Factor 1: Unit Mission- This unit's mission is to provide Khan with an assault based bodyguard unit. It really is that simple, they are to be trated almost like extra wounds for Khan and bolster his results in combat.
Factor 2: Fast Attack Option- For 119 points I get 4 bikes, (I do not want to go up to 5 because I already have my two troop choices for this allied detachment) with a veteran sergeant with a powerfist. This unit provides Khan with a 4 wound bodyguard unit and a 56 point challenge shield in close combat from the sergeant. This unit does provide the role of bodyguard for pretty cheap giving me 20 points to play with for another unit. Combat is where I am worried about with this unit. Khan is Khan and will do damage with his powersword. The sergeant allows for Khan to really do the most damage, inflicting his 5 charge attacks on the unit as a whole. Lets assume the sergeant gets in a challenge it's 50/50 if he lives or dies, that number changing depending on what he is going up against, and then three regular guys are throwing their combined 6 attacks on the charge into the combat. Just taking Khan out of the eqution for a bit and any challenge this unit by itself will inflict 4 hammer of wrath attacks, 3 power fist attacks, and 6 chainsword attacks. I really like having the sergeant in the unit as well as the powerfist since it allows me to assault a larger variety of units but the squad as a whole becomes compromised if/when the sergeant dies and I do not feel comfortable taking wounds on Khan to try and keep the sergeant alive when the purpose of the unit is to keep him alive!
Factor 3: Veteran Option- At 135 five command squad veterans sounds like a pretty good deal giving how many points I have to work with for this unit. For the bodyguard role they give me 5 wounds but no challenge shield. I might be okay with that though, letting Khan chop some poor sergeant to pieces while the vets rip through the rest of the squad might be a decent choice. For their combat power they offer a grand total of 20 attacks on the charge as well as 5 hammer of wrath attacks which can do a lot of damage against armies with low armor saves but they really start to falter against vehicles, monstrous creatues, or other space marines. I do like that there is 5 of them so if Khan gets in a challenge with one creature he gets to re-roll one dice increasing the chances of getting that 6 to get an instant death wound.
Factor 4: Extras- For 15 points more I could add a company champion or apothecary to the command squad giving me that extra bit of flexibility. To do that I would have to take out 10 points from somewhere else which I can do by switching my 5 man assault squad from my Blood Angels detachment and making them a White Scars fast attack choice and giving them melta bombs. On the other hand the 4 man bike squad gives me 20 points to play around with. I can add an infernus pistol to one of my guys or be like Oprah and give everyone melta bombs!
What it Adds Up To:
It adds up to choices! I like having options which is why I like the new book. In the end we all have to pick something that we think will be best for the army. As of now I think that the command squad with the Champion will be what I am going to go for. The challenge aspect is really important to me since I don't want Khan getting wasted by a power fist or having some pathetic Imperial Guard Sergeant get run over from hammer of wrath and then Khan just sits on his handle bars watching everything else go on, having the champion will solve those problems for me. Getting him will make me sacrifice a troop choice from my Blood Angels and give me an allied fast attack choice instead, but I think even that will work out for me since now they won't be able to hold objectives which hopefully will mean that they won't get shot at and give up first blood since they aren't as impactful on a game.
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