Special Issue Wargear

[Captain Idaho]

This topic is designed to continue discussion of the Ultramarines specific Relics available in the Ultramarines Supplement, specifically the Special Issue Wargear section.

 

Although several of the Relics are available to all Chapters, how these might interact with Ultramarines and their Successors is worthy of an in depth analysis.

 

Here are my thoughts on the general effectiveness of each:

 

Adamantine Mantle

 

This is an okay Relic but I imagine few people will utilise it. Ignoring a wound on a 5+ is pretty good of course, but to really enjoy this item you need to give it to something with a lot of wounds. Primaris Captains spring to mind as do Terminator Captains. Problem is you'll likely want other selections on these models first, such as weapons or the Sanctic Halo, the Tarentian Cloak...

 

Artificer Armour

 

Not bad really. Primaris really enjoy this as might a Lieutenant. Just about everyone who wants a 2+ save will be better served with Terminator armour mind, but you might want a Jump Pack model to have a 2+ save, like the aforementioned Lieutenant, or a model who can get inside transports that aren't Land Raiders.

 

Granting a 5+ invulnerable save will be a relief to Librarians and Lieutenants alike.

 

Essentially though I see this is an item for an army that has already taken a bunch of Relics and still wants to protect further characters.

 

Master-crafted Weapon

 

Where to start with this one! The first piece of Special Issue Wargear that can also be given to a Sergeant through Honoured Sergeant, this option has many, many applications.

 

On a character you can play around with the wargear of all sorts of models, be it a Relic Blade on a Captain, Thunder Hammer on the infamous "Smash Captain", a Force Axe on a Librarian or even a Combi-flamer model!

 

Damage 4 Thunder Hammers are scary of course, but then so are damage D3+1 Relic Blades. You can't go far wrong with this one.

 

Another option is to give it to a Sergeant. Thunder Hammer Intercessor Sergeants excite some people and for good reason, though hitting on a 4+ makes me hesitant to recommend it.

 

However, a Thunder Hammer Assault Terminator Sergeant can benefit from Fury of the First and this could be a solid Deathstar option.

 

Vanguard Veterans and other variants of Terminators (or Company Veteran/Sternguard Sergeants with good guns) will like this option.

 

Personally I feel putting this option on a shooting platform is easiest to get the best out of. If we're spending Command Points on this we want to be firing this new special gun as many times as possible.

 

Suppressor Sergeants spring to mind as they can fire most turns but Eliminator Sergeants win this one I feel. Able to utilise multiple different types of shot this can become really dangerous to characters.

 

Alternatively we can go for rate of fire, such as Centurion and Aggressor Sergeants. A Centurion with a Grav Cannon that has an extra pip of damage will be fearsome especially with timely use of a Strategum....

 

Putting Master-crafted onto Hurricane Bolters is potentially very powerful. In the Tactical Doctrine, stacking with Tactical Expertise and maybe even Catechism of Fire will result in a lot of pain.

 

An Assault Centurion with D4 in close combat is similarly dangerous and doesn't suffer a -1 to hit. Something to think about.

 

Aggressor Sergeants can be harder to use since they have less range but I think all those shots will find some purchase in view of effectiveness too.

 

This item is worth a lot and should be included in most games.

 

Digital Weapons

 

I think this Relic has been underestimated. A character can get a good chance of causing a free, extra Mortal Wound, which could be decisive.

 

A Sergeant can also be given this item and the thought of a model with dual Lightning Claws getting yet ANOTHER attack isn't bad either.

 

However, there are plenty of choices and if you're not paying Command Points for multiple additional Relics then this will be forgotten about.

 

Reliquary of Vengeance

 

Once per battle you can swing a decisive combat further into your favour. Stackable with the Standard of Maccragge Inviolate providing you're putting the characters in the right place, you could get a 5 man Terminator Assault squad with 26 Thunder Hammer attacks in a single turn!

 

Not sure it'll be widely used but there are options to give this Relic to any character you want.

 

Seal of Oath

 

This is the biggy. Everyone will use this competitively, mark my words. It means that 1 unit you want dead WILL die. Just make sure you choose the correct unit - over killing Grots will not be funny.

 

No more to say really. Take this in your competitive lists, every time.

 

Hellfury Bolts

 

This is solid for a support character shooting from afar. A Techmarine will be causing a Mortal Wound every turn on a 2+. Again, it's if you haven't already taken other options though. The Primarch's Wrath and Vengeance of Ultramar will have a more substantial impact otherwise.

 

Adding this to a Sergeant looks interesting though. A 3+ to hit isn't the best but if there are re-rolls or Telion directing you (wink wink, nudge nudge) then putting an extra Mortal Wound on anything each turn might just be worth it.

 

Sunwrath Pistol

 

Pistols get a bad rap in the Relic section but I really like this one! 2 Strength 8 shots that are D2 and no chance of killing the user can be very powerful.

 

The trick to this weapon is giving it to a model that will use it often enough to be worthwhile. Jump Pack Captains can give you some return on your CP investment, as can an Impulsor-borne Primaris model.

 

I'm not sure on Sergeants being ideal targets for this Relic though. On paper it might look appealing but the problem here is the close range combined with vulnerability of a single wound model (or 2 for Primaris) that hits on a 3+ means this weapon just won't get enough air time.

 

However, I think it could work and it is a fair investment.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Great analysis... I’m really liking using RoV for the Terminators !

[General Strike]

On the giving a Intercessor Sgt with Thunder Hammer the master crafted one, I had a five man intercessor squad, sgt with thunder Hammer Master crafted, and made them vets. With shock assault, that gave him 5 attacks, and I had Marneus nearby. This Sgt killed the Swarmlord in one fight phase with this.

[Captain Idaho]

Very nice result. My only reservation is to rely on it regularly occurring that way requires you to hit and wound 3 times at least and the Swarmlord to fail his 4+ invulnerable saves (3 of them).

 

Not saying it isn't an option you can use to reasonable effectiveness, rather it is something to provide a flexible option in your games and people shouldn't think it's going to win them games like how say Seal of Oath will.

 

Of course, as a retinue for a decent character I really think an Intercessor unit that is veteranised (a new word!). Certainly for Calgar that's an option.

[General Strike]

Yeah, it mostly came about because of a bad deployment choice on my end. I didnt realize how fast tyranids can be, so when I deployed far up in my zone with three aggressors and Marneus. The aggressors dropped first turn. So the Intercessors ended up having to save their chapter Master. Lol.

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

Very nice result. My only reservation is to rely on it regularly occurring that way requires you to hit and wound 3 times at least and the Swarmlord to fail his 4+ invulnerable saves (3 of them).

Not saying it isn't an option you can use to reasonable effectiveness, rather it is something to provide a flexible option in your games and people shouldn't think it's going to win them games like how say Seal of Oath will.

Of course, as a retinue for a decent character I really think an Intercessor unit that is veteranised (a new word!). Certainly for Calgar that's an option.

Swarmy has 3++ in melee so kind of a lucky break here in my opinion... 4 attacks... at least 3 has to hit and wound plus Swarmy has to botch his saves assuming he’s fresh.

[Joukernaut]

bringing tiggy with nullzone will help tremendously with a 3++ on a melee unit in your lines, increasing the payback on your mastercrafted hammers.

Edited September 22, 2019 by Joukernaut

[Captain Idaho]

Woah didn't realise be had a 3+ invulnerable in melee. Ouch.

 

Still,Veteran Intercessors with a Thunder Hammer are still a decent assault option to go alongside Calgar and Aggressors.

 

Though I'd probably suggest Vanguard Veterans over them to save CP and get Storm Shields.

[Kallas]

Woah didn't realise be had a 3+ invulnerable in melee. Ouch.

 

Yeah. He has the same 4++ as a regular Hive Tyrant with a +1 to his Invulnerable vs melee weapons.