2k Grey Knights Thoughts

[librisrouge]

I've been thinking a lot about GKs recently. They were my first army and I love their fluff and aesthetic. I'm debating returning to Titan. This is the list I'm thinking about running.

 

HQ-

Grand Master - Warlord (First to the Frey), NF Staff, and Psycannon (Hammerhand)

Grand Master Draigo (Armored Resilience and Inner Fire)

Grand Master Voldus (Edict Imperator, Empyrean Domination, and Warp Shaping)

 

Troops-

Strike Squad x5 - Halberd x5 (Gate of Infinity)

Strike Squad x5 - Halberd x5 (Gate of Infinity)

Terminators x5 - Halberd x5 (Sanctuary)

 

Elite-

Apothecary - NF Thunderhammer and Curaise of Sacrifice (Inner Fire)

Paladins x10 - Hammer x3, Psycannon x4, Stave x4, and Halberd x3 (Sanctuary)

 

Fast Attack-

Interceptors x10 - Halberds x10 (Hammerhand)

 

Heavy Support-

Purgation Squad x9 - Psycannon x4 and Halberd x5 (Astral Aim)

 

Battle Plan:

Strike squads and the purgation squad are rear fire and psychic support. They gate other squads around and/or sit on objectives and sling psy-lead. The terminators bodyguard characters in the early game while the paladins and interceptors take it to the enemy. Drago is there to be tough and hard hitting. Voldus provides a librarians worth of psychic support while being a good fighter. The grand master is there because I needed somebody to help out and not be a wuss in a fight. The apothecary inner fire bombs and then contributes the best he can.

 

Thoughts?

[Skywrath]

I'll have a look later today, brother.

[Silver-Fox]

Hmm I woudn't play the normal Grandmaster. You already have two very good ones with Voldus and Draigo. You could think about:

a Librarian for more support spells

a Chaplain for -1 ap litany and ignore modifiers/+6" range

a brother Captain for 24" smites.

All of those seem to be a better addition to the list than the 3th Grandmaster.

 

Troops look fine.

But strikes are quite squishy I would aim for 2x5 Terminators 1x5 Strikes. That makes your obsec more stable and reliant. I like Warding staves so I would take one in a 5 man Unit of terminators.

 

I run a 10 man paladin squad like yours but only take 1 hammer on the Paragon. With hammerhand, they hit hard enough.

 

Whats your plan with the Inceptors?

Buff em up and shoot with psybolt ammunition strat? Yeah can work. Otherwise you can combat squad them to get early objectives. But you need LoS blocker for that near the objective. I would give them Astral aim or Vortex.

 

I don't like the big Purgation squad. You can take max hvy weapons with 5 man, so i would stick with that. You can try to get 2x5 with 4 psycannons in the list or go the cheaper route and 1x 4 psycannons / 1x4 psilencers. Both I think are a better option than a 10 man unit.

[Skywrath]

I'd get rid of the Grand Master, and replace him with either a Librarian or Chaplain. No reason to take him, when you have already one GM and a SGM. Troops look fine, however

with the buffs to GK's marines, and the 2w troops and the 3w terminators, I'd probably throw a psycannon in there for the extra spiciness. Elites also good, but I'd find the

points to squeeze a Ven Dreadnought in there, maybe a Doomglaive.

 

Purgation Squads are and interesting choice, now that I think about it, because they will probably get 2w each. So I'll still probably hold onto them, although I'd split them

in two squads of five.

 

Everything else looks solid.

[librisrouge]

Hmm I woudn't play the normal Grandmaster. You already have two very good ones with Voldus and Draigo. You could think about:

a Librarian for more support spells

Very tempted proposition but I'm not certain what powers I'd give him. I'd also be worried since he is the softest of the GK characters and I'd be making him a warlord.

a Chaplain for -1 ap litany and ignore modifiers/+6" range

My honest original idea. A chaplain can also make the purgation squad better by trying (2/3rds of the time) to give them a +6" range.

a brother Captain for 24" smites.

I'm tempted by a brother captain. I'm iffy on the idea, since smiting got nerfed for GKs, but I'm still very open to it.

 

Troops look fine.

But strikes are quite squishy I would aim for 2x5 Terminators 1x5 Strikes. That makes your obsec more stable and reliant. I like Warding staves so I would take one in a 5 man Unit of terminators.

I run a 10 man paladin squad like yours but only take 1 hammer on the Paragon. With hammerhand, they hit hard enough.

I'll have to consider both of those points. I want more terminators but I figure that the strike squads will be better off for raising banners and the like. Almost 200 points feels wasted if I'm only using it to plop on an objective, so I want to keep some strikes. I noticed that you (I think?) use servitors for that but I don't like the aesthetic of servitors without a techmarine so I'm passing on the idea for now.

 

Whats your plan with the Inceptors?

Buff em up and shoot with psybolt ammunition strat? Yeah can work. Otherwise you can combat squad them to get early objectives. But you need LoS blocker for that near the objective. I would give them Astral aim or Vortex.

Yes, I'd like to have them just forward, probably with a Gate'd Draigo, pop Psybolt and switch to the shooting strat (which would also benefit the purgation squad and paladins) and absolutely mess something up. My math hammer has the squad almost killing a knight with the re-roll wounds strat.

 

I don't like the big Purgation squad. You can take max hvy weapons with 5 man, so i would stick with that. You can try to get 2x5 with 4 psycannons in the list or go the cheaper route and 1x 4 psycannons / 1x4 psilencers. Both I think are a better option than a 10 man unit.

I'm mixed on the purgation squad. I like them on a conceptual level but I feel like I'll have more mixed feelings on them in practice. I like their ability to drop fire power with the right Tides and strats but I'm getting close to overdoing it with CP and I can just see me wanting to use Astral Aim twice each turn, losing on optimal usage because I can only use it once. I might have to get a practice game or two in and them let the dice decide. If I have to drop them, I might add five more terminators instead.

 

 

I'd get rid of the Grand Master, and replace him with either a Librarian or Chaplain. No reason to take him, when you have already one GM and a SGM.

Seems we have a consensus here. I might have to look into a chaplain.

Troops look fine, however with the buffs to GK's marines, and the 2w troops and the 3w terminators, I'd probably throw a psycannon in there for the extra spiciness. Elites also good, but I'd find the

points to squeeze a Ven Dreadnought in there, maybe a Doomglaive.

I like the ven dread idea and might drop the purgation squad for it.

Purgation Squads are and interesting choice, now that I think about it, because they will probably get 2w each. So I'll still probably hold onto them, although I'd split them in two squads of five.

I really want the purgation squad to be good but I'm not sure if they will be. I guess I'll only have one way to find out. I feel like 9th edition GKs need a unit to take advantage of Astral Aim, since there is so much more terrain.

Everything else looks solid.

 

Thanks for the feedback guys. It is appreciated.

[Corvus Fortis]

Very tempted proposition but I'm not certain what powers I'd give him. I'd also be worried since he is the softest of the GK characters and I'd be making him a warlord.

 

 

I place one deep into my deployment behind a ruin and use him to shift tides and gain a CP with psychic powers. Didn't regret once. Yes, it is an investment, but I am assured, that no once denies warp shaping or empyrean domination and they go off with 95% of times. 

 

My honest original idea. A chaplain can also make the purgation squad better by trying (2/3rds of the time) to give them a +6" range.

 

 

Changes to command reroll, 5 turns limit and, most importantly, limited HQ slots hit the chaplain hard. I won't call him terrible, but he became ineficient. If you put him into reserves, you only using litanies twice. If we get an upgrade for chaplains like marines have, I'd look into him, but for now he is just unreliable.

 

I'm tempted by a brother captain. I'm iffy on the idea, since smiting got nerfed for GKs, but I'm still very open to it.

 

 

He is still a beatstick and strudy character. Definitely better than redundant GM.

 

I'll have to consider both of those points. I want more terminators but I figure that the strike squads will be better off for raising banners and the like. Almost 200 points feels wasted if I'm only using it to plop on an objective, so I want to keep some strikes. I noticed that you (I think?) use servitors for that but I don't like the aesthetic of servitors without a techmarine so I'm passing on the idea for now.

 

 

Actually, servitors are only unit which we can throw to raise banners. You have to dedicate all of your forces to action as GK. Including strikes. I'd avoid any action-based seconaries, unless you bring servitors. You have to chose between aesthetics and effectiveness here. :) Finally, I am still not sold on terminators. They cost almost twice as much as 10 strikes, but die as quickly to D2+ weapons, unless you use redoubtable defence, which you can pop only on single squad per phase, and it is more effective on paladins.

 

Yes, I'd like to have them just forward, probably with a Gate'd Draigo, pop Psybolt and switch to the shooting strat (which would also benefit the purgation squad and paladins) and absolutely mess something up. My math hammer has the squad almost killing a knight with the re-roll wounds strat.

 

 

I like interceptors, because they provide more bodies on the table and can strike alongside reserves. However, if you are jumping with just them, they will be 100% dead next turn. Sometimes it is worth it to give them up and kill something important.

 

I'm mixed on the purgation squad. I like them on a conceptual level but I feel like I'll have more mixed feelings on them in practice. I like their ability to drop fire power with the right Tides and strats but I'm getting close to overdoing it with CP and I can just see me wanting to use Astral Aim twice each turn, losing on optimal usage because I can only use it once. I might have to get a practice game or two in and them let the dice decide. If I have to drop them, I might add five more terminators instead.

 

 

Purgation squads are still not worth the points, unfortunately. Smaller boards surely did help them, but that's not enough. They will die quickly and don't bring firepower to do anything special. And you have to use CP to deploy them. 3x psycannon squads into the strategic reserves may be a fun option, but not competitive. If you want ranged support, bring vendread instead.

 

I really want the purgation squad to be good but I'm not sure if they will be. I guess I'll only have one way to find out. I feel like 9th edition GKs need a unit to take advantage of Astral Aim, since there is so much more terrain.

 

 

Trust me, they will disappoint you. Psybolt Ammunition+Tide of Convergence is the only way to deal effective ranged damage now, unfortunately.