said:


> Of course, I forgot you can still upgrade BT terminators to have furious charge. How do you get them round the battlefield? A landraider crusader I would assume.


 
This unit is just in plain old power armor so I just put them in a Rhino, unless I'm playing a game over 2k and use a Crusader.


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## Tyr852 (Oct 19, 2011)

Ravner298 said:


> Fateweaver, a bloodthirster, 12 bloodcrushers, 3 DPs. Hope you brought guns!


*whimper* the buddy I play against the most runs a smaller variation of that when he's feeling vengeful , on top of that he rolls his dice like they were fresh out of the oven ( I think his record for fateweaver was 125+ rounds of eldar fire over 6 rounds and with only 1 wound:shok. Even just fateweaver + anything gives me a headache and just chews through my Abaddon deathstar, I've since shelved Chaos deathstars as they depend to much on a landraider, that for me never makes it past the first round. 

I don't mind deathstars though they just are another target on the priority list and tend to be easier to deal with as it's one large threat vs numerous little ones.


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## Ravner298 (Jun 3, 2011)

It's all luck. Sometimes he dies on the first turn, others times he soaks up enough shooting that theres no possible way for the opponent to come back.

Or they just stay in their transports and giggle.


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## Blammer (Nov 17, 2009)

My deathstar is relatively tame by comparison.

5 man terminator squad with a cyclone missle launcher. I then attach my chapter master (Artificer armor, power weapon, storm bolter).

But then I usually play at 750-1k points max so yeah.


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## Silens (Dec 26, 2010)

Not sure if it would count, but I do run a 175point Doom Scythe in my 600pt School League list. So far it has worked very well for me, as I keep it behind cover and use a solar pulse to back it up. This gives me a Cryptek with a powerful weapon for taking out tanks and the like. Together, they cost over a third of my points. I generally don't run incredibly powerful units which limit the rest of my army, rather my force it fairly balanced.


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## Durandal (Sep 18, 2011)

I run draigo, 10 paladins, and a librarian. Its a garbage unit that never makes its points back against a good player, and against some really rough armies almost never leaves the deployment zone if im going second. Deathstars are fun, but suck.


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## HOGGLORD (Jan 25, 2012)

In a game vs tau I used 11 terminators and Huron (one squad of 6 + one of 5) and they were all pulverised, then four of my chaos marines killed two fire warrior squads and an etherial by themselves. 

I have a mate who used seven leman russes on me, that was his whole army. He said there was some kinda kreig thing permitting it. I tried swarming him with one hundred lesser deamons, I actually blew one up!


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## MetalHandkerchief (Aug 3, 2009)

Depends. One that I've been using that is pretty effective and always, always makes up for it's points value is:

-Drazhar
-Archon w/grenades and other varying wargear
-8 Incubi
-In a Raider.

This unit costs over 500 points but it's a whirling dervish, and there aren't many SC's or IC's in the game that can go 1v1 against Drazhar, which is why it's so awesome that he has his duel ability. The unit is high on initiative and survivability and full of power weapons.

But usually I don't use death stars at all. I always wanted to try O'Shovah with full retinue and max number of shield drones though... For over 1500 points xD


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## Durandal (Sep 18, 2011)

MetalHandkerchief said:


> Depends. One that I've been using that is pretty effective and always, always makes up for it's points value is:
> 
> -Drazhar
> -Archon w/grenades and other varying wargear
> ...


Im confused. Why doesnt the raider just get shot out the sky and the incubi gunned down? Its basically an easier to kill tac squad with a more vulnerable but faster transport.


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## buckythefly (Mar 16, 2009)

I occasionally run a retardedly large unit of Nob Bikers, normally just for fun but I've seen them wreck some heavy duty shit and keep rolling. Other times they get shot to little bits by guardsman.


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## MetalHandkerchief (Aug 3, 2009)

Durandal said:


> Im confused. Why doesnt the raider just get shot out the sky and the incubi gunned down? Its basically an easier to kill tac squad with a more vulnerable but faster transport.


Because there is always enough terrain to make sure at least one of your transports are unreachable until it offloads, and if you're running this deathstar it better be the one you choose 

I usually enter them through a WWP anyway, since I usually play 3,000 point games with 2 FoC's.


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## Minizke1 (Feb 7, 2010)

Mine looks like 3 Carnifexes with Crushing Claws and Devourers.


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## Serpion5 (Mar 19, 2010)

Minizke1 said:


> Mine looks like 3 Carnifexes with Crushing Claws and Devourers.


You could get a fuckton of hormagaunts with all them points.


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## StalkerZero (Oct 3, 2010)

I'm not entirely sure they qualify but I feel I play a list made up entirely of a Deathstar. When I plunk down my army it's 30 Terminators (25 of which pack TH/SS). 

Just watching all those non-1's be rolled all game brings a tear to my eye (not quite as much as when those 1's show up but...you know).

I endorse Deathstars in every list. I think they bring a lot of random fun to any army.


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