Black Knights?

[Malakithe]

Are Black Knights worth using? I was thinking a unit of 5 but not sure how they would hold up versus something else of similar points.

[Vulshra]

They are a mainstay of ravenwing lists, and prove valuable there. Outside of that they compete with plasceptors and hellblasters, which can be tricky, do it depends a lot on list composition. What else are you running?

[Malakithe]

 plasceptors and hellblasters

These are what I was wanting to compare them too. My list so far is a generalist lists with a core of 2x5 Bladeguard. I was eyeing the Black Knights as a zippy unit to move around, pew pew, and slam into stuff in similar fashion to Ork Warbikers. 

 

But if those points would be better off with Hellblasters or Plasceptors then I might look at them more. I would need a transport for the Hellblasters probably too.

[Galthan Ironsturm]

Black Knights have :

- mobility (14ps, Speed of thé Raven, lot of Ravenwing strata to UP this mobilty - The Hunt, Full throttle, hit ans run Warfare,...

-thoughtness 5, 3 wounds.

-5++ or 4++ invu save

-assault2 plasma talon, éligible with Dark age weapons strata.

-3A S5 Pa-1 D2 with Corvus hammer..not bad

 

230pts for 5 Black Knights with corvus Hammer.

 

You just add a Ravenwing Apothecary and they hunt and strike where you want.

Edited October 24, 2021 by Galthan Ironsturm

[Malakithe]

Black Knights have :

- mobility (14ps, Speed of thé Raven, lot of Ravenwing strata to UP this mobilty - The Hunt, Full throttle, hit ans run Warfare,...

-thoughtness 5, 3 wounds.

-5++ or 4++ invu save

-assault2 plasma talon, éligible with Dark age weapons strata.

-3A S5 Pa-1 D2 with Corvus hammer..not bad

 

230pts for 5 Black Knights with corvus Hammer.

 

You just add a Ravenwing Apothecary and they hunt and strike where you want.

This is pretty much along the lines of what I was wanting. Something fast that can shoot and do combat while being mostly independent. 

[Berzul]

I used to overlook them a lot. For years, even.

 

Lately, I have been playing a list that includes 5 of them with a Jump Company Master. With the bikes making pre-game moves for better positioning, and going for a T2 assault, with the Company Master either joining them through Deep Striking, or following them along though good positioning outside of LoS.

 

To be honest? They get killed every single game... And they are worth every single point spent.

 

These guys have AMAZING maneuverability (like any bike in our codex), but their assault weapons lend themselves particularly well for T2 or T3 attacks, after you spend your T1 +3" and your +14" stratagem to correctly position them. 

 

Once you line them up, with a character there to help them not blow up, plus WotDA, they can oblitarate high-value enemy targets. And I am using a Company Master!! Imagine using something better, like a Sammael or a Talonmaster (or both!).

 

I take them without the Corvus Hammers, since I try not to get into melee with these guys. And, in fact, often times I do not even get there. 

 

See, the thing about these bikes is that they hit SO HARD, that your opponent will NOT allow them to stay on the board. Which makes them perfect attention magnets and damage sponges. With a 4++, -1 to be shot at, a T5 and 3W, these guys can take a LOT of hits before going down. Every shot spent on killing them is a shot not spent taking you off of your objectives. And, should they live long enough, they can score you Engage on All Fronts, as well as ill-placed objective markers. After all, even one single bike can dash at 34" a turn to move from one end of the map to the other, and grab a lone objective in T4.

 

These guys are awesome, and I do NOT think I'll be going into battle without them anytime soon.

[Karhedron]

Dark Knights and Plasmaceptors have surprisingly similar statlines. 4 Plasmaceptors are 240 points so compared to the Black Knights you have slightly fewer wounds and no real melee capability but you get a significant hike in firepower, particularly if you are firing at units of 6+ models.

 

If you want massed firepower, plasmaceptors are better. But I think Black Knights are a better all-round unit and Ravenwing has some impressive synergy and Strat support.

[Master Sheol]

Black Knights are always worth

They are probably the Best RW unit

 

In addition they un lock slot free RW apothecary, RW champion and RW ancient

[phandaal]

Black Knights are very cool. They can pull off some fun shenanigans with pre game moves and weapons from the dark age.

 

People get fooled by their Corvus Hammers into thinking the unit is good in close combat though, when really they will flop hard against tougher close combat units.

[Berzul]

I once had 5 Black Knights trapped in close combat for three rounds against a single Plague Surgeon... Who killed 3/5 bikes in the process.

[Vulshra]

Black knights aren't for going toe to toe with enemy melee specialists. They are either meant to mop up things they've weekend with their plasma talons or to support a cc character

[phandaal]

Black knights aren't for going toe to toe with enemy melee specialists. They are either meant to mop up things they've weekend with their plasma talons or to support a cc character

Pretty much. Although there are plenty of sources for gnarly dakka in the Ravenwing without taking any Black Knights at all.

[Malakithe]

Good responses. Making me think about the options here