An imperial player view on Eldars

For all of my hobby life, this is the first time I'm really excited about collecting an playing a non-Imperial army. I have always find the Eldar to be one of the most interesting armies out there, both from a hobbyist and player perspective, and with the new codex I just can't help myself to start a small army. As SW player I have struggled to get close and personal in my games against Eldar, they would just dance around me for 2/3 turns, then hit with a seer council or fire dragons in Serpent, all while getting re-rolls for everything while having me cast powers through Runes of Warding!

As a player, I have been stunned by the organic shapes of the tanks, the wrong humanoid proportions or the wraith constructs. I guess having played against some incredible armies like this one below has been a huge motivation for me.

Now I'm in love with the new Eldar codex. For one, I'm glad that its power level is way below that of Tau, Daemons or Necrons, for I have very little interest in that. Game wise all I care is it's fun to play and boy, I bet it will be! A mech army will be quite resilient, while jetbikes, Swooping Hawks or Warp Spiders provide very mobile components. But it is yet a T3/5+ army so it needs to be played with finesse. Compared to SW/BA that I'm used to play, I don't need to rush to midfield and I don't want to start any attrition war, but instead maneuver around my opponent and hit with a sting, instead of a sledge-hammer, when the time is appropiate.

This is a brief overview of the new codex from the point of view of an Imperial player (for now!). So I won't be covering all the units, but just touching those that look interesting so far.

HQs

The Farseer is a lv3 psychic that can provide re-rolls to 2 units per turn (with Divination/Guide), plus a third power for a measly 100 points. It will be near auto-include.

The Spiritseer makes Wraith units scoring, and since I don't plan on using any will see little usage. Other than that is lv2 psyker with access to teh Runes of Battle and Telepathy branches, so no re-roll buffs for you.

The Autarch is a combat oriented character which ironically is best kept from it. Instead it provides reserves manipulation, which are important for this type of army where some key units (read War Walkers) are very fragile. That aside there is a very interesting build with the Mantle of the Laughing God, that provides Stealth/Shrouded with re-rolls, and a jetbike to make it a very mobile, difficult to take down tank-hunter.

Warlocks are now Wolf Guard-esque in the sense that can be assigned to join certain units. While the idea of providing Shrouded to a home camping unit is nice, they are just Ld8 and W1 so it's not exactly reliable. The Seer Council though could be nasty, yet very expensive.

The Avatar is of course very characterful; it might not be the most competitive option and will die to missiles like in 5th, but I'm loving his fluff and the FW models and is not a terrible choice.

Elites

WraithGuard are reasonably tough with T6 although only 3+/W1, and come with a 12" S10 weapon so I can see them working as a sort of walking Vindicator (remember this is the point of view of an Imperial player); so will be taking a lot of shots early in the game, and for 160 points aren't that expensive. Now if they could be infiltrated with Ilic...

Fire Dragons have destroyed me more than 1 Land Raider (actually quite a lot of them!) but with the plethora of Lances the Eldar army can get, seem less important now. I would still take a unit of them as most SM armies still carry Land Raiders full of Terminators...

Striking Scorpions have move through cover and other goodies that allow them to make it to the assault, however I'm not sure they hit hard enough for this type of unit. I don't really see Eldars doing many assaults, especially in the very shooty game 40k is today.

Howling Banshees and Harlequins I rate them lower, as don't have good ways to making it onto combat, and even there the most they'll do is destroy a tactical or infantry squad before being wiped out. Perhaps there are better ways to use them, but I just don't see them.

Troops

Dire Avengers are the cheapest way to access a Wave Serpent, but are as survivable as the cheaper Guardians so I'd probably lean towards taking 10 Guardians for a similar price, leaving them sitting in an objective shooting a heavy weapon while the Serpent moves forward.

Speaking of Wave Serpents, these seem to be the star of the codex. The reason being their shield, which can be used offensively or defensively. When used to attack, it's a D6+1 autocannon that ignores cover and causes pinning! if the Serpent is also equipped with a Scatter Laser, then the Shield shots would be twin-linked. It's easy to see that 3 or 4 Serpents can provide a ton of firepower for a reasonable price, are difficult enough to take down and can protect / move around troop choices. If the shield is used defensively (which admittedly will be in T1 when going second), then downgrades internal hits to glancing on a 2+ roll. Pretty damn good for someone who comes from a world of AV11 shoe boxes with a storm bolter...

Jetbikes is the another great feature of the codex and are serious contenders for the best troop choice in the game. They are extremely mobile, with decent defences and good shooting. Can be used to harass the opponent early on as well to contest objectives late game. I expect to see a lot of them, both in Eldar armies as well as allies.

Rangers are like Sniper Scouts - a cheap scoring unit that sits in a ruin and harasses Devs and MCs. With the rise in popularity of the Riptide, Nurgle units and other high T units, they can have a place.

Fast attack

There are some very interesting units that I had never seen on the table. My favourite so far are Warp Spiders, who have a terrific (and complicated) movement being Jet Pack infantry with a Warp Jump Generator, and carry very nice S6 weapons. Essentially they are a super mobile unit that threatens infantry and light tanks alike. The minis are also beautiful if yet a bit aged.

Swooping Hawks have even older looking minis but are very interesting in tournament game. The combination of no scatter when deep striking plus their ability to go to reserve on any given turn to return the following is too good to pass. It's my T4, I know we'll only play until T5 as there is no more time so I'll send whatever Hawks are still alive to reserves, only to drop them T5 by an objective. Boom. Shaenigans aside they can drop a large blast, ignore cover, no LOS required grenade at 24" which is perfect to get rid of cultist squads, pathfinders or infantry platoons camping behind ruins. For about 100 points they are a good deal I think.

Shining Spears are non-scoring jetbikes. 'nuff said.

About the flyers... it is often said flyers are the elephant in the room of the 40k universe. In this case they would be the mosquitos, as they are terribly fragile with AV10 all around and a hefty price tag. The models are very nice but game wise it is unlikely they will survive a turn. Similar to the DA flyers, you are paying through the nose for the ability of being almost inmune to anything that has no AA in its profile, however the comparison with price tag of Vendettas/Night Scythes or the raw power of the Hell Turkey makes them look subpar in comparison. 

Heavy Support

This has to be my favourite slot - plenty of options and all of them seem to have their place. War Walkers are even better than before as they can Battle Focus back to cover after shooting, and if not will sport a 5++ save. It is also worth mentioning most of their shots will be twin-linked thanks to a nearby Farseer or the Scatter lasers lock rule (if a scatter laser impacts, the rest of weapons of the unit are twin-linked).

The Fire Prism has 3 fire modes now, with a large blast, small blast and lance. The lance gets the highest strength and lowest AP, and now it doesn't need a second Prism supporting it so it provides great flexibility at a reasonable price. Very solid.

The Night Spinner shoots a S7/S8 weapon and can have a template version. Not bad although it lacks the flexibility of the Prism nor the sheer number of shots of the Walkers.

Dark Reapers are very fragile and are too specialized on killing machines, but could work if using a Bastion to man the AA weapon (they ignore jink saves). I love the minis though so at least they will make it to the cabin... and perhaps to the board. We'll see.

The Support battery is very solid. 90 points give you 3 S9 AP2 shots, and will have a field day from behind an Aegis or some ruins. If the points are short I can see them replacing a War Walker unit.

And the mighty Wraithknight... I think the disappointment comes from comparing it to the Riptide, which is very good. I have yet to see a Tau army without one which suggests the thing is either too good or too cheap. The Wraithknigth on his own is fine I think; yes it gets very pricy and yes, poison will kill it. However... it also does other things like deep striking in front of a gunline and wreaking havoc, and attract a ton of firepower that would otherwise be directed to weaker units.

The Wraithlord on the other hand I don't know what to make out of it. It feels like you are getting half a Wraithknight, in terms of firepower, cost and statlines (wounds). Again unless I'm going for a Wraith army I don't really see its place.

So what am I looking at?

The idea is to start a small Eldar force based in the units I like the most as a hobbyist, which happen to be pretty decent when gaming as well :) Something like this:

Farseer
Autarch in jetbike, mantle of the laughing god, spear

5x Dire Avengers, Wave Serpent with Scatter lasers, Holofield
5x Dire Avengers, Wave Serpent with Scatter lasers, Holofield
5x Dire Avengers, Wave Serpent with Scatter lasers, Holofield

10x Guardians, heavy weapon, Wave Serpent with Scatter lasers, Holofield

6x Jetbikes, 2x Shuriken cannon
6x Jetbikes, 2x Shuriken cannon

5x Warp Spiders

3x War Walkers (2xScatter Lasers)
3x War Walkers (Scatter Lasers, Lance))
Fire Prism, Holofields

So the Farseer sits in backfield buffing units. The Guardians sit on an objective, and the War Walkers / Prism take good shooting positions. The Serpents remain back shooting, ready to move forward when (if) needed. This seems like a pretty solid base to begin with.

Then we have the mobile elements; the Autarch in jetbike goes tank-hunting solo.The Warp Spiders move through a flank, looking for side armour or for backfield units. The jetbikes should stay a couple of turns behind LOS / in reserve, then push forward in the late game.

And there you go. I think Eldars have some very solid units in the form of Serpents, Jetbikes or War Walkers that will be the backbone of many armies. Other constructs like Wraithguard based could be a thing, depending on the FAQs (if Ilic is allowed to infiltrate a Wraithguard unit, who wouldn't take them with a FP2 flamer?). Exciting times ahead for the Eldar fans!

6th Ed Blood Angels Codex Review: Fast Attack

Welcome to the latest installment of the Blood Angels codex review for 6th Ed. Now it's time to look at the Fast Attack Choices. Other armies have great units in this slot like Vendettas, Helldrakes or Wraiths. How do Blood Angels fare in this slot? Well we do get some specialized units on top of the bog standard vanilla options. While none of them are especially flashy, there are some very interesting options for certain army styles. You may also want to take a look to the HQs, Elites and Troops review.

The Top Contenders

Vanguard Veterans: This is a unit that can deep strike reliably thanks to the Descent of Angels rule (1D6 scatter, can reroll missed reserves rolls) and can assault straight away the turn it arrives from reserve. This is quite a thing. In most cases this results in Vanguard Vets deep striking T2 with very little dispersion and assaulting a tank, a bubble wrap unit (i.e. Guardsmen so your ASM can access the tanks behind) or a dangerous unit to tarpit it. As always, good things in the 40k world are expensive and VV are no exception - the points start to add up very quickly. Give them a couple of them melta bombs, add a fist and a shield or two and they can reliably take on most things of the 40k universe (protip: always keep them within 6" of a Sang Priest and Libby). The Sergeant has a power or glaive sword by default so I would not add more stuff, said loadout already clocks at a whooping 220 points. The downside for VV  in 6th edition is the ubiquotous random charge lenght - since VV have used their jump packs to arrive from reserve, they can't use it to charge. So no RCL rerolls or hammer of wrath, but still a very interesting unit for certain army styles (i.e. take on the most inmediate threats for hybrid DOA armies, assault AA elements when playing Storm Ravens, stop that Land Raider full of Hammenators in its own DZ, etc).

Vanguard Veterans. Hitting hard since M31

Attack Bikes: Fast melta, T5, ability to get FNP and hide behind Preds / Vindies / Rhinos. This is quite good by itself and doesn't break the bank. Can be taken in units of 3 but are also useful as units of 1. Even with less AV13 or Razor spam armies it is still quite easy to hide the attack bikes, or at least get a cover save. However BA have no problems in getting fast melta through other means (ASM, Land Speeders, Storm Ravens) so there is some competition here. That said attack bikes are cheap and easy to hide and will find its place in many a BA lists. Their ability to maneuver in midfield and get in melta range, or put a couple of wounds in a MC makes them a common sight in the BA armies.

The situational choices

Baal Predators: Their firestorm cannon (S6 AP3 template) is devastating against MEQ, and we're seeing quite a lot of foot slogging marine armies nowadays. With their scout ability they can jeopardize the deployment of marine armies without transports (Rhinos are dead I hear you say?), eradicate Long Fangs and Devs, burn out of cover those pesky home scoring units and overall influence your opponent's deployment. The other option is the twin-linked assault cannon which is undoubtedly a fine gun by itself with good AI/AT duality. Both loadouts clock in at 115 points which is decent for a fast scouting AV13 vehicle; HB / HF sponsons can be added on top but the points add up very quickly. I would however be reluctant to field Baal Preds in 6th Ed as they operate in the 24" or less range, and are hit CC in a 3+/4+. This is pretty bad and means any powerfist, any melta bomb at 24" poses a serious threat, not to mention that it isn't hard to get a few plasma shots at the side AV11 armour. Baal Preds are still playable but require finesse and a very good coordination with the rest of units. Let's not forget their favourable FOC placement, allowing for lists with 6 Fast Predators, or 9 AV13 vehicles by adding 3 Furiosos.


Land Speeders: Same as their vanilla equivalents with a red paintjob. Most of what has been said of attack bikes can be applied to Land Speeders, with the caveat that the attack bikes are easier to hide and get access to FNP. Land Speeders remain to be an interesting choice, being able to threat infantry with the Heavy Flamers, tanks with the Multi-Melta or both with the common 5th Ed loadout of HF/MM. This is probably where Land Speeders are at their best, hiding behind cover or BLOS and being able to flame/melta anything that gets any close. They can't contest objectives like in the past (and really, it's not often that a Land Speeder gets to survive that many turns) but at least they now get Jink cover saves. Other weapon choices like the assault cannon or CML seem expensive for such a fragile platform.

Best leave at home

Bikers: These are the same as their vanilla counterparts but have the big caveat that BA have no bike command squads and can't be made scoring. If you like Marine Bikers, go Ravenwing, White Scars or plain vanilla. At most they will be led by a chaplain and get FNP, which is not bad at all. This is not a cheap proposition however and if you consider that their main purpose will be to move fast and engage an opponent unit, well we know the BA have plenty of hard-hitting, fast moving units elsewhere. So while they are not really bad per se, there's nothing they can do better or for less points than other choices.

Scout bikers: This is probably the only unit I would rate as plainly bad in the FA slot. Scout bikers are meant to be a harassing unit that scouts or outflanks and threatens your opponent from T1 but aren't really great at neither shooting or CC. They also get to place a mine that can kill a few GEQs and that's it. Now units like Vanguard Veterans, ASM or drop-podded Furiosos are a threat from T2 and something your opponent needs to react to or suffer the consequences, but Scout bikers are just a small nuissance that will hardly have any impact in the game's output.

Conclusion

Where other codexes get interesting, different units in their Fast Attack slots (Wraiths, Thunderwolves, Helldrakes, Vendettas to cite but a few) that are featured onto most lists, Blood Angels don't get anything specially good but instead a handful of units that can complement well different army styles. Vanguard Veterans aside the rest of options don't bring anything that other units in the codex can't deliver as well, but they add a different flavour to the list and are usable units. This is when generalship skills influence list-building and some of these units can be very useful in the right hands. Fortunately for the BA players, the rest of FOC slots have great options that make up for a somewhat disappointing FA section.

6th ed. Blood Angels Codex Review: Troops

The next installment in our Blood Angels codex review for 6th is truly a critical one - Troops are what wins or loses you games, and will determine the overall style of the list. Make sure to check the HQs review and
Elites review if you haven't yet!

The top contenders

Assault Marines (Jump packs): The poster boy of the codex and staple unit of the army. Their descent of angels (DOA) rule is excellent, boosting the reliability of the unit when entering via deep strike. And they now get Hammer of Fury which is nice. However full DOA armies are not viable anymore and therefore they will see more usage starting from the board, hugging for cover and always within 6" of a Sang priest for the much needed FNP. It's not a bad idea to keep a Libby with Shield nearby. How many do you need? for larger games (1850-2000) I wouldn't take less than 40 ASM, and probably another unit to take on the home objectives.

Tactical Marines: Very similar to their vanilla counterparts, with the main difference of being able to get FNP via a babysitting Sanguinary Priest. We mainly want them to sit on our objective and make it alive to the end of the game. Is this an expensive proposal? well we could get some scouts for cheaper but they are certainly not very durable. With their ability to combat squad and hold two objectives, shoot a heavy weapon (a plasma cannon seems the best bet if you're facing lots of MEQs) and reasonably defend their objective, I think they are decent.
Another option is to drop pod them but that is in the context of a list with more pods (for example, sternguards and a furioso). While not a great option, I believe troops with rapid-fire bolter at an advantage over those with pistols like ASM.

The situational choices

Assault Marines (RAS): The hull points system and the ability to wreck vehicles by infantry make this option much less appealing than in 5th. I don't think spamming razorbacks and ASM could work nearly as well as in the past, but a unit or two in this configuration might have their place. After all, you can get a scoring unit and a fast vehicle with a heavy weapon for a resonable price.

Put them in ruins and go to ground like there's no tomorrow

Sniper Scouts: This is a unit that takes camo cloaks and sniper rifles and sits in an objective all game long. They can go to ground for a 2+ cover save, making them difficult to remove at distance, and even with their BS3 can hassle devastators and the like (remember the new precision shots rules). Their ability to wound most things on a 4+ (hello T6 Nurgle bikers!) is also interesting. What's wrong with them? well 18 points for a WS/BS3 and 4+ save seems excessive when a tactical costs 16 and a ASM with jump pack 18 points. But if you want a cheap scoring unit and are short in points, the sniper scouts aren't that bad.

Sanguinary Guard (with Dante): aka Dantewing or Nipple wing. 2+ save, precision energy weapons and a sort of short range storm bolter make this army a sort of Deathwing on jump packs. They lack an invulnerable save, though they can get FNP with a priest which in many cases is alike to a 5++. I guess their biggest drawback is in their short numbers so you will still have to take a couple of ASM or tactical marines to ensure you have enough scoring bodies.

Best leave at home

Death Company: Let's get this straight - Death Company have greatly improved in 6th. Not only they are not chasing shadows anymore, but they have 5+ attacks on the charge, FNP/FC without needing a priest around and now can take FNP against energy weapons and plasma. They do strike at I4 now but you can't have it all. The big caveat now is they don't score, and this is massive in 6th. To put it simple, Death Company is more alike to an Elite choice than Troops - expensive, high damage output, plethora of special rules and non-scoring. How to run DC then? in short, consider them as an oddly placed Elite choice. Be assured they will be high in your opponent's priority list. And keep Storm Ravens away! at best they will be charging in T3, while putting the SR at risk, and at worst they all take S10 hits. I think they are at their best drop podded behind the enemy lines, supporting other units.

Scouts: the bog standard scouts are expensive, not very durable and their damage output is, well, inexistent. Don't expect them to survive if shot at or in CC with most things of the 40k universe. Even if you are running Storm Ravens and just want a cheap unit to drop T5 over an objective, why not invest 25 points more and get 5 ASM instead?

Conclusion

Similiar to most Marine codexes, the Troops options are rather narrow - take either ASM or Tacticals, and do it in large numbers. I would be inclined to run 4 o 5 ten ASM squads, supported by a Libby and Sanguinary Priest, and perhaps have a cheap scoring unit to leave in the backfield. These are highly mobile troops with a decent resistance (3+/FNP or 5+cover/FNP) and decent damage output when charging. But 40K is a shooty game more than ever and they will need to be supported while they foot slog the board or will die in droves. This is where other elements of the army (preds, furiosos, LS, SRs...) need to provide a threat that distracts firepower from the ASM.

Tactical marines are the second logical option. They can perform a backfield role, although not for cheap, or be drop-podded along with other units. The scouts seem subpar when considering their value/cost, and Death Company are not scoring so remain out of the question.

6th ed. Blood Angels Codex Review: Elites

Space Hulk Assault Terminator Conversion

Hi there! continuing with our Blood Angels Codex Review for 6th ed it's time for the elites section. As mentioned during the HQ review, the BA codex has some weird FOC placements. In the case of Elites, we find a cluttered section with very good choices and a couple of odd options - Chaplains who rather fit better as HQs, and Techmarines that have little of Elite ;)

In the Troops section we'll discuss the Death Company whose characteristics (non-scoring, full of USRs and tremendously killy) make them strong contenders for the Elite section. In FA a similar case could be argued for Vanguard Vets. In HQs we had the choice of getting an Honour Guard that when tooled up has a great damage output.

This means the BA 'dex effectively allows for very aggressive builds, with 3 elite choices (that in some cases you could combat squad, like the Terminators) and a 3-4 disguised options in other slots. And this is before we get onto double-FOC shaenigans. I'm not implying by any means that this is a good thing to do, just pointing out it's a possibility the Codex offers. So without further ado let's get onto the review:

The Top Contenders

Sanguinary Priests: The staple unit of 5th Ed BA armies, and I forget about them :p Up to 3 can be taken under one slot (and from there on act as ICs) and provide a 6" FNP/FC aura goodness. FNP is only 5+ but now works with power weapons and plasma so it's not that bad, but FC no longer boosts Initiative and this is massive. Add in overwatch and RCL and assault is a lot less attractive that it used to be *shrugs*

Tactical Terminators: These are the same as their vanilla counterparts but with the ability to get FNP, which in most cases means they are either taking 2+/FNP or 5++/FNP saves against plasma, making them fairly survivable. Their biggest caveat is perhaps their reduced speed compared to the rest of the army, which is likely to be moving 12" via jump packs or 12"+6" if in fast vehicles. And have the additional pleasure of showcasing your Space Hulk models :)

Assault Terminators: The usual suspects for Death Stars. Great damage potential and survivability but it might be problematic to deliver them to the enemy lines, and here lies the issue: you either fork out 200+ points in a Storm Raven or Land Raider, or risk Deep Striking them. The first option is usually taken and such an investment will heavily influence the rest of your list. In other words, this is one of the options that determine the army style, and will not fit well onto them all.

Furioso Dreadnought: For 125 points we have an AV13 Dread that dishes out 4 S10 attacks on the charge, comes with an underslung meltagun and can get a heavy flamer for 10 more points. Me likes. Still suffers from point blank melta syndrome but well used it will tear apart vehicles and MCs alike. Can be sent via drop pod, making the Furioso a threat for your opponent from T1, or transported in a Storm Raven.

The situational choices

Sanguinary Guard: These have been often referred to as a sort of flying terminators, and  with their 2+ save, master-crafted PWs and short ranged AP4 storm bolters there are certian similarities. Their biggest drawback was their lack of invulnerable save, which the change to 6th edition has somewhat softened with the ability to take FNP on plasma wounds (pro-tip: have a priest nearby) and the choice to make their encarmine weapons either swords (AP3 at initiative) or axes (AP2, +1S, at I1), saving the points for a PF. They can also get short ranged inferno pistols to better deal with mech or a chapter standard for increased damage output. All in all they are a solid choice and can be taken as troops with Dante.

Furioso Librarian: This is essentially a Furioso Dread with a force weapon and a L1 psychic mastery level. Being able to get the powers from the same pools as the bog standard librarian means you can take Wings and essentially make the Furioso Librarian an AV13 Dread with a jump pack (thanks Matt Ward). At 175 is not cheap and will be a top target for your opponent, but could fit well in some army styles (razorspam anyone?).

Sternguard Veterans: These are the shooting specialists in an otherwise assault-centered codex, and could rise in importance if the meta really shifts towards more hordes and foot-slogging marines. As they stand, their considerable damage output is offset by their fragility, so use them well. Some interesting options are the combi-weapons that still allow you to use the special issue ammo, but I wouldn't take heavy weapons as this removes that special ammo.

Best leave at home:

Chaplains: Nothing wrong with the good old Chaplain as it stands, but there are certainly better options in the Elites section. Plus if you want a Chaplain there are good alternatives: a Reclusiarch costs 30 more points, gets +1W and fulfills your HQ requirements; a Libby with Unleash Rage provides Preferred Enemy to a unit, or even Lemartes who doesn't take any FOC slot if you want the Chaplain to lead the DC.

Techmarine: Now this is the odd choice. At 50 points is not breaking the bank but there's no reason why you'd take him. He boosts a ruin's cover yes, but let's not forget that's the same price as an Aegis line. He has the chance to repair a HP from a vehicle, and to be decent at that you need to dish out some more points, making the Techmarine an expensive car insurance.

Conclusion:

The Blood Angels Codex has a great variety of Elite options, both in the Elites section itself but also has units in other sections whose characteristics fit the Elites bill perfectly. Death Company, the DC Dread and a tooled up Honor Guard come to mind.
Terminators of both flavours are great options, but have their own issues (speed and transport), and other choices like Sanguinary Guard, Furioso Dreads or Sternguard Vets will fit very well in determined army styles. More often than not you'll feel constrained about being limited to take only 3 units, as they are really good. Not all the Marine armies have this luxury!

6th ed. Blood Angels Codex Review: HQs

bloodofkittens

We'll begin the review of the Blood Angels Codex from a 6th edition standpoint with the HQ choices. Blood Angels have some funky FOC placements, and in HQs mean you can't take a Chaplain here (but a tad more expensive Reclusiarch). Not terribly bad though. After each HQ choice I'm also commenting their related special characters, if any.

The top contenders:

Librarian: The good old Libby remains to be a very solid HQ choice for many BA armies, and for a good reason. For 100 points you get 2 psychic powers from the Divination, Biomancy, Telepathy or Telekinesis branches. The Codex powers are also solid, with powers like Shield, Lance, Sword or Rage that fit well with specific army needs. Its flexibility and utility, combined with his affordable price, make him probably the best HQ option for BAs. That, of course, unless you want to take the big badass himself, ...

Mephiston: While the other special characters were essentially buffed / personalized versions of the normal HQ, Mephiston is a completely different animal from a Librarian. The best way to portrait him is as a MC in power armour. His small size means he can be easily hidden behind / inside razorbacks or any other transport. He lacks an invulnerable save but with a Priest around he can take FNP against pretty much anything as far as I know: Vindicator shells, lances, earthshaker rounds, you name it... and of course the ubiquotous plasma that is meant to be his nemesis. His sword is AP3 so be mindful of whom you're throwing him against; Mephiston is probably at his best as a beater unit of scoring units.

The situational choices:

Reclusiarch: these senior Chaplains are not very different to the normal Chaplains, that we'll cover in the Elite section. They basic usage is to provide re-rolls to wound (also to hit for the DC) and fearless to a single squad. Their statline is slighlty improved over the normal Chapain, have a good variety of options (TDA, jump pack, bike...) and come with a standard 3+/4++. They can even get a PF should you want something more scary in combat than a power maul. For 130 points they are not very pricey and cover your HQ needs.

Astorath: Astroboy comes with a peculiar set of special rules, which you pay for, and thus make him a very specific role. As a buffed Reclusiarch comes with 2+/4++ and a S6 AP2 weapon that strikes at I1 and causes to reroll any invulnerable saves passed against it. All in all he is a pretty good challenger. He also unlocks the 0-1 Death Company limit, which shouldn't matter much given they are not scoring. 220 points is a steep price though and most times there will be better options around.
Dante: The Chapter Master of the Blood Angels is still a usable character despite a somewhat rough transition to 6th. On one hand he retains his main abilities - Hit&Run is useful as always and a strange sight in Marine armies, and no dispersion when Deep Striking with arriving with his jump pack. However he now wastes his I6 by using a Power Axe, and his DS abilities won't see that much use now that Descent Of Angels style of armies are not possible. Yes you can attach him to a buffed unit and DS exactly where you want them to be, but part of your army will still be moving out of your DZ and dropping +450 points with little support... is risky.

Honor Guard: While not a proper HQ, they can be unlocked by any HQ choice so we'll cover them here. They are essentially 5 veterans with an embedded Sanguinary Priest that can be kitted for a shooty or combat role, at a hefty price tag. So you can have 4 special weapons and a priest in just one unit, or perhaps some powerfists / energy weapons / storm shiels. Either case, great versatility but the price goes up swiftly. They will be very high in the opponent's priority list so consider well if you need them, and how much can you afford to invest.

Best leave at home:

Captain: The poor captain is a bad investment even with his low price. For starters, it doesn't add anything to the army. Whether you want a combat beast, a squad booster or general utility there are other better options. At least comes with a default 4++, but with his inability to take artificer armour... better pass.

Captain Tycho: Tycho comes in 2 flavours. The golden one is a buffed captain, sporting a shiny artificer armour (yikes that's a 2+), a combimelta with special issue ammo and an armour ignoring weapon that strikes at normal Initiative (!). As normal IC he can join any unit he wants and will bring some utility. Sadly 175 points is a steep price for what he brings. His best use is probably leading Sternguard Vets.

The dark version is after Tycho's inclusion to the Death Company, so his statline is slightly altered to favor CC instead of shooting, and gains the normal DC rules (relentless, rage, furious charge, FNP). Now this would be interesting if it was because Tycho can-not-join any unit, not even the DC. What's he good for then? I haven't a clue.

The Sanguinor: He is truly a relic of the past, in all the meanings of the word. As far as 6th edition is concerned, the Sanguinor is a character killer that buffs a sergeant and has a small +1A aura. But 275 points for a 3W / T4 character, even with 2+/3++, is excessive.

Conclusion:

The Librarian is best overall pick, as brings great utility for the army at a limited cost. 100 points for 2 (good) psychic powers, Ld 10, force axe? sold. That said, different armies will benefit from other options. 

Mephiston is a great choice in hybrid armies where he can hide behind razorbacks, and is a real pain to deal with for many armies. Dante has its place in DOA heavy lists, and a Reclusiarch gives you a chaplain and fills your HQ quota, if that's what you want. The rest of options are better left at home, either because of their price tag (Sanguinor) or because they are objectively worst than others (Captain).



Stay tuned for the Elites review coming soon!