[FTyross]

Haven't you ever wondered why GW have Special Characters? Well theres a number of reasons:
1. They are cool models.
2. They have fair good rules.
3. They highlight one or more elements of the armies background (I'll explain below)

I'll use the Red Terror and Old One Eye for examples of what I mean (both Tyranids). I'll start with teh Red Terror:
- It can swallow models whole - simple and a clear indication of the motives of the Tyranids - to consume everything in the galaxy
- It can strike anywhere with it's deep strike ability - pretty much like the Tyranid Hive fleets...
- It is lethal in combat - most Tyranids are anyway, and what they don't have in combat prowess, they make up for in numbers
- It's fast! Simple point really, most Tyranid swarms are fairly fast on the battlefield

How it's time for the Old One Eye:
- It can regenerate: Unless you put it down right, a Tyranid is a very resilient life form in their own right - just read the fluff at the back of the Codex about their biology.
- It's powerful - unlike the Red Terror, OOE is very powerful in combat which highlights the typical Tyranid Monsterous creature thing perfectly...
- It's weapons are mixed, it bears two large claws and two scything talons, highlighting a point in any army, all the units must work together to get defeat the enemy, in this case, the talons working alongside the claws to kill it's foe.

Anyway, how about you guys looking at the Special Characters of the armies you play and trying to pick out points like this. BTW, the Space Marine ones are a little hard to do.

[Lomendil]

Hmm. You're certainly right about some Special Characters having cool models and good rules, but not all of them. Kruellagh the Vile represents the dark beauty and vampiric nature of the Dark Kin, but is pretty underpowered and the model is mediocre. Decapitator represents the savagery and stealth of Mandrakes very well, and has good rules - but doesn't even have a model! I'm just nit-picking really, but thought I'd bring that up.

[Wargamer]

Well with the IG, there's little to mention. Creed is a joke, Yarrick is good, but we have to sing praise to the almighty Colonel-Commissar, the Ghostmaker himself, Ibram Gaunt!

Pros:
Ws 5 and Str 4... amazing for a Guardsman. Also armed with a Power Weapon, making him nasty in assault.

Totally Fearless, as is any squad he leads.

When he charges, he and any friendly models in the combat, gain +1 Attack, which stacks will all other bonuses (such as Charging...).

He's dirt cheap, costing 10 pointsl less than a whirlwind...

He's not. Unlike every single Chaos and Marine character (and most others, in fact), he doesn't hide behind a 2+ Armour Save, or Immune to Double Toughness, or even an Invulnerable save like the spineless wimps filling every other codex. The only thing between him and ramming that sword of his through your face is flak armour.

Con:
He's (technically) a Guardsman, so he doesn't take a beating well.

...that's it.


Gaunt has got to be the best character ever. When I fought my friend's Tanith army in Cityfight, Gaunt destroyed a third of my army himself; over 500 points worth of Space Wolves! (nearly 7 times his points cost!).

In order to achieve the same feat, Abaddon would have to destroy 1,700pts worth of enemies. Kharn would have to kill 1,200pts, and Shrike (with full retinue) would have to defeat a whopping 4,227 Victory Points!

Gaunt is unequalled amongst Special Characters.

Edit by Tau Online: Please refrain from swearing in these forums.

[Kangaroo Joe]

Ghaz...Huge, Stompy, Direct and 'ard as nails. downside....Powerfist = strikes last.....not fair.

[FTyross]

Asurmens pretty nifty too. and is better then Gaunt in my opinion. But thats just me.

I'll do another character then...

Nuadhu Fireheart, Wild Rider of Saim Hann

Rides a Jetbike (or rather a larger version of it!), just like all self respecting Saim Hann Eldar should!
He's reckless! Explifies Saim Hann Eldar down to a tie!
Close Combat & shooty, he's both shooty (having a shuriken cannon and all) and is good in combat,although the combat bit if a little over the top compared to the rest of the army. Guardian on jetbikes aren't the best combat troops in the galaxy!
Hit and run special rules allow him to move a bit like the other jetbikes...
armoured, although his jetbike is more armoured then the standard Vyper, it marks him out as special, and also proves how resilient (or not as the case may be) how jetbikes really are.