Lord Asterion Moloc (how he wishes to be called) takes an almost perverse glee in stabbing dudes in the face with the Black Spear, a weapon that may or may not be based on an Adeptus Custodes halberd. And instead of having a bolter strapped to the underside it has a built-in laser to vaporize dudes. Lord Moloc himself is a huge dude riddled with cybernetic augmentation that allows him to ignore even more wounds than he already could with his simmering rage. Despite him often being on the battlefield alongside his Terminators stabbing dudes in the face, he has a ruthless mind for warfare, siegecraft, logistics and strategy. Lord Moloc's preferred enemy is fellow Space Marines, and he has become frighteningly efficient at fighting them. The large amount of high-end equipment used by the Minotaurs combined with them almost always deploying at full Chapter strength means that the Minotaurs have a good shot at kicking heretic ass, as the Lamenters and Inceptors can attest. Because of the full deployment Lord Moloc is always in charge of the Chapter in entirety, meaning that in battle his captains are little more than his seconds.
His first name is the true name of the Minotaur of Greek Mythology. His last name comes from Moloch, a Canaanite god of war mentioned in the Bible who is often depicted as a bull-headed demon.
There seems to be something strange going on with Lord Moloc. During the Orphean War he fought against Kutlakh the World-Killer in a Necron vessel. Moloc was spaced during the battle when the Imperial Navy blew open the ship he was on. His body was recovered and he was nursed back to health, which is not abnormal for a Space Marine who is merely spaced, but marks at least the seventh time that Lord Moloc was critically injured in battle yet lived to fight another day in five centuries. Similarly, during the Harrowing of the Night Reapers renegade chapter, the Grey Knights joined in (uninvited) with the Minotaurs in finishing the renegades off. During the battle, the Night Reapers ship exploded which killed everyone on board...except for Moloc.
Some of the possible explanations for this (barring "Forge World gave him lots of plot armor", obviously) are as follows:
He is Arik Tarranis. Seems unlikely as all Thunder Warriors should be dead at this point, but honestly, who knows?
According to another leak by Eadwin Brown, he may actually be a Great Crusade-era Iron Warrior named Captain Metallos Morax* of the 103rd Company, 33rd Grand Battalion (the battalion's Siege Assault Vanguard, which happens to be the Minotaur's primary tactical specialization). Morax was demoted and exiled (giving him reason to turn against Perturabo) for "unnecessary aggression" and leading a reckless charge into the enemy to RIP & TEAR (Moloc's favorite tactic). He was also publicly shamed infront of both the Iron Warriors and Imperial Fists, giving him reason to change his name, tho still keeping his associated mythical beasts (Morax is the name of a minotaur demon of hell).
Likewise, he has many parallels with a certain Entitled Man-Child such as an extreme penchant for siege-warfare, logistics, obsessive data-analysis, being a brooding cunt, and a preference for starting shit just so he can show up his opponent. His 6th Edition Rules also made him play like a mini-Perturabo, to go along with the 5th/6th Edition Minotaurs rules playing like loyalist (Horus Heresy-era) Iron Warriors. He also apparently has an obsession with Labyrinths (as did Perturabo), and his obsessive data-analysis extends to even counting the number of drops of blood spilled in every battle (tho that might be more of a figure of speech).
He possibly parallels Khorne himself, symbolically or otherwise, as his description says his name is a byword for slaughter, he rules over a chapter of raging berserkers that seek out worthy opponents, he comes back after allegedly dying which makes him more an undying concept than an individual (just as Khorne is the undying concept of hate, slaughter, and rage itself), and he's described as spending his off-battle time sitting on his "brazen throne" measuring the drops of blood that his chapter spilt.
(* Metallos Morax is from the audio drama Stone & Iron. Not to be confused for "Skylord Morax" from Siege of Castellax, who commanded the post-heresy IW's 3rd Grand Company's air cohort.)
On the battlefield he is incredibly expensive to field: Just as much as Lugft Huron and just under The M.A.C. Daddy's point cost. In return you get a beast in Terminator armor with 4 wounds, a Storm Shield, an S6 AP2 weapon that strikes in Initiative order, Frag Grenades and all the goodies you'd expect from a Chapter Master. He also gives his squad Fearless and Frag Grenades through his special rule, meaning that somehow he wills fragmentation grenades into being through nothing but his sheerRAGE, which is something that even the Angry Marines have to respect. He also has the ability to give the really shitty Minotaur Chapter Tactic an upgrade, giving every model who has it Preferred Enemy (Space Marines) in addition (yes this does mean any and all Loyalist marines, regardless of Codex), which by itself is almost worth taking him considering how many Marines are around now.
Asterion Moloc is also a grade A++ character hunter able to kill Lysander, Calgar, Draigo, and Mephiston easily, and have a fair crack at Abbadon and the Swarmlord. In other words just about anyone short of a Black Mace Daemon Prince or Smashfucker had better quit when Moloc starts rolling in. Don't think you can win a challenge against him, he will rip off any balls of adamantium you think you have and force feed them to you, and get victory points for doing it. If you're running a Minotaurs army and do not take Moloc as your Warlord consider yourself an official retard in the eyes of /tg/. Enclosed in this section is how Asterion Moloc fares against all other named Chapter Masters (or their closest equivalents), since he's basically tailor made to kill them. His model is also fucking awesome
Asterion Moloc VS Papa Smurf
Marneus Calgar, wearing the Armour of Antilochus attacks 5 times, hitting 2.5 times, wounding 2.083 times, causing 0.694 wounds after saves.
Asterion Moloc starts off strong, dealing nearly twice the damage Papa Smurf can deal back, even though he has fewer attacks. Note that Marneus Calgar could choose Iron Resolve for his warlord trait, in which case he'll get a mutual KO against Moloc thanks to the fact that his fists aren't Unwieldy.
Asterion Moloc VS Shrike
Shrike attacks 4 times, hitting 2.2 times (because master-crafted), wounding 1.65 times, causing 0.321 wounds after saves.
A bit of an unfair fight, after all Shrike is armed with just an AP3 weapon and he just became a Chapter Master very recently, he hasn't even received a normal Chapter Master's statline yet.
Asterion Moloc VS Captain Lysander
Lysander attacks 3 times, hitting 1.875 times (because master-crafted), wounding 1.563 times, causing 0.521 wounds after saves.
While not a Chapter Master, Lysander might as well be one as he certainly has the statline and special rules to be one, and puts up the hardest fight yet. Unfortunately the end result comes down to one factor, Lysander has the Unwieldy rule, and Moloc does not, allowing him to kill Lysander just before he dies. Even including Concussive, Lysander just cannot put out enough damage to keep Moloc Concussed throughout the fight (not to mention Moloc isn't concussed in the turn he finishes off Lysander).
Asterion Moloc VS Pedro Kantor
Pedro Kantor attacks 4 times, hitting 2 times, wounding 1.666 times, causing 0.555 wounds after saves.
Rounding off the sons of Dorn, this fight is more of a joke thanks to Helbrecht lacking an AP2 weapon, as such he's crushed just as he normally is whenever he'd up against an opponent wearing terminator armour.
Asterion Moloc VS Lugft Huron
Huron attacks 4 times, hitting 2 times, wounding 1.5 times, causing 0.833 wounds after saves (thanks to Ghost Razor).
Asterion Moloc attacks 4 times, hits 3.111 times, wounds 3.025 times, causing 3.025 wounds after saves since Lias has no listed invuln.
Asterion Moloc wins.
A complete joke of a fight that's so pathetic it's not even funny, which it should be since Lias is not made for close combat. If Moloc charges and has hatred from a chaplain he can kill Lias in just one round.
Dante puts up a good fight, and can attempt to close the gap a little with Hit and Run, unfortunately even if he manages to get perfect Hit and Run rolls, and getting the charge every single turn he still cannot cause even 1 wound per turn.
Asterion Moloc VS Gabriel Seth
Gabriel attacks 4 times, hitting 2 times, wounding 1.666 times, causing 0.323 wounds after saves.
Unfortunately Gabriel Seth would have a hard time dealing with a Captain if they wearing power armour, let alone a Chapter Master in terminator armour thanks to his AP4 weapon.
While certainly an impressive fighter and very resilient, Draigo loses the damage race, dying one turn before he can kill Moloc.
TL;DR: Moloc's built for wiping out Space Marines, and it's a job he does very well despite not having that impressive of a statline (it's the same as the generic Chapter Master), outdamaging everyone except Lysander, who he still manages to beat since he strikes first. The closest match in the entire list is Marneus Calgar, since Calgar can give himself Iron Resolve, in which case the fight ends in a draw.
Note, Mephiston isn't included in this list both because he's not a Chapter Master and because he has no listed invuln, which means he'll be dead within two turns.
Have you ever wondered what would happen if Moloc went back in time to take his anger out on the Legion champions of old? No? Well here are those match ups anyway. These scenarios aren't really relevant to the current 40k meta or the current HH rules, but you could still theoretically use him in games of HH1 (if your opponent allowed you to use the 7th edition Space Marine Codex and Imperial armours for fun).
Some rules of combat before we get started.
1) These match ups are simulated using the HH1 Age of Darkness rule book over the 7th edition rule book as it's newest version of rules that 7th edition Moloc is compatible with and it is the rules set all his opponent uses.
2) Molocs Preferred Enemy (Space Marines) will be in effect for every fight as it's limitation states that it doesn't apply to Space marines from a Chaos army list or codex, and all the Space marines Moloc is facing here are from Legion army lists, meaning he should get Preferred enemy against them (also what's the point in these match ups if you don't go all out?)
3) All characters will be treated like they are the armies Warlord if they can be, since it sometimes gives them special rules which can determine how fights go and as stated before, the fights are more interesting when both combatants are giving their all.
4) These match ups are against a legions best known and most infamous characters that have rules, over the most combat effective. This is because some legions don't have combat effective named character outside of their Primarchs (looking at you Raven Guard), and it's more interesting watching Moloc fight against the more famous legionaries, rather than the more obscure ones.
Moloc vs Corswain
Corswain attacks 4 times, hits 3.334 times (because of master-crafted), wounds 2.777 times, causing 0.926 wounds after saves
Corswains 3++ invuln in melee and 4 wounds means he equals Moloc in survivability and his higher weapon skill and master crafted, wounding on 2+ sword means he out does him in damage.
Do note that even though Moloc loses the duel, there is nothing stopping him from dropping an orbital strike on Corswain and killing him instantly, thus winning the fight. Because to Moloc all that matters is your enemies dead and it was the Minotaurs that killed them.
Moloc vs Eidolon
Eidolon attacks 4 times, hits 2.667 times (because master-crafted), wounds 2.222 times, causing 0.741 wounds after saves
Eidolons reliance on getting the charge and wounding with his thunderhammer to inflict instant death his opponent in the first turn doesn't work against Moloc as he has Eternal Warrior, meaning Eidolon get dragged into a fight of attrition which he has no chance of winning.
More attacks and a better invuln secure this fight for Moloc, proving between him an Vhalen (but mostly Moloc) that loyalist Iron Warriors are better than traitor Iron Warriors.
Moloc vs Qin Xa
Qin Xa attacks 5 times, hits 3.333 times (because master-crafted), wounds 2.778 times, causing 0.926 wounds after saves
Even though Qin has more attacks his weapon is unwieldy meaning Moloc brings him down first. Even if Qin uses the "Part the Horses' mane" method (S+1) rather than "split the mountain" method (S+3, unwieldy), he doesn't do enough damage to win, as it will take him 6 turns to kill Moloc, when he will be dead on turn 4.
Hvarl and Moloc are identical in stats, and their weapons are almost identical as well (both are ap2, S6), hell they both get preferred enemy. The deciding factor is yet again Molocs 3++ invuln save, meaning he takes less damage than Fat Bastard and wins the fight.
Moloc vs Sigismund
Sigismund attacks 4 times, hits 3.111 times, wounds 2.593 times, causing 1.152 wounds after saves (after Sigismund forces Moloc to re-roll his successful invuln saves)
In the upset of the millennium Sigismund almost always draws a duel rather than flat out wins it, as both are equal in most areas with it taking 4 turns for both of them to kill the other. Each of them has small advantages that the other more or less negates, Sigismunds higher WS and invuln re-roll gives him a higher damage output but Moloc has a better invuln save and even though they both have Eternal Warrior, only Moloc benefits from having it in this fight as it cancels out the Instant Death from Sigismunds attacks. Since they both have I5 they will mutually kill each other on turn 4.
Moloc vs Sevetar
Sevetar attacks 4 times, hits 3.334 times (because of master-crafted), wounds 2.223 times, causing 0.742 wounds after saves
Despite his lower weapon skill and initiative, Molocs 4 wounds, 3++ invuln and wounding on 2+ spear means he out lasts Sevetar, and Eternal Warrior negates Sevetars Dirty fighter rule. It should be noted that even if Sevetar can cast precognition he only marginally out damages Moloc and would still lose the war of attrition due to the fact that Moloc has an extra wound on Sevetar and takes one turn longer to put down.
Moloc vs Raldoron
Raldoron attacks 4 times, hits 3.334 times (because of master-crafted), wounds 2.223 times, causing 0.987 wounds after saves (because of shred).
Thanks to his master-crafted shredding sword, Raldoron is able to put up a decent fight but still fails to do enough damage to beat Molocs 4 wounds and 3++.
Moloc vs Autek Mor
Autek Mor attacks 3 times (+1 attack with his Servo arm), hits 1.500 times (+0.500 times with his Servo arm), wounds 1.250 times (+0.417 times with his servo arm), causing 0.556 total wounds after saves
Even though Kharn gets rampage against Moloc (because Moloc is bulky which technically means Kharn is outnumbered), it takes Kharn an average of 5 turns to kill Moloc, but it takes Moloc 3 turns to put down Kharn.
Moloc vs Remus Ventanus
Remus attacks 3 times, hits 2 times, wounds 1 time, causing 0.167 wounds after saves.
Typhon proves to be little more than a speed bump against Moloc, as his Power Scythe holds him back as it causes him to lose initiative and is stuck wounding Moloc on 3+ for his trouble.
Moloc vs Ahriman
Ahriman attacks 3 times, hits 2 times (because of master-crafted), wounds 1.333 times, causing 0.444 wounds after saves.
Another victory for Moloc as Ahriman is a big nerd who struggles to punch through Molocs 3++. Even if Ahriman uses Precognition it only marginally increases his damage output and the results remain the same.
Moloc vs Abaddon
Abaddon attacks 4 times, hits 3.334 times (because of master-crafted), wounds 2.777 times, causing 0.926 wounds after saves
Moloc steamrolls over Erebus, which is not surprising since Erebus is more of a support character and is stuck with an ap4 power maul, which will constantly bounce off Molocs 2+ save. Erebus does have access to some psychic powers like Iron Arm and Enfeeble, but these only slightly hinder Moloc and don't effect the out come of the fight.
A rather poor showing from a legion that should be matching Molocs toughness and resilience but doesn't. Even though Nomus has ap2 at initiative and concussive it doesn't matter as he can't deal with Molocs 3++ invuln and extra wound, meaning he lags behind in damage and is doomed to loose after 3 turns.
Moloc attacks 4 times, hits 3.111 times, wounds 3.025 times and causing those 3.025 wounds because Alvarex has no fucking invuln save.
Moloc wins
Have you ever seen a train travelling 100+ km/h hit an animal? You won't have to after this fight as this is more brutally one sided. Alvarex is a support character, with a Power Sword and no invuln save. He's dead turn one and will leave nothing but a smear on Molocs armour as he is bulldozed through.
Like so many other fights, Molocs preferred enemy, 3++ invuln, Eternal Warrior and 4 wounds means he survives, out damages and powers through his opponent.
TL;DR During the time of legendary warriors and mighty heroes, Moloc handily puts his foot up the arse of almost every non-primarch characters, with the two exceptions being the loss to Corswain and draw against Sigismund. What's more interesting is how even with relatively simple rules Moloc is still able to trounce most of the legions greatest, especially when you remember that ap2 at initiative, instant death and stronger weaponry are far more common and available in 30k over 40k where Molocs kill grounds are, and how much a 3++ invulnerable save, eternal warrior and 4 wounds will swing fights massively in one combatants favour.
Lord Moloc is still a beast in 8th Edition. A beefy statline paired with the altered Black Spear (S+2 AP-3 D3, +1 Attack against characters) means that while he's less likely to cause individual wounds, once he hits something it STAYS hit. The Black Spear's shooting attack is now a 12" S8 AP-2 Dd3 trick that he can use as a regular attack, so make sure to get some zaps in. He also has some new auras: he gets the standard Chapter Master aura where all units (not just infantry) within 6" of him get to re-roll failed to hit rolls (this includes himself) and Minotaurs Infantry units get to re-roll failed Charge rolls (so the guy is fast as well), Moloc himself gets to make his attacks when he's slain in combat in case he dies before attacking and on top of all that he can teleport in like a a regular Terminator as well. All in all Moloc is less the death machine on legs that he used to be, but he still has a good shot at murdering dead anyone who gets in his way. If you want some extra FUN give him The Imperium Sword warlord trait, so that when charging he can mulch through T7 targets. Then proclaim thyself as a White Scars successor (because Great White Bull ftw!). Alternatively, an extra D3 attacks the turn he charges (Chogorian Storm) will surely make the enemy cower in fear.
Or you can go for Monster slayer, because +1 to rolls against Monsters and Vehicles will let him RIP&TEAR through tanks.
In 9th he's both been buffed and toned down. His weapon now does a flat 3 for both shooting and melee and both have ap-3. But he has lost his 3++ Invulnerable save, and is stuck with a 4++ and a relic shield (4++ against mortal wounds) meaning he is less tanky and survivable against regular damage. But the most damning thing (and a problem he shares with everyone in the IA compedium) is that he is FORCED to take inspiring leader as his warlord trait, even though from a lore perspective this make next to no sense (moloc does not inspire, in fact he's so scary fellow Imperial forces try to avoid him and the chapter. What Moloc does is KILL, and he is very good at it). These relatively mediocre and misguided rules are partly changes 9th edition did (like storm shields not giving 3++ any more) but primarily because the IA compendium is a fucking shit show of bland and lazy rule writing, and you are honestly better taking his 8th edition rules, or homebrewing your own.
