Salamander Phobos Captain

[L30n1d4s]

I think Salamanders players may end up using the following combo in competitive games pretty frequently:

 

Phobos Captain with:

-"Stealth Adept" and "Master of the Forge" WL Traits

-"Ghostweave Cloak" Relic

 

Supported by a nearby Salamander Librarian with the FIRE SHIELD and DRAKESKIN Psychic Power, this gives you the ability to make a HQ with the following durability stats:

 

-1+ save in Cover and 4++ Invul save (thanks to the Phobos Captain Camo Cloak and Iron Halo)

-T7 (+2T from WL Trait, +1T from DRAKESKIN power)

-Net -2 to Hit modifier for all shooting attacks (-1 to Hit from FIRE SHIELD and -1 to Hit from WL Trait)

-Additional -1 to Wound (due to "Ghostweave Cloak" Relic)

 

Combine all this with the Transhuman Physiology Strat, as necessary, and you have a 6W character that, while in cover and with the FIRE SHIELD and DRAKESKIN powers active on him, requires the following to wound:

 

-BS3+ Bolter or Heavy Bolter --> An average of 108 shots to cause a single unsaved wound, 648 Bolter shots to kill

-BS3+ Autocannon --> An average of 27 shots to cause a single unsvaed wound, 162 Autocannon shots to kill

-BS3+ Overcharged Plasma --> An average of 6 shots to cause a single unsaved wound (with Overheats caused on rolls of 1, 2, or 3), 36 Plasma shots to kill

-BS3+ Lascannon --> An average of 3 shots to cause and a single unsaved wound, 18 Lascannon shots to kill

 

So, what does all this mean? Well, if you put the Phobos Captain in the front of your army (i.e. closest to the enemy), then use the "Self Sacrifice" Stratagem on him, that means that any friendly infantry units within 6" of him cannot be targeted by enemy shooting at all (even by Snipers!). In turn, this means that your opponent must use all their shooting to try and kill the Phobos Captain first which, as you can see, is very difficult to do. Even if they do manage to kill him, you can use the "Rise from the Ashes" Stratatgem to resurrect him again and you can also use Harath Shen, the Unique Character Salamander Apothecary from FW, to automaticlly heal him 1+D3 wounds a turn (so an aver age of 3W healed each turn, if the enemy cannot kill him all the way). Finally, you can add in a nearby squad of Company Veterans to provide an additional 5 ablative wounds via their "Command Squad Bodyguard" rule, thus making it even more diffiuclt to kill this Phobos Captain.

 

I expect many players to combine this Phobos Captain with Salamander Centurions, Eliminators, Hellblasters, Aggressors, Sternguard, or even other friendly shooty Imperium units to make a very hard to engage "fire base" for their army.

Edited October 29, 2019 by L30n1d4s

[GrinNfool]

Yes self sacrifice is completely broken, and breaks the game in a lot of ways.  Examples including but not limited to this, a captain behind LoS blocking terrain, a unit or character behind LoS blocking terrain, a character out front that has a few vehicles a tiny it closer.  All of these create a very little cost and very easily a completely invincible fire base.  Its extremely broken not merely "hard to engage" lol.  Desperately needs adjustment by GW, but we will see.

[SirVulkan]

I would not bank on them allowing us to apply this to a character after the supplement FAQ.

[SallyForth]

Seems cheesy and unfun. They are going to FAQ the rule anyway so I wouldn’t count on this for much longer.

[SoulessGod]

I don't think they need to restrict it applying to characters as full units can get almost as tough and have a lot more wounds.

 

All I see the FAQ saying is, "for this stratagem to take effect the unit just be visible to the firing unit."

[Mandragola]

I don't think they need to restrict it applying to characters as full units can get almost as tough and have a lot more wounds.

 

All I see the FAQ saying is, "for this stratagem to take effect the unit just be visible to the firing unit."

 

I think it should say "if they can" (or equivalent). They should have to shoot the sacrificing unit if they're able to, but not be prevented from firing altogether.