Henchmen...

[Centurion645]

I've been planning a Grey Knight Henchmen army for quite some time now, and I've heard a few Grey Knight player's opinions on them, and which ones they use to the best extent. While I don't have too much experience with GKs and Henchmen in general, I would like to hear the community's experiences with Henchmen, and which types they find the most useful. So which Henchmen builds/types do you guys find the most useful?

[Brother Bobert]

In 5th ed I was in love with the dca and crusader combo. I'd toss a mystic in there if I were taking any deepstriking units. I'd toss a banisher into the unit for the chance to take out armor and to screw over demons.

 

Since 6th lanched I've been focusing on more range attacks. Jokeros have great potental, I usually have 2 in each ranged unit. Warrior acolytes spread out with stormbolters as extra wounds/shots. I've been toying with psychers the last few weeks, I like them but at the same time there's enough chance of them blowing themselves up. What I've really be relying on are heavy bolter servitors attached to inquisitors.

[spartan249]

After all my testing, I'm now of the opinion that Henchmen are good in three roles.

 

First and most effective role is as a clean up unit. The main body of Grey Knights are very good at whittling down targets at range with substantial amounts of firepower. What they are usually not good at is maneuvering in and cleaning up the mess that remains. Close Combat Henchmen can step in and fill this gap for a bargain price, as they can finish off weakened enemy units that manage to close in and take care of targets that the Grey Knights themselves have trouble handling.

 

Second role is as an objective holder. Grey Knights in general are very expensive and must be on the front lines to be squeezing out all of their offensive potential. Having a Strike Squad or a Terminator Squad or Purifiers holding a home objective is a huge waste, as they are taking up a lot of points to basically do nothing for you. A ranged henchmen unit can fix that by providing a bargain unit that also contributes long range fire support from a bolstered position. As an added bonus, having a sitter squad with a few ICs attached can allow you to throw in a substantial amount of GK units into deep strike reserves, essentially allowing you to use a pseudo null deployment scheme.

 

Third is as an eraser unit. Henchmen outfitted for Close Quarters Battle can pack an astounding amount of firepower for the points invested. If protected by a layer of protection or two (i.e. Cover and a vehicle like a Chimera), they can pick a unit and devastate it, thus allowing other forces to either clean it up or engage more pressing threats.

 

It'll come down to what role you feel is the most pressing to fill with your army.

[Reclusiarch Darius]

There are more or less three workable builds. You can add monkeys to the shooty ones if you wish (I prefer the same points invested in PsyDreads, but whatever).

 

- 3 x Acolytes w/plasma guns, 9 x Acolytes w/storm bolters (105)

 

Dirt cheap (a combat squad of Marines/two Guard squads), it outputs plasma for wrecking transports and heavy infantry, with storm bolters for helping finish off infantry the Knights have already mauled with their shooting. I use these in conjunction with Strikes or Purifiers to provide killzones enemy infantry/transports can't enter. An ideal attachment is a Divination Inquisitor for Stubborn (so they'll stick around until dead) and the all important twin-link he provides with 'Prescience'.

 

- 3 x Servitors w/plasma cannons, 9 x Acolytes (96)

 

Even cheaper, this unit stays in your DZ and provides scoring so your Knights don't have to worry about camping. I usually only take the one squad, for Coteaz to join (due to his Mastery 2, he can access cool powers like 'Perfect Timing', which lets your already awesome shooting ignore cover saves). The Acolytes are left bare bones, as their only job is to catch bullets for the servitors and Coteaz. Don't be afraid to take wounds on Coteaz, so long as they aren't AP2 he can tank them.

 

- 5 x Death-Cult w/power axe+power sword, 5 x Crusaders w/power axe+storm shield (150)

 

A tad more expensive, but still only Tac squad price. This unit really needs a Raven and Tech-Marine however, by itself its too slow and easily avoided. The Raven provides a powerful gunship, an Assault Ramp, and its pretty tough and fast due to Flyer and Hover mode. The Tech-Marine can dismantle any walkers you have to engage, plus he brings a grenade belt and 'Hammerhand' to buff your damage output to insane levels. Oh, and in challenges, his warding stave is hilarious for tying up the enemy hero while your Death-Cult rip the faces off the enemy squad

 

 

Those are my most successful builds. There are two more builds, but they are for specific situations;

 

- 3 x Acolytes w/meltagun (42)

 

Very cheap, but with good reason. The idea here is to hide them behind a Rhino or another advancing squad, letting the enemy ignore them. Seeding these throughout your battleline gives you an 'break glass' option when an annoyingly high AV vehicle just won't die (Land Raider Redeemer, Necron Arks, Predators, Vindicators etc). I've since recycled the points into a Vindicare, found him more useful and flexible. Up to you, they do work though, they almost never get shot over Knights or the bigger Henchmen warbands.

 

- 3 x Acolytes (12)

 

Mainly for trolling in objective missions. They're ludicrously easy to hide, they cost almost nothing to field except Troops slots, and just when your opponent things he's killed off your scoring, you have someone else to jump on a spare objective to clinch it. Again, works best if you have other stuff to shoot at, so bring plenty of Knight units as well

[Zeratul29]

So would a 165 point shooty squad with 3 plasma cannons, 2 monkeys and 7 bolter acolytes draw too much attention? then that frees up 70 points for something else in my list or 120 if i don't have an aegis line

[spartan249]

I use that exact squad as my camper squad. Decent damage output and very good deterrence vs deep striking threats.

[Brother Bobert]

I don't know about plasma servitors, psychic reroll won't work on them because its not "twin linked" its a re roll to hit. On top of that in a game today I tried out 12 of them. They never mind locked but I did have 4 of them blow them selves up over the game and other wise only ended up causing 5 wounds the entire game. I'll be sticking to my heavy bolter servitors.

[Reclusiarch Darius]

I don't know about plasma servitors, psychic reroll won't work on them because its not "twin linked" its a re roll to hit. On top of that in a game today I tried out 12 of them. They never mind locked but I did have 4 of them blow them selves up over the game and other wise only ended up causing 5 wounds the entire game. I'll be sticking to my heavy bolter servitors.

 

I was paraphrasing. The rules for blast weapons state if you have a re-roll to hit on the unit, they re-roll (but you have to re-roll all dice). Ergo, 'Prescience' still gives you re-rollable plasma cannons.

 

Yeah, spamming them is amusing, although its a good way to lose friends haha. Mindlock is the big issue, it basically means half the time they derp out and don't do anything. I take 2 servitor squads max, because that's all the Inquisitors you can get below 2k (Coteaz+cheap Prescience Inquisitor). Its a bit annoying Tech-Marines don't count for Mind-Lock, but eh, can't have everything.

[spartan249]

Never take more then 2 squads with servitors. When they derp up, the ENTIRE SQUAD does nothing that turn. It's a horrendous waste.

 

A further note on plasma servitors. Prescience gives you a reroll on the get's hot roll.

[Zeratul29]

It does give reroll on gets hot??? awesome! this is excellent. ok, I have a question:

 

What is the best henchman squad you could put out for 80 points? or even 2? because i have 80 points left. but no servitors because I already have shooty and slashy warband with inquisitors

[Reclusiarch Darius]

Never take more then 2 squads with servitors. When they derp up, the ENTIRE SQUAD does nothing that turn. It's a horrendous waste.

 

At 2k you can field 4, because you can have 4 Inquisitors (Coteaz + 3 Prescience). But yeah, below 2k, I agree, Mindlock is such a terrible rule and it will screw you over at crucial moments.

 

What is the best henchman squad you could put out for 80 points? or even 2? because i have 80 points left. but no servitors because I already have shooty and slashy warband with inquisitors

 

Hmmmm...could you spare 10 points somewhere?

 

3 x Acolytes w/plasma guns, 7 x Acolytes w/storm bolters (91)

 

Alternatively, if you wanna annoy people;

 

(2) 3 x Acolytes w/plasma guns (42 each)

 

That only requires 5 points extra from somewhere, and moar plasma = moar death.

[Zeratul29]

Thanks for the reply

 

well its for an 1850 point tournament,

 

I have coteaz, brotherhood champion

 

6 death cult and 5 saders with the champion in a storm raven

 

3 plasma servitors, 2 jokearo, 7 bolter acolytes

 

2 strike squads with 2 psycannons and psybolts

 

2 psyfle dreadnoughts

 

Dreadknight with pt and hi.

 

Aegis defence line,

 

so that leaves me with 80 points, lol, i may do the double plasma guys, though that may hurt me with kill points or not, and i guess i would take two bolters off of the shooty squad

[Zeratul29]

Alright for 80 points:

 

3 plasma acolytes, 6 bolter acolytes, 2 regular acolytes exactly 80 points 8 ablative wounds for the plasma and another scoring, distraction away from coteaz unit.