How to include Grey Knights

[Silber]

I'm currently building a Codex: Space Marines Army. I'm a big fan of Silent Requiem's The Way of the Water Warrior, too, and thus plan to include some Grey Knights.

 

Now there's different approaches to this game we love - to some it's all about the background, also known and referred to as "fluff", while others are more into rules - if it works, they'll take it. My personal approach is somewhere in between: I think that the background should serve the game, and so I tend to look at the models and rules first, and then make up some background to add flavour. I tell you this so you might better understand what is my question.

 

Are there any good possibilties to include Grey Knights into a Space Marine Army? I'm planning to use them permanently, and that doesn't quite seem to fit the background of their's. After all they usually just turn up to fight a specific demonic threat - so why should they accompany a SM Strike Force over an extended period of time?

 

And there's still an alternative: use them as counts-as. I have a quite interesting idea for a special unit in my DIY-chapter that could use GK-Rules. I'd convert special models for them of course, and yet it doesn't really feel "ok" to me....

 

Let me know what you think, and thanks in advance....

[WarriorFish]

Maybe you could say that the main antagonist for your campaigning Marines is someone/thing that the GKs would like to get their shiney little mitts on? The GK are spread all over the place so they probably wouldn't have a problem with sticking with your Marines for some extra strength as long as their goals were the same.

[high marshall jordan]

this is what I would do:

perhaps it could be an extended campaign to route out some demons in a system and and the your SM chapter create a long standing allignment to the GKs and they create a few connections with the GK chapter and can call in a few favors

 

what I have also done is use them as a count as something like honour gaurd for my SW

[Mal]

As stated, they show up, fight the big bad and hop off again.... but what if the 'big bad' wasn't actually the really big bad? with the eye of terror as it is the GK chapter is spread dangerously thin, so in order to complete their mission, they could enlist the aid of a local space marine force. The marines would in all likely hood be willing to help the GK's once they know whats at stake...

 

Basically instead of finding a reason for the GK's to join the SM's here is a reason for the SM's to join the GK's.

[Grand Master Tyrak]

Reasons for the SM/GK alliance is easy to come up with. The problem is that after the battle, the Marines get mind-scrubbed (apart from the senior Officers if you're a First (maybe Second) Founding Chapter) to keep the Grey Knights existence a secret.

 

For an extended campaign, it would have to be against their wishes. GKs, and SMs too, are not meant for protracted battles, that's the job of the Guard. Even in a major battle lasting months, the Marines will not be on the front lines unless they are needed. They will be a fast reserve responding very quickly to particular flashpoints - its what they are good at. Either that or they will be spearheading a particular assault. That's really about it. They need the initiative to work at their best, unless its a 'last stand' procedure. They aren't used for static defence or sieges. Some examples of what they could do in a long campaign:

- Defending the landing site while the Guard get their feet on the ground.

- Spearheading a crucial assault.

- Performing a rearguard while the Guard evacuate (Marines can evac just as fast as they deploy ;) ).

- Conducting sabotage raids behind enemy lines.

- Striking at enemy commanders.

- Rapid Strike missions to draw enemy forces away from the front lines.

 

Whatever your campaign involves, it will have to include no/less Guard than would normally be necessary if you want Marines permanently on the front lines (just say a troopship got destroyed or something), and the Marines/GKs would have to have a real reason to stay and get bogged down, which normally would be the worst tactical move for a Marine force. Otherwise, stick to the ideas above (or others of a similar nature). GKs would probably be spread out among the Marine groups are required, with the GK Commander and his Terminators acting as a final reserve should major daemonic forces be encountered.

Needless to say, if there are no daemonic forces, you're better off using counts-as units using the GK rules, the GKs wouldn't turn up for non-daemonic conflicts, they're spread thin enough as it is.

[Grand Master Iapetus]

I'll second everyone's comments about the why, I don't neccesarily agree on the short term alliances (see the last paragraph)...but I want to raise the question of the practical. Whether you ally DH with the SM or SM with the DH from a practical standpoint what type of units do you want to field and are allowed to field.

 

AFA specific units, you have to ask yourself what does the GK codex bring to the table that the SM doesn't? On the items the GK and SMs have in common, usually the SM usually comes out on top: 35 point rhinos, cheaper troops, cheaper Land Raiders, access to a wider variety of vehicles, etc. Seems to me you have the right idea about inducting the GK into the SM - pick a few good units and bring them in.

 

• First thing that comes to mind is the GK Grand Master, his force weapon is still allowed to remove a model from the table regardless of the ID rule. You can also get more terminators on the board by bringing a retinue with him. This gives you termies without using a coveted elite spot.
  

• Bring an inqusitor with a couple of mystics and park them near a dev squad / vindi / thunderfire. Low points cost and you can get some free shots at DS units. You can also get the DH version of the psychic hood, which goes a lot further than the SM version.
  

• DCAs might also be fun to try, and they are relatively cheap. I have personally not seen them fielded with a 5e allied SM army, but there could are some cool things you could do with them.
  

• There might be some occasions where an Inquisitorial Assasin makes sense, but you would have to bring an Inquisitor Lord to do so (meaning you couldn't take the Grand Master).
  

• I don't know if bringing either of the DH troop selections makes any sense at all. You can get basic marines for darn close to the cost of the ISTs that have a lot less punch. PAGKs IMO are underpowered in relation to what they bring, and when compared to the basic SM the extra points for underpowered units is not justifiable.
  

All of this dovetails nicely with the fluff, too. An Inquisitor could be assigned to rid an entire sector of the influence of chaos which could take years. They have the power to commandeer any imperial force they need at any time for any reason. The Grey Knights are always outnumbered, so having a Grand Master ask for help from another chapter if he feels the threat is greater than the Grey Knights he has at his disposal is consistent. Or as previously suggested, the chapter might have a blood oath with a certain group or against a certain enemy. And a lot of the chapters are more pious than others, and might be more inclined to go against chaos and daemons even if they aren't pure GKs.