Crusader Bombs? Ups and Downs?

[Aothaine]

Hey everyone! Just been looking through my AM codex and I noticed that Crusaders can now be in units of 10. So I got to thinking. How best to make these guys a little scary.  Here is what I'm thinking. What do you think?

 

 

Lord Commisar

War Priest

Primaris Psycher

Crusaders x9

 

This group is loaded into a Valkyrie. I'm planning on running three of these units and filling out the rest of the list with a Brigade of Infantry and three scout sentinels. 

 

What do you think? Could 27 Crusaders with retinue be a decent beta/alpha strike force?

[Halfpint100]

Str 3 isn't great. Sure 3++ is nice, but not good for an alpha/ beta. They are more and anvil than a hammer

[Aothaine]

Str 3 isn't great. Sure 3++ is nice, but not good for an alpha/ beta. They are more and anvil than a hammer

 

True.. but they have power swords, 3 attacks each, rerolling 1s to wound. Throw enough attacks at something and it is going to burn right?

[Private Jenkins]

I've had experience with footslogging 30 of them into an opponent's face. One unit with Nightshroud, one with Psychic Barrier and Take Cover where needed. They took a massive beating;half of his army shot into them for 3 turns! They died in droves but were a great distraction. In the end only 11 made into combat but they were MVPs, tying up 2 Leman Russes, an Infantry Squad, a heretic Genestealer Psyker of some kind and 2 Sentinels.

[Aothaine]

I've had experience with footslogging 30 of them into an opponent's face. One unit with Nightshroud, one with Psychic Barrier and Take Cover where needed. They took a massive beating;half of his army shot into them for 3 turns! They died in droves but were a great distraction. In the end only 11 made into combat but they were MVPs, tying up 2 Leman Russes, an Infantry Squad, a heretic Genestealer Psyker of some kind and 2 Sentinels.

 

 

Maybe foot slogging them is the way to go then. Did you just support them with psykers or did you give them a commissar and priests as well? The list I'm currently building I have them loaded up into Valkyries but the Valkyries alone are 450 points. Not sure that was the best investment and I was contemplating putting them in one of the LOW tanks to move them up the line. 

 

I respect that these guys are mainly an anvil. But looking through the codex I am finding it difficult to find a hammer unit. The closest thing I can find is the tanks and fire base that AM has, which is amazing. But I was looking more for a melee type anvil. Do you guys think it might be better to just soup it up? Maybe do something like the following?

 

40-60 crusaders walking up the board and ally in space marine hammer units? The crusaders just seem too good to not use.

 

I suppose they could also be used as screening units for the Brigade as well. I know a lot of other factions use things like scouts. But using the Crusaders to prevent those alpha strikes might be interesting. 

 

What kind of firepower would be needed to support 30-50 crusaders? Is it better to tank up behind them or go with mass infantry? Maybe a mix of both?

 

Thank you everyone in advance. I have very little experience with AM and I'm trying to wrap my head around how they work.

Edited March 8, 2018 by Aothaine

[NatBrannigan]

Not sure about the points difference but for smashing stuff in close combat Bullgryns are ace. Replace your 9 Crusaders in each Valkyrie with them?

 

I tend to run a unit of 8 on foot and have a similar experience as above. My regular opponents know not to let them get into combat with most things (characters with big damage weapons are best avoided) so they take a lot of fire. They're so tough though that other units are ignored or not enough damage is done to hamper them that much.

 

A superb unit at the moment.

[Withershadow]

Bullgryns make for a good hammer.

[Plasmablasts]

A big force of Bullgryns and Crusaders could look really impressive on the table with all those shields.