Autarchs

[FunkyFellow]

Ello ello, so I've been contemplating autarchs as of late and having been pondering over what to equip mine with. So far I know I'm giving him swooping hawk wings and a power sword but beyond that I'm uncertain.. So far the choices have been between giving him a fusion gun, a reaper launcher, or an avenger catapult. I intend to have him link up with a unit of swooping hawks (6 hawks /w exarch, intercept, hawks talon, skyleap) and either pepper infantry or emergency assault tanks, but during the course of the game he might link up with some howling banshees or dire avenger depending on circumstances. so the question is which weapon would best suit this role? I believe the reaper launcher would be ineffective because A) its freaking expensive B) he can't move and shoot bogging down my hawks, although on the flip side its good at killing marines and is the only weapon with as good range as the hawks las blasters. The fusion gun lacks one important thing for teaming up with hawks, range, but its a great back up against the vehicles they most surely will hunt, although i lode my fleet move shooting it. Finally the avenger catapult just seems really cool, its super cheap, looks the best, and is pretty much a las blaster with shorter range but more strength.

Also any discussion on autarchs in general and their roles in an army would be awsome! Cheers mates!

[Perturabo]

Well the general train of thought with Autarchs is to stick him on a jet bike (added toughness and turboboost/invulnerable save), give him a fusion gun so he can go tankhunting, mandiblasters so he gets an extra attack and then your choice of scorpion chainsword or laser lance, I go for the chainsword (for the added strength and you already have a fusion gun and haywire gtrenades for going against vehicles)!

Not bad for a little over 120 points!

[Dan296]

heres my 'tarch build.
mandiblasters, jetbike, reaper launcher, laser lance.

because he is on a bike, he can always shoot that gun, unless he turboboosts of course. that means he can move 12'' and shoot a heavy weapon. and then assault! i stick him with some shining spears. they can keep up, have similar equipment, and can also get out of combat with hit and run.

now your hawks are not gonna want to be in assault. but what is your armys preferance overall? shooty? assaulty? mix?
if theyre shooty, i would leave him on his own, and give him a reaper launcher. that way he can have some long range power, but then if things get hairy, use the wings to get into assaults and help out.
if theyre assaulty, i would leave him on foot and put him with banshees, or use one of the bike builds and put him with shining spears. hope this helps!
you can also read Steve's Autarch Tactica. its helpful.

[Lord Commander Erus]

Dan. He canb NOT alway shoot the gun... I can not tell you how many times I have said this and proven it.

The rules for bikes being able to fire heavy weapons are completely separate from their riders. Any weapons mounted on the vehicle/bike may be fired, even if heavy. However, for the personal wargear of the autarch, the autarchs rules take precedence, and thus if he moves, the launcher can not be fired.

Common sense really.

[FunkyFellow]

Ya I know about the jet bike setups, they definitely seem powerful, but part of the fluff on my army is no shining spears and there's also no guardian jetbikes or warp spiders in my army to hide him in, plus I don't even have a jet bike to put him on. What I really want is something different that still works pretty decent and fits in with my army (it's a balanced/mixed army). So what equipment options do you guys think would work with an autarch with swoop hawk wings? (want him to match my swooping hawks).

Also what setups do other people use? anyone tried out super cheap autarchs?

[Lord Commander Erus]

Mandiblasters, down grade the power weapon to a scorpion sword (or keep it power weapon, though I like the +s from the sword) and fusion gun/pistol thing,

[FunkyFellow]

how effective is taking mandi blasters on an autarch with out a laser lance? The 10 points is definitely worth the extra str 6 power weapon attack but for an addiotnal str 3 power weapon attack or str 4 regualr attack? doesn't seem worth it to me... with your set up without the mandi's comes in at 105 points with swoop hawk wings,seems incredibly well suited to back up a squad of swooping hawks in assaulting a tank. Shoot off a round with the fusion gun, plant some hay wires and sky leap outa there, if they get stuck in combat the autarch and his chainsword should hold there own for a round before they can sky leap out. Any idea how an avenger catapult could work with the unit over a fusion gun?

[hairyyahoo]

well if he's gonna run witht the hawks i'd say keep him simple, with the wings and a sword (personal preferance but i'd go for power toy). he already has haywire grenades for whacking vehicles and giving him a bigger gun looses the estra weapon attack fron the pistol.