Codex - 9th edition

[Rogue]

How's everyone finding the new codex? I like it, so far - we've lost a few things, gained more, and I'm cautiously optimistic that multiple strikes from ambush could be a Good Thing again.

 

I'm also looking seriously at the Cult of the Four-Armed Emperor. I ran them when I first started the Cult, before switching over to the more reliable Twusted Helix. But re-rollable charges from 8" out is very tempting...

 

Anyone else care to share any thoughts (or even early battlefield experience)?

[brother_b]

My FLGS didn’t have them available so I ordered online. I hope to have it soon. From what I’ve seen it looks like secondaries are the biggest losers in the codex and everything else is really well done.

 

I’m leaning towards pauper princes or twisted helix (my favorite so far).

[jgascoine011]

So I will give my 2 cents. I have read a lot of reviews and watched a lot of battle reports but not actually played a game with them.

I dont think they will be dominating any tournaments but are a pretty well balanced army, probably sitting somewhere around the power of Death Guard.

 

Cross-Fire/Exposed

I think this is a gimmik, its something to use when the time comes up but i dont think its something to build a list around.

While most units can make use of cross-fire either through shooting or by stopping over watch, fight last etc, the only unit that can reliably use exposed are the neophytes through either a stratagem or a perfect planning ability, and to be honest in order to use it to full effect is either stupid expensive for a unit or can be easily countered by either no DS within 12" or auspex scans abilites. But I think its a good ability to have in the back pocket for when the time does arrive.

 

Blips

This is such a good ability if you know how to properly use it. Good players will do amazing things with it other players will probably get the rules wrong lol. It took me the whole of 8th and most of 9th to understand how to use it and why it was any good at all.

 

Generic WL Traits and Relics.

Probably the biggest let down in this codex. There is nothing that really stands out.

The crouchling is ok on a magus but you could already re-roll with the standard re-roll strat and their is a stat to allow you to use the familiar 1 additional time.

The combat weapon choices are ok, but 1 is damage 2 which is meah with all the -1D and the other is D3 but wounds on a 2+ which is meah with all the transhuman

You will probably see cranial inlay being taken every game.

 

Cults

Bladed Cog, Twisted Helix and Pauper Princes are without a doubt the best ones, the others are just meah. Just becareful with rusted claw as i think you only count as stationary if making a normal move or advancing, so not when coming out of Deepstrike which is a bit poop.

The custom ones are pretty cool though. +1 to hit and ignore -ve modifiers on industrial weapons means everything hits on a 2+ in combat.

 

Units

HQ

Patriarch

There has been a lot of people saying how good he is. Personally i think he is kind of mediocre. He doesnt really buff your units and isnt really good enough in combat to justify his points. The only way i would run him is in twisted helix where he gets his S6 back, and give him +1D and then a 5+++/exploding 6s. At that point he becomes kind of a monster.

 

Primus

Will almost always be taken with the nexus

Decent buffing character

 

Iconward

Probably only worth it for a combat focused army. His points are quite hard to justity for returning some neophytes.

 

Jackal Alphus

Oh how i wanted her to be good. Such a super cool model, such pants rules. As i will explain when i talk about the sanctus snipers are in such a bad position right now and her other abilites can be done with a strat or unit upgrade. She isnt terrible i suppose but just not worth the points

 

 

Elites

Abbonants/Biophagus/Abberant

Stacked togeather these guys can be insane. Would probably take a unit of 10, give thema 5+++, and a 3D6 charge. The abberant im not so sure on as he is a bit expensive but the biophagus will be taken in nearly every list even without abbonants.

 

Purestrain

Again i expect to see 1 unit of these with the pre-game move/return to DS upgrade.

 

metamorphs

Dont really get these guys. Not OS, cant take industrial weapons, more expensive, all for just 1 extra AP and S.

Probably jjst take acoltyes instead.

 

Saboutor/Sanctus/Kalmamorph

Wayyyyyy over pointed. The Klamamorph may be good with his relic pistols but is otherwise complete poop. The sancuts is good for putting on a x-fire marker but as an actual sniper is terrible: just wayyy to much LoS blocking, bodyguard, invuns and -1D going around to ever be effective

 

Troops

Neophytes

I think these guys will still be poop.

The 1 saving grace they have is overload fuel cells with sciesmic cannons and being able to use the Exposed rule relativly easily.

I would probably only take 1 unit of 20 with 4 cannons but even then its like 200 points for a bunch of T3 guys with a 5+save. 

 

Acolytes

These guys will be the go to units

T4 is great, small units to be able to do actions, and good in combat. Can also advance and charge for a CP or psychic power.

 

 

Fast Attack

Jackals

Amazing for their points. Just use to block up check points or throw onto an objective or even try set up a unit for exposed.

Will probably see 2-3 units of these

 

Ridgerunners

Now these are a super interesting unit.

I really wanted these to be good but i just dont think these will perform in the game how you would expect.

1st their weapons: The mortars are :cuss so its between the missile launcher and heavy mining laser. The hml is just to randon with D3 shots and D6 damage but is an industrial weapon so can be overloaded. The missiles are great with their start to re-roll hits and wounds, but only when the enemy is actually exposed and as i said, i dont think that will happen to often.

Also if you compare them to the cost of scrapjets its kind of dumb.

If i was going to take them i would take 3 and the upgrade to allow them to go into SR and arrive turn 1.

[TrawlingCleaner]

I've read it back to front now and have gotten a small 1k game in vs 'crons in. I think this is a fantastic book and a definite success in terms of internal balance, inter-faction balance, unit variation and niches. Whoever wrote this book needs a raise and to also be given the reigns for the rest of the codexes. Whether they play GSC or not, they understand how the faction should play in terms of fluff to rules crunch and makes them very unique to anythign we've seen so far. They flattened all the clunky weapon profiles on Jackals, Acolytes and Metas too. On top of all of this, they're very fun to play.

 

This book is fantastic and such a boost to the faction, before someone started leaking the book I honestly thought it was going to be awful with designers not understanding the faction or watering it down to uselessness. How wrong was I!

 

Stand out units to me have mostly been highlighted above, however I do have some alternate takes on some of them  

First up, Corssfire/Exposed is fantastic, Neophytes benefit a lot from this but so do Ridgerunners, Jackals etc. This will work better into different armies but setting up Exposed is very handy for our AT.

 

Metamorphs are great toolbox units, either as a unit to drop in with handflamers to provide a quick Crossfire/Exposed setup or as absolute blenders, they get an additional attack and AP over Acolytes but their lashwhips are built in now. This makes them a great unit to drop in, steal an objective and dare opponents to charge them

 

Ridgerunners are great, I actually think the Missile launchers are now the way to go. My thought for a combo for them would be:

Upgraded Primus to give a non-CORE unit RR1s to wound, set up Crossfire and Exposed, Raking Fire strat for: 9 S6, -3AP, 3D shots hitting on 3s, Rerolling all hits, wounding everything on at least 4s, or 2s for anything T5 or less and rerolling 1s to wound. There are probably ways to boost that even further but you'll oneshot kill most heavy infantry like BGV, Custodes, PlagueMarines etc

 

Jackals are also fantastic, slapping something in combat with an Anti-tank mine is hilarious and also very powerful! The simplification of their weapons is such a massive boost to time saving, rolling for shotguns, then autoguns then pistols was such a pain

 

Normal Goliath trucks definitely have a place IMO, the faction can function similar to Dark Eldar with loads of boats to off-load combat troops or as gun-boats

 

Overall, I'm really looking forward to doing some more testing and see what works for me!

[Tokugawa]

new GSC won a 30 players GT: 

 

https://web.bestcoastpairings.com/event-placings.php?eventId=VVNJHLhH3l

[Dark Legionnare]

Played a game Saturday as 4AE against Salamander friend. (A chapter and ruleset I would call a hard counter to doing mostly foot troop GSC)

 

Overall, feel very balanced like someone mentioned above. DG levels of "juuuuuuuuuust right". Nothing screams broken.

 

Came in like a freight train on turn two with clever use of void relic on the abominant and suppress strategem to get past two flamer aggressor units. On the other flank, two big acolyte units popped up and tore through infantry, a techmarine, and two dreads. Third, small acolyte unit popped behind the sicaran to have the ridge runners raking fire while exposed.

 

Even with almost half his army now dead, he still slapped a good punch back due to fragility of the army overal.

 

Ended up winning, but it was a good, close game.

 

I think next game, I'll definitely go for a 10 man abberant with the 5+++ biophagus planning to guarantee it. Even at 30pts without the 5+++ they were powerhouses.

 

Had truck, grinder, neophytes, etc... to do actions and contribute. Sanctus (with relic, and no longer having to be babysat) and billy-the-nid did a good job of punking an apothecary, then in subsequent turns, the LT, then severely wounding the captain for the abominant to backhand into the dirt on turn 4.

 

Patriarch spent turn two onwards bullying hvy intercessors and infiltrators on a flank all his own. Regening D3 wounds (2, 3 respectively) to keep him topped off.

 

Overall, was a balanced game. Both of us felt like neither ran away with it. Love the new book.

Edited January 18, 2022 by Dark Legionnare

[jgascoine011]

The more i look at ridge runners the less i like them unfortunatly.

3 of them runs at 240 points and for that you get 9 S6 Ap-3 D3 shots plus 18 S4 shots. Then for 1 CP i can (if the enemy is exposed) re-roll hits, and if I am within 6" of a primus with the upgrade then can re-roll 1's to wound.

For 180 points I can take 20 neophytes with 4 cannons putting out either 12 S6 Ap-2 D2 shots, or 24 S6 Ap-1 D1 shots, plus 32 S4 shots, which I can pretty much guarantee to cause a enemy to be exposed through either a strat or a planning upgrade, and I can up the damage on those cannons to D3/2 for 1CP, and I can give re-rolls 1's to hit and wound super easily especially with the nexus.

 

So for 60 less points (75 if not counting the primus upgrade) I can 3 more shots that have 1 less AP and re-roll 1's to hit rather than all hits.

But I also have OS and can deepstrike 6" away.

 

I suppose the ridge runners dont suffer heavy penatly for moving?

[Dark Legionnare]

The more i look at ridge runners the less i like them unfortunatly.

3 of them runs at 240 points and for that you get 9 S6 Ap-3 D3 shots plus 18 S4 shots. Then for 1 CP i can (if the enemy is exposed) re-roll hits, and if I am within 6" of a primus with the upgrade then can re-roll 1's to wound.

For 180 points I can take 20 neophytes with 4 cannons putting out either 12 S6 Ap-2 D2 shots, or 24 S6 Ap-1 D1 shots, plus 32 S4 shots, which I can pretty much guarantee to cause a enemy to be exposed through either a strat or a planning upgrade, and I can up the damage on those cannons to D3/2 for 1CP, and I can give re-rolls 1's to hit and wound super easily especially with the nexus.

 

So for 60 less points (75 if not counting the primus upgrade) I can 3 more shots that have 1 less AP and re-roll 1's to hit rather than all hits.

But I also have OS and can deepstrike 6" away.

 

I suppose the ridge runners dont suffer heavy penatly for moving?

I have mine with the mining lasers. About the only thing I can say is "I wish they were D3+3 DMG" but I guess i understand why not. Potential 9 lascannon shots is "scary enough"?

 

I've only played one game with them with new book, but being able to have a nexos drop a free marker on a target of choice was choice for them. Even without raking fire (re-roll hits) I wouldn't underestimate them hitting on a 3+ with a marker. (No move penalty) Especially if the enemy "pops smoke" or whatever, bringing it back to 4+. Can't say the same is possible for neophytes. (Not disparaging your idea, just musing on the merits of both compared units). Also, having a 5 man acolyte (or billy-the-nid) was my "get exposed at max range" tactic using the 6" underground arrival, and that worked wonderful for (rolled 8 shots for three turns in a row) lasers hitting on 3's (re-roll or no), wounding on 2's against key Salamander big things.

 

I gave my unit of 3 the "Every angle" planning upgrade so I could come in on an edge if super need be for LoS on something dangerous, or my own edge as "asset protection" if opponent goes first. Said friend did go first, and his arty definitely would've knackered 1 or two of them, but instead just killed 8 neophytes. So, no move-penalty being able to come from sides or own table edge is a huge boon, in my opinion

 

Also, as much as I like the primus planning upgrade working on non-core that is a "once per game" thing, along with the "use on two", so you can't reliably hand out re-rolls to RR's more than one turn. That said, if you're a mad-lad with two squads of 3, that could be very powerful for one turn. I think there's something to be said about him and a relic nexos arriving turn two so the nexos can give his love to two things anywhere on the table that turn. (If you don't need the CP regen or free marker in turn 1)

Edited January 19, 2022 by Dark Legionnare

[Rogue]

new GSC won a 30 players GT:

 

https://web.bestcoastpairings.com/event-placings.php?eventId=VVNJHLhH3l

This list is up for discussion on Goonhammer's Competitive Innovations column (which also means if you don't use BCP and can't see the list there, you can see it on Goonhammer).

 

There's also a brief strategy Q&A on the list on Frontline Gaming.

Edited January 20, 2022 by Rogue

[dracpanzer]

Took my Twisted Helix to a RTT today. Only loss was to the eventual winner. Didn't get a single charge off in that loss. Finished in 2nd place one point behind the leader.

 

Was never able to pull off an actual exposed condition, sigh. Kelermorph scored seven hits in one overwatch and wiped out the entire unit of charging shootas, yay! Sanctus sniped out every warlord I tangled with, ha!

 

Kind of had the feeling our vehicles might have become a points trap.

[Rogue]

Nicely done. Always good to hear about Cult victories :)

 

Care to expand on any of that - what was your list, and how did you run it?

 

And why do you think vehicles are a trap?

Edited January 30, 2022 by Rogue

[dracpanzer]

Care to expand on any of that - what was your list, and how did you run it?

Batt with Patriarch Magus and Iconward

4 x 10 acolytes with saws and hd flamers (1 with turn one ambush)

2 x 20 neos with max gr lchr and hvy stub

Sanctus with gift, Keler with wyrnfire, Nexos

3 ridgerunners, 3 trucks

 

Explained the turn one DS to my opponents to mixed emotions. Really can put an opponent on their back foot, at least until players get ised to seeing it.

 

Saved the other three units of acolytes to drop last to see whether or not I wanted to put them underground or put them down with their trucks. I ended up opting to use the trucks as fire support and put the acolytes under ground.

 

I failed a lot of charges out of DS but was able to do good work with hand flamers against two ork opponents.

 

why do you think vehicles are a trap?

Im not sure that they are. Just seemed like I was always short of bodies and my vehicles seemed to under perform. Not enough data on it I suppose. First event with the new dex and only got one game in before the tourney.

[jgascoine011]

Just to confirm, units can’t DS turn 1, only arrive from strategic reserve, which is very different

[Rogue]

Hang on. We can deploy to underground without declaring in the reserves step? That's handy.

 

But wouldn't we still need to declare in the reserves step if a unit was going to be in a transport?

 

The transports interest me at the moment - I'm about to paint a couple as a way of shielding embarked units from the worst of enemy alpha strikes. I recently got stung by a Thousand Son force that moved up and took various units of the table with psychic powers, and figured that having to burn through transports first would at least keep my broods alive for the counter punch. But even better if I could just drop units into the underground if I needed to.

[jgascoine011]

No you can’t

This is how it works

1) declare what is in transports

2) declare what is in reserve (underground)

3) deploy transports (and any units inside) as a blip or as normal

 

Then there are to abilities that lets you put units back into reserve:

One lets a unit set up as a blip to either make a normal move or go back underground (reserves) when revealing the blip. This is infantry only

The other lets a unit that is set up as normal (not as a blip or underground) go into strategic reserve before the 1st battle round but after knowing who goes 1st. This unit treats the battle round as 1 higher so can come on from strategic reserve (NOT underground I.e. deep strike) turn 1. This could be used to put a transport and any units inside in SR but is better used on ridge runners

[Rogue]

Yes, seen it now. The front end of the Conceal rules makes it sound like we can make the choice during the deployment step, but the last part of the Underground rule is clear that the decision happens in the Reserves step.

[Dr. Clock]

 

Just seemed like I was always short of bodies and my vehicles seemed to under perform. Not enough data on it I suppose.

 

My current is 2 'Grinders with nothing inside to throw up one flank, and a Goliath full of Neos on the other. They don't do a tonne other than draw fire, but going for turn 1 'Grinder charges or captures is pretty addictive. As 110 pt speed bumps to give Neo bricks a break for a turn or two I don't know what I'd replace them with necessarily. The opposite truck squad nearly always does something important objectives-wise.

 

Neo bricks, Patriarch, bikes and Ridgerunners have been my top units so far, and the latter two I have in only limited numbers... prolly get another bike unit soon enough.

 

As to Acolytes, I'm a big fan 5 with 4 hand flamers and a demo charge. Flimsy as hekkins but great to punk backfield campers with Primed Explosives or Reckless Demolitions (probably the latter). If you need an RND/EAF squad then you want MSU anyway so that they can actually hide for a turn.

 

Aside from Neo bricks and truck squads, I don't quite see the percentage in taking any more than a couple 'big squads' of Acolytes, seeing as you want to maximize the number of charge rolls you make in a turn. 5+5 instead of 10 generally doubles the likelihood of getting SOMETHING in, and melee suppression is almost as good as neutralization for us.

 

It's kind of surprising how few of the Planning abilities actually improve charges, so other than a beefy unit for A Trap Sprung I feel like the benefits of MSU likely wins out for me.

 

My next test is probably to add a truck to do a Grinder and Truck on each flank plus 2x20 Neos in back with only 2x5 Ambush Acolytes but 4x5 Stealers as well. Feels like there's enough advance and charge capacity in the book that Genestealers in Rockgrinders might be a safer turn 2 charge bet than Ambush generally.

 

Cheers,

 

The Good Doctor.

[dracpanzer]

When looking at the Reckless Demolitions Strategem, is there any sense of exactly how many attacks you get with Demolition Charges? Do you roll a d6 to see how many attacks, or do you get 6 attacks?

[jgascoine011]

When looking at the Reckless Demolitions Strategem, is there any sense of exactly how many attacks you get with Demolition Charges? Do you roll a d6 to see how many attacks, or do you get 6 attacks?

It’s just GW writing

It’s D6 shots with blast, so min 3 against 6+ models and 6 shots vs 10+ models

It’s just written in a bit of a stupid way because some people would be trying to claim it wouldn’t get blast etc

[Ruskinses]

Can anyone help me understand the Aberrants Heavy Improvised weapon? Its not as strong as the normal power weapon but has a rule about allocating additional damage - isnt that just what you do anyway? 

[Rogue]

Normally, with a regular two-damage weapon, if you were to attack 1-wound models and score three damaging hits, some of that damage would be wasted - you'd kill three enemy very dead.

 

But with the heavy improvised weapon, that damage rolls over. Each two-damage hit will kill one 1-wound model, and then the second point of damage will kill a second 1-wound model. Instead of over-killing three models, you now kill six. Hurrah.

 

Similarly, against 3-wound models, a two-damage weapon (with, say, three damaging hits again), would wound one, then kill that one (wasting a point of damage), and then wound a second enemy. With damaging rolling over, we'll wound, kill and roll a point of damage onto enemy two, and then kill enemy two with the third hit - a slightly better result overall.

 

Does that help?

Edited February 8, 2022 by Rogue

[Ruskinses]

Yes, that's a great help thanks!

[dracpanzer]

So, I have three squads of brood brothers mortars I put together with neophyte bodies. They are all painted up and with the changes to BB are just sitting on the shelf.

 

I could either convert a spare Primus to be a BB officer and run them as an actual BB detachment OR pop them off the bases and use them as the base of a fresh new 20 strong neophyte squad. It would give me 3 at 20 each.

 

CP being what they are and BB being what they are, any thoughts?

[Jorgend Lupus]

CP being what they are and BB being what they are, any thoughts?

 

 

I would stay away from Brood brothers, (sad time for those models on the shelf, I also have 9 mortar teams taking dust now...) but these days neophytes can do better than any imperial guard soldier thanks to the Crossfire rule !