Close Combat Intercessors

[L30n1d4s]

I think you can make some pretty potent close combat Intercessors with the following:

 

 

-Upgrade a squad of 10 Intercessors to "Veteran Intercessors" and give the Sgt a Master Crafted Thunder Hammer

-Deploy Adrax and a Chaplain with "Vulkan's Sigil" relic within 6" of them

-Use the "Crucible of Battle" and "Strength of the  Primarch" stratagems on them

 

 

This gives you the following when the Veteran Intercessors charge:

 

-45 x S5 AP0 Dmg1 attacks with +2 to the Wound and Dmg2 on any unmodified Wound rolls of 6

***These attacks hit on 3+s, wound anything T5 and below on a 2+ (and wounding T8 units like Knights on a 3+)

 

-6 x S10 AP-3 Dmg4 attacks with +2 to the Wound and Dmg7 on any unmodified Wound rolls of 6

***These attacks hit on 4+s and wound basically anything in the game on a 2+ at AP-3 

 

 

While that is a pretty heavy CP investment (Veteran Intercessors, Crucible of Battle, Strength of the Primarch), these Intercessors can dismantle enemy characters, Knights, vehicles, elite infantry squads, squads of Monsters like DE talks, etc. with ease. Importantly, they can still shoot effectively with their Bolt Weapons, still claim objectives via Defenders of Humanity, still contribute toward building Battalions/Brigades as a Troops choice, and in cover are still quite durable with 20W and a 2+ save.

 

 

 

[GrinNfool]

Interesting though that is its a pretty hefty investment and not just on CP.  ~400 points + a relic and 4 cp for the first one 2 cp thereafter.  Could see it maybe working against a less savvy opponent the first time they see it, but anyone who realizes what your doing will just shoot them.  At the end of the day its just t4 guys.  People don't struggle that much to kill marines, and you put a massive target on their back doing this.  Every marine dropped loses you 6 attacks so even some casual level shooting causes problems.  Bottom line.. if your opponent can't deal with intercessors they never had a real chance to win in the first place.  For the resource investment in this you could basically bring a knight.

 

Its a cool idea, but seems gimmicky IMO.  Could certainly create some funny stories though.  Do appreciate the amusing nature of this combo though well done.

[SallyForth]

You really don’t need to go as deep into the squad to get good results, although you are on the right track. The key is getting them into combat with things they can actually kill, and not using them to attack tanks or dreadnoughts.

 

I use 2 squads of five, with assault bolters and a thunder hammer. I usually use them as veterans but I think you’d have good results even as normal intercessors. With our reroll the thunder hammer rolls are smoothed out and more reliable.

 

I use them to contest objectives that are being focused on by elite or other infantry. They can easily go toe to toe with sanguinary guard, plague marines, ogryn, whatever. I have often used crucible+strength of the primarch on them, and there’s also gene wrought might. You don’t need all three, often times only one of them will allow them to punch through elite units.

 

Experiment with them, try it small first. The key thing is remembering they are still just intercessors, and don’t put them in unwinnable situations. Play to their strengths and allow them to shine by punching slightly above their weight class.

[Debauchery101]

I think youd be better off just using aggressors or reivers with blades.

[SallyForth]

I got a flat out disagree on the reivers, and aggressors fill a different niche.

[Debauchery101]

I got a flat out disagree on the reivers, and aggressors fill a different niche.

Well reivers can do the same thing besides not having a hammer sgt. But dont have to spend CP at the start of the game.

 

Honestly I'd not even bother using the vets upgrade. It's better to keep large units that have good shooting away from combat.

 

I'd rather have 2 - 5 man units with sgts who have hammers

 

In a pinch, stacking all these stratagems make a 10 man vet Intercessors squad a nightmare for a turn but most likely the CP is better spent elsewhere

[SallyForth]

I have moved away the veteran strat also, and I just use the thunder hammer sergeant in a squad of auto bolt rifles to run up the board with the aggressor core, protecting the flanks.