Backfield Disruption/Hunter

[spartan249]

This codex packs quite a few new fast moving units that can fulfill this Philosophy of Use (aka POU), namely a Personal Teleporter equipped Dreadknight, Interceptor Squads, and Stormravens. The question I pose to the community is this: Which of these units fills this POU most effectively for the points spent?

[Gentlemanloser]

Mordrak. :)

[nurglez]

To me its one of those questions that has no proper answer, as it depends on what else is in your list, what you enjoy playing with and what you often play against.

 

A squad of terminators/paladins/strikes deepstriking can be a threat to backfield units, as well as something that moves fast. interceptors/ PT DK's outflanking can be awesome too, as well as set up normally.

 

I personally am quite fond of using a DK, with greatsword, heavy incinerator and greatsword. all units that are kept back and hiding in cover will fear the heavy incinerator (apart from units with a 2+ or 3+ save :tu: ).

[Zeratil]

I second nurglez, a backfield DK can be very scary, but it's a heavy pointsink and so needs to be used well, especially against power armour as you'll need to assault to do a lot of damage. A small squad of interceptors can also be very useful, take a pstcannon and use it to get rear/side shots on irritating vehilces and backfield units. The incinerator is a good buy iy you know you're going up against AP4, but otherwise the psycannon is better as it's got better anti-mech potential.

[spartan249]

Now that I've been using my Dreadknight a little more extensively, I'm surprised by how effective he can be at fulfilling this POU. While there are some times where I just fluff rolls and lose him quickly, he very often laughs off entire units of shooting and go on to beast it up with whatever squishy morsel is screaming "Assault me!".

 

Alright, let's focus the discussion into the three main archetypes of GK lists that show up.

 

1: GK Mech of all types (MSU, minor Rhino + dread usage, whatever)

2: Terminator/Paladin heavy armies

3: Power Armor heavy armies

[nurglez]

Well, for Draigo wing, a dreadknight does the job perfectly. Either using scout to outflank or to scout forward threatening an early assault. Though I often Reroll 1's as its awesome for the heavy incinerator vs 4+ save infantry B)

[The Holy Heretic]

My inquisitorial task force is basically based on rushing rhinos with mystics towards the enemy to ensure deepstrike precision for GK contingents of paladins and dreadknights.

[Something Wycked]

Well, the only answer is a PTDK with Interceptors rolling with it, of course. :P

[spartan249]

So, based on what I'm seeing so far, Interceptors don't rank very high on the interest scale. Would any army composition benefit more from a squad of Interceptors then a Dreadknight in your opinions?

[Archon_77]

The main beef I have with interceptors is that they are not as cost efficent as other units in the codex, especially if you want to kit them with halberds or psycannons. Addtionally they do not have as much durability as say, deepstriking termies or the aforementioned NDK.

[Zeratil]

So, based on what I'm seeing so far, Interceptors don't rank very high on the interest scale. Would any army composition benefit more from a squad of Interceptors then a Dreadknight in your opinions?

 

If you have a Grandmaster to make them scoring then they can be a good buy, saving that 30 teleport move to take an objective turn 5 means an opponent is going to have to consider what they can do and where they can go, thats the great thing about a 10 man squad of them, hide them somewhere in the middle back of the table and they can reach just about anywhere on the board with their teleport.

 

However you don't really want more than 1 10 man squad because 1/3 of the time only one unit will get Grand Strategy, and if interceptors can't score they're tough to fit into a list (unless those probably fake 6th ed rules are legit in which case a 5 man squad is just amazing) as other things do their job better/cheaper.

 

They can also work well backing up Draigowing lists to give them some extra scoring bodies that are hard to lock down/able to take out Manticores et al.

[Something Wycked]

if interceptors can't score they're tough to fit into a list as other things do their job better/cheaper.

What exactly does an Interceptor's job better or cheaper?

 

Or, my real question, what unit can fill the Interceptor's shoes at all?

 

The main beef I have with interceptors is that they are not as cost efficent as other units in the codex, especially if you want to kit them with halberds or psycannons. Addtionally they do not have as much durability as say, deepstriking termies or the aforementioned NDK.

They also don't cost as much as, say, Deep Striking Terminators. You pay for that durability and sacrifice the mobility of the Interceptors.

 

10x Interceptors, 2 Psycannons, Hammer, Psybolts - 310 - Firepower, mobility, a tactically advantageous psychic power and 10 wounds with a 3+ save.

 

10x Purifiers, 4 Psycanons, Hammer, Rhino - 340? - 30 points more for an advantage in attacks, leadership and firepower, but less mobility, no option to Deep Strike, a less tactically advantageous psychic power, etc.

 

10x Strikes, 2 Psycannons, Hammer, Psybolts, Rhino - 290 - 20 points less for the exact same squad setup, with less mobility (no shunt) and as soon as their ride is stopped, they suffer a >50% decrease in mobility.

 

5x Terminators, 1 Psycannon, Hammer - 225? - ~73% of the cost for 50% of the wounds, ~64% of the firepower, a ~17% increase in durability, and a >50% decrease in mobility.

 

PTDK - 205? - Only 4 wounds, only 5 attacks on the charge, no ranged firepower for this price, but high S and T and 2+/5++.

 

Interceptors have a niche all their own, and they fill it very well.

 

That being said, not all army lists need that niche filled :lol: Truth be told, I designed my army concept around the Interceptor niche, so I perhaps see it more clearly and I definitely assign it a higher value than most people will.