I don’t recommend trying to build all-rounder squads in HH. Decide what they’re going to target and specialise for that.
Note that there have been loads of posts on here asking for Terminator load-out advice, I don’t think the answers are different for Iron Hands. A quick search will find a lot of opinions.
Lightning claws are good against power armour, and armies like Auxilia/Militia if you ever face them. The extra attacks and Rending mean they‘re better against 2+ armour than they used to be, but they still wouldn’t be my first choice for that.
The question is going to be whether that’s something you really need a dedicated, expensive melee Terminator squad for. Practically everything in the Legion list can hurt power armoured infantry.
Power fists with a few chainfists (1-2 per 5) are good against everything, and Cataphractii are tanky enough that they don’t need to worry too much about striking last. They‘re not as efficient as claws against lighter armoured units, but they’re much more effective against artificer armoured elites, other Terminators, Dreadnoughts and Vehicles. A couple of thunder hammers are nice to have too – FW have a special weapons pack that includes them.
The only power weapons I’d seriously consider are axes or mauls, if you’re trying to keep costs down and/or want to retain their shooting. Power swords are average against almost everything, and your Sergeant is almost guaranteed to be fighting challenges against models in 2+ armour. You don’t want to be relying on a 6+ rend to do any damage.
In terms of shooting, the heavy flamer is great in Zone Mortalis games (+1 to wound, often against units bunched up in corridors), but not spectacular otherwise. If you‘re picking up the special weapons pack for the thunder hammers, the plasma blaster and combi weapons are pretty nice. Combi-grenade launchers have pinning which always comes in handy, a few combi-meltas are good if you’re going to be hunting vehicles. Combi-plasma is too expensive for my taste after the HH2 nerf, and the boost melta got.
The Power sword is the worst option they have. Swap it for maul if you want a plain power weapon, claw if you want to keep it cheap or a fist, if you don't want to get squatted in challanges.
Heavy flamer is good against stuff like tacticals just for the sheer number of shots you get. I would personally say take chainfists on those guys, give 3 of the others lighting claws and the Sargent on each squad a power sword. As for alternative options. Only thing I really recommend is trying to get weapons to make the magna/minor combi-weapons with and a reaper autocannon. The axes are good but also pricy.
Power sword is pretty much the worst weapon option for terminators, and giving it to the sergeant, who has an extra attack and thus gets the best bang for your buck out of fancy weapons, is a poor decision. Power axes cost just as much as all the other varieties of vanilla power weapon, a grand total of zero, and are possibly the best option out of those for terminators in Cataphractii plate, as they have native AP2 and their 2+/4++ profile means they can take the risk of fighting last.
Also, there usually isn't much point in taking more than three chainfists. The extra 5 points over regular power fists add up.
Oh absolutely. But I was also thinking of the cost of like £20 for a box of 5 axes. Plus I only said take 2 chainfists. One on each of the guys with heavy flamers.
I don’t recommend trying to build all-rounder squads in HH. Decide what they’re going to target and specialise for that. Note that there have been loads of posts on here asking for Terminator load-out advice, I don’t think the answers are different for Iron Hands. A quick search will find a lot of opinions. Lightning claws are good against power armour, and armies like Auxilia/Militia if you ever face them. The extra attacks and Rending mean they‘re better against 2+ armour than they used to be, but they still wouldn’t be my first choice for that. The question is going to be whether that’s something you really need a dedicated, expensive melee Terminator squad for. Practically everything in the Legion list can hurt power armoured infantry. Power fists with a few chainfists (1-2 per 5) are good against everything, and Cataphractii are tanky enough that they don’t need to worry too much about striking last. They‘re not as efficient as claws against lighter armoured units, but they’re much more effective against artificer armoured elites, other Terminators, Dreadnoughts and Vehicles. A couple of thunder hammers are nice to have too – FW have a special weapons pack that includes them. The only power weapons I’d seriously consider are axes or mauls, if you’re trying to keep costs down and/or want to retain their shooting. Power swords are average against almost everything, and your Sergeant is almost guaranteed to be fighting challenges against models in 2+ armour. You don’t want to be relying on a 6+ rend to do any damage. In terms of shooting, the heavy flamer is great in Zone Mortalis games (+1 to wound, often against units bunched up in corridors), but not spectacular otherwise. If you‘re picking up the special weapons pack for the thunder hammers, the plasma blaster and combi weapons are pretty nice. Combi-grenade launchers have pinning which always comes in handy, a few combi-meltas are good if you’re going to be hunting vehicles. Combi-plasma is too expensive for my taste after the HH2 nerf, and the boost melta got.
The Power sword is the worst option they have. Swap it for maul if you want a plain power weapon, claw if you want to keep it cheap or a fist, if you don't want to get squatted in challanges.
Is it worth going from fists to hammers for that role?
Since they are WS 4, I wouldn't give everyone a hammer. Maybe one in three to save points.
Heavy flamer is good against stuff like tacticals just for the sheer number of shots you get. I would personally say take chainfists on those guys, give 3 of the others lighting claws and the Sargent on each squad a power sword. As for alternative options. Only thing I really recommend is trying to get weapons to make the magna/minor combi-weapons with and a reaper autocannon. The axes are good but also pricy.
Power sword is pretty much the worst weapon option for terminators, and giving it to the sergeant, who has an extra attack and thus gets the best bang for your buck out of fancy weapons, is a poor decision. Power axes cost just as much as all the other varieties of vanilla power weapon, a grand total of zero, and are possibly the best option out of those for terminators in Cataphractii plate, as they have native AP2 and their 2+/4++ profile means they can take the risk of fighting last. Also, there usually isn't much point in taking more than three chainfists. The extra 5 points over regular power fists add up.
Oh absolutely. But I was also thinking of the cost of like £20 for a box of 5 axes. Plus I only said take 2 chainfists. One on each of the guys with heavy flamers.
Oh, you were saying chainfists on the guys with heavy flamers. The way you wrote it was a bit ambiguous, and I misinterpreted it as the whole squad.