[FalcosMarines]

I am curious as to what HQ characters other SM players play. Most other SM players at my hobby store do not use characters and I cant figure out if its a pt saving thing or they just dont want to take advantage of the special rules (ps I like Shrike).

Again just wondering.

Cheers,

FalcosMarines

 

[Red Archer]

Generally I find that Space Marine HQs are less points-efficient than other units, therefore I find spending more points on them than necessary is a waste. So HQ choice -that's my viewpoint- should follow necessities. And since special characters are usually more expensive (it doesn't help that they're better) than generic HQs I tend not to take them.

I use my generic bike captain most of the time because I need him in order to be able to take bikes as troops. Sometimes I take a master of the forge if I need a conversion beam or want to make a more-than-three-dreadnoughts list, but he's no special character either.
Cassius, for one, is a very cheap and a very effective special character. I used him and I can only recommend him. I've tried Pedro Kantor and he is a perfect choice for sternguard-heavy armies that most probably are unable to afford many troops. Shrike's infiltrate is very nice too, but the army needs to be built around that. Same is true for Vulcan. Even Khan I could imagine to have his place, but the others are just too expensive for my taste. Lysander is very tough and can really bolster a gunline, but those army builds are not so effective in general.

So it comes down to this: I don't recommend using special characters. If you do, then probably Cassius is the best choice. Or Pedro, Shrike, Vulcan, and maybe even Khan - each if your army is built around their special abilities...

 

[curly24242]

I always use khan in my White scars army and I love him!
It means that anything in my army can outflank. Him and his command squad popping on from a board edge, shooting bolters then assualting with 25 s5 power sword attacks re-rolling hits because of my chaplain, then being able to hit and run away if i get charged after having masacred a unit.
Therefor Khan= Awsomme!

 

[Chirality]

I don't like using special characters. Most often I use a captain or chaplain, but it depends on how my list is that week.

Once in a while when I do use a special character I use Vulkan. I've played a fluff-based Salamanders army for years and I use a lot of melta/flamer weapons anyway.

 

[And Justice For All]

I tend to use Khan, Vulcan and Pedro lots. I've used Shrike a bit but find I reach for one of the other three first when army building.

 

[watchwood]

Pedro is my go to guy, since I've almost always got sternguard on the table.

 

[realitycheque]

Depends who I'm fighting, but tbh the only special character I never pick is Calgon. He's rubbish outside of apoc, but all the rest have their uses if you build an army around them.

Shrike, Kantor, Khan and Cassius are the most useful though.

 

[praxis]

None. Some of the stats and special abilities and bonuses of characters are just mental. I have Marneus Calgar, but never used him. GW screw up the specials by making them so hard everyone wants one, which might be good business practice but seems unreal.

 

[omegoku]

4th Edition Chaplain is my fav
5th Edition Captain is also a firm favourite.

If I take a special character, it will be Telion, more because he looks like Big Boss from Metal Gear than any other reason.

 

[cheeky plague]

pedro only because i play a deathwatch army and the only way to get shiny bolters (counting as troops) is sternguard so the fluff fits if im feeling a bit nasty and have the points i throw in lysander to, just to scare people works very effectively when teamed with sternguard no one assaults them and he has a shiny ss for wounds oh and eternal warrior cant beat it

 

[==Me==]

Librarian or MotF typically. They're cheap, utility HQs that do exactly what I need.

Other than that, I'll field a Biker Captain to make Bikes Troops (it's like Ravenwing, only good!).

For ==My== DA, Belial and Sammael and staples.

 

[realitycheque]

pedro only because i play a deathwatch army and the only way to get shiny bolters (counting as troops) is sternguard so the fluff fits if im feeling a bit nasty and have the points i throw in lysander to, just to scare people works very effectively when teamed with sternguard no one assaults them and he has a shiny ss for wounds oh and eternal warrior cant beat it

Just a quick note - Pedro doesn't make them troops, he makes them scoring. So you still need 2 units of troops to fill the minimum in the FOC, and Sternguard still count as Elite choices.

 

[SergeantTelion]

Chaplin cassius is an alsome character to roll with because of toughness 6 and feel no pain rule. he is always a good addon to mostly any melee squad you join him in for only 125 pts one of cheapest HQs.

 

[Gabriel Octavius]

I like lysander. For 200 pts you get a 4 wound eternal warrior who is sick cc guy. But unless you play atleast 1500 pt games the big hitters are a waste of points. Sticking with a captain or librarian is usually best for me.

 

[Sancraer]

I use cassius as if you take a chaplain and add cassius's bonuses he should be at least 140pts.

Non-special characters:
chaplains in lists with terminators, makes them so much more effective (cassius works)
librarians otherwise. gate of infinity with sternguard =ouch, or just addition to a squad. Might try a vangaurd squad with jump pack librarian with force dome and see how that goes.