Infiltrators for Deathwatch

[Skywrath]

Straight to the point - do you see a competitive spot for Infiltrators and more specifically, Helix Adepts in Deathwatch lists? The other question I have is whether the Spectrus Kill-Teams would have a place in a competitive meta, as well as how you would configure them. Got a box of those coming and I'm not sure whether I should paint them as Deathwatch or Dark Angels.  Thanks for your input!

 

[Qui-Gon]

Infiltrators enable you to be able to have obscene board denial for reserve heavy lists and strategies. Especially with the advent of Strategic Reserves granting everyone a consistent reliable way to bring their stuff on, being able to zone out areas is important. And on the smaller maps, its that much more potent.

I plan to run a Snipetrus team (5/5 Infiltrators/Eliminators) in games until either I feel they aren't worth it or I decide on something better. Board control, infiltration, sniping, character threats, it influences how people play.

And I will always take that helix adept. Being able to give the unit that little BIT more survivability can be clutch.

[GrinNfool]

I've  got a couple games in with the spectrus team running 5x elims with a helix.  They are surprisingly hard to shift sitting in cover with the helix giving the ignore a failed save.  I've had reasonable success with them, popping adrax off the table turn 1 in one game, and killing a a nid prime and wiping out some horde units vs nids.  That said... I am still not 100% sold on the load out though, as I think with enough play against that KT people will start to understand how to avoid the snipers better,  The hyperfrag off the elims though can let them put some decent damage even into hordes/GEQ if thats all you got to shoot at as 10 s4 and 15 s5 shots is nothing to sneeze at.  I wouldn't forward deploy this set up, or at least not much forward, unless vs something with no close combat.  The biggest thing I have noticed though is you can put big enough threats on the table that are going to be fighting mid table, that the spectrus team just gets ignored because its a target thats hard to be efficient against with shooting.

 

I think the spectrus also has some potential going helix 4 elims and a incursor with haywire combat squadding helix plus elims and 4 infil 1 incursor,  gives us 2 no DS bubbles, and a reasonable squad to put in a forward position if we wanted it. 

 

I don't know about just deploying infiltrators on their own though, if you are after that benefit and didn't want to field anything else you could just field 5 inursor 5 infiltrators combatsquad them out 2/3 and 3/2 and as long as you keep one infil alive in each squad you still have your no DS bubble, for cheaper than any other faction could do it.   Even cheaper if you run it with reivers if you just want them to start in your deployment zone.

 

Honestly with DW's issues with vehicles historically (granted erads are a thing now) I could even see elims hauling las fusils since you could use infiltrators + helix to soak wounds. Bottom line though is I think spectrus team has a lot of potential, but its to early to tell what set up will be best, or if there even is a best, as it could just be what works for you, in your local meta. 

Edited November 16, 2020 by GrinNfool

[Debauchery101]

I've been using 2 spectrus teams and a phobos captain with lord of Deceit.

Teams are 5-6 infils with comms and 4-5 eliminators. I put 1 to 2 las fusils in each. The comms really help out

 

Basically deploy all my phobos units to deny deployment areas. Then when were done I LoD most of them all back

[Skywrath]

Infiltrators enable you to be able to have obscene board denial for reserve heavy lists and strategies. Especially with the advent of Strategic Reserves granting everyone a consistent reliable way to bring their stuff on, being able to zone out areas is important. And on the smaller maps, its that much more potent.

 

I plan to run a Snipetrus team (5/5 Infiltrators/Eliminators) in games until either I feel they aren't worth it or I decide on something better. Board control, infiltration, sniping, character threats, it influences how people play.

 

That being said, would it be advisable to include at least one reiver for a 2CP strategem to deny obsec? Not really related to this, but worth asking.

 

And I will always take that helix adept. Being able to give the unit that little BIT more survivability can be clutch.

 

Similar question to the one on the Dark Angel specific one, mathhammer wise, reducing an attack to 0 for that unit only would counter more storm-bolter fire or heavier weapons such as plasma?

 

In blue.

 

I've  got a couple games in with the spectrus team running 5x elims with a helix.  They are surprisingly hard to shift sitting in cover with the helix giving the ignore a failed save.  I've had reasonable success with them, popping adrax off the table turn 1 in one game, and killing a a nid prime and wiping out some horde units vs nids.  That said... I am still not 100% sold on the load out though, as I think with enough play against that KT people will start to understand how to avoid the snipers better,  The hyperfrag off the elims though can let them put some decent damage even into hordes/GEQ if thats all you got to shoot at as 10 s4 and 15 s5 shots is nothing to sneeze at.  I wouldn't forward deploy this set up, or at least not much forward, unless vs something with no close combat.  The biggest thing I have noticed though is you can put big enough threats on the table that are going to be fighting mid table, that the spectrus team just gets ignored because its a target thats hard to be efficient against with shooting.

 

I think the spectrus also has some potential going helix 4 elims and a incursor with haywire combat squadding helix plus elims and 4 infil 1 incursor,  gives us 2 no DS bubbles, and a reasonable squad to put in a forward position if we wanted it. 

 

I don't know about just deploying infiltrators on their own though, if you are after that benefit and didn't want to field anything else you could just field 5 inursor 5 infiltrators combatsquad them out 2/3 and 3/2 and as long as you keep one infil alive in each squad you still have your no DS bubble, for cheaper than any other faction could do it.   Even cheaper if you run it with reivers if you just want them to start in your deployment zone.

 

Honestly with DW's issues with vehicles historically (granted erads are a thing now) I could even see elims hauling las fusils since you could use infiltrators + helix to soak wounds. Bottom line though is I think spectrus team has a lot of potential, but its to early to tell what set up will be best, or if there even is a best, as it could just be what works for you, in your local meta. 

 

Interesting, it looks like some eliminators I had will be painted in Deathwatch colors. I always found it hard to use them in my Dark Angel list, but it seems they are front and centre with Deathwatch. Thanks for the anecdote! 

 

Same question as to Qui-Gon, do you see the Reivers holding at least one spot in a team of 10 for the deny obsec strategem? And how many of those spectrus teams would you recommend running?

 

I never was under the impression that DW had problems with Vehicles, due to the Fortis teams and hellblasters, and now the indomitor team with the eradicators/inceptors. But thanks for the input!

 

 

I've been using 2 spectrus teams and a phobos captain with lord of Deceit.

Teams are 5-6 infils with comms and 4-5 eliminators. I put 1 to 2 las fusils in each. The comms really help out

 

Basically deploy all my phobos units to deny deployment areas. Then when were done I LoD most of them all back

 

LoD? Thanks for the input, this has been noted!

[Debauchery101]

LoD lord of deciet ...vanguard warlord trait...redeploy 5 phobos untils after everyone deploys...used to be after roll off but now its not but still powerful.

 

Edit: its 3 units not 5...I use 5 units with scramblers

Edited November 16, 2020 by Debauchery101

[Skywrath]

LoD lord of deciet ...vanguard warlord trait...redeploy 5 phobos untils after everyone deploys...used to be after roll off but now its not but still powerful.

 

Interesting! Just to further that idea, what else do you throw on top of it? What supporting characters? Do you run librarians, and if so with what discipline powers? I imagine Mantle of Shadow would be quite good?

[Debauchery101]

Phobos captain. Hes a sniper and units with comms dont need to be within 6in for his rerolo 1s to hit aura

[Qui-Gon]

Take a Reiver for the hope of using a 2 CP stratagem? *laughs maniaclly*

 

I'm sorry, I placed 0 value on Reivers before. Having a 2 CP stratagem, quite expensive, doesn't compensate for a crap unit.

 

Furthermore, considering that the unit loses concealed positions if they take a Reiver? Oh hell naw.

 

Reivers are just conversion fodder into infiltrators/incursors.

[Debauchery101]

Reivers need a rework badly.

They should get the option to deep strike inside 9in or make them into jump infantry

 

I actually like reivers in casual games when I have a hand in terrain selection or when there is a good amount elevation. Grapple hooks create unique risk to enemies trying use high ground

[Skywrath]

Phobos captain. Hes a sniper and units with comms dont need to be within 6in for his rerolo 1s to hit aura

 

Cheers!

 

Take a Reiver for the hope of using a 2 CP stratagem? *laughs maniaclly*

 

I'm sorry, I placed 0 value on Reivers before. Having a 2 CP stratagem, quite expensive, doesn't compensate for a crap unit.

 

Furthermore, considering that the unit loses concealed positions if they take a Reiver? Oh hell naw.

 

Reivers are just conversion fodder into infiltrators/incursors.

 

Fair enough!

 

Reivers need a rework badly.

They should get the option to deep strike inside 9in or make them into jump infantry

 

I actually like reivers in casual games when I have a hand in terrain selection or when there is a good amount elevation. Grapple hooks create unique risk to enemies trying use high ground

 

That being said, you can pay 4pts for Grav Chutes for Reivers and they are already squaded into a Spectrus Kill-Team, so that means they can setup 9" away from enemies. Similar story with how the Infiltrators can do that, as they are in a unit. Even combat squading them works, assuming you have a team of 5 infiltrators, 3 eliminators, 2 reivers. Also with combat squad it said same amount of models, right, not same amount of <insert unit type here> in each squad? 

[Debauchery101]

Grav chutes are for deep striking not pregame advanced deployment like concealed positions