Paladin Bomb tactics

[Skywrath]

Finished getting the last units needed for this archetype, and wondering how would you go about it? I presume paladins in deep-strike, with Kaldor and the apothecary but what about units such as strikes/librarian/BC and the chaplain?

 

Also, with the paladins, would you keep them together, or is splitting them a reasonable decision? E.G. there was a castle and a repulsor, so would splitting them there be a good idea?

 

Positioning wise, is it more beneficial to keep the BC with the blob, or with the strikes? 

 

As for the data-cards, what options would you take?

 

Thanks for your responses in advance, I'm grateful for the advice.

Edited July 24, 2020 by Skywrath

[Captain Coolpants]

I've only seen that type of list with the paladins starting ON board. Then the strikes deepstrike and none essential characters deepstrike after to follow suit of the paladins after they gate forward.

[Skywrath]

Very interesting... and it's both paladin blobs, or just the one? I know paladins are pretty durable with T4, 3W, but I'm curious to the rationale as why they aren't in deep-strike? 

[Captain Coolpants]

I think its because they're considerably more survivable than the strikes. By having a few small strike squads on the board, you're making it easier for you opponent to start racking up kill points (so secondaries and so forth that including killing models/units/psykers ect).

 

Also means that you have 2 killy survivable targets on board at once, meaning your opponent has 2 threats to deal with.

 

I'm not very competitive minded at all. But I think these are the main reasons.

[Skywrath]

Ah I see. But the trade-off to that would not be on the objective points as your turn starts, right? How would you deal with that problem?

[Trollbeard]

I usually play my paladins on the board because they are more durable then my strikes, and they are quite point heavy for the 50% point total that has to be on the board in order to place other units in reserve.

 

I think most of my games I will be deploying my paladins our of LoS and keeping strikes in DS reserve to keep them safe. Through strats and tides you dare more then likely to keep them alive turn 1. And then Gate them forward if need be.

[Skywrath]

Thanks for the advice, I'll do that when my LGWS store opens up - what other pointers can you suggest? Could I also ask what do you do with the other HQ?

[Valerian]

To be honest, I think it is all going to change.  What worked in 8th isn't going to work in 9th - the missions are too different, and the Terrain is different, too (especially for those used to playing ITC first floor rules).

Largely, 9e games are going to be all about figuring out how you can secure 3 objectives on your side of the board, and how you can take 1 objective from the enemy's side of the board.  A Paladin blob can only dominate 1 point.

[Trollbeard]

I’ll start a librarian on the board with warp shaping and the CP power, keep him out of LoS as well, because you’ll want to be able to cast those first turn. The BC I generally start on the board as well with my paladins and any other units to get the smite range first turn.

 

I used to run 2x BC and 2x librarian, but now we don’t have the slots for it unless you wanna spend 2-3 CP for a second battalion or patrol detachment.

[Skywrath]

To be honest, I think it is all going to change.  What worked in 8th isn't going to work in 9th - the missions are too different, and the Terrain is different, too (especially for those used to playing ITC first floor rules).

 

Largely, 9e games are going to be all about figuring out how you can secure 3 objectives on your side of the board, and how you can take 1 objective from the enemy's side of the board.  A Paladin blob can only dominate 1 point.

 

It seems so as well, based of the few interactions I had with others. Theoretically speaking, do you see this idea working - we still have the paladin blobs, but we have strikes out to hold points and our paladins clash whatever comes the strikes way? Or perhaps a squad in a rhino or a razorback, holding that point, as strikes are fragile? Seems like things that have 3+ wounds and a T5+ would be the ideal candidate to hold points.

 

I’ll start a librarian on the board with warp shaping and the CP power, keep him out of LoS as well, because you’ll want to be able to cast those first turn. The BC I generally start on the board as well with my paladins and any other units to get the smite range first turn.

 

I used to run 2x BC and 2x librarian, but now we don’t have the slots for it unless you wanna spend 2-3 CP for a second battalion or patrol detachment.

 

I plan on having Kaldor, BC, Librarian and Voldus in my lists. I don't have 20 paladins, I only have 17, so I suspect I can field those. So BC and Voldus with (Lore-Master) on the board, and Kaldor/Librarian with the strikes? And the paladins on the objectives ofc.

[Corvus Fortis]

To be honest, I think it is all going to change. 

 

 

I have different impressions both from theorycrafting and personal experience. Most of the missions give most points for holding 2+ objectives and more then your opponent. Scoring happens in the end of command phase, so you have to survive a turn after reaching the objective.  Paladins are great for just standing and being nigh impossible to remove. And between smites and psybolt ammo they create a 12"-24" bubble of death around themselves. Paladins are also great at taking back midfield objective. And I won't bother with opponent's deployment zone. 

 

I agree, that things that were strong after PA remain strong in 9th for GK. 

[Valerian]

The problem is that we can’t really afford enough Paladins to do that with 4 Objectives. You could run 4 squads of five, but then you lose out on all of the efficiencies of putting 5 buffs on a single bomb, and five Paladins that aren’t all buffed up in the ways we used to be able to do to a single bomb aren’t actually all that hard to deal with.