Who says Guard can't have deathstars?

[superhappyrobot]

Insanely foolish and over the top Imperial Guard deathstar:

Lord Commissar -- power fist, carapace armor, dedicated chimera

Techpriest Enginseer -- 5 servitors

Priest -- eviscerator

Priest -- eviscerator

Priest -- eviscerator

Priest -- eviscerator

Priest -- eviscerator
______
Total = 570 points

The commissar and priests are independent characters, so they join the techpriest's unit. All 12 of them hitch a ride in the commissar's dedicated transport. Priests grant re-rolls to hit in combat; half of the unit has an invulnerable save; lots of high strength power weapon attacks. You could give some of the servitors heavy weapons for some firepower, but you'd probably never be stationary to shoot them unless you bunkered up in the Chimera (which might be advisable in Annihilation missions...). Heavy weapons also replace the servo arm, which would be unfortunate because you want this unit wiffing in combat!

Obvious downside: Lots of kill points on one-wound models

I think I earned a for this. (Watch superhappyrobot lean back and put his hands behind his head like Han Solo after he says, "Sometimes I amaze even myself.")

[MaltonNecromancer]

Sorry, I don't think this is much of a deathstar; all your attacks are at initiative 1. For the points you're paying, a truly elite assault unit would butcher this squad like pigs.

Imagine a unit of Sanguinary Guard with Death Masks of Sanguinius, led by Dante attack. Dante pops the Chimera with his inferno pistol, then they charge. They get 21 attacks on the charge, all of which re-roll, meaning that each attack has a roughly 75 to 88% chance to hit. You'll take seventeen wounds or so, save 33% of those, meaning you've still got about twelve wounds to allocate. You might take a one of them with you, but you'll lose the combat overall, and the squad's either stuck for another round of horrible combat, or else it's butchered outright.

If you fail the Ld test for their Death Masks, all your boys drop to WS1, meaning you're unlikely even to land a single hit, let alone a wound.

Any roughly points comparable assault unit would deal with this one; two 10 Genestealers broods, each with a Broodlord; two five man Terminator THSS assault squad; Dark Eldar Wyches with a Blast Pistol Hekatrix, led by Lelith Hesperax... the list goes on. The only issue is popping the Chimera, but considering you've designed this unit to be "assaulty", it should be able to hold it's own in close combat, and it can't.

A deathstar unit ideally needs to be T6 or better; W2-4 per model, with a 3+/2+ save and a 4++/3++ invulnerable save. It also needs to put out attacks at S5 or better, at I4, preferably higher. Think Tyranid Tyrant with full Tyrant Guard and lots of upgrades. For the points this IG squad costs, it's not even close to a deathstar, as it can't really put the hurt on anything; the low initiative means you won't get a chance to return the hits in assault.

I don't mean to be a huge downer, but I don't think this is an insanely over-the-top unit at all; it lacks unit synergy, staying power, and real punch. The IG just don't do deathstars.

[DrLove42]

Yeah when a 100 point Wych unit could eat it in 1 round of combat, I don't think its a DS unit...

[faolan]

Come to think of it, a penal unit or veteran unit could massacre it in a turn.

[Lemt]

An 8 KP unit isn't something I'd consider good, no matter how tough it is. You basically lose every Annihilation game you play by default.

[Denzark]

I've never thought of a Deathstar as needing survivability per se, the most important attribute is first strike kills (this in itself engenders survivability.) So MEQ + Furious Charge, power weapons, or S + I 5. This unit whilst amusing would not do it.

I have a thought on the edge of my consciousness that maybe Straken leading a mobbed platoon of 50, all with Commissars and pwer weapons and power weapons for the Sgts, might serve purpose but my IG are armoured anyway so have never looked into it.

[thecactusman17]

I've never thought of a Deathstar as needing survivability per se, the most important attribute is first strike kills (this in itself engenders survivability.) So MEQ + Furious Charge, power weapons, or S + I 5. This unit whilst amusing would not do it.

I have a thought on the edge of my consciousness that maybe Straken leading a mobbed platoon of 50, all with Commissars and pwer weapons and power weapons for the Sgts, might serve purpose but my IG are armoured anyway so have never looked into it.

It works great. This unit is extremely hard to kill in CC and has stubborn so it consistantly just mulches anything that tries to run it down. Add in the fact that you'll have 1-2 turns of shooting beforehand and you are realistically looking at doing more than enough wounds to kill anything that could hit them. The primary concern for this unit is T7+ monstrous creatures or walkers with AV 11+, and even those aren't so impossible if you have straken or powerfists. Straken, obviously, also gives everything that ridiculous counter-attack special rule, so realistically you are going to be hitting back with over a hundred attacks unless your opponent focus fires every template in his army at you.

[Commander Vimes]

Well, it's impossible to actually join Straken to a combined squad because he isn't an independent character. Having him nearby to give Counter Attack and Furious Charge is pretty sweet though.

As a deathstar, the best I've seen is Straken with a medic, carapace, bodyguards, and Yarrick. It's expensive but it is quite nasty. Not worth it competitively but cool for fun games.

Straken with just a medic and a single bodyguard is a solid assault threat average assault threats without power weapons, or for finishing off larger nasty creatures. The best assault threat for the Guard is just a big combined squad with power weapons and a commissar. I run squads of 30 with great success. They're great against anything with a low number of attacks. So Demon Princes are good, but orks are baaaaad.

[Force21]

It is a interesting idea...


but Power blobs are quite nasty...


I had two 50 man power blobs w/ Commissar & Priest & the Sgts had Power weapons & Melta bombs so not even tanks were safe...

there was only 2 things that they could not handle... C'tan & Orks...

there fun but are a pain to move...

[newtoncain]

I think you take a commissar lord with camo cloak and put him in a 50 man blob = they all get 3+ cover saves because of the FAQ.