Power Armour Heavy Weapons - Where do we stand?

[SyNidus]

So i've recently decided to get back into the hobby and specifically back into the Grey Knights. I love what GW has done with our codex and I really like how flexible the army is now. 

I have one question though - what are everyone's thoughts on psilencers and psycannons in the power armoured squads (Strikes, Interceptors, Purgation)?

[Captain Coolpants]

I think the general consensus is, only do it if you build around it. So if you are planning on using certain tides, powers or stratagems often, then the psi weapons are good.

 

If you are not looking to be locked into always pulling the same tricks, then better off just bolters and chucking in an incinerator every now and again. But that's of course of you're min maxing and competitive.

 

Otherwise just use what you want

[WAR]

Personally, (Not a competive player) I have one of each type in my 3 strike squads,  None in my interceptors and have 4 psilencers and 4 psycannons in 2 purgation squad. I also have 4 Incinerators in my Purifier squad (has a second justicar if i want to run them as 2 man)

[Mr4Minutes]

On paper it’s very hard to get full value out of them. Psycannons are very CP intense to really hit the targets you want them to. And you give up the very strong CC of the PAGK.

 

I do like the Incinerators on Purifiers like war009. The unit needs to get close to maximize their Sanctic power, so may as well burn them out too!

[librisrouge]

On interceptors, I don't like the heavy weapons because I want more melee. The incinerators tempt me but I've never really tried them. 

 

Purgation squads, and probably purifiers depending on what you're planning for them, definitely need them. Why else are you taking them except to get 4 weapons in a single squad? If not, take another strike squad.

 

Strike squads are different. I like giving them a psycannon. The D2 really helps against things like marines nowadays. Many of my strikes are on objective duty, so the lose of one melee weapon isn't that big of a deal.

[SyNidus]

It does make sense to have psycannons on the strike squads.

Side questions:

- Is it worth it to get a psilencer or psycannon on terminators?
- Are psilencers useful? They aren't even D2...
 

[WAR]

I run my terminators (troop choice) with no heavy weapons. Paladins I have a 10 man with 4 psycannons and a 5 man with 2 incineratorss. I need to do my 3 rd Paladin squad but I don’t think I’m giving them heavy weapons

[librisrouge]

It does make sense to have psycannons on the strike squads.

 

Side questions:

 

- Is it worth it to get a psilencer or psycannon on terminators?

Terminators are usually walking about, so they'll face that -1 nearly every turn. This makes them much less appealing.

- Are psilencers useful? They aren't even D2...

They're useful but I'd restrict them to squads you know will be stationary as much as possible. The extra AP and two shots over the storm bolter are rather nice. I've tried them with purgation squads before and, when supported, can really stop and drop some bodies. This is where psilencers are different than psycannons and incinerators. Both of those can stand on their own two legs and contribute without support. Don't misunderstand me, support helps them, but they don't actually need it to be worth it. Incinerators are sweet with the certain hits while D2 make psycannons a solid heavy infantry puncher. Psilencers come off as just another storm bolter though, until you start dropping a psychic power and stratagem on them. 6 shots in a strike squad at S4 and AP -1 are meh. 24 shots at S5, AP -2, and D2 in a purgation squad is an entirely different story though, and requires little setup.

Edited November 23, 2021 by librisrouge

[Archadeus]

I would put psilencers on the strikes in the back holding objectives or just holding a flank. 30 inch range with 6 shots and free ap isn't bad at all. Also it can be first model pulled depending on the matchup or whether you'll think it'll be worth it to keep that model.

[BloodyB]

I like to take incinerators on my termies, I thow them in the thickest fighting too often to not benefit from the auto hits and extra strength and AP. I almost never take heavy weapons on my interceptors, but I have proxied incinerators on them against a Nid swarm list. They worked excellently against the tide of bodies, alongside falchions.

 

On the strike squads, I generally take a mix of no heavy weapons for moving up and playing close to the enemy, and MSU squads with a psycannon for objectives, but I usually keep psycannon and psilencer weapons in the Purgation squads. Playing around those weapons can be surprisingly fun and effective against certain lists.

 

Broadly speaking, I usually keep my heavy weapons off of my power armour unless I expect them to sit back or am playing an angle. Weirdly, I have noticed that I do this regardless of what army that power armour is in, my BA taccybois only get heavy flamers in their squads with maybe 2 exceptions in my 250+ marine force. My sisters have no heavy weapons, but they do consist of 2 squads of Seraphim, so that's excusable.