Thinking of an Assassin based Detachment

[Prot]

I know it wouldn't be 'strong' so let's just look at this from a playability stand point....

 

I'm thinking of the Elite detachment (Vanguard?) and using Greyfax as the HQ (partially for the model I confess) for her deny witch and deny overwatch. To keep it cheap I thought I'd assign her an Acolyte to take the beatings.... and for assassins that leaves me with enough points for a Culexus and a Eversor.

 

First question is how badly do I screw up my deployment with the assassins? I haven't used the Assassins this edition aside from the shooty one and he usually deploys on my side. I see the assassins don't really 'infiltrate' any more. It looks like out of the shadows is a deep strike type of move. So I have to have room for them in my 50/50 rule of deployment... which stinks. (Unless I put the Culexus out on my zone at game start).

 

I realize they won't win me any games but what do you guys think of these 2 with Grey Knights? Should I just go back to the Culexus and the Sniper variant?

 

The other choice I thought of is just using the Culexus and 2 Acolytes to fill the Vanguard up and that way I still get to keep Greyfax. Thoughts?

 

[Gentlemanloser]

They can DS like all other units. Drop them 9" away and watch the fireworks!

 

Have the culexes just in front so the eversor can't be shot by anyone.

 

And with the eversors 3d6 charge he'll most likely make it into cc turn 1.

 

In which case none of your characters can be shot at until the assassins in cc are dead.

 

And that's proper trollface. :)

 

Edit. Don't consider the vindicare. He's utter pants.

Edited November 21, 2017 by Gentlemanloser

[Kickrock]

I assume that "Pants" is bad. I have had great success with Vindicares, but not by himself. By himself he is quite bad. When you have at least 2 (although I run them in groups of 3 with an Inquisitor for Terrify) you can kill those nasty buffing HQs in Turn 1 given you hit your shots. No Commissars to issue orders to troops? No Captains/Chapter Masters to offer rerolls to those nasty shooty units? No Far Seer to shroud an army? No Overlord to boost reanimation? I understand that there are other ways to deal with these characters but being able to target them and snipe them from across the map is just too tasty to write off as being bad.

Perhaps thats just me and the meta here in Sin City, HQs that do nasty things for an army. They need to die as soon as possible and these guys can achieve that for me. This is the exact same reason I take Sniper Scouts with my Blood Angels.

And don't get me wrong, the other assassins are great! I am not saying that you should take one over another, it is all dependent on what you're lacking and the local meta. I am just coming to the defense of a unit that has a very valid role.

[Gentlemanloser]

Pants is bad. ;)

 

I've tried three together and they make little impact.

[Prot]

I do realize they deepstrike, what I’m thinking though is the assassins may screw up my zgK deep strike plans. We’ll see I guess. I do like the staggered deployment idea though. Since they are characters?

 

I have used the vindicare multiple times I just have crummy luck with him. I’ve also used the Culexus but mostly advancing with my Ultramarines.

 

The GK may face off against Nids shortly with so many local Nid players which is why I want to bring the Culexus back into production.

[Capt. Mytre]

I do realize they deepstrike, what I’m thinking though is the assassins may screw up my zgK deep strike plans. We’ll see I guess. I do like the staggered deployment idea though. Since they are characters?

 

I have used the vindicare multiple times I just have crummy luck with him. I’ve also used the Culexus but mostly advancing with my Ultramarines.

 

The GK may face off against Nids shortly with so many local Nid players which is why I want to bring the Culexus back into production.

 

You can avoid the 50/50 issue if you pay 8 points and have a transport with empty space. Take an acolyte for each assassin you want, as a separate squad. Put them in any spare transport. Now you have them on the field for the 50/50 requirement, but they don't cost any more in terms of drops.

 

Also, as for assassins, I find they aren't fantastic verse multi-wound models. All their attacks deal 1 dmg per hit, so it can be tough killing a character in a single round.

Edited November 21, 2017 by Capt. Mytre

[Gentlemanloser]

Yeah the staggered deployment as they're all characters. ;)

[Gentlemanloser]

What's the rest of your list that 2 sins might mess up the 50/50?

 

The good thing with aco's is they have the same transport rule as Inq's, so they can ride with Greyfax in a razor and help deployment.

[swordofmandulis]

Culexus will be very useful Vs Tyranids,they are very hard to kill but will likely still die to a Genestealers charge (but what won't?). The eversor will likely remove a few he Genestealers if you get T1, but anything tougher and he's struggling but he is something that your opponent will have to deal with, I ran 2 Vindicare in a game the other day and it actually works ok, depending on what you expect to face then 3 could be worthwhile, you have the potential to take out most characters in a turn, and even though the three together cost more than the character you have killed, 3 start to become a serious problems for elite squads too, losing 3 Terminators a turn is no joke.

 

Culexus is most useful, but the other have merit if used correctly.

[Gentlemanloser]

Vindicares are terrible. They really have no redeeming features.

 

From an older post of mine;

 

Average damage for the rifle is 2.3.

 

Average damage inflicted versus a 3+ save character is 1.3

 

It would take almost the entire game for a single Vindicare to kill a normal 3+ save 5W character. 

 

 

Its the upping in wounds characters have revived that hurts them most. I'd probably never advise anyone to use a Vindicare. And taking multiple of them just doubles down on thier problems.

[Gentlemanloser]

Heads up. CA is changing the character target process to stop some of the hiding in CC shenanigans.

 

Oh and Malefic Lords up to 80 points each.

[TheMostGood]

I love the Assassins. I've been fielding them almost every time when I play GK. 

 

Callidus Assassin was great fun against my friend who plays IG. His first turn he had to spend so many CP to do the things he wanted to do. He HAD the CP pool for sure, but I feel like it was worth it. She died in that game when she went after Bobby G, but that's fine, I thought it was a good fight. 

 

Culexus Assassin is great to take, but my friends have not really been fielding any psykers lately. He seems to whiff somewhat if there's no psyker to torment. He is still useful as a decent screen for my characters though. So if there's no psykers he is on babysitting duty. 

 

Eversor Assassin is kind of hit or miss I find. I usually send him after my opponent's HQ and he does a pretty decent job of getting there and tearing him to pieces. Not sure if he is worth the points, but he does work. Perhaps I am not using him right. 

 

Vindicare is also hit or miss. He's only useful if he can go after HQs, obviously, but if your opponent can hide his HQ, the vindicare becomes quite useless. He is useful in giving you a unit on the field so you can deepstrike something though if you can't get any good shots. I feel like he should be allowed to put his shots where he wants in a unit though. 

As far as Grayfax is concerned, I have used her once in a manner I am not sure is legal. I put her into a Land Raider since she has the Inquisitorial Authority rule or whatever along with some Strikes and a Brotherhood Champion. I then GoI the Land Raider across the map. The Land Raider weathered some shooting, then they piled out. She cast Terrify on a target I was going to charge, which prevented Overwatch. Then I charged into it without fear, and tied up some troops. Like the Culexus, she excels against Psykers but my friends did not bring any to that fight. I am eager to see what the Inquisition will get in their codex, specifically their other three psychic powers. 

 

The current list I have been tinkering with has a Vanguard Detachment with St. Celestine or Grayfax at the helm and 3-4 assassins, typically one of each. I throw in the required 3 strikes for troops and then a mixture of HQs and elites if they can fit. I typically do 1250pt games of 2v2 (1250 each) when I play. Mainly because my friends and I play on the weekend and it's a fun way to get together and shoot the :cuss. 

[Danarc]

Your use of Grayfax is legal, unless you deployed her after GoI in the same turn. She can disembark only in movement phase.