Unit of the Week: Heavy Intercessor Squad

[Jolemai]

Welcome to part two of the Blood Angels Unit of the Week Series!

Following the release of the 9^th edition Supplement, there is no better time to discuss all the units we have access to. Each week a different unit will appear, with the idea being that we discuss how best to use that model on the battlefield. Where part one will focus on the unique BA units and part two will focus on BA units that are new to this edition of the Codex, part three will discuss how to get the best use the generic units from the past that are still with us (and that many of us have in our armies still), and part four will discuss the Legends units that we still own and love. Finally, part five will be dedicated to the reinforcements from Forge World.

Note, this isn't to lament any nerfs, etc, from previous editions; the rules are as they are so try to unlock its potential for those who wish to use them all the same. Similarly, this thread is only for using the option being discussed; it matters not if you feel something is a better choice as such comments aren't constructive to the topic and shall be removed.

Without further ado, here's this week's entry:

Heavy Intercessor Squad

Heavy Intercessors, Majkhel

What are you thoughts here folks? How best would you use your Heavy Intercessors?

• To compliment a list, or to build a list around? Will the beta rules affect your list(s)?
• Will you be running multiples? MSU or full squads? Combat Squads?
• Footslog or transport?
• How are you buffing this unit?
• What Wargear Options do you prefer and how much does it depend on the above choices?
• Stratagem synergy or note?

Over to you

Please note that the Assault Intercessor Squad, Death Company Intercessors, Intercessor Squad, and Veteran Intercessor Squad will be discussed elsewhere

Edited October 23, 2021 by Jolemai

[Jolemai]

Should you want your model on display here (or on another thread from the series), then submit a photo here please.

[Karhedron]

I am a big fan of these chunky bois. Their price per-wound is similar to regular Intercessors but they clock in at T5 and have improved guns and access to the Gravis stratagem. Nothing in 40K is unkillable but if you park them on an Objective in cover, your opponent will have to direct a lot of firepower to remove what is still just a Troop unit. If they happen to be in buffing range if any characters then that is handy but often your Characters will be needed supporting more potent units.

 

As with regular Intercessors, it looks like the maths favours the Assault 3 gun. Whilst they may look like backfield Objective campers, I think they work better marching up on midfield Objectives and giving your opponent a headache. I see them following just behind our melee spearhead. Take the Objectives once your melee elites have cleared the enemy and then hold them in the face of all but the most determined firepower. If your opponents do dedicate the firepower necessary to remove them, chance are they is not shooting at more valuable units.

 

The only downside is the inability to take a melee weapon on the sergeant so I would try to keep them out of melee where possible or have a friendly melee unit to bail them out.

 

I am looking to run them with Phobos Troops who have the ability to forward deploy, push Reserves out to 12" and use smoke grenades (Infiltrators also get the handy Helix gauntlet for a little extra durability). Used together, you have a selection of Troop units that require a bit more effort to remove than most opponents will have available without giving our elites free reign.

[Captain Caine 24th]

Really excited about their individual release, they'll be top of my list to paint immediately.  And, how are we abbreviating these 'chunky' fellows? HIS? Hmmm, sounds odd. Anyway, these are my first impressions of them:

 

To compliment a list, or to build a list around? Will you be running multiples? MSU or full squads? Combat Squads?

• I like the idea of complimenting a list. I like 1-2 five man squads. The points are high, and I don't mean it in a negative, just that this squad will add up very quickly at 10 models + wargear. Especially so if there's multiple squads.  
• Just because they don't directly benefit largely from RED THIRST, being a shooting unit, doesn't mean they aren't complimentary. Some view BA as a glass hammer (high damage output, low durability). If true, it may make sense to shore up the weak parts of a list with more durable units. Also, Gravis only moves 5" and there could be times were +1 advance and charge are helpful to get them moving.
• Conceivably you could have a few 10 man squads supported by a chief apothecary (or captain, chaplain, etc). There's real durability there. I think it'd look really cool. But, with terrain it'd be hard to maneuver and keep the aura. Also with larger squad sizes you won't hide outside line of sight easily (like a small scout squad might). Sometimes the best durability isn't toughness, wounds, saves, or ignore wounds--it's not being shot at--at all. Also, this unit strikes me as more oriented at durability than damage output. Lots of BA players focus on high damage dealing elites. Too strong a focus on these heavy intercessors could significantly impair overall damage output.
• Now, if an army was constructed on all 3 or more wound models, I suspect some opponents would have a devil of time. However, I'd worry about things like Astra Militarum tank commanders, or Harlequins with fusion pistols eating an all gravis list alive. D6 damage weapons would hurt. Still, could you imagine 40+ heavy intercessors deploying across the table from you? Ha, it'd be a fun one.

Footslog or transport?

• Currently the Repulsor doesn't seem points efficient for delivering them.
• They have enough range I'm not sure you'd want a transport anyway.

What Wargear Options do you prefer and how much does it depend on the above choices?

• I concede I usually like high volume low power shots, over low volume high power. Dice are fickle. Roll more dice. Still 9th edition continues to forge new complexity in unit rules, so generalities aren't always applicable. 
• I like the range on the executor rifles at 42" that'll reach out to most things and is uncommon among troops. 
• Range can be important to hit fast targets (e.g. eldar have a tendency to move faster than I can catch up with); or for secondaries or just being late in the game, range helps when you might just be out of viable units who can respond to a crisis 30-42" away.
• Range is also good to compliment other phases - units like the Ork Ghazghkull can only take 4 wounds per phase. That specifically limits lists built on things like smash captains, who are damage all in the assault phase. A list planning to deal mortal wounds in the psychic, a few wounds in the shooting phase, and a few more in the assault phase makes sense to me. Admittedly Ghaz might be an edge case, I'm not sure how many single phase wound limit units are out there. Anyway, i just like the idea that if i drop a unit of sanguinary guard down, i can use a unit from across the table to add some supportive fire.

Stratagem use & synergy:

• Note, it's HEAVY INTERCESSOR SQUAD keyword, not INTERCESSOR SQUAD, so no Rapid Fire (2CP) for double shooting, which would have been brutal. Similarly honor the chapter is only assault intercessors.
• Transhuman at 1CP/2CP for only wounding on 4+ is good for durability, i suspect it's better on these guys than normal intercessors due to T5 and 3W
• Uncomprimising fire (2CP) to shoot while still performing an action - seems like the essence of this squad is capturing and holding objectives, this seems important to keep them Contributing to the fight while doing this essential task.
• Unyielding in the face of the foe (1CP) - you get +1SV versus 1D weapons - this really helps against the opponent using any strategy described as 'drown them in shots' 
• Hellfire shells (1CP) give you a nice option on Mortal wounds, if you take the heavy/hellstrom/executor heavy bolter. I don't think this type of strat is super reliable to kill anything, but I do think mortal wounds should be a part of list building. Have multiple sources of mortal wounds for that rainy day. 
• Auspex scan (2CP) - target a unit set up in reinforcements w/12" - I like this strat to discourage reinforcements, even if a redundancy measure, using infiltrators to block reinforcements out as well. It also can help if you get stretched thin or move out of position (units like tempestus scions might love to jump in 9" away and blast your squads as  sitting ducks). This strat seems best suited for something like hellblasters, but i suspect if you had a large unit of heavy intercessors they could get a lot of shots out.
• Steady advance (2CP) - infantry shoot as stationary - i suppose if taking the executor option, this allows you to move and shoot (maybe terrain or range is an issue). At first blush it seems great. The more I think on it though, i wonder how many wounds I'd hope to do using this stratagem to get a better round of shooting versus using my CP on other things. Maybe having a captain aura nearby (they are CORE) is enough ?
• I think there are enough useful stratagems, one should be careful not to throw too much CP away. The Advanced Rules Section limiting stratagem use to once per phase may limit how many squads of the same datasheet you want (e.g. MK X GRAVIS); or the manner you use your squads (e.g. transhuman can't save 5 squads I carelessly left out in the open during one enemy shooting phase).

[BloodyB]

Big n beefy flavoured blood angels? I think a Gravis list with a captain (probably heavy bolt rifle version, but the older Gravis could be good) backing up heavy intercessors, supported by eradicators and aggressors to deal with tanks/monsters and hordes respectively. Some inceptors to nab distant objectives and harass infantry and give some plasma support could be a very fun list, but not particularly playing to BA strengths.

 

The unit itself could be a useful addition to a BA list, giving potent fire power against heavier infantry, like Death Guard and Wraith-Constructs. I personally prefer the standard rifle and the sniper, BA have so much anti infantry shooting form so many places, the assault version isn't really popping for me. The assault version doesn't even synergise well with the Hellstorm heavy bolter, as it's still heavy and takes a penalty if you move. The other 2 weapons seem to work well within their own specialty, the heavy bolter is well-worn ground, while the new Executioner variant offers a useful, if somewhat niche, 3 damage.

 

On balance I would probably take the basic rifle. Take a midfield objective and pour fire on whatever unit presents itself. I would probably open with this unit, either to wipe a near-death squad or to support a coming assault further forward. Similar to the use of tactical marines in the days of 6e, use them to soften up units, and secure otherwise difficult eliminations.

 

The sniper variant, while fine, isn't particularly useful on these big boys. They should be attracting fire, so weaker units survive, so they need to be closer. Meanwhile, damage 2 one shot weapons are much more effective from hellblaster squads or even devastator squads with heavy bolters, both of whom can do so better. The damage 3 heavy bolter is outdone by the Eliminator squad's las-fusil.

 

I find it odd that I am comparing a troops choice to heavy support units, but I think that they are more useful when thought of that way, a punchy shooting unit that can hold an objective very effectively without breaking the bank is something I can see getting used by a lot of players.

 

They seem weak in the assault phase, but they are unlikely to attract, or even meet, heavy hitting melee units. Simply a virtue of our fast moving assault units being able to quickly engage and support key locations on the battlefield. Of course, most combats will likely come from a tarpitting strategy, I can foresee gaunts and Boyz being thrown into the squad to tie a knot in the bullet hose, but in such cases I would pop the Ceramite Strongpoint strategem and send a force to relieve them ASAP. The lack of even a power sword hurts, but not too much with the BA chapter tactics.

 

In short, they seem to complement a list well, and act as an old school, heavy weapon toting tactical squad, support the assault from midfield and be ready to back them up.

[Karhedron]

• Transhuman at 1CP/2CP for only wounding on 4+ is good for durability, i suspect it's better on these guys than normal intercessors due to T5 and 3W

I actually think that THP is not so good on them because of the T5. S8/9 weapons like overcharged plasma, lascannons etc will only be wounding them in a 3+ so pushing that to a 4+is less of a bonus than it would be on T4 units who would otherwise be wounded on a 2+.

 

My feeling is that T4 squads with higher damage output probably get more mileage out of THP. A lot of it will depend on what is attacking them and what objective they are holding compared to any other squads likely to get hit in that phase.

[Inquisitor_Lensoven]

Personally I like the idea of pushing them up behind some aggressors into the midfield.

[Helias_Tancred]

Thread resurrection. 

 

When they first came out I swore them off as a unit that I would field with my Blood Angels. I lumped them in as a good choice for my Dark Angels and that was that. In retrospect now, I do plan on getting my HI squad that I built for my Blood Angels painted, and then used on the tabletop. 

Fortunately I built with them with the auto heavy bolt rifles and the auto heavy bolter. Volume of shots inbound!

[Paladin777]

I just bought a box recently. I'm actually planning on getting another one eventually too. One squad with executors (with the heavy weapon) and one with hellstorms (without the heavy version). I'd rather not mix heavy and assault weapons in the same squad. The executor squad doesn't have that problem.

 

Edit: if I wasn't doing a full company project I probably wouldn't bother with two squads, but I am and I love chonky infantry anyway!

Edited April 27, 2022 by Paladin777

[Majkhel]

Gravis loves AoC rule. I've been writing Heavy Intercessors off from my lists as too expensive for Troop. Now I really want to try them out in some less-competitive games :)