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This thread is dedicated to common and some not-so-common HQ builds for our Raven Guard (and successor) armies. Post the build (including Command Squads, if applicable) and also feel free to post some of your uses for the HQ. Does the model run with an Assault Squad? Is your Command Squad in a Drop Pod? Post some common uses of your build to give people an idea of what he is used for.

I don't think I need to say this, but just in case, Captain Shrike need not be covered! I'll go ahead and get the ball rolling; please feel free to imitate my style of posting if you would like to. Also, try not to post too many yourself, at least at first; let others have a chance to chime in as well! After we get as many different builds as we can think of posted, perhaps we can all sit down and discuss various 'callsigns' for each setup, similar to Tau Battlesuits.

Build: 1 Captain w/ Relic Blade, Storm Shield, Jump Pack [170 pts]
Tactics: This variant of a Captain is a bit of a jack-of-all-trades. While not being able to utilise the bonus attack from having two close combat weapons, he dishes out hefty damage with his higher Strength. I like to use him in an Assault Squad with a Power Fist; together they are capable of hurting infantry rather easily but are also more than capable when coming across armoured foes. If you're feeling risky, he is also a capable foe against Monstrous Creatures with his high Strength attacks and 3+ invulnerable save.

Build: 1 Chaplain w/ Jump Pack [115 points]
Tactics: One of the cheapest and most reliable HQ choices available, the Jump Chaplain should almost always be placed in an Assault Squad. Not only is he a solid close combatant in his own right, but his Liturgies of Battle and Honour of the Chapter special rules turns the Assault Squad from a solid CC choice to a true force to be reckoned with. If you want to save some points but still maintain a solid HQ, this guy is right for you.

Build: 1 Librarian w/ The Avenger, Gate of Infinity, Epistolary upgrade [150 pts]
Tactics: I run this character with a squad of 6-10 Sternguard equipped with 1 Heavy Flamer and either with or without a Drop Pod. The DP ensures safe delivery on the first Deep Strike, but it is not required and can be shaved off to save a few points. The Librarian provides solid counterattack support (along with a potential Power Weapon or Fist in the Sternguard squad) and also protects the squad from getting caught in CC by using Gate of Infinity. The use of GoI also allows the squad to use its flame templates again (provided you want to risk the Deep Strike) - one Heavy Flamer coupled with The Avenger could spell doom for an enemy squad. A hefty cost, but it has great potential.

Those are two of the most common builds (the Captain and Chaplain) and the third is an idea that CleanRabbit and I have been bouncing back and forth for a while, and through his playtesting we have decided that, while risky, they can indeed perform and do so well!

Try to read the builds in the thread before posting, so as to ensure we don't repost. Minor variations of builds are alright, as long as you go over why you changed what you did.

Have at it, folks!

*slides Nemesis a roll of cash* cheers for the mention

Naturally the above three builds are all in my army. Others I roll with are :

Build: Termie Librarian (Epistolary) with Gate and Smite [175 pts]
Tactics: I pop this fella with a squad of 5 or 10 shootie termies and bounce them around the board. Its as simple as that. Between them they can nail out enough shots at 12 inch to take down a good sized squad in one turn, and the power fists help when shooting fails. Also quite capable against vehicles with the sheer number of fists that can land.

Build: Captain with Relic Blade and Combi-Melta [140 pts]
Tactics: Attached to command squad, this fella rolls around in a razorback and unleashes on low-end enemy HQ, or just rips it up against targets I wouldnt want assaulting my flanks

Build: Captain with Power fist, Combi-Flamer and jump pack [160 pts]
Tactics: This fella has only seen action a few times because I usually take the jump chappy instead but he still makes his worth. He is attached to one assault squad while Shrike moves in with the other, and he moves down one of the open flanks if the opperatunity arises, else acts as a counter-assault unit. The squad pack two flamers, and with the combi-flamer, this makes for one hot unit.

Build: Captain in Terminator Armour with twin LC's [155 pts]
Tactics: This guy has yet to see action (or even to be painted!), but he will (one day) teleport in with a squad of 5 or 10 CC-Termies, arriving right near one of the turn1 drop pods and assaulting the enemy line such that they cannot counter-assault what ever I dropped in on the first turn + their reinforcements. Basically an expensive barrier to allow the rest of my army the chance to do what ever they need to do. Well, thats the plan...

I also have the AoBR captain, but he needs some serious conversion work before I even think about taking him out. Bolter with Power Sword? I think GW was having a laugh...

You may be forgiven for thinking "my god, this guy has loads of HQ!", I just like variety =)

Cant wait to see some of these other builds =)

CR

**Edit - thanks Nemesis for checking my points costs **

Build: Chapter Master with Artificer Armour and Relic Blade
Tactica: This model gets attached to ranged unit, like Sternguard, that is commonly deployed very close to enemy lines. It ca give you opponent a nasty surprise when they charge in with an Assault unit, only to have the attack rebuffed by the Chapter Master. If you do stay still, he has the added bonus of an Orbital Bombardment, which can cripple your opponent. Although this guy will falter against fully tooled "close-combat monsters" he should survive to dock a few wounds off.

all good builds but for the

espolitary w/ avenger and gate i use smite, because will avenger is good without the heavy flamer the tactic wont work but i find that without the special ammo the tactic is horribly

Build: Grenade launcher, jump pack + prefered weapons
Tactica: Makes a nice 2nd HQ against hordes. Or drop the jump pack and put him with some close support Sternguard. the grenade launcher fires in addition to your other weapon. worth the points and a look.

The Swiss Army Knife: Master of the Forge (who is pretty fluffy since the 5th Ed Retcon)

The Build: Have him armed with a Power Sword and Bolt Pistol and Servo Harness (the Conversion beamer is garbage out of Apoc Games). Drop him in a Pod with a Tactical Squad or a Sternguard... magically you have 3 Power Weapon Attacks, 2 Powerfist Attacks, a Twin Linked Plasma Pistol that hits on 2+, and a Flamer. He also makes your squad LD 10.

He rocks in a drop Pod squad... but don't forget that he can still upgrade a piece of terrain even though he's still in the atmosphere (name someone else who can upgrade a cover save while hurtling through the stratosphere)

Build: Captain /w relic blade, stormshield, jump pack
Tactics: very solid 1 2 punch when running alongside shrike, and better at engaging MCs or other hard units. When running shrike+CC jump pack captain, you've got the option of running each with a large assault squad and having 2 very hard hitting prongs. Against MEQ armies, 2 captains geared for CC can easily you the game, gutting the opponents troops in a matter of rounds. Combined, you have a large number of power weapon I5 attacks @ Str 6 or 4/w rerolls, and thats enough to send most HQs to the warp.

Build: Art. Armor, Relic Blade, Combi-Flamer, Hellfire Rounds, Digital Weapons, Metla Bombs

Tactica: I almost always play with SCs now because of my new gaming group (much to my chagrin actually). But this is the man I pull when I feel like going old school. I converted Helbrecht for this model, which was an utter pain in the tookus, so I figured to make him a Jack-of-all-trades kind of dude. It's that simple really.

Build: Jump-pack, Lightening claw, storm shield - 155

Tactica: MEQ killer, Low cost anti HQ. I've been running this in smaller games with reasonable effect. The tournament (1000 pts) I attended recently was mainly MEQ and it worked most of the time. Artificer armour could be added, but to honest if you are spending that much then one might as well take the standard relic blade config. The model is good against MEQ HQ choices in smaller games. The Maths bit:

The following maths is based on the model charging and against a model with inferior WS.

Power Weapon:
5 attacks at 3s to hit = 3.333; 3.333 hits at 4s to wound = 1.666; there fore the opposing model takes 1.66 invulnerable saves

Lightening Claw:
4 attacks at 3s to hit = 2.666; 2.666 hits at 4s re-rolling to wound = 1.999; there fore the opposing model takes 1.999 invulnerable saves

Relic Blade:
4 attacks at 3s to hit = 2.666; 2.666 hits at 2s to wound = 2.222; there fore the opposing model takes 2.222 invulnerable saves

The point being that enemy models are likely to carry power weapons at the very least, the power weapon doesn't allow you to take the storm shield (otherwise the maths will be even worse for the Power weapon). While the relic blade is better of course, it costs the same as the Storm Shield and Lightening Claw combined, and if cost is an important factor then this is a consideration. The artificer armour isn't really needed against MEQ style opponents, because as i have already said, they will usually have weapons capable of ignoring armour.

Kind Regards,
GotR

Well CR just gave me the angry eyes for mentioning this elsewhere but it fits with my decendant chapter fluff of big suprizes and big guns and fists, but I want to see what everybody else says. Sorry, CR!

HQ Slot 1
Counts as Calgar
Chapter Master (Insert Name Later) - 250 points

Honor Guard Squad - 1 Champ, 5 Guards, chapter banner, digital lasers, thunder hammer, 2 relic blades - 265 points

HQ Slot 2
Counts as Shrike
Captain (Insert Name Later) - 195 ponits

2nd Honor Guard Squad - 1 champ, 5 guards, digital lasers, thunder hammer, 2 relic blades - 240 points

It's not exactly a build, but it's a combo i want to try for 2000 point games. It's about 800 points, so it sucks up quite a bit, but the power is quite extraordinary. It is what I plan to use for higher level games.

The only 2 setup i have used:
i. Captain | Relic Blade, Artificer Armour, Combi-Melta @ 155
Quite good for the price. He once slain Kharn in a"mano o mano" fight.

ii. Captain | Pair of Claws, Artificer Armour, Jumpacks @ 170
2nd Captain in a Shrike list. Lovely infantry killer. Tougher than Shrike.

Something i would like to try later (just because i have the model):
i. Chapter Master or Captain | Relic Blade, Storm Shield, Artificer Armour, Jumpack @ 210/185
The model looks good, he should perform well in battle

@Lord AK

Those builds have (basically) been covered before - just with added Arti Armour. The builds are great, with good stats and lots of play testing experience would say you'd not be disapointed when deployed!

The last build is one that Lost Nemesis posted way up at the top of this tread (with the addition of Arti Armour). As a captain, this guy rocks and is reasonable enough in points cost to run in a 1500point list. If you're playing a 2K list, I'd push him to Master for that useful OB on turn 1 =)

Glad this thread is still seeing action - Here's my most recent list of HQ's that I've completed. If someone has their codex handy, please double-check my points totals, I'm at work trying to look busy

Build: Captain with Artificer Armour, Plasma Pistol, Power Fist with Jump Pack [180 pts]
Tactics: This model was actually not made by me but painted by me for someone else's Ultramarines army but I've still run him in a couple of my games. He's an excelent anti-vehicle machine, though the plasma pistol is a little too risky for my personal liking.

Build: Captain with Artificer Armour, Lightning Claw, Combi-Melta on Bike [165]
Tactics: Taken with my new Biker Command Squad (Apothecary/Banner + Melta Gun/ LC + Plasma Gun/LC+Melta Gun/ LC + Storm Shield), the unit absolutely destroys hordes/MEQ's and vehicles through sheer number of low AP shots and power weapon hits, or massed twin-linked bolter fire! Yes, the unit is so expensive it can only be played in 2.5K+ games, but I do love this unit!

Build: Captain with Artificer Armour, Relic Blade and Bolt Pistol [145 pts]
Tactics: This chap was designed to fill a hole i found in one of my less-used lists. He stays with a Tactical Squad, which is supported by a second through the whole game from turn1 drop pod deployment on an enemy flank. He is cheap and designed to hit back on more expensive HQ's that the unit may charge as they push on the flank. Requires some practice to use correctly and doesnt provide much until he's in CC.


Keep up the good work lads.

CR

Looking at CR's biker Captain reminds me of my friend's setup. I saw him used it to great effect the last time he was around (which was several months ago)

Captain on Bike | PFist, SShield, Artificer Armour @ 185pts(?)
T5 thinned out the saves he has to make with his 2+ armour and 3+ invul. In that game i saw, he survived throughout the game and manage to blow the opponent's IC to million pieces along the way.

I wonder what happen to this friend of mine.

well AK, we have another friend with similar setup but changed the PF to Thunder Hammer..
you know, the one with so-called Renegade Ultramarines..

Hmm.. never fought him yet. Renegade eh. You go and kill him for the emperor.

I dont have the book with me, but wont this be a good setup for a Fighter-mage? Quite expensive though.
Librarian - Avenger, Might of The Ancients, Epistolary, Jumpack @ 175 pts