GREY KNIGHTS!!! – NOT ENOUGH DUDESMEN!
So we all have been looking at the Grey Knights Codex and trying to think of ways we can make things interesting. So what I want to talk about today is what I think might be needed by Grey Knight players to compete in the 40k environment.
As the title states, the biggest thing limiting Grey Knights is that they are really points greedy. They want as many points as they can get to try and create the type of army needed. The interesting thing is that unlike a lot of other books, this army can easily scale up to large point games. Really, the big issue I can see in the book is getting enough boots on the table top. Whenever you have more models that can roll more dice you get a better chance to hit your averages.
As much as we hate to talk about Math Hammer, hitting your averages is what you want. Of course we all want to just roll a bunch of 6’s, but if that is all you do then expect people to be looking at your dice. So, really, the big issue I have with the Knights is this overall lack of quantity fire power, scoring, and game affecting models. You can’t be everywhere with this army, and it is going to take a very focused general to get the job done during a game. You can’t just run out there, hope to role your counter assault, and bolter things to death. The Grey Knight just don’t have it.
I have seen a lot of minimum choice armies getting posted and I think that is the wrong way to go. Those units get popped out of their ride and are basically dead. Five Marines that cost 24-28 points are pretty easy to wrap up wounds on – all 5 that fall out of their box. And putting 2-3 wounds on each usually means a dead marine and that is pretty easy to do in the environment of multiple units able to put 12 wounds on any single unit.
I know people are liking on Coteaz, but I just can’t see it. Yes, some of the builds are pretty mean, but these guys once taken out of their box are easy to clear out. Toughness 3 and t-shirts is not very exciting. Mixing this in with an army build that is low on overall targets means that instead of these boxes getting ignored for higher profile targets, these boxes become the main targets. I am not saying Coteaz is no good, I just don’t see the list being amazing as some people say it is.
The other interesting thing – I discussed some gaming stuff with MVBrandt – is that the books have low leadership. Leadership 9 as a max for most units with any perils getting dumped on – the Justicar is a scary thing. You tank shock them a few times and these guys are probably running. This makes Karamazov an interesting choice as he creates a nice fat bubble that will keep your guys in place. This army is a mid-ranged army, so anything that keeps them in the meat of the table is a good thing. You will be moving up with these guys, so expect them to get Tank shocked.
The biggest thing I feel hampering some Grey Knight builds is that the army is extremely HQ focused. So much utility is present in the HQ options that it feels like a bottle neck. Mix that in with some high costs and you’ve got a lot of hard choices to make whenever you build an army. Lash is going to be a problem for a small build, especially when you don’t have a lot of options to make them a 3+ with some kind of magical Emperor protecting shield.
The Special Characters are pretty good and taking one really limits where you can go. Do you go with the awesome options the Grey Knight Grand Master and try to change up your army game to game? Do you take a Librarian to create the utility you need to keep the middle secure and your opponent aggravated as they try to charge or shoot you through magical cover? If you take one then do you take a HQ to help plug in some holes – knowing that the dual HQs will limit how much scoring your can bring to the table? It is a hard decision because the HQs do a lot in this book and you really need their abilities to help make the newest kids on the block shine.
Right now I think most armies need to look at 3 full 10 man squads of either Grey Knight Strike Squads or some other cheaper activated unit. Mix them up with some Psycannon firepower to help give some punch with some weapon options to help make them annoying to assault or get assaulted by. I am liking a small group of Termies to help keep the center, and the opponent truthful as they try to come in. Most of your HQ’s come in big boy pants armor so it is hard to find space to fit them in rides. If you need something it costs an arm and a leg and starts to limit your troop choices, which you need to win a lot of games.
Here are some Sample mind lists I am thinking about:
Purifiers doing their thing – making things pure with the Flame of the Super Ninja – The Emperor
HQ: Crowe – Lord he is poopie but every time I kill something with him I will do my little Irish Goatboy Jig
HQ: Librarian, Sanctuary, Shrouding, QuickSilver, Might of the Titan, Warding Stave – Utility Belt of Batman
Elites: Paladins X 5, Falchions X 2, Hammer, Warding Stave, Master Crafted – Psycannon, Apoc – We hold the Line Dawgs!
Troops: Purifiers X 10, Halberds X 5, Psycannons X 4, Hammer, Rhino
Troops: Purifiers X 10, Halberds X 5, Psycannons X 4, Hammer, Rhino
Troops: Purifiers X 10, Halberds X 5, Incinerators X 4, Hammer, Rhino
Heavy: Dreadnought, TWL Autocannon X 2, Psybolt
Heavy: Dreadnought, TWL Autocannon X 2, Psybolt
This army is designed to hold the middle and move up trying to be annoying to the enemy. You got a lot of shooting coming at you and the Paladins are hard to get rid of. You could take regular Terminators and add another Dreadnought if you want. If you don’t want the Librarian you can always take a Grand Master to give you some other options.
If you want to do Karamazov you could do something like this – the Grand Knight Master is much better in this role as you can scout up your Grey Knight Strike Squads and get the middle ready to go.
HQ: Karamazov – Eat Space Laser!
HQ: Grey Knight Master, MC Psycannon – Peanut Butter and Jelly
Troops: GKT X 10, Halbreds X 4, Hammer, Psycannon, X 2 Thawn – I like Plastic Models
Troops: GKS X 10, Psycannon X 2, Rhino – Meat
Troops: GKS X 10, Psycannon X 2, Rhino – Potatoes
Troops: GKS X 10, Incinerator X 2, Psybolt, Rhino – Something Green
Heavy: Dreadknight, Personal Teleporter – The Roll
Again this is just another thought list. I put in Thawn because it’s an easy way to get a model that can hang back and just score as you take on the middle. You can easily throw a wound on him and then hopefully get another troop choice if he dies doing his job. The Dreadknight is there in case you want to pull the Shunt Punch. Most likely you will scout the Incinerator Troops, and maybe the Dreadknight, depending on how well you roll. Either way, it gives you options. This army is not a sit in one place build as it is designed to move around, and try to get its business done. Karamazov keeps you at home and lets you get your job done. He joins with all the Terminators and makes for a huge, mean scoring unit to dominate the middle of the board.
So there are some thoughts what kind of lists are you guys thinking of? I like the Coteaz model and have painted one but I just don’t want to play henchmen. Will see if I will want to play something like that whenever the Witch Hunters come out.
