New army, new tactics

[JMac]

I've been doing some serious thinking about the new mechanics of the Grey Knights. I've heard people say that the new GKs play nothing like the Daemonhunters ever did. With that in mind, one of my favorite features of the codex is the psybolt ammunition. Let's face it, a marine toting around a forceweapon and a S5 stormbolter is nothing anyone wants to encounter. Now, combo this with the defensive grenades that come standard and the Counter-Attack USR granted by the Grand Masters Grand Strategy while having access to taking a Rhino (or even Deep Striking them in if desperate for points) could be a nasty tactic to counter. Move them up, unload bolter fire from a distance, and wait for the charge only to rob them of their +1 attack and Counter-Attack.

 

Has anyone tried this yet? Comments or concerns?

[CheezeFezt]

I've been doing some serious thinking about the new mechanics of the Grey Knights. I've heard people say that the new GKs play nothing like the Daemonhunters ever did. With that in mind, one of my favorite features of the codex is the psybolt ammunition. Let's face it, a marine toting around a forceweapon and a S5 stormbolter is nothing anyone wants to encounter. Now, combo this with the defensive grenades that come standard and the Counter-Attack USR granted by the Grand Masters Grand Strategy while having access to taking a Rhino (or even Deep Striking them in if desperate for points) could be a nasty tactic to counter. Move them up, unload bolter fire from a distance, and wait for the charge only to rob them of their +1 attack and Counter-Attack.

 

Has anyone tried this yet? Comments or concerns?

 

GK don't get defensive grenade. They get offensive grenade (frag & psyk-out). The Counter-Attack is D3 units from the Grand Master. 2D3 if the Grand Master Grand Strategy stacks and you take 2.

 

GK lack range. Almost all the weapons are range 24". Beside the Storm Raven, they don't have anything that can move flat-out fast (no bike/attack bike/land speeder). They mostly lack access to melta (no melta-bomb/melta-gun) beside the vehicle/walker.

 

Dread can't DS nor can they take Drop Pod to allows them to DS, so their multi-melta will get out-ranged by the big tanks.

 

Tactics vs GK is the same vs Space Marine that don't take bike/land speeder, knock out the transport, then shoot them up from range. And bring some big tanks.

 

If GK hoof it on foot, trying to dish out damage with S5 stormbolter, most be dead before they can get close enough to use their force weapons. Force weapons don't do too much vs low armor like orkies. If GK bring psycannon with non-termie, the rate of fire is seriously reduced. If GK is made of termie, then you don't have enough number. Fast army will just knock out the transport, then back up.

 

GK is nasty in close combat vs powered armor race. Against mob of gaunt/ork, not so good. Purifier is the answer. So if you want an GK army that can take all race, you'll have to take lots of purifiers.

[Ashe Darke]

GK is nasty in close combat vs powered armor race. Against mob of gaunt/ork, not so good. Purifier is the answer. So if you want an GK army that can take all race, you'll have to take lots of purifiers.

Personally I think you need a mix of Purifiers and SS. Cleansing Flame and Warp Quake are both very useful powers but also very situational. Taking only units that have 1 power seems like it is missing the other. My 1750 list has 2 combat orientated SS units and a Purifier unit. The Purifiers are actually a shooting unit which can also be used as a combat unit vs hordes and the SS carry on as normal. What with the my Heavy slots filled with Dreads, the Purifiers were the next best way of getting 4 psycannons in a squad.

 

There isn't a lot in the wya of hordes round here but there is the way of deep strikers so this makes sense for my needs.

[KnowThyEnemy]

for those who say GK cant shoot with the best of them, I'm going to disagree completely. just got done playing my first game with one of the other seasoned vets for our group. lists below

 

me:

2k list

Crowe

Xenos Inquisitor: 3 x Skulls

Vindicare

Venerable Dread: 2 x twin auto + psybolt

Venerable Dread: 2 x twin auto + psybolt

7 Purifiers: 2 Psycannons, Hammer, Rhino

7 Purifiers: 2 Psycannons, Hammer, Rhino

6 Purifiers: 2 Psycannons, Rhino

6 Purifiers: 2 Psycannons, Rhino

Dread: 2 x twin auto + psybolt

Dread: 2 x twin auto + psybolt

Dread: 2 x twin auto + psybolt

 

him:

command squad: chimera, plasmas

vendetta:melta vets

vendetta:melta vets

vendetta:melta vets

melta vets:chimera

plasma vets:chimera, autocannon

plasma vets:chimera, autocannon

3 empty chimeras

2 medusa (twin autos ?)

1 leman russ

1 manticore (4 missles?)

 

we had 12" deployment and capture the flag. i placed the 3 skulls mid-field spread equally. he ended up being able to squeeze 2 vendettas down my left side but i deployed far away from there anyway. no biggie

 

he got first turn, i pillboxed my rhinos around my 3 regular dreads put the vindicare slightly forward of my deployement and placed my venerables on the right side to face down his other vendetta

first turn casualties: 1 destroyed rhino, 2 immobilized rhinos, plenty of stunned rhinos, 1 arm of a regular dread. so my mobility is down to 1 rhino basically. not bueno for cap flag

his first turn casualties: 1 vendetta (thank you vindicare), the melta squad inside, 2 chimeras, 2 medusas, couple of stunned results.

from there on out i traded arms on my dreads for chimeras and vendettas. psycannons took out the leman russ's big gun and vindicare merrily plugged away at transports till a heavy flamer ended his fun.

 

the game ended in a draw (of course).

i had 3 purifiers sitting on my objective, crowe chasing chimeras, 1 whole venerable, 1 venerable missing an arm, and 2 armless dreads.

he had a 5 man plasma squad, 1 chimera, leman russ, missle-less manticore

 

point of the story, even against shooty armies, there are well rounded lists out there to deal with them. i consider 26 purifiers as good enough to take on alot :)