Part 1: The obvious choice?

I have a 3 part series I’d like to discuss with you all. It’s all written, I just want to throw it out over the next few days. This will most likely mean there are a couple of posts per day from the Sons’, so please check in on a daily basis guys so as not to miss out!!

Having played a few and then tested against a couple of typical Coteaz builds in preparation for the recent Blog Wars tournament, trying to anticipate the typical builds and working up viable strategies to beat them, I can truthfully say that I can appreciate his work.

We all know the immense strengths he brings to the table, but lets recap:
• 100 point HQ that is effective (thanks Bro Champ).
• Reroll to seize – meh… still not that effective…what 24% of the time? Hmm.. dubious.
• Psyker Mastery 2 – Sanctuary and Hammerhand are great, Dark Excommunion…very specific
• Stubborn LD10.
• I’d say grenades, but everyone has them! Except of course…
• Henchmen. Unlocking these cheap bastards is his true beauty.
• A by-product of this is the ability to buy more dangerous toys IMHO

Across this article, I’d like to look at how we can build out some nasty, all round Coteaz builds.
I’d like to build out a list in 2 ways.
1) Squishy troops, mega tanks
2) 2 10 man GKSS’s, THEN as many little troops and tanks as I can.
I’m not going to combine with Crowe, although I think Bully likes this approach…

First up.. Squishy Troops.
We all know the score. Hate away.
3 Warrior acolytes = 12 points. Add Razorback with Psybolts = 62 for the unit.
- Fortitude, 3 S6 TL shots and scoring. Using range and cover for added survivability

3 Warrior acolytes, Chimera = 67
- Av12, 3 S6 at BS4, Heavy Flamer, can shoot out the top. So for this one we look to add 3 meltaguns to the WA dudes, making the unit 97 points.

For the same 97 points we can have the 3 WA, plus a Razorback w. Psybolts, Assault Cannon…for the Psycannon effect – 4 TL S7 rending shots at 30” effective range.

Easy to max these guys out at 1750.
6 x Psyback Acolytes are = 372 points and we have 6 troops!
6 x Psycannon Acolytes or 3 Melta/Chimera Acolytes = 582.

So a considerable jump, but still cheap. Either way I only want 5 of these super squishy troops as I want the following to have some table time:
4 x Death Cult Assassins, 4 x Crusaders = 120
Xenos Inq, Rad Grenades, Psychotroke Grenades, Skull x 2 = 61
This little combination is a fantastic combination with I6, S4 base plus Rad grenades, 4 attacks on the charge at WS5 for the DCA and 4 3++ saves tp put wounds on.
The Psychotroke benefits are just for lolz and added effectiveness…they are the firs to go later if I’m struggling for points.
We can add Coteaz to this unit for Hammerhand too, meaning most commonly the Death Cult are hitting on 3’s, wounding on 2’s with power weapons. That murders squads….first.

This unit needs a delivery method though and this ties in to my loot from the Blog Wars win…a Storm Raven. I chose this (and a few other bits) because, frankly, I’d probably never buy one…so I got it for ‘free’ in my mind and thought – screw it, lets get one.

This is also where the ‘toys’ concept comes in.
A Storm Raven with TL Plasma Cannon and TL MM, 4 Mindstrike Missiles (which BTW, Murder Grey Knight units… A perils per missile hit, plus any other wounds, yes please) is only 205 points. It’s AV12, fast skimmer, no melta bonus, PotMS too. Actually quite like it… plus can deliver the DCA unit so they can assault from it.
Now, I think I want a second one of these at 1750… this will keep them alive longer with some saturation and really create a visual target to draw away from the Av11.
No list would be complete for Grey Knights without some Psyflemen Dreads… But I have been finding that 3 is actually far more than enough…so I think I’ll just try 2 here.
2 x TL Autocannons with Psybolts bring the dreads to 135 each (in case you have been under a rock and not seen these guys on the tabletop)
That’s long range fire support pretty much nailed, but I want more toys.

Land Raider? Godhammer with Psybolts for 260? Perhaps..let’s examine.
A while back, Jawaballs put out an article discussing the re-emergence of AV14 Land Raiders, primarily brought on by the Grey Knight book…we can see the plethora of options it has for popping AV11-12, whils the minimal (Rending) options it has for dealing with armour values. I agree with this sentiment and want to use the Land Raiders that have been sat on the shelf since the old Deathwing days..

I can make it scoring in this list for only 12 points? I also lose one transport, saving 50 points…so yeah I’ll take it. The Godhammer is my choice as it can sit back and plink away with a pair of TL Lascannons and use Psybolt Heavy Bolter (TL) from PotMS to hit another transport/MC/MSU troop unit.

But I think that changes a few things for me. I had already been considering a Librarian with just Shrouding to hang out in a Land Raider, get it 3+/fortitude/AV14 for a pretty survivable unit. In addition we can zoom the Ravens in front of it, to keep within 6” to have a Stealth cover save for it too… Lets throw one in at the expense of the Xenos Inq…

Lastly I think I want another hull and some fairly reliable Melta up front, so we add a Venerable Dread (stock) to one of the Storm Ravens (typically the DCA one, asit is already semi-committed to pushing forward), this can drop out the front first turn and pop a BS5 shot into a transport. Then try and sit in cover and be a pain in the ass that has to be dealt with…
That’s us done at 1750…

Coteaz

Librarian – Shrouding

DCA/Crusaders 4/4

4 x 3 Warrior Acolytes in Razorbacks – Psybolts

1 x 3 WA squad rides in Godhammer

Venerable Dread – MM/DCCW

Dread – 2 x TL Autocannon, Psybolts

Dread – 2 x TL Autocannon, Psybolts

Storm Raven – TL PlasmaCannon, TL MM, 4 Mindstrike Missiles

Storm Raven – TL PlasmaCannon, TL MM, 4 Mindstrike Missiles

Godhammer Pattern Land Raider – Psybolts TL HB, 2 x TL Lascannon

Tomorrow I’ll expand on the idea from Mike Brandt over at Whiskey & 40K that he calls “The Core”...whilst I began writing this series before his post popped up, I have taken inspiration from it to get finished and been invigorated by the concept...lets see how...