One Last Blade - Icosiel's Grey Knights Videos

[Icosiel]

Greetings, fellow Sons of Titan! Every week I share another battle report with you all, so I figured I'd just make an ur-thread rather than posting a new topic every week.

 

My name is Icosiel and I make videos about Grey Knights! I focus on battle reports, but I also do some list pondering and hobby stuff on occasion. Here's a link to my channel:

 

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCud2nvtJBLCnYxLSpV-pjPA

I'm fighting against Imperial Knights this weekend, so I made a video about my thoughts on exactly how I am going to beat them. I don't have a lot of anti-tank! Any input would be appreciated!

 

[Weltbild]

It’s nice to see this thread. Watched a couple of your battle reports and think they‘re great inspiration!

 

I have no experience with knights unfortunately. I could imagine a mix of lascannon dreadnoughts, tide of escalation smitespam (for 8-10 MW per turn) and daemonhammers (especially the greater one on GMNDK) to be appropriate?

[Reskin]

Couple of Ven dreads and then just go for VP, the knights will struggle, they don't have obsec so you can win the Objectives

[Icosiel]

Fellow Sons of Titan! I am back with another battle report! In this video I face off against Imperial Knights. I would've had this one up Monday, but my computer crashed twice rendering it.

 

https://youtu.be/v0iYNH0ZH08

 

Also... I am fully aware of how terrible my list was. I don't know what I was thinking.

[Reskin]

that stormraven tho.... did work 

 

I swear, I just watch these vids coz your paint skillz are on point.

[Icosiel]

that stormraven tho.... did work 

 

I swear, I just watch these vids coz your paint skillz are on point.

 

Ha, I appreciate that! Clearly it is not for my prowess as a tactical commander. I think my next game I'm just going bring the most dick-stomping list I can muster.

[Reskin]

 

that stormraven tho.... did work 

 

I swear, I just watch these vids coz your paint skillz are on point.

 

Ha, I appreciate that! Clearly it is not for my prowess as a tactical commander. I think my next game I'm just going bring the most dick-stomping list I can muster.

 

 

Well, one thing I've learnt is that you need more obscuring ruins terrain. Even at 1000 pts I now use way more than you had. And on a larger map in a larger game. You needed more ruins. LoS blocking against the Knights weapons and they have to walk around the building to get you, whereas your infantry can walk straight though.

 

Also, seeing as you were taking the raven, could you have not deployed it right at the table edge, you get something like 40" or 60" move right? so deploying far back, potentially limits his range. A small thing I noticed for your first turn.

 

shame you got that mission tbh. only 4 objectives, but you shoulda played the objective game. Knights don't have obsec, so as soon as your are on the objectives, you would of been getting 15VP a turn. 

 

Real shame about the raven, as soon as he had first turn, I knew it was gonna die, and you basically were playing handicapped from then on out.

[Waking Dreamer]

 

that stormraven tho.... did work 

 

I swear, I just watch these vids coz your paint skillz are on point.

 

Ha, I appreciate that! Clearly it is not for my prowess as a tactical commander. I think my next game I'm just going bring the most dick-stomping list I can muster.

 

 

I was thinking, could the Stormraven not have started in reserves? I think coming in on T2, or even T3 for some guaranteed shooting is the way to go for an asset like the SR.

 

I know what happened to your SR feels really bad but if it's any solace, there is a recent batrep on Tabletop Tactics consisting of Space Wolves vs Iron Warriors, let's just say the SW army also had a gorgeous FW Fire Raptor (SR on steroids) costing about 450 points starting on the table too...guess what happens...? Alternatively, a recent Tabletop Titans (similar sounding BUT different channel) batrep, has Tau vs Drukahri with the Tau army having a giant FW Tigershark flyer (wingspan wider than two Imperial Knights), where NO LOS blocking could ever hope to hide the view on the table, smartly the player dare not start the (even more expensive than the FR) Tau flyer on the table, and chose to come in much later in the game. 

 

Since I don't usually use flyers, but watching the combined 3 batreps with the 300-500 point flyer assets within the same month, has really made me think of how to use them!

Edited November 12, 2020 by Waking Dreamer

[Icosiel]

 

 

that stormraven tho.... did work 

 

I swear, I just watch these vids coz your paint skillz are on point.

 

Ha, I appreciate that! Clearly it is not for my prowess as a tactical commander. I think my next game I'm just going bring the most dick-stomping list I can muster.

 

 

I was thinking, could the Stormraven not have started in reserves? I think coming in on T2, or even T3 for some guaranteed shooting is the way to go for an asset like the SR.

 

I know what happened to your SR feels really bad but if it's any solace, there is a recent batrep on Tabletop Tactics consisting of Space Wolves vs Iron Warriors, let's just say the SW army also had a gorgeous FW Fire Raptor (SR on steroids) costing about 450 points starting on the table too...guess what happens...? Alternatively, a recent Tabletop Titans (similar sounding BUT different channel) batrep, has Tau vs Drukahri with the Tau army having a giant FW Tigershark flyer (wingspan wider than two Imperial Knights), where NO LOS blocking could ever hope to hide the view on the table, smartly the player dare not start the (even more expensive than the FR) Tau flyer on the table, and chose to come in much later in the game. 

 

Since I don't usually use flyers, but watching the combined 3 batreps with the 300-500 point flyer assets within the same month, has really made me think of how to use them!

 

 

Dreamer, I know exactly the Tabletop Tactics batrep you are referencing. Bone didn't even want to play that Flyer, but Fletcher's paintjob was so beautiful that they had to.

 

I could have started the Stormraven in reserves, but honestly that wasn't even on my mind. I was too busy trying to shove all my Dreadknights and Paladins in deep strike!

[Reskin]

 

 

that stormraven tho.... did work 

 

I swear, I just watch these vids coz your paint skillz are on point.

 

Ha, I appreciate that! Clearly it is not for my prowess as a tactical commander. I think my next game I'm just going bring the most dick-stomping list I can muster.

 

 

I was thinking, could the Stormraven not have started in reserves? I think coming in on T2, or even T3 for some guaranteed shooting is the way to go for an asset like the SR.

 

I know what happened to your SR feels really bad but if it's any solace, there is a recent batrep on Tabletop Tactics consisting of Space Wolves vs Iron Warriors, let's just say the SW army also had a gorgeous FW Fire Raptor (SR on steroids) costing about 450 points starting on the table too...guess what happens...? Alternatively, a recent Tabletop Titans (similar sounding BUT different channel) batrep, has Tau vs Drukahri with the Tau army having a giant FW Tigershark flyer (wingspan wider than two Imperial Knights), where NO LOS blocking could ever hope to hide the view on the table, smartly the player dare not start the (even more expensive than the FR) Tau flyer on the table, and chose to come in much later in the game. 

 

Since I don't usually use flyers, but watching the combined 3 batreps with the 300-500 point flyer assets within the same month, has really made me think of how to use them!

 

 

Dude, I watch the same two channels. hahahah! And when I seen all 3 vids, I knew it would happen. Poor Bones and his SW.

 

Same thing I felt when watching Icosiel. I knew he wouldn't get 1st turn. 300+ pts down the drain.

 

It begs the question, why did they take away the bonus to the roll of seeing who goes first for smaller armies. It's so freakin cruicial for someone like GK.

[Icosiel]

 

Dude, I watch the same two channels. hahahah! And when I seen all 3 vids, I knew it would happen. Poor Bones and his SW.

 

Same thing I felt when watching Icosiel. I knew he wouldn't get 1st turn. 300+ pts down the drain.

 

It begs the question, why did they take away the bonus to the roll of seeing who goes first for smaller armies. It's so freakin cruicial for someone like GK.

 

 

Yeah, I think something's kinda screwy with the who-goes-first method right now. I really liked the end of 8th where it was all but certain who was going first after deployment zones were chosen. I felt like it allowed me to play more tactically.

[Reskin]

Like, not knowing who is going first in deployment sucks, you have to hedge your bets and either go balls to the wall and deploy aggressive and hope for 1st turn, or the complete opposite and turtle behind a building.

 

The problem is, which ever you choose, the opposite is likely to happen. You deploy aggressive, and don't get first turn, then get shot off the board.

Or, you deploy so far back and behind crap that when you get first turn, its practically wasted because you spend you movement barely moving out of your deployment zone.

 

It's stupid to be honest.

[Skywrath]

I'll take a look at this in a bit, and have a response soon. 

[Icosiel]

I'm back with another video! This week I played against Iron Warriors. My opponent lives and breathes Chaos, so his fluff is on point and all of his models look amazing. It was such a good game.

 

https://youtu.be/AvaKNaPo-TY

[Reskin]

Did you win?

[Icosiel]

Did you win?

 

I don't want to spoil it!

 

But yes, yes. I did.

[Freakshow668]

 

 

Did you win?

I don't want to spoil it!

 

But yes, yes. I did.

Dude, spoiler alert!

[Weltbild]

Nice batrep, have not yet been able to watch it completely though. Regarding deployment, wouldn‘t your NDKs have benefitted from terrain (-1 to hit in tide of shadows) if you just had their bases touch terrain, e. g. buildings?

 

Edit: Am I playing this wrong?

Edited November 18, 2020 by Weltbild

[Reskin]

I can't speak for everyone, but how we play it is inside the ruin's walls, is in cover, what cover are you getting from outside of a building? Yes it's still obscuring, but there needs to be a clearly defined boundary for the ruined building. We also only use GW terrain, so sometimes we build them as an L shape, then we draw a line from corner to corner to define a triangle.

Sometimes they are a U shape, we three sided walls which naturally makes a square.

 

In Icosiel's situation, he has custom built terrain, and a lot of buildings that I couldn't see him entering. Just looking at a glance. Not many woods or craters for the Large scaled NDK's and LR to sit in. Nor would he want too perhaps, as that incurs a 2" movement penalty. If he was playing those rules.

 

I do think however you could of hid them behind the obscuring buildings. Yes he had some indirect fire, but its better them putting them in the open and taking ALL of his fire.

 

I know you play wysiwyg Icosiel, and that's totally fine, but boy o boy, what happened to you taking and I quote...

 

A dick stomping list next time.

 

Anyway, glad you won this time round. You're doing the 7th brotherhood proud.

[Weltbild]

I can't speak for everyone, but how we play it is inside the ruin's walls, is in cover, what cover are you getting from outside of a building? Yes it's still obscuring, but there needs to be a clearly defined boundary for the ruined building. We also only use GW terrain, so sometimes we build them as an L shape, then we draw a line from corner to corner to define a triangle.

Sometimes they are a U shape, we three sided walls which naturally makes a square.

I always thought of the tide of shadows as somehow blurring the model‘s contours with its surroundings, if it’s either in terrain or close to (= touching) and therefore resulting in the hit modifier. From that point of view, you wouldn‘t actually have to be able to cower behind any cover. But perhaps that‘s just wishful thinking on my end?

 

From what I read so far, to qualify for ‚either on or within terrain‘ a simple contact between the model‘s base and the piece of terrain is required. Help, anyone. :-/

 

Edit: Sorry, didn‘t mean to be rude but is there an actual rules reference to how this is handled?

 

Edit2: Ok. According to Goonhammer‘s interpretation, the inner boundary is recommended for buildings and ruins (as you stated @Reskin). My bad.

Source: https://www.goonhammer.com/ruleshammmer-guide-to-terrain-in-9th/

Edited November 18, 2020 by Weltbild

[Icosiel]

I can't speak for everyone, but how we play it is inside the ruin's walls, is in cover, what cover are you getting from outside of a building? Yes it's still obscuring, but there needs to be a clearly defined boundary for the ruined building. We also only use GW terrain, so sometimes we build them as an L shape, then we draw a line from corner to corner to define a triangle.

Sometimes they are a U shape, we three sided walls which naturally makes a square.

 

In Icosiel's situation, he has custom built terrain, and a lot of buildings that I couldn't see him entering. Just looking at a glance. Not many woods or craters for the Large scaled NDK's and LR to sit in. Nor would he want too perhaps, as that incurs a 2" movement penalty. If he was playing those rules.

 

I do think however you could of hid them behind the obscuring buildings. Yes he had some indirect fire, but its better them putting them in the open and taking ALL of his fire.

 

I know you play wysiwyg Icosiel, and that's totally fine, but boy o boy, what happened to you taking and I quote...

 

A dick stomping list next time.

 

Anyway, glad you won this time round. You're doing the 7th brotherhood proud.

 

Ha, yeah. Truth be told, I have a lot of painting I need to do if I really want to get my dick-stomping list up to date. For this game, I knew how my Chaos buddy liked to play (very fluffy) and I didn't wanna build something hyper-competitive. And honestly, my not-so-competitive choices did alright. The LRR survived the whole game and made some key plays. What would you recommend switching up about this list, Reskin?

Nice batrep, have not yet been able to watch it completely though. Regarding deployment, wouldn‘t your NDKs have benefitted from terrain (-1 to hit in tide of shadows) if you just had their bases touch terrain, e. g. buildings?

 

Edit: Am I playing this wrong?

 

That's a discussion about RAW and RAI. There can be an argument made that rules as written you only need to be barely touching a terrain feature in order to get the -1 defensive bonus, but in my opinion it is certainly not rules as intended so I don't play it that way.

[Reskin]

 

What would you recommend switching up about this list, Reskin?

 

You play too fluffy for me to recommend things.

 

I suppose it would be just subtle things to give you more redundancy so when things die you aren't left stranded and stuck like "how am I going to deal with this now?"

 

I know you love your characters so we'll work on that later, but start with changing the close combat dreadnought, ours aren't buffed yet. And to be honest, even when they get the buff in the new codex, I doubt I would ever walk an 8 wound vehicle up the board. With the improvement to base damage on guns now, even things like the heavy bolter will take them out with enough ease. So if you must take the dreadnought, keep it as a gun platform, since I don't see you using astral aim on your other units, he won't be competing for it. Try and fit 2. That's a decent amount of Anti tank to help you deal with things like knights. That's 2/3 elite slots and you still can keep your unit of paladins. 

 

How many times did your Techmarine heal a vehicle. And he can only do it once, its very fluffy, but honestly if you protected your vehicles more you wouldn't have that problem as much.

Remember, you want your vehicles to soak some fire, at least then your infantry isn't getting blasted. You'd just like them to earn their points back before you have to take them off the table. Like your Stormraven last game.

 

Not having warp shaping as a spell on any of your characters is an issue. I know you feel safer in tide of shadows, but honestly by turn 3 you should be in tide of fury with the way you play. Tide of shadows effectiveness really pales in comparison when you've already tied up majority of his units in melee anyway. And once you've taken some toys off the table.

 

Try and swap the tech marine for a Librarian and try him out with vortex of doom and the sanctic shard, +2 to the cast, use 1CP to 3 dice the spell and a free reroll if you fail. You want to hit that blessed number 12. Praise the Emperor and do 6 mortal wounds, you could of dropped a tactical nuke on the bunched up tanks he had in the corner.

Edited November 19, 2020 by Reskin

[Icosiel]

Brothers of Titan, it has been a minute since my last update. I wanted to make a quick video about how the latest covid lockdown has affected my gaming schedule. Battle reports will come soon!

https://youtu.be/izz1pF160tc

[Reskin]

yeah its unfortunate my dude, you should move somewhere mid west, they aren't as uptight with restrictions right?

 

I was wondering what happened to your vids.

[Cleon]

That's a shame, I've not managed any games since 9th dropped because of our restrictions and I was keeping an eye on how the mechannics worked with your vids, you guys seem to play the game the right way (and the power armour Grey Knights will stop me wincing at you sometimes having to use a squad of Grey Knight terminators to hold objectives instead of them getting stuck in)

 

It probably doesn't need a video, but I'd be interested in knowing your silver recipe...