Electro Priests

[Frater Cornelius]

Great models. Questionable rules. Lets discuss how to use them.

[Kilofix]

Operation Human Shield!

 

Oh wait, they're too expensive for that too....

[Zembar]

I think they will be a excellent tax unit that can be added to formations to make them too expensive to consider.

[Vel'Cona]

Gotta say, I'm trying to find an excuse for these guys.  Suffice it to say, I can't think of one.  Let's take a look at Corpuscarii first, since I think there's more hope for them:

 

18 ppm, 5 guys and up to 15 more (Elites, yuck):

-BS 4 with S4 shooting.  It seems they get 2 shots total (even though they have 2 Electro Fists).  12" Range is a massive bummer.  Every time they roll a 6 to hit, they get 2 extra hits (kinda like Taser).  At 12", a full unit (20 guys) has 40 shots for about 35 hits (assuming they roll four 6s, which is likely).  Against MEQ, this is about 18 wounds and 6 dead marines after saves.  All for the bargain cost of 360 points (not a bargain).

-No movement shenanigans means they MUST HAVE some form of transport.  You're gonna need to call FW for this one if you wanna take the full 20!  Either way, now you need to ally and pay any taxes that implies.

-In close combat, they're S4 with 2 attacks each, at WS 3 for some reason.  Again, they appear to only have a single Electro Fist, meaning they don't get a bonus attack for two melee weapons.  Please correct me if I'm reading the entry wrong!  They also get a S4 Hammer of Wrath hit if they charge, but again, no movement shenanigans (not even Crusader)!  They do get to re-roll their To Hit rolls in round 1 (Zealot), but no AP on their attacks and In 3 are still problems.  They also have next to no capacity for dealing with armor (no Haywire?  Really???)

-Defensively, they have a 5+ invul and T3, with FnP.  For those counting at home, THIS IS VERY VERY BAD.  Any quantity of S6 shooting will rip them off the board in droves.

-Zealot makes them effectively Fearless, for what that's worth.

 

At this point, the only thing that could save this unit is if Canticles can give them some sort of big movement buff or boost their saves in some way.  Alternatively, a VERY powerful formation could help, too.

[Atia]

first step: use space marine allies

second step: use a spartan or storm eagle as transport for them :P

[Dez]

I love it, looks like I'll be skipping these because they look too silly for me and their rules are bad.

[Zembar]

first step: use space marine allies

second step: use a spartan or storm eagle as transport for them :P

Surely you mean:

Step one: use space marine allies

Step two: spend points on marines instead.

[Castellan Cato]

I'm very dissappointed in these.  Theyre armed like cheap throw away units, but priced like elite kill squads.  Doesn't go well together.  If those old canticle rumors were true, they can get one turn of a coversave.... and then theyre dead. 

 

Skitarii were great, but I think so far the Cult Mech as a whole miss the mark, at least for me.  Cool models, but meh rules and they dont synergize very well.

[Frater Cornelius]

first step: use space marine allies

second step: use a spartan or storm eagle as transport for them

Surely you mean:

Step one: use space marine allies

Step two: spend points on marines instead.

At 18ppm for a S3 T3 I3 melee unit with a 5++. And I thought Harlequins here overpriced Oo

[Zembar]

Has anyone done the math on five of these vs 10 guardsmen?

[Ammonius]

I kind of like the look of the Corpuscarii, but yeah, their rules don't line up with their points cost unless you are one of those players who only rolls 5's and 6's

So let's see.. if I was going to use them I guess I could go with Codex Space Marines, use FW's Raptor character Lias Issodon, and infiltrate the Priests using his pre-set Warlord trait? Failing that, is there a way to get them into a Drop pod?

Perhaps the Canticles rules can save them, otherwise, most I can say is that they're ready-made to be cut and pasted into any Dark Mecahanicus book that may be in the works.

[Frater Cornelius]

It is a shame, really. They look damn awesome.

[Scurvydog]

Another major problem is also their low initiative of 3, at least infiltrators get a chance to strike if they manage to survive to get into an assault. The canticles really need to be something impressive to make them worth anything, right now even a basic tactical squad of marines will murder them, if any of them got lucky enough to survive a single rapid fire volley of just bolters, which should shave of around 80 points worth of priests... 

 

I can't really see much synergy with the cult codex besides possibly the zealot rule, which makes them a very expensive tar pit, but even then, they can't hurt walkers or MC's anyway. 

 

The shooting variant has way too weak shots and only WS3 and I3 in an assault, and the staff variant still only have 4WS same low 3I and they should be so lucky to actually wipe a unit to get the 3++ with more than a few survivors left at best.

 

5 with staffs should kill around 5 guardsmen without a charge bonus, while 10 guardsmen at the same initiative will kill 1-2 back. There is a rather good chance the basic guardsmen will at least break even on their points. This is without considering the guardsmen can seriously cripple the priests even with flashlights before they ever get close.

[Aethernitas]

The lack of transportation is alarming - still holding out for maybe Rhinos or Chimeras in the Codex. I guess thats still a possibility, right? RIGHT?!

 

If you actually get the Corpuscarii close 5 of them put out an average 13 hits with their shooting and 18 hits on the charge against anything no WS2 or 7+. With a 5++ and FnP they save 44% of all non S6+ wounds which is better than a 4+ armoursave. They don't care at all for high AP weapons.

 

The Fulgurites are even more dependent on a transport but if we actually get one those a freaking beasts. With their rerolls to hit in cc they actually do more wounds per point than Infiltrators (which is quite the achievment if you've seen my math on this) and they are more resilient per point. On the minus side there is the lack ob mobility and the fact that they will mostly hit after the opponent. They still have the very real potential to slaughter any unit they charge and a 3++ and 5+ FnP is no joke at all.

[mmimzie]

Even i have no arguement for thier usefulness v.v

[Frater Cornelius]

Neither have I. Either Canticles fix it or we have one of the best looking but one of the deadest Codex corpses ever.

[Zembar]

Yep. There are three options:

- We're missing something

- They really are overcosted by a factor of at least two

- The canticles allow you to teleport around the battlefield at will and still charge, and also let you summon the mecha-emperor.

[PraetorDragoon]

Yep. There are three options:

- We're missing something

- They really are overcosted by a factor of at least two

- The canticles allow you to teleport around the battlefield at will and still charge, and also let you summon the mecha-emperor.

 

I think you are onto something here. The Canticles allow us to combine the Kataphron and Kastellans into one giant death machine piloted by the Domnius with the Elektro-priests as batteries!

 

I think that if they manage to get close enough to matter, they will put in some serious damage. But the hard part is getting there.

[Frater Cornelius]

With I3? I doubt it.

[mmimzie]

I'd even go so far as to say these guys might be worse than siciarians?// Hmmmm becuase for the same price as an infiltrator unit you could take 10. So i guess they have more wounds but a worse save..... and have to start from your table edge.....

 

 

I guess with the rumoured formation:

Numinous Conclave – must have equal numbers of each type of unit gain crusader and re-roll wounds

2-3 Fulgurite Electro-Priests

2-3 Corpuscarii Electro-Priests

 

They are still just really bad... i mean maybe you want a priest heavy list.... and if some of the get into combat than things will look really good...

 

and ummm.... one of the units has shooting attacks... and they are twinlinked str 4...... ap -...... hmmmm

 

maybe the rumored cancticles i mean....

"Ok, they are an army wide special rule that gives a lot of flexibility each round to your CM army. Units with the rule gain benefits according the number of units with the rule on the table and are stronger the more units you have. There are 6 canticles and each one can only be used once per game. Benefits include cover bonus's, bonus's to strength, re-rolling failed attacks from either close combat or shooting, fearless, or creating extra hits in close combat. 8 units gives the strongest bonus 4-7 a medium bonus, and 1-3 a standard bonus."

 

so they could get a free cover save?// and the detachment lets you use the canticles twice... so they could get 2 free cover saves.... Plus most of the canticles are close combat. Extra attacks wont suck.... if you make it to combat...

 

 

I think what makes them suck is they either need a 4+ invuln save or T4. They'd be in a nice spot then.  Lol i dont know i guess the gloves ones are better because they can shoot, and give cult mech an anti horde unit.

 

edit: do note though they ahve a decent shooting attack. they basicly are better than BS 5 because they cause 2 extra hits on roll of 6 to hit.

edit2:hmmm and the shooting is twin linked... ehhhh but they are made out of paper towels... they are squishier than skits half the time x.x

edit 3: and with a tech priest he could bring them back to life if you ahd a unit of 10 ehhhh but then that just gets your tech priest killed. Though that tech priest is tough as nails. He's liek a chapter master or whatever

[Vel'Cona]

So with the English spoiler pages posted, we have confirmation that these are indeed 18 ppm. Let's consider the Fulgurites a moment, as these are ripe for a good tearing into:

18 points apiece, up to 20 in a unit (that's 360 points, same as full Corpuscarii).

-No shooting attack whatsoever

-In melee, WS 4 (that's something), S 5, AP 4, and they have 2 attacks each (their weapon is Two-Handed, so no bonus attack for two melee). Their weapons give them Concussive (woo hoo) and the ability to Instant Death on a 6 To Wound. They also get the S 4 Hammer of Wrath attacks. Problem is, In 3 and T 3 mean they get killed well before they can swing by 75% of the units you'll have to fight. Zealot does give them re-rolls in the first round, for what that's worth.

-Zealot also makes them effectively Fearless, so they'll all have to die before they're gone.

-Not that this is hard with T 3, 5+ Invul, and an often-negated FnP (S 6 will kill it).

-Their only form of anti-armor is their S 5 in melee. Otherwise, they're boned.

-Assuming they can somehow kill an enemy unit (which will have to die in CC since they can't shoot), they can pump to a 3+ Invul. If you can get this to happen, you are officially a Primarch (or your opponent was a grot). That is all.

So yes, these guys are an absolute joke unless Canticles or a Formation give them some sort of insane buffs. Even then, the Corpuscarii will probably be a superior choice simply because they can shoot (decently). As it is, the only way I can see these units hitting the table is if we are forced to take them for the amazing AdMech formation that was spoiled yesterday, and this could be enough of a tax that it effectively kills that formation.

[mmimzie]

Thing is even if the canticle does give more attacks. Which i'd assume would be a max of 3 more attacks... brechers would still seem abit better because they can deep strike, shoot, and have a 3+, and have agtleast str 7 right??? 

[Targetlock]

what a strange unit, i think they are way too expensive, if they were cheaper they might be worth considering otherwise hmmm :/

[ronin_cse]

Well I was arguing with a couple local players on our FB group and ended up running some numbers for the staff priests vs some similar priced CC units (the person I was debating with thought the 3++ was the best part thus the staff version). I won't bother going and reposting my numbers but it is very depressing mostly due to their awful Initiative. Against Khorne Bloodletters of similar cost (100 pts) MAYBE one will survive, and will kill 1-2 in return with a similar situation against Daemonettes. 100 pts of cultists will slaughter them. Someone mentioned synergy with vanguard so I compared the two units vs MEQ. The staff priests do 2.15 wounds, the gauntlet ones do 2 wounds, and the vanguard do 1.75 wounds. Obviously the vanguard will kill a lot more shooting on their way in.

 

Sure Canticles might help if they get extra attacks, but the problem is thanks to that formation everything else they compete with will get the extra attacks too

[Charlo]

Just as I think GW have it together, they release something like these. The mind boggles. They have literally no decent use and are SO expensive.

 

A squad of powermaul wielding guys with instant death seems like it was made to kill medium level MC, possibly, or things like Not, Nid warriors, Paladins etc, but against these they'll probably suck.