Warbands...

[Vor]

Looking for some advice on Inquisitorial warbands? Planning on running a few in an Apoc game this weekend, but I'm not really sure how to structor them.

 

I've run them only once before, and that was 5 squads of just one unit type - maxed out monkeys in one, maxed out Psykers in three and maxed out crusaders in the last. But that was a quick crazy list (with proxy models) drawn up in a few seconds to take up the last hour of a club night.

 

I'll be running two squads during the Apoc game I think. One being lead by Inquisitor Lord Amy Navarone (counts as Valeria), a radical Ordos Xenos and the other being Lord Hector Rex (again, a counts as in terms of my fluff, he's Navarone's "apprentice" for want of a better term). Rex has such an epic model I just had to work it into my army.

[adamv6]

After some playing around, I created a warband with;

 

1 x Inq

3 x DCA's

3 x Crusaders

3 x Warrior Acolytes (2 with Hot shots, 1 SB)

 

I have found in the games I have used them, that the Crusaders manage to keep things alive (Storm Shield 3+ inv) giving the DCAs chance to get in and do the business. The Acolytes so far have only dispatched 3 SMs between them, but do enough to warrant their place.

[The Holy Heretic]

I'd go with 6 DCAs - you want a majority of WS5 and plenty of attacks to do some damage.

 

3 crusaders sounds right.

 

2(3) Flamer acolytes, since you want to get up close and personal AKA flamer range - I like the third to be a mystic for DS safety.

 

Mount in chimera or 'raven - or dump the acolytes, if you want a Rhino instead.

 

Led by a RAD (grenade) inquisitor or a more tricked out techmarine.

 

18 WS5 I6 power weapon attacks on the charge with an effective strength of 5 - thats 8 wounds on MEQs (10 IDs on GEQs), before the crusaders and inquisitor even get to strike ;)

 

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For a shooty retinue, I like:

 

3 Plasmaservitors, 2 Jokaero backed up by storm bolter acolytes in a chimera, a strong anti-infantry unit to mop up, when the grey knights have cracked the armour. When points are scarce, I dump the chimera and hug some cover - with a bit of luck, you've got 36" rending stormbolters to take advantage, then you'll 'Bring the PAIN!'.

 

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For inquisitors; the only upgrade I'd care about is RAD grenades. Armour is fairly pointless - you've got 3 wounds, and the really dangerous weapons will deny you the save anyway - quite often accompanied by ID from your squishy T3. Guns are expensive compared to henchmen, and you'll probably be limited by firepoints. Psychic powers.. could be helpful, but inquisitors just aren't combat monsters. If you really, really want a CC character to lead your henchmen; get a techmarine with a staff and RAD, he comes with a complimentary Hammerhand, a 2++ and a couple of S8 no armour save attacks :D

 

 

BTW: I agree on Hector, I use mine as my GKGM :o

[Dusty_Bones]

18 attacks from 6 DCA? Why? DCA got 2 attacks in base, +1 for add. ccw, +1 for charge = 4A for each one.

[Something Wycked]

Sometimes its easy to forget just how broken the DCAs are :P

[Gentlemanloser]

And there are some that argue that DCA are not the premier CC unit in the game. :P

 

If only they had Frags! :)

[Dusty_Bones]

get LRC and get your frags ))

[Something Wycked]

Wow, Dusty_Bones, those frag grenades of yours are more expensive than the unit of DCAs and the Inquisitor purchased alongside them put together! :)

[Inquisitor Fox]

I think the biggest advice for rules jockey Retinues is to have a plan and purpose for the Retinue.

 

Close combat? Fire support? Anti-tank?

 

Then look at different options for those roles, and how they play together. For instance, Fire support/anti-tank could be easily accomplished with a pair of Jokaero, two or three gun servitors, three warriors with melta or plasma guns, and an Inquisitor with a hell rifle. The Jokaero may well buff the long range guns of the other henchmen, and count as lascannons themselves to boot. This unit can put out a tremendous amount of long range firepower.

 

Close combat? 5 or 6 DCAs, some Crusaders, then perhaps arco-flagellants or banishers with eviscerators. Add an Inquisitor with hammerhand (probably Xenos for the rad grenades brutal combination) and you'll make a mess of most anything you charge into.

 

If you want anti-infantry firepower instead of anti-tank, change the weapons around a bit, or look into psykers. Plan on having a lot of deep striking Grey Knight units? Add a mystic or two to each and every Retinue.

 

It's an incredibly versatile unit, but one that shouldn't be assembled without "a plan" unless your plan is to just make a lot of models that look neat and tell a story of the Inquisitor they belong to :lol: That's also a good approach for just plain fun gaming. I plan on building a Fire Warrior with a bolter, converting a Harlequin to have two power weapons as a counts as DCA, jokaero, squat with plasmagun... all sorts of fun and wonky things. It'll be a blast. Might not be the most effective unit power-gamer wise, but it'll be surprisingly capable I'm sure.

[Vor]

Cheers guys. Going to go with a monkey buffed anti-tank unit with servitors and a close combat unit with DCA, crusaders and a few banishers I think.