KHAAAAAN!

[Fated]

So, I've recently been looking at the codex (which is obvious), when I noticed the aforementioned White Scar Master of the Hunt had some VERY interesting rules.

 

For example:

 

He bestows two rules to attached units: furious charge, hit and run. So they can run in, bash the enemy at +1 strength and initiative, then fall back, just to do it again(if the enemy is stupid enough not to take advantage).

 

He grants the entire army the chance to outflank (like CREEEED! but much more awesome).

 

To top it off, he's got a nifty sword that ignores armor and instant deaths on a 6 to wound.

 

And he's basically a slightly tooled up Captain. So by giving him the now sticky bike(everyone takes them if possible, right), he can give an additional troop choice of Bikers (5+ marines in the unit to qualify).

 

Now, my question is: Why have I not seen this guy on the table and on the forums more? And your thoughts, of course.

 

(When those Land Raiders come through the sides...KHAAAAN!)

[spartan249]

Chiefly because he gets rid of Combat Tactics, an ability that many enjoy over outflank.

 

That being said, I use him often, and have made my own counts-as Khan for my clan Garrsak force.

[Something Wycked]

From what I've read, the tactic that biker armies prefer/need is Combat Tactics; getting tarpitted is death to a low model count army.

[DarkGuard]

From what I've read, the tactic that biker armies prefer/need is Combat Tactics; getting tarpitted is death to a low model count army.

 

From what I've read Khan doesn't lead many biker armies :P

 

No seriously, he doesn't. Which is odd considering he's the White Scars Captain and has an awesome bike. But, as you say most bike armies would prefer combat tactics, and feel a relic blade storm shield bike captain is just as good.

 

So Khan is normally in foot armies, leading Command squads, Vanguard squads or Scout squads, sometimes even Terminator squads (lightning claws), and he is deadly on the charge. +1I and S is fantastic, letting you hit fast and hard. Soak up enough wounds and then break off in your opponent's turn, and charge again. And he's cheap.

 

Reason why he isn't used much? Most competitive armies will either take a Libby and keep combat tactics, or if they're losing combat tactics they'll take either Vulkan or Pedro for their abilities, or Lysander for better combat. But Khan is still good thanks to his cheapness, he's cheaper than my Captain, and I was pleased with him when I used to play him. May have to build a list with him in again, could be fun.

[Koremu]

From what I've read, the tactic that biker armies prefer/need is Combat Tactics; getting tarpitted is death to a low model count army.

 

From what I've read Khan doesn't lead many biker armies :P

 

No seriously, he doesn't. Which is odd considering he's the White Scars Captain and has an awesome bike. But, as you say most bike armies would prefer combat tactics, and feel a relic blade storm shield bike captain is just as good.

Khan's bike is over-expensive for a special ability that you'll rarely if ever use. Bear in mind here that the Bike allows Khan to run & be fleet while on it, but not the rest of his unit - which means that his best abilities (gives Furious Charge and Hit&Run to his squad) can't be used if you use the bike ability, as you have to split off from the Squad.

[DarkGuard]

Which is a flaw that shows that GW weren't exactly thinking much about Khan's bike IMO. Khan on foot though, as I've said, is a solid choice, but I feel a lot of people go for Vulkan instead if they want a combat character while trading out combat tactics.

[Koremu]

That's because Vulkan is sufficiently easy mode to make tactics nigh on brainless

[Meatman]

Because he can't take a jump pack >.>

 

 

Meh, I got the forgeworld Raven Guard Shadow Captain Korvydae for my jump pack hit and run goodness :P

[ShinyRhino]

I regularly run a Bike Captain, and rarely use Khan.

 

Khan requires a Command Squad, tooled for melee, to make maximum use of his rules. A standard biker squad with Furious Charge and Hit and Run is pointless. Huzzah! You have bikers who get 2 attacks on the charge at I/S 5. Yawn. :P

When with a melee-oriented Command Squad, you're chopping through the enemy with glee, power weapons flashing, and actually cutting down MEQ models before they can even hit you back.

That melee-tooled Command Squad is expensive. Mine runs at 275 points, as much as a Land Raider with a multimelta and extra armor.

 

Outflank sounds great, until you start trying to use it. I ran a Khan list as half of a team tournament format this past weekend. I outflanked a total of three units, over the course of two games. One game I outflanked zero units. There's too much randomness to it. First, random roll for Reserves. Second, random roll for board edge of arrival. If your outflanking unit doesn't show up until Turn Four, and the battle has progressed to be largely on one side of the table, your Outflank can be 100% useless when it shows up 48" away from the fight.

 

A standard Bike Captain is more versatile than Khan, since you retain Combat Tactics, and your arrivals from Reserves are only half as random. You can get better wargear. Khan's ID on a 6 is irrelevant, because so many important characters have Eternal Warrior these days. It might sound neat when charging a Carnifex, but why the hell are you charging a Carnifex with Khan? ;)

[Marshal Wilhelm]

Melta bike armies NEED Combat tactics, so Khan is out for them.

 

Plasma bike armies don't need Combat tactics, so Khan is a possibility.

 

Wolf Scouts are actually not as good as Grey Hunters on the table. Yet they scare armies with a static fire base component. Why? Simply because they scare the enemy.... The Scouts might MELTA or assault the Manticore/Broadside/Lootaz, etc.

Then the opponent doesn't deploy within 12" of their table edge.

 

Same thing with outflanking Melta bikes, dudes become afraid of the edges, so deploy closer into the middle of the table. This gives more freedom for the bikes to roam around in, which is great for Plasma bikes.

 

Khan + Hammernators H&R'ing from a LR, or maybe even without one, could be a neat and useful addition to a Bike list, considering how average bikes are point for point in mêlée.

H&R gives 3d6" from combat, then you move+assault another 12", which can actually give mobility to an otherwise slow component of the list....

 

Darkseer, the Space Wolf Blog guy, used a LR Phobos with Wolf Guard Terminators, as his ace-in-the-hole to get a good result in a tourney. The Termies were loaded up with combi and power weapons. The tlLC pewpewed for the first few turns, along with the rest of the list. When the enemy finally committed to the attack, perhaps leading the way with their own deathstar unit, Darkseer used the Termies to cut them down with plasma death and i4 power weapons.

 

I think a Khan+Termies+LR could fill the same niche in a Bike list, though the games were at 1750 pts, and so not as advisable for 1500 pt games.

 

Thoughts?

[Koremu]

Khan + Hammernators H&R'ing from a LR, or maybe even without one, could be a neat and useful addition to a Bike list, considering how average bikes are point for point in mêlée.

H&R gives 3d6" from combat, then you move+assault another 12", which can actually give mobility to an otherwise slow component of the list....

If you're investing in Khan & a Land Raider, it would be well worth looking again at Lightning Claw Assault Terminators.

 

The Land Raider gives you an almost guaranteed charge, and LC Termis with FC are S5, I5, rerolling to wound Power Weapons.

 

3 Hammernators, 4 LC Termis plus Khan (and a Counts-as-Cassius Chaplain?) in a Crusader...