Don’t miss the new Space Marine character combo that beats down all the other chapter Smash Captains out there! Look out!
For the longest time, Blood Angels Smash Captains have been the Imperium’s “get out of jail free” card. While they’re CP hungry, they can do an absurd amount of damage for their points.
Now there are some pretty beefy White Scars versions that slap without being CP hogs as well. However, with the rising cost of Thunder Hammers for characters, Chaplains might be the next wrecking ball that sees play. Check out this walkthrough on how to make your Chaplain a brutal killer.
Move Over Smash Captains: There’s A New Beatstick in Town
To make the Chaplain work, it takes a few tricks. So starting off:
- A Chaplain in Terminator Armor/Jump Pack is 90 pts. Take whichever one you want. You either have the mobility (and flyer interaction) or become almost unkillable to bolter/lasgun fire…just depends on preference.
- Spend 1CP on Hero of the Chapter. This will give him a Warlord Trait but not be the actual Warlord. Pick Imperium’s Sword as the trait for a reroll charge ability and +1 S and +1 attack in the first round of combat.
- If you can, keep a Librarian closeby for Might of Heroes for +1 to Strength, Toughness, and Attack. If you can’t keep a Librarian closeby, the combo still works. You just won’t be making full use out of what you CAN do with this guy.
- Make sure your Chaplain has the Mantra of Strength litany that he uses on himself for +1 Strength, +1 Attack, and boosts damage to the weapon by 1.
- Next, bring the Benediction of Fury relic for +2 Strength, -2 AP, 3-flat damage. Plus a 6+ to wound is a mortal wound in addition to normal damage.
Next, take into account the new Shock Assault rule that adds +1 attack after the charge.
When it’s all said and done, any generic Chaplain with these combos added will have these stats when he charges:
7 Attacks with an S9 AP-2 4-flat damage Crozius. In addition, there are some other awesome combos among the different Chapters. Ultramarines can spend 1CP for example, to change their doctrine on a unit. (You’ll want to go with the assault for an additional AP on the charge).
Meanwhile, White Scars are getting a ton of awesome rules for their versions of Smash Captains and bringing a White Scars Chaplain might help flesh out a Supreme Command detachment.
Overall, there’s almost no reason why Space Marine players SHOULDN’T run a Chaplain. They’re cheaper and are honestly better versions of a Smash Captain. And while Terminator armor might be cool, a Chaplain with a Jump Pack is probably the way more competitive option.
What do you think about the Smash Chaplain for the Marines? Will you run some melee units with him that he can also buff? Let us know in the comments of our Facebook Hobby Group, and sign up to get your free hobby updates newsletter each morning as well!
About the Author: Wesley Floyd
Wesley Floyd
Job Title: Staff Writer
Joined: 2018
Socials: @RealmbrushPainting
About Wesley Floyd: Wes has been in the Warhammer hobby since 2015 and joined the Spikey Bits writing team in 2018. He is known for his satirist takes on trending topics and imaginative yet amazingly affordable hobby solutions to painting Warhammer miniatures.
Imperial fanboy, tabletop fanatic, and the self-proclaimed King of Sprues. He knows for a fact that Mephiston red is the best-tasting paint and is the commission painting equivalent of a Wendy’s 4 for $4. If you like what he writes and want to contact him or have your tabletop minatures painted (to a mostly okayish standard), message him on Instagram.
