Wh40k 10th Edition Faction Focus: Chaos Knights

[Lord Marshal]

Knights... But Evil(er)!

 

 

Adeptus Custodes tomorrow.

Edited May 22, 2023 by Lord Marshal

[WrathOfTheLion]

There's a lot of ways to force battle shock in there, but it does look like they get some really nice bonuses when targeting these battleshocked units. I think there's some nice synergy there. You get the -1 to Leadership tests, then a couple ways to force them to take battleshock tests, then ways to do more damage to anything that failed.

 

We'll have to see what the index looks like in the end, but all in all, it's looking fine to me.

[TrawlingCleaner]

Another army that heavily plays on Battleshock, hell yeah! From the leaks, we know that Insane Bravery can only be used in their Command Phase. Forcing Morale tests out of step will be extremely useful as there's little we've seen to mitagate that

Double battlecannon on the Despoiler is hilarious, 4D6+12 shots (+Blast)  within 36", here we come!

 

Custodes tomorrow, Grey Knight and Orks are also due this week too

Edited May 22, 2023 by TrawlingCleaner

[StormLion]

Look ma, Night Lords dress up in giant suits of armor!

[DemonGSides]

Custodes tomorrow, it's gotta be a good preview, it just has to.  I can't possibly be disappointed for ALL of my armies, can I!?

[Focslain]

Double battle cannons is nothing, try dual weilding gatling cannons, 36 shots, that unit is swiss cheese.

Edited May 22, 2023 by Focslain

[Xenith]

Chaos Knights for me were peak 9th ed confusing/complexity, and would have been the bellweather as to whether 10th was indeed a step in the right direction.

 

While still...not simple, it's definitely more simple than before.

 

We've gone from 5 Harbinger abilities (that changes round to round and required player input/decision) to 2 abilities that occur automatically. By any measure, going from 5 to 2 is an objectively smaller number.

 

I can't quite grasp the full impact of battleshock yet, from the limited information, however these seem to be able to force many tests, with penalties. Turning off an objective control at a key time will win games. Their rules seem overall stronger than the Tyranids one time only battleshock for all with no penalties. 

[Doobles57]

Really going hard on battleshock. If that rule turns out to be as important as is implied so far CKs could be very good. I like a lot of this and having pretty much ignored the dread test stuff in the current codex because it was rarely useful, this seems much more usable. 

 

Custodes tomorrow should show what the other end of the battleshock spectrum looks like as well. How does leadership 11 translate to the new edition. 

[danodan123]

Great info and all, however I just want to know how to take these as allies for other chaos armies.

 

Fielding a whole knight army has never appealed to me.

[Xenith]

37 minutes ago, danodan123 said:

Great info and all, however I just want to know how to take these as allies for other chaos armies.

 

Fielding a whole knight army has never appealed to me.

 

I imagine they would have a similar rule to Daemons where you're allowed to take X units or points of them, as long as everything has the CHAOS keyword. 

[Rain]

1 hour ago, Xenith said:

I can't quite grasp the full impact of battleshock yet, from the limited information, however these seem to be able to force many tests, with penalties. Turning off an objective control at a key time will win games. Their rules seem overall stronger than the Tyranids one time only battleshock for all with no penalties. 

I might be wrong because who knows how things actually shake out, but the Tyranid power seems really bad for a 1 use per game ability, especially as over half the game is relatively high LD Marines of various types. Unless they have some synergy that imposes a malus on enemy leadership from being close to a synapse creature or something, forcing 1 test per unit per game feels very weak compared to some of the other army abilities.

[danodan123]

18 minutes ago, Xenith said:

 

I imagine they would have a similar rule to Daemons where you're allowed to take X units or points of them, as long as everything has the CHAOS keyword. 

 

But does that stack I wonder?

 

CSM army with some daemons and some war dogs perhaps.

[Blight1]

Man, I was really hoping for chaos marks in the detachment.  Hopefully that comes back with the codex.

[Ming the Merciless]

Has it been confirmed that there are no units immune to battleshock/leadership tests?

[Karhedron]

18 minutes ago, Ming the Merciless said:

Has it been confirmed that there are no units immune to battleshock/leadership tests?

 

I don't think I have seen that confirmed anywhere but immune to leadership was already much restricted in 9th compared to previous editions so it would not surprise me.

 

In a way this makes more sense now that Battleshock is debilitating rather than just extra casualties. A Custodian squad would never break and run in the face of danger but even they might be disorientated if their transport gets blown up and they have to spend a turn clambering out of the wreckage.

[Indy Techwisp]

So the Psyker Knight doesn't have a Psychic Gun, instead having 2 General Abilities.
I think that's the first 10th ed Psyker we've seen that's like that?

[Hellex_The_Thanatar]

Holy moly what a theme. Just IMPENDING DOOM  rolling towards everything. 

 

The synergy between the faction abilities and the abominate are insane.  

 

What a great looking preview honestly top tier if a little reminiscent of nids for all the battle shock. 

 

They are going to be a KNIGHT-mare In cc for vehicles. 

[Xenith]

1 hour ago, Rain said:

I might be wrong because who knows how things actually shake out, but the Tyranid power seems really bad for a 1 use per game ability, especially as over half the game is relatively high LD Marines of various types. Unless they have some synergy that imposes a malus on enemy leadership from being close to a synapse creature or something, forcing 1 test per unit per game feels very weak compared to some of the other army abilities.

 

Agree completely. So far we only have the neurotyrant which gives a -1 to everything taking a test due to shadow in the warp, however most stuff appears to be Ld6+ so even with a -1 on the roll, will still pass on average, meaning you can't really plan a strategy round having specific units fail. 

 

Conversely, the synapse rule, battleshock tests on 3d6 might make nids the worst match up for Chaos Knights as their faction ability will be neutered. 

Edited May 22, 2023 by Xenith

[Vardus]

1 hour ago, danodan123 said:

 

But does that stack I wonder?

 

CSM army with some daemons and some war dogs perhaps.

 

We have seen nothing about stacking or not, what we do know is that you won't be able to take more than 25% of your force as allies.

 

Even if it's not allowed , for friendly games it would be fun!

[Emicus]

3 hours ago, Doobles88 said:

Really going hard on battleshock. If that rule turns out to be as important as is implied so far CKs could be very good. I like a lot of this and having pretty much ignored the dread test stuff in the current codex because it was rarely useful, this seems much more usable. 

 

Custodes tomorrow should show what the other end of the battleshock spectrum looks like as well. How does leadership 11 translate to the new edition. 

You'd think so, but Guilliman has been previewed with Ld5+. Ain't no way custodes are wholesale better than a primarch in any respect.

[chapter master 454]

can we talk about the fact they UNRESTRICTED weapon options on CK?

I mean...AdMech can't take more than 1 each of their special weapons per 10 boys yet here we have a unit that has options that require 2 boxes...this isn't...this isn't according to GW's M.O.

[prava]

4 minutes ago, chapter master 454 said:

can we talk about the fact they UNRESTRICTED weapon options on CK?

I mean...AdMech can't take more than 1 each of their special weapons per 10 boys yet here we have a unit that has options that require 2 boxes...this isn't...this isn't according to GW's M.O.

 

To be fair it was like this already.

 

---

 

CK seems to be the most thematic of all the armies they have previewed. And, to me, it seems that the best composition will be war dog spam. 12" is a huge range and it doesn't need LOS so by simply parking your wardogs everywhere on the board the enemy will start failing tests (by sheer volume). And once a unit is battleshocked... GOOD LUCK killing knights, and GOOD LUCK surviving them.

 

Also, the Abominant seems to work like a glove with the theme. Do chip damage here and there... thus enemies are below starting strength and the party starts. Disgusting.

[spessmarine]

Well this is definitely way simpler than before, the current switching method alone is something that takes a moment to grasp.

[WatchCaptainNavar]

A question on the knight despoiler as I think I’m missing something here.

 

The default despoiler load out is the chainsword and claw. Currently in 9th a despoiler with that load out gets the engine of destruction ability for an extra attack on the charge, when charged or on a heroic intervention and of course currently you can split the despoilers base attacks between the two weapons.

 

Now for 10th the engine of destruction is gone but the despoiler defaults to sword and claw is the base load out. 
As such does this mean when in melee the despoiler can attack with both the claw and the sword in the same way that if you took 2 gun arms you can shoot both in the shooting phase?

The data sheet only clarifies the melee weapons with before making attacks with this weapon, select the profile to attack with.

so if you can use both weapons, the sword and claw with either a sweep or strike that’s a lot of attacks or a lot of potential damage.

 

where as if you can only fight with one melee weapon the despoiler will be quite poor compared to either 2 gun arms or a gun and melee.

 

[Focslain]

They discussed it in the Daemons preview. You only get to fight with one weapon in melee, exception is those that include the Extra Attack ability.

 

It's more of an options choice. Gallant players will be in the same boat.