"Hello Kirby,
I´m playing 40k since the new Grey Knights arrived some months ago over here in Germany.
I had some good games with them over the past few weeks and I´m always interested in improving my armylists and tactics.
Here is my question:
Would you kindly explain how "Castling" works with Grey Knights - also weaknesses, strengths and a possible army list?
Furthermore, what do you think about my pure GK List?
Currently I´m playing the following List @ 1500 points (please excuse my bloody english):
HQ:
1x Libby
- Sanctuary
- Shrouding
- Might of Titan
- Quicksilver
Elites:
1x Vindicare Assassin
1x Techmarine
- 2x Servoskull
- Warding Staff
- Psycotroupe Grenades
8x Purifiers
- 1 Hammer
- 5 Halberds
- 2 Psycannon
- Rhino
Troops:
6x GKSS; 1x Psycannon, 1x Hammer, Razorback (Heavy Bolter)+ Psybolt
5x GKSS; 1x Psycannon, 1x Hammer, Razorback (Heavy Bolter)+ Psybolt
Storm:
5x GKAS; 1x Psycannon, 1x Hammer
Heavy Support:
Dreadnought; 2x TLAC, psybolt, spotlight
Dreadnought; 2x TLAC, psybolt, spotlight
1500 points
Weaknesses:
The Libby is all alone (slow/easy to kill - he might group up with another unit but then i cannot put him into my transports)
Only 2 scoring units @ 1500 points
Weak to all range-based-army-compositions (Tau, CSM with Oblits e.g.)
Strengths:
Affixed building (Techmarine) benefits my Assassin/Psyfledreads - The Libby is mostly with them to give some additional "buffs" and make the castle more safe.
The Assassin´s first targets are long ranged weapons/tanks
With Razorbacks/Psyfledreads and Assassin I have some good shooting support above 24"
The GKAS can contest a mission objective in the last turn with their 30" move
What do you think?
Thanks in advance.
Regards
Nick "
First off, castling is the practice of putting all your units together in a secure location. This ensures cover on your whole army and whilst it generally creates a large footprint, it's a localised footprint. Against an army with a lot of shooting or very aggressive, castling can protect your army. Such things as mech-training and bubble-wrap are key components here. Weaknesses of this are you lose some board control and you are vulnerable to anti-castling measures (i.e. multi-assaults, blood lance, manticores, etc.).
For Grey Knights this is really only a first turn, going second against shooting armies ordeal. You need to move into midfield ASAP and whilst you can castle there, it's going to be more spread out to ensure board control. So...to your list. 10 MEQ scoring for 1500 is too little. I'd probably change the Interceptor squad to another GKSS + Psyback squad and perhaps try to get a GKT squad for the Libby to chill with (drop the Vindicare, some bodies from GKSS). The Techmarine should also really have Rad grenades - whilst psychotroke have some potential better effects, Rad grenades are consistently good. I'd probably drop the Warding Staff on the Techmarine as well as you want to keep him out of combat as much as possible - though 2+/2++ is really appealing.
Logging you in...
TheGame · 709 weeks ago
- Give Librarian a warding stave. He will get charged, I guarantee it, and then he'll break to power weapons. Powers are fine
- Keep Vindicare, you'd be insane not to take him at this point level. He's your only real anti-Landraider/hero device outside of close-combat
- Tech-Marine is a personal choice. As Kirby said, warding stave is needed, so he doesn't die instantly. A conversion beamer is a nice option, hide him inside a Strike squad camped in the mid-field, help them blow up tanks and infantry
- Get a 5-man Paladin squad as a bodyguard to your Libby. At this point level, people rarely bring the AP2 templates or melta spam of larger games, so your small uber-Terminator squad should do fine. Mine have yet to be wiped out, they just trudge through entire armies firepower and stomp face in close-combat. A squad like so works fine for me;
Paladin w/Bro Banner, Paladin w/hammer+psycannon, Paladin w/halberd+psycannon, Paladin w/halberd, Paladin w/sword
(340 points)
Everyone is different, so wound allocation can ensue. With the Banner plus attached Libby (who has the same statline as a Paladin), you'll put out enough attacks to chew through most things, and the double Relentless psycannon is hard to get for the same points (Terminators are 450 minimum, Purifiers don't have your durability).
- Drop the Purifiers for the above squad. Srsly, you don't need them at this point level (Paladins wreck face in close-combat, and bring the same mobile firepower), your two Strike squads in Troops need more investment
- Bump them up to 10-man, drop all upgrades except double psycannon. You can also get rid of the Razorbacks, you don't need them. Deepstrike into the mid-field off servo-skulls (available on the Libby, but Tech-Marine can get three for the price of two on the Libby, so take them on him if you do take the Tech-Marine), then camp. Rhinos are for armies that actually plan to move. You don't need to, and you waste your storm bolters by embarking.
- Get rid of the Storm and Interceptors. Both are optional units for larger games, where you have the space to afford such luxuries. This is 1.5k, you can only bring the bare essentials (especially with Knights, who are more point hungry then even normal Marines).
- Dreadnoughts are fine, I don't bother with searchlights but meh, they're cheap (I refuse to play DoW, as do my friends, due to it's retarded rules, so Night Fight is rarely an issue). Drop one to afford a Dreadknight (see below). Yes I know, heresy, but srsly, I find two is just a saturation effect (ie they both can only threaten the same things). In larger games, you can afford another one (as I keep saying, this is 1.5k, you have no wiggle room at all).
- You need a Dreadknight. His threat potential and range is huge, he will walk through gunfire that would shred your Interceptors and Storm, and he will eat at least 1-2 enemy units before going down. Mine dies every game, but Throne does he kick faces inwards. Greatsword+teleporter, shunt up a flank, break your opponents backfield units (ie the stuff that will be trying to gun down your smaller number of manz with templates/massed shots).
Saramoff · 709 weeks ago
Nero · 709 weeks ago
Alternatively you could put your librarian in the storm raven, and replace the interceptors with a GKSS so you have more troops. If you do go this route you could use get a rhino for said GKSS and then hide your vindicare in it, or get a razor back to provide additional fire support. I'd probably drop the techmarine for this.
As you can probably tell I'm a bit biased against the techmarine's inclusion with the amount of points you're spending on him.
Nick · 709 weeks ago
first of all thx for posting my mail onto your blog @ Kirby. I´m a big fan of your blog and I´m honoured you added my mail.
I know my list is not like those played by real pros in the scene so thx again for posting it helping me to improve.
Furthermore thanks for all the good ideas. I played with it 5 times now and it´s 4 wins and 1 lose so far... but my opponents didn´t play such extreme maxed out lists too.
I will spend some more time on my list and hopefully i can get an army composition which is competitive and fits to my playing style.
Regards
Nick
zainsaeed · 203 weeks ago