Henchmen Psykers

[Joe Mama]

You put enough of those little guys together and they can shoot out a high strength armor ignoring blast. Four guys gets you Strength 6 AP 3. Six guys gets you strength 8 AP 1. 36 inch Large Blast! And they are only 10 points each.

 

But,

 

they are only LD 8 and BS 3. Their power may not go off, or miss. If perials happen they all die.

 

Still, they are cheap enough to take 2-3 squads mounted in Rhinos./

 

Anyone use these henchmen how did they turn out?

[Jacinda]

WT...?

Oh, 36" range, large blast. That makes more sense than what I first though. ;)

[Joe Mama]

;) I typed quickly.

[Something Wycked]

Well, consider that the average roll on 2d6 is 7, and you'll see that whether or not they get their ability off every turn is very much in doubt- without taking into account any psychic defenses the opponent may have.

 

So, while inexpensive, they aren't stable enough for me to include them in my lists.

Control, control, you must learn control!

[Chengar Qordath]

On the other hand, being Assault 36" means they can out-range most psychic defenses, and one solid hit will more than earn back their points.

[Something Wycked]

...they can out-range most psychic defenses...

For at least a couple turns, until the psychic defense moves into range. And then you have to hope that your Leadership rolls on those first couple turns succeed since you are more likely than not going to fail to get the power off once the psychic defense comes into play for various reasons.

[Joe Mama]

Rolling an 8 or less happens 70%-ish of the time, so they aren't that horrible. Because they are so cheap you can have two squads of them to increase the odss,or add them to two already shooting squads. 6 psykers is S8 AP1, 2 groups of 6 is only 120 points. For the potential of 1 or more S8 AP1 large blasts hitting a bit above 60% of the tmie (this is what some math geeks figured out on a blog), that isn't that unreliable. I am just starting my henchmen / grey knights hybrid list, so maybe I am totally wrong, but it seems like they can make their opoints back.

 

On the other hand, being Assault 36" means they can out-range most psychic defenses, and one solid hit will more than earn back their points.

 

:) you posted while I was typing. That is a good point!

[number6]

I am definitely not a fan because of LD 8. They aren't truly cheap as chips, you know. They take up a precious Elites slot, if nothing else. And that LD 8 isn't just a hindrance for passing psyker tests. These guys die like flies, and since you will not want them anywhere near the center of the table, making them run off the table is trivially easy.

 

Bleh. :)

[Joe Mama]

I would use them with Corteaz, so they'd be troops. And i'd put them inside a vehicle. Otherwise they are too easy to kill like you said.

 

by the way, does Coteaz's I'll be Back ability work with psychic shooting attacks?

[Something Wycked]

And that LD 8 isn't just a hindrance for passing psyker tests. These guys die like flies, and since you will not want them anywhere near the center of the table, making them run off the table is trivially easy.

Though, to be fair, giving them a vehicle to hide in can mostly fix that, especially if its a GK Rhino that's effectively immune to shaken/stunned.

 

To throw numbers at the psychic defense:

Alone, they will pass their test 72.22% of the time.

In the face of a Space Wolf Rune Priest, their power will go off 36.11% of the time (Njal: 24.07%).

In the face of Nids or Eldar and having to use 3d6, 25.92% chance to cast successfully.

In the face of a SM Hood, 20.22% to succeed.

 

And lets not get into casting against Grey Knights with Aegis/Reinforced Aegis :)

 

Edit:

 

Actually, here's a complete list from WarHamSandwich:

 

http://warhamsandwich.files.wordpress.com/2011/10/screen-shot-2011-10-05-at-17-22-57.png

[thade]

If I had the models, I'd take a few now and a gain, for the lolz. Probably be fun to convert up.

[staxer]

Some Eldar and Tyranid armies will make you roll 3d6 so with a low leadership it is not worthtaking them against a perils of the warp rolls

[*Furyou Miko]

I am definitely not a fan because of LD 8. They aren't truly cheap as chips, you know. They take up a precious Elites slot, if nothing else. And that LD 8 isn't just a hindrance for passing psyker tests. These guys die like flies, and since you will not want them anywhere near the center of the table, making them run off the table is trivially easy.

 

Bleh. ;)

 

Actually, they take an HQ slot, and with them you get a nicely equipped Inquisitor, as well as (potentially) a Chimera. Never underestimate the power of an Armour 12 transport that can carry twelve power armoured (or six terminator armoured!) models, five of whom can fire out of it. Oh, and the Multi-laser can instant death Eldar, Guard or Sororitas characters.

 

>> Now I want to play a GK army just to put a unit of Paladins with two Psycannons led by a Grandmaster with a Psycannon in a Chimera. Because NO-ONE will expect a piddly little Chimera of carrying that kind of hitting power.

[Something Wycked]

>> Now I want to play a GK army just to put a unit of Paladins with two Psycannons led by a Grandmaster with a Psycannon in a Chimera. Because NO-ONE will expect a piddly little Chimera of carrying that kind of hitting power.

Could also put a OM =][= with Psycannon in there with 5 Purgations with 4 Psycannons and have all 5 fire out the top ;)

 

Or, to bring this more on topic, attach that OM =][= to the squad of Psykers and they can both fire out the top ;)

[thade]

I mean, don't hold me in too low esteem when I admit that I don't think much of six paladins in a Chimera; chimeras are basically Rhinos. It's 1-2 turns of mobility that they can't assault out of. Mixed feelings there.

[Abaddonshand]

I use them with my Ordo xenos inquisitor in a 1500pt list, and they are good fun. Besides, if they all suffer perils and die it's funny as hell, and it's no skin off the inquisitor's nose if the witches on his side happen to die trying to kill the witches on the other side (although I should mention my character is a hypocrit, as he's a psyker. On that note he also consorts with xenos, having 3 kroot mercenaries in his retinue, counts as DCA).

[thade]

...ridiculously awesome right here...

Awesome. Seriously awesome. :(

[Chengar Qordath]

...they can out-range most psychic defenses...

For at least a couple turns, until the psychic defense moves into range. And then you have to hope that your Leadership rolls on those first couple turns succeed since you are more likely than not going to fail to get the power off once the psychic defense comes into play for various reasons.

One of the advantages of being Assault 36" is the ability to move away from any advancing psychic defenses and keep shooting. Plus for any GK army your opponent's psychic defenses are a priority target anyway.

[Emperorwaffle]

I have found them to be quite useful. I run them with an inquisitor with psyocculum with great results. Their low leadership and splat factor are discouraging, but they also throw out a large blast at 36" as assault. That keeps them out of hood range and void.

[Brother Valerius]

I am definitely not a fan because of LD 8. They aren't truly cheap as chips, you know. They take up a precious Elites slot, if nothing else. And that LD 8 isn't just a hindrance for passing psyker tests. These guys die like flies, and since you will not want them anywhere near the center of the table, making them run off the table is trivially easy.

 

Bleh. :(

 

Non-Coteaz henchmen don't take up slots. :rolleyes:

[BLACK BLΠFLY]

I think they could be a great choice for a Coteaz henchmen list. One unit with enough psykers to reach AP1 could work well I think.

 

G :rolleyes:

[Chengar Qordath]

I have found them to be quite useful. I run them with an inquisitor with psyocculum with great results. Their low leadership and splat factor are discouraging, but they also throw out a large blast at 36" as assault. That keeps them out of hood range and void.

Hadn't thought of it before, but a Psyocculum would make Psykers pretty murderous against any enemy unit containing a psyker. As long as you can manifest the power, it's an auto-hit (even at max scatter, you'd only move 2" with a 5" blast template).

[Something Wycked]

One of the advantages of being Assault 36" is the ability to move away from any advancing psychic defenses and keep shooting. Plus for any GK army your opponent's psychic defenses are a priority target anyway.

The assumption here is that a 6" move of the vehicle is enough to keep them out of range of things that might be closing at a rate of 12" or more ;)

[Chengar Qordath]

One of the advantages of being Assault 36" is the ability to move away from any advancing psychic defenses and keep shooting. Plus for any GK army your opponent's psychic defenses are a priority target anyway.

The assumption here is that a 6" move of the vehicle is enough to keep them out of range of things that might be closing at a rate of 12" or more ;)

You missed (or deliberately ignored) the second part of that post.

 

Yes, if an opponent has a fast-moving Librarian who is completely focused on getting into hood range of that one squad and nothing else, he'll eventually pull it off. Mobility buys time though, and every turn your Psykers can still shoot is another turn where they can drop a Strength 8 AP 1 pieplate on that Librarian's (or whatever else's) head.

[Something Wycked]

Yep, deliberately ignored, but since you want one, here's your response: there's a huge chasm between "priority target" and "definitely killed before he's in range." ;)