The unit in question is a 5 man Troop Terminator unit with a Psycannon (relentless ftw) and all with Halberds. This has an attached Ordo Malleus Inquisitor with a Psycannon (who I may call Ravenor on account on his Psycannon & TDA being close to Ravenors armoured chair mounted with bad boy cannons...hmmm modelling opportunity!!), Daemon Hammer and servo skulls(3) in TDA.
Its cheap, scoring and puts out 8 S7 rending shots per turn on the move.
It can use Hammerhand and Halberds to be pretty lethal in CC too...not versus dedicated CC smashers though.
It does have 8 2+ wounds, albeit 3 of which are T3.
Big turn-offs?
Crap invulnerable as with all non-Storm Shield terminators...rapid fire plasma is not nice. IG Vets I am looking at you here...I know I'd just try and drive-by these boys, easy enough to accomplish.
Will be broken into the ground by 'real' Hammer units. Although could do nicely against BA FNP Termies on account of force weapons..but is unlikely to get enough wounds through.
So can I make these guys better? Well, other than making them into Paladins and paying through the nose for them...
I could trick them out for wound allocation, a hammer here, a warding stave there..
But points in the list at 1500 are tight enough as it is!
I need to do a couple of things:
1) Make them better in CC.
2) Make them more survivable
To do these things I am going to have to strip a few points from elsewhere and this is a tough exercise in a list that is pretty basic (for minimal playtesting - I think I am just going to rock up with it and see how I go!)
But the areas of 'fat' are:
- Master Crafted Deamon Hammers for 4 Justicars in Strike Squads
- the 6th man in each of the 4 Strike Squads
Which to go first? The 6th man. Soon as we are trying to make another scoring unit a bit more dangerous/survivable I cna do with just 25 scoring marines at 1500. Although its pretty light and not too comforting.
Why not the MCNDH's? I want the sqaud to be able to handle most things. The Psycannon in a Strike Squad can put out good fire from mid table, the Force weapons and Hammerhand make the squad alright in CC, a Hammer means they can put hurting on walkers and MC's rather than being tarpitted by them...although they are so small that if this happens they are more than likely dead anyway!
So dropping the 6th dude x 4 nets me 80 points.
That's pretty slim pickings but I did say that at the start.
I have already plundered the Inquisitorial services for my HQ, but with so few points to play with I may have to dial 555-2368 for Ghostbusters once again. See if they have anyone spare...not sure where I was going with that...anyway.
Could just go Malleus again, giving the unit an impressive 12 S7 Rending shots at 30" effective, adding another 3 2+ wounds into the mix...but leaving around 10 points spare as I don't really need another 3 servo skulls!
So, Hereticus? would be really cool to rock a psyocculum, force weapon, null rod, artificer armour, psychic communion dude...just to fuck about with really... not actually that competitive a choice..just crazy. In the squad he would have a good number of shots from the psyocculum, be placed nicely surrounded by grey knights...
I do like the ability to grab Psychic Communion though. Something I mentioned in the previous post. Little bit of tactical flexibility. I never like to reserve without some element of control over the process.
Xenos Inquisitor it is. Here are some real options. TDA still not available, but artificer still is, so can add 3 more 2+ wounds (yes, yes at T3)...
We can get Rad Grenades for -1T in CC against our opponents, they just work too, so no unreliability. When we add the bonus from the Rad's to Hammerhand we discover we are wounding Marines on a 2+ at a higher initiative (or same for Furious Charging BA fuckers - which is in of itself dissuading) and Monstrous Creatures on 4+. Assuming Rad's work on them, I'll have to double check. If they do though - sweet. If not, 5+ is still better than 6's.
We can further increase our survivability too through the use of the Ulumenthl Plasma Syphon...yeah. umm, it is a BIT situational... only plasma, only within 12" I think if I remember rightly but it does reduce the BS of the shooter to 1. Which is pretty damn cool and can vastly increase the survival rate for when those 4 IG Vets drive by in their CCS Chimera and kill the fuck out of me.
We add Psychic Mastery - Communion to the dude and he is rocking reserves manipulation too. And a Force Sword. Not bad.
So the OXI comes in at 95 points for 3 T3 2+ W's, Reserves Manipulation, Plasma Syphon and Rad Grenades for a massive CC boost to our Halberdier Termies.
Is it worth it? I think so.
So my 1500 Grey Knights - Lil' Rock N Rosetta List
Ordo Malleus Inquisitor Ravenor with Daemon Hammer, Psycannon, Psykout grenades, 3 x servo skulls, TDA
Ordo Xenos Inquisitor Halm with Force Sword, Rad Grenades, Plasma Syphon, Psychic Mastery - Communion, Artificer Armour
5 GK Terminators with Halberds, Psycannon, Psykout’s
Grey Knight Strike Squad x 5, Psycannon, Justicar – MCNDH, Razorback – Psybolt ammo
Grey Knight Strike Squad x 5, Psycannon, Justicar – MCNDH, Razorback – Psybolt ammo
Grey Knight Strike Squad x 5, Psycannon, Justicar – MCNDH, Razorback – Psybolt ammo
Grey Knight Strike Squad x 5, Psycannon, Justicar, Razorback – Psybolt ammo
Psyfleman Dread – 2 x TL Autocannon – psybolts.
Psyfleman Dread – 2 x TL Autocannon – psybolts.
Psyfleman Dread – 2 x TL Autocannon – psybolts.
This is 1499.I can manipulate reserves if I need to.
Block alpha strikes, infiltration, guide deep strike if I want to drop in the Termies to get juicy side armour shots...which is unlikely but hey ho.
Plenty of fire support from the Psyflemen.
Good troops and reasonable mobility...
And my Terminators are suitable characterful with the 2 Inquisitors attached.
What do you think guys? Good, bad or the indifferent?
Think thats getting to a bit more of a workable "everyman" list now ven. Your covering as many bases going in essentially blind. Giving yourself the likes of the infiltrate blocking, reserve manip etc.. will give you a nice bolster and a couple of neat tricks (hi plasma).
ReplyDeleteMCDH just make you not really want to go near the GKSS's unless you think you can wipe out the 5 before it can swing, because he's going to take down 1 or 2 guys pretty easy unless they are sporting 3 or 4++'s.
What are the effects of psyout grenades again? I can only remember a couple of the results.
psykouts are crap, its the psychotroke that are really good... psyk outs just mess with enemy psykers... my bad in the orginal post...no loss mind as the boys listed all come with them as standard..
ReplyDeleteAhh fair enough. Its hard to memorise this stuff off just a couple of readings. I think if I get anyone playing GK next weekend I am going to be asking for their codex pretty much every time they move a model just incase there is some rules I've forgotten lol.
ReplyDeleteWell you wouldn't want a Null Rod in a unit that relies on force weapons or hammerhand as it negates all powers, friend or foe.
ReplyDeleteOrdo Xenos do not get artificer armour, 3+ is it, and for toughness 3 that may not be good enough.
It'd be Malleus for me, terminator armour, psycannon, and 3 servo skulls is only 89 points, which is as cheap as chips in the Grey Knights list. Buy two of them, get them henchmen squads with Chimeras, (minimum henchman squad is 12 points) boot out the henchmen and stick 5 paladin + inquisitor in each Chimera and you have the multi-laser, heavy bolter, and 3 psycannons shooting from each one. That's one heck of a pill-box.
'sup Duke. hmm, will clearly need to have another look.. if thats right then it may just be another Malleus, which is a shame as the two branches together was kinda cool as well as effective.
ReplyDeleteNot a fan of chimera's here tbh. Its a 1500 point list too, not going to sink 600points on one shooty pillbox. Esp when it isn't even scoring...context bro.
Null Rod is both ways...ok, saved 25points and the Hereticus is still good fun! but not right for here I think..
Fair enough, I suppose in 1500 points a Inquistor, psychic communion and power armour with servo skulls sitting in the back field allowing you to get down as many deep strike units as possible in one turn would be a useful (and cheap) HQ. Obviously hanging with (hiding behind) the dreadnoughts.
ReplyDeleteGiven the general short range of Grey Knights getting them close (but not too close) would allow you to be shooting from the moment boots hit the ground.