Preceptor: What is it good for?

[Karhedron]

I have 2 Questoris Knights and 2 Armigers. I am looking to add a third "big" knight so I can run a full-fat lance and I am mulling over my options. Forgeworld is not popular in my area so they are out. That leaves my with a choice of another Questoris, a Dominus or a Preceptor.

 

I want to like the 2 Dominus knights but the loadout is inflexible. It always seems to boil down to "Mechanicus with Cawls Wrath" or "Questoris with Traitor's pyre". Plus I don't really like the 3CPs for Rotate Ion Shields.

 

Another Questoris would slot in nicely but is pretty much more of the same.

 

So how about the Preceptor? It looks like it sits in the same sort of niche as a Warden but has the added advantage of buffing my Armigers. Trouble is that the gun looks kinda mediocre and I already have plans for my Warglaives to support a Landstrider Gallant.

 

Thoughts, ideas and suggestions welcome as I am currently feeling indecisive.

[frosteldar]

I'm in a similar boat as you in the sense that I am building a contingent of Questoris knights and am not a fan of the Dominus knights (at the moment).  I too am considering getting a Preceptor when it comes out to flush out my big knights.  I have two Armiger warglaives and 2 unbuilt helverins with which the Preceptor could be used.  I think the buffing ability will be nice, particularly when running helverins, but it also gives you the option of going more melee-based with the warglaives.  To me, the Preceptor's gun is not the best, but it's optional modes allows you to run withe different Armigers or switch role mid-game as needed.

[Marshal Reinhard]

The Las impulsor is a weapon that's hard to classify

 

Low intensity is a RFBC with half the range and 2 less Strength.

High intensity is a TC with half the range 3 more strength and no melta rule

[jeffersonian000]

Character Perceptor with a Helm Dominatus is an excellent chaperone for squadrons of Helverins, granting 2+ to hit re-roll 1’s. I like to run mine (proxy) with an Ironstorm to assist with taking out soft targets.

 

SJ

[Charlo]

He's a support Knight and really pushes the Armigers to thier max.

 

His weapon is versatile, but weaker because of it.

 

But he's still a Knight ;)

[Stray]

He's a support Knight and really pushes the Armigers to thier max.

 

His weapon is versatile, but weaker because of it.

 

But he's still a Knight

 

Assuming there's a Renegade release for the Preceptor, I wonder if mix and match shenanigans would be possible with the Impulsor? I think I'd feel better about it as an option if it were backed up by say, an Avenger?

 

Especially if Armiger bonuses were tied to the weapon itself.

[Marshal Reinhard]

 

Assuming there's a Renegade release for the Preceptor, I wonder if mix and match shenanigans would be possible with the Impulsor? I think I'd feel better about it as an option if it were backed up by say, an Avenger?

 

Especially if Armiger bonuses were tied to the weapon itself.

 

What like a giant laser pointer?

 

And its now that I first realize that the las-impulsor is costed 0, with the Preceptor base being 100 points more than the others. So maybe the ability is in fact considered to be tied to the weapon. Doubt renegades will get it though, maybe if it'd have been available for crusaders to take as an optional gun arm.

[Stray]

 

 

Assuming there's a Renegade release for the Preceptor, I wonder if mix and match shenanigans would be possible with the Impulsor? I think I'd feel better about it as an option if it were backed up by say, an Avenger?

 

Especially if Armiger bonuses were tied to the weapon itself.

 

What like a giant laser pointer?

 

And its now that I first realize that the las-impulsor is costed 0, with the Preceptor base being 100 points more than the others. So maybe the ability is in fact considered to be tied to the weapon. Doubt renegades will get it though, maybe if it'd have been available for crusaders to take as an optional gun arm.

 

 

I think they will once the model is available. I suspect GW have learnt this lesson. It makes fluff and financial sense too.

 

That said, I suspect it'll just be a ported across, stand alone chassis. Easiest option for them innit.

[Marshal Reinhard]

Rummaged through the older threads to try and find one that was as relevant as I could, so without further ado

 

Canis Rex and Sir Hehktur will be coming out next monrth! Splendid, had just run out of knights to paint.

 

https://www.warhammer-community.com/2018/08/30/breaking-previews-and-reveals-from-novagw-homepage-post-1/

(need to scroll down a bit)

 

Also, the long long out of print House Griffith Imperial Knights Transfer sheet featuring the other official houses is coming back after being out of print for, what, 4 years?

 

[Vash113]

Honestly I think the Preceptor is a decent choice for players who are going to be running one Knight and just one as an ally, as a jack of all trades and master of none it doesn't necessarily do a whole lot for a dedicated Knight force outside of giving a buff to Armigers. So in a pure or mostly Knight list I'd run the Preceptor as a chaperone for some Armigers of either variety to get the most out of their firepower.

However I am also partial to a Preceptor and two Warglaives or Helverins as a relatively cheap three knight lance as an ally to other Imperial armies.

[Charlo]

Would he quite cool to have two Warglaives in front, then Preceptor, then two Helverins hanging behind, but within buff range!

[Stray]

It does seem like the obvious thing it has going for it is the buff to Armigers. The more Armigers you field, the better the Preceptor potentially gets in terms of value.

 

On it's own, it's a Knight that does a little bit of work in two areas in a comparatively unfocused fashion.

 

You could field a Thermal + Avenger Crusader to cover those same two areas quite a bit more effectively.

 

I suspect that's really the answer to the OP's question. It's good for supporting and buffing Armigers. It can do some other things as well, but in a pretty mediocre fashion.

[librisrouge]

I suspect that's really the answer to the OP's question. It's good for supporting and buffing Armigers. It can do some other things as well, but in a pretty mediocre fashion.

I've used one a few times and I strongly agree. If you're not fielding armigers, and at least 3 of them, then you're not really benefiting from the Perceptor. Heck, even with three armigers, the Perceptor feels like a trap. Too many points for a weapon that'll be just under effective compared to the other questoris knights.

[synthaside]

I have a Preceptor, “Matilda”  ...  as one of my weapon options for taking to my next GT event in the Netherlands, sadly it will be out by then as it would have been fun to cause a splash with it ;-)   https://photos.app.goo.gl/VbzBx31GpwHBzmHn7 .

It operates very much as a jack of all trades master of none weapons platform  the best way to think about it is Like a shotgun … it gets more powerful the closer its cheaper than the Rapid Fire Battle Cannon a little more points than the Thermal cannon essentially playing for the re-rolls of 1 within 6 ..

In my experience using it, I’ve ran it as her plus 2 Helverins and 2 Warglaves or 4 Warglaves both supported by some Skitarri for CP and a whole bunch of Hoplites in Terrax. Its actually VERY hard to keep it plus  any more than 2 Armiger class knights within 6 “without impacting what the knights are supposed to actually be doing … if you use it to buff Helverins you wont be using your knight to its full extent due to the poor range … So I’ve been running mine more with 4 Warglaves as a full on Assault Mech list … I’m in two minds about the Helm relic as well … while it’s fun to use to mark a target …… So you are hitting on 2s re-rolling ones. In practice, there are too many conditions on this ability … use it once per battle round … in shooting or fight phase … on a target visible and within 24 of the bearer …. “ the kicker is the 6 inch aura “

Conclusion is I like the knight I think the weapon is better than the RPBC .. I don’t actually mind the poor strength in dispersed mode its fine for mulching  infantry , and at around 20 points more than a gallant it gives you a shooting option .. its better at shooting at other super heavy targets but really the best role for it is murdering Leman Russ’s . Who wont get an armor save , or rotate for their broken 3++ invuln

[Feral_80]

I totally agree about the Preceptor buffing aura and about the helm relic. In one word: poor. Good on paper, but hardly usable in a real game for many reasons, especially related to severe range limitations.

 

Sadly I cannot really find a use for the Preceptor, except for pure fun. By all means, it is usable: but, it is one of the worst performing Knights in terms of points-efficiency, as its rules and gear are not very useful.

[Marshal Reinhard]

I have a Preceptor, “Matilda”  ...  as one of my weapon options for taking to my next GT event in the Netherlands, sadly it will be out by then as it would have been fun to cause a splash with it ;-)   https://photos.app.goo.gl/VbzBx31GpwHBzmHn7 .

 

It operates very much as a jack of all trades master of none weapons platform  the best way to think about it is Like a shotgun … it gets more powerful the closer its cheaper than the Rapid Fire Battle Cannon a little more points than the Thermal cannon essentially playing for the re-rolls of 1 within 6 ..

 

In my experience using it, I’ve ran it as her plus 2 Helverins and 2 Warglaves or 4 Warglaves both supported by some Skitarri for CP and a whole bunch of Hoplites in Terrax. Its actually VERY hard to keep it plus  any more than 2 Armiger class knights within 6 “without impacting what the knights are supposed to actually be doing … if you use it to buff Helverins you wont be using your knight to its full extent due to the poor range … So I’ve been running mine more with 4 Warglaves as a full on Assault Mech list … I’m in two minds about the Helm relic as well … while it’s fun to use to mark a target …… So you are hitting on 2s re-rolling ones. In practice, there are too many conditions on this ability … use it once per battle round … in shooting or fight phase … on a target visible and within 24 of the bearer …. “ the kicker is the 6 inch aura “

 

Conclusion is I like the knight I think the weapon is better than the RPBC .. I don’t actually mind the poor strength in dispersed mode its fine for mulching  infantry , and at around 20 points more than a gallant it gives you a shooting option .. its better at shooting at other super heavy targets but really the best role for it is murdering Leman Russ’s . Who wont get an armor save , or rotate for their broken 3++ invuln

 

I'd say its only cheaper than the RFBC because the RFBC is bundled with a 4 point heavy stubber. The RFBC is 100 points, The preceptor chassis is 100 points more than the other Questoris chassises. Admittedly it also comes with an Armiger buffing ability, which accounts for some the added cost of the chassis, but I would say it should do that as the two firing modes are pretty much worse than their respective closest counterparts. Low intensity is pretty much a straight inferior version of the RFCB, while High intensity is arguably an inferior version of the thermal cannon (arguably, because in some cases the added 3 strength might be more valuable than the loss of the melta rule you would have with the TC at the same range). Granted there is utility in being able to switch between these two worse guns. Also I believe a bog standard Gallant is 65 points cheaper than a bogstandard Preceptor?

 

Anyway, leaving the weapon aside, the main reason for choosing this knight should then be buffing effects it has on Armigers, but people's accounts here of that isn't exactly making me jump in excitement. Sounds like 6" is just too small a bubble for models this big, and the fact that the weapon is medium range at best, makes him a poor match for helverins as well sadly.

 

I want to like him more, especially since I'm dead set on getting one for the cool bits and pilots he comes with, but he does seem like the poorest choice of knight, with the possible exception of Canis Rex himself. Very cool concept and a novel idea, rather pathetic actual utility for the extra points spent, sadly.

[Stray]

I thought about this some more today and still just can't get behind this Knight. As Reinhard points out, you've higher strength on the Las Impulsor than a Thermal cannon, and on paper, Str 12 looks impressive.

 

But in reality? We know how wounding works in 8th. Anything you're reasonably wounding on a 3+ with the Las Impulsor, you're almost certain to be with the Thermal cannon too. How many things are actually T9+? Str 12 also isn't really quite high enough to be getting a 2+ wound roll on the targets you'd generally want to shoot at, so you end up in a situation where they nearly always have essentially the same strength value for all intents and purposes.

 

You're left with a Thermal cannon with far less range and statistically significantly dampened damage thanks to no melta rule.

 

Assuming you're taking a Multilaser and a Gauntlet, for 27 more points you could have had a Thermal/Avenger Crusader. 

 

The Aura isn't all that either imo. Having to stay within 6" of a slower Knight somewhat robs Armigers of part of their mobility. I'm not convinced that re-rolls ones is as useful as the +1 you can get from the relic helm either. Especially in a meta where many armies rock negative modifiers to your hit chance.

 

...you could totally put that relic on a Cerastus Knight and negate the movement issue too as they are as fast as Armigers. (Any excuse to field Cerastus Knights :P)

 

TL:DR? The Preceptor, I just don't think it's very good.

[Vel'Cona]

TL:DR? The Preceptor, I just don't think it's very good.

 

Agreed, it's shiny and I love the concept of a giant lascannon (which itself is already a giant lasgun), but it doesn't offer anything we need right now.  Knights need to be role-focused to get back the most on our investment, and half-measures are generally not worth the points.

[BolterZorro]

here is what I did: (considering what you already have) I bought a Renegade box, resold everything but the warden knight: that's give you 3 questoris full options. Then I bought a castellan.

 

With all this, I can run:

- full knights with several options

- half knights with many options

- support knights

I've seen that the castellan have a freat success in buffing an army as a shooting platform. 

More of this, you can do many things with only some of your knights (a gallant + helverins or a pair of gallant, or castellan + 2 wargalives etc... depending of your main army ). 

I don't like soup or the loyal 32 kinda army.  I prefer for example: mechanicus+knights, or my primaris + knight. Super fun

[jeffersonian000]

I’m a fan of the Perceptor, because it buffs Armigers and Armigers let me fill my army list. Also, the aesthetic appeals to me, as an all energy weapon based Knight fills my inner BattleTech customizing soul. Would love to see the Multi-Laser as an upgrade option on all Knights.

 

While I can’t argue the efficiency point, I can argue that if you need direct fire range past 36”, you are playing on the wrong table. The 6” aura and the 24” target selection range for the Helm just means that you can use either Armiger type with equal efficiency, but it also means you should be playing aggressively with your Perceptor, which in turn means you are utilizing its weapon profiles.

 

SJ