Unit of the Week: Kratos

[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:
 

KRATOS

 

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

• To compliment a list, or to build a list around? Will the beta rules affect your list(s)?
• Will you be running multiples? 
• How are you buffing this unit? Will it babysit anything?
• What optional weapons choices are you taking and does the above affect how you run them?
• Stratagem synergy of note?

Over to you

[Majkhel]

Saying this only based on the datasheet we have at the moment (and I think it will change cause there's a lot of free weapon options there atm) it's not that bad.
Being T8 and Armour save 2+ and access to Smokescreen is good. Also it needs to loose 9 wounds before it goes down to the second tier. 

Main guns are nice
- battlecannon will gladly mow down heavy infantry or light vehicles with HE. Not really sold on the AP round with it being only single shot.
- melta.... who doesn't like long-range melta?
- volkite cardanelle is cool and seems solid with 8 shots, a point of AP and 2MW on 6's to wound. But I think HE battlecannon might be more reliable overall.

For sponsons I'd personally go either volkites (to complement HE battlecanon) or lascanons since they are free
For those little turrets I'd go lascanons as volkites on them are noticeably worse than the sponson variant (and again those are free for the moment). Unfortunately HBs are currently underwhelming (and overcosted, when they do cost something). Similarly to the autocanons.
For the top-hatch guns, everything is free except for MM, so it doesn't really matter what you choose. Well maybe it's worth to remember that with the current wording on the plasma gun, bearer is SLAIN if a 1 is rolled to wound....

320pts is still no small a chunk of a battle force so I would never actually field more than one. Much worse is the Martial Legacy CP tax with the  CA Nephilim rules. and that would probably be the main reason for the Kratos to not see many fights in the Nephilim setting.
Outside it, Techmarine would obviously go a long way in helping it perform (better and longer). Another thing is I think it needs to never be alone - some form of supporting screen/counter-charge unit should be around as a buffer against chargers or other short-range threats.

[Majkhel]

So I took the Kratos to a small 1200p more casual game against my friends' GSC. We played using the pre-Nephilim CP system and Tempest of War cards.
Kratos had support from the Primaris Techmarine with Chapter Command upgrade and Soulwarden WT. 
My opponent tooled his army more towards CC so I faced only couple of long-range AT shots. Had he had more mining lasers I don't think Kratos would survive
Kratos spent most of it's time on the battlefield locked in and shooting into combat (with penalties). It survived on 1 wound until the end of the game in T5.
Loadout was: battlecanon, 2 lascanons, 2 volkites (sponsons), MM on the hatch plus the single autocanon.
I went first and I believe that was the reason I only had a single normal shooting phase (only couple of neophyte hybrids killed though)

My takeaways:
 - Armour of Contempt is massive for a tank with 2+ save
 - despite above, Techmarine with upgrade is practically an autoinclude if the tank is to have any chances of surviving to actually do anything useful - Techy gave the Kratos back 9 wounds (before he died heroically)
 - I think loadout was ok - a good mix 'with potential'.
I'm saying 'potentail' as quality single shots were wasted about 50% of the time, and I didn't score a single MW with the volkites throughout the game. Battlecanon did nothing wrong, but not much good either. 
 - lacking any form of re-rolls hurts (an issue not only for this tank tbh)

Throughout the game, Kratos accounted for 5 Hybrid Neophytes (shooting phase), 2 Aberrants (overwatch) and a Rockgrinder truck (shooting into combt)
Conlcusion for now would be it's overcosted for what it gives and additionally a Techmarine tax should be factored in.
Number of guns seems impresive until your dice start misbehaving

Edited June 29, 2022 by Majkhel

[Jolemai]

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