Guys I wanted your opinion on Chakax, is he worth putting in an army without a slann? What's the worth in taking him instead of a scar veteran? after all, he is 335 points, and this is a pretty high cost for a "bodyguard".
I'll start off by saying that I believe most special characters, while possibly being difficult for a particular enemy to handle are rarely worth their points on the battlefield. The MMU concept even provides evidence that most normal characters can be a waste of points (especially if you have a Lord like the Slann mage who can play so many roles at the same time). I find Chakax no exception to this rule. Would I use him? Sure, if I wanted ot make my unit of TG worth another 300+ points to encourage more missile fire and concentration. Of course, I'd only use him if I was playing a game that allowed specials and was doing it just for fun. After all, he seems like one of the more interesting and perhaps usefull SCs in our book. After taking a look at his rules, I think not having a Slann makes him even worse, because the TG unit he would be in is no longer unbreakable. Some may argue that if there is no Slann in the first place than he can still make the unit unbreakable but the first sentence's verbage in discussing this rule makes it ultimately clear. The key phrase is joined by a Slann, meaning that if the TG unit doesn't have a Slann the rule does not apply to you. The next question that I have would be to figure out why you are paying 300+ points for a model for which you're forfeiting one of its main advantages for taking it. Some will argue that making the unit unbreakable is a big advantage. I'd say perhaps, but not worth 335 points to get it there, when a Slann provides a Stubborn 9 (which is about as close to unbreakable as you can get).
Agree about Chakax. Love the fluff and the model is *beautiful*, but the abilities simply dont add up to a 335pt value. If he was in the realm of 225pt I think I could justify it (even though that is an entire unit of 18 Saurus Warriors). Personally, I am buying the model and I'll be using it as a Scar Vet or Oldblood. Using him without a Slann is something I could never see myself doing. If I cant justify the points with all his special abilities being used (see Unbreakable w/ Slann) then I certainly cant justify the points with a handicap on him. Heck, put an Oldblood on a Carnosaur for 355pt and see some amazing results for only a 20pt difference. I'm thinking this is a common misnomer. Technically, the Temple Guard are Stubborn when they are with a Slann, the Slann is not Stubborn. So you have either a Stubborn 8LD (TG) or a non-Stubborn 9LD (Slann) to choose from. However, your Slann is also most likely your Battle Standard Bearer... which gives a reroll on failed Break test. The net effect is the basically the same, and I agree with Barotok. A unit of Temple Guard with a Slann are Unbreakable in everything but name. Especially with the Battle Standard on the Slann.
300+ points for a hero choice is... Well, more than the vast majority of lord choices in armies, even with their 100 points of upgrades (not including mounts and wizards, obviously). Add a unit of TG and a Slann and the unit is well over 1000 points. A massive sink for a M4 unit. IMO not worth it except in huge battles where you are just throwing everything onto the tabletop. Contrary to the others though, I might consider taking him without a Slann. Yes a lot of his points value revolves around have a Slann and TG unit, but you cannot remove the fact that he is probably the single best character in the game in a challenge. No matter who he is fighting, he will go first with a great weapon. He is an insane character killer, which against some foe makes him worth it. Hes still very expensive and I would have a hard time justifying his points in anything less than 3k. Very cool model though, take him as a scar-vet or old blood, or even a TG unit champ.
He's like... the points of ANOTHER unit of temple guard, or a bloc of saurus with spear, a kitted-up scar-vet on cold one and full rank bonus. But the model does look awesome, just finished assembling mine the other day. Since he has the flag thingies sprouting from his back, why not using him as the scar-vet BSB, instead of that rather lackluster sculp GW is forcing down our throats? Cheers!
against chaos or vampire counts, mabye, mabye i will take him just cause of the character killer that he is but other than that no way is he even close to worth it.
Thanks guys I think I'll buy him just because he's a pretty gorgeous model, and he can be used to represent a saurus oldblood and all the other dudes while costing as much as an oldblood in GW. Thanks!
It seems odd to me that Chakax doesn't wear light armour, as normal TG do and it seems to me like he is sculpted with it. 4+ scaly skin is good, but I don't trust that as the only thing protecting my 2-wound 335 pt. investment (when he is outside of a challenge).