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I have only had a chance to run the psykers against Eldar with Runes of Warding once, and I never fired with them as I was unable to kill the Farseer. Vindicare did not work out in that case.

Sethorly, do you have any tips for using the psykers against Eldar, other than trying to kill the farseer ASAP?

Also, what does the rest of your army look like. I am simply curious.

I keep seeing MSU warrior squads with no upgrades, and I just don't get it. Without upgrades warriors are nubs (non useful bodies), and it takes so few points to make dakka henchmen useful. Melta and plasma guns are dirt cheap.

They can also operate on foot alowing other units to take their ride. 12 bolter warriors in cover cost the same as 12 guardsmen.

On the subject of psykers. Sometimes less is more.

4 is the ideal MEQ killer, any higher and the extra Str and AP is wasted on MEQ.

1 is the most cost effective size for shooting units in cover. At S3 it's not going to do a lot to MEQ, but it will do a lot for 10 points. It's an especially cost effective attack against troops clustered behind a transport for cover

The non-upgrades henchmen are there in order to get a very inexpensive scoring razorback. If you want to spam cheap tanks in low points games you can do this, but you leave yourself VERY vunerable and you will lack firepower if your tanks are destroyed.




Psykers can be tailored to kill whatever you want them to. If you know you are facing a list that is ONLY MEQ (all foot space marine list, no tanks or anything else) then 4 dudes is the best option. If there is anything else on the table however, there will be a different sized unit of henchmen that will be better at shooting that target.



1 Psyker is not the best at shooting ANY UNIT cover. It all depends on what the target is. Let us take an extreme example. Paladins with an apothecary, in Cover with Shrouding (3+ cover save)

Then we will compare the damage potential of
Group A) 6 1 man psyker units (6 S3 AP 3 blasts)
Group B) 1 6 man psyker unit. (1 S8 AP 1 Blast)

Same amount of points, but in 2 different configurations.

Exact Math-Hammer on Blasts is basically impossible, but we can still do comparison. For the purposes of this we will assume that all of the blasts Hit an average of 6 models. (Maybe not realistic, but again this is just a comparison)

Group A)
6 blasts x 6 hits a blast
36 hits that wound on a 5+
12 Wounds that are saved on a 2+
2 Unsaved wounds that are saved by FNP on a 4+
1 Unsaved wounds dealt to the Paladins

Group B)
1 Blast x 6 hits a Blast
6 Hits that wound on a 2+
5 Wounds that are saved on a 3+
1.66 Unsaved Wounds that deal instant Death
3.33 wounds dealt to the Paladins







Less Extreme Example, MEQ in cover.

Group A) 4 1 man Psyker units (4 S3 AP6 Blasts)
4 blasts at 6 hits a blast
24 hits that wound on a 5+
8 Wounds that are saved on a 3+
2.66 Unsaved Wounds

Group B) 1 4 Man Psyker unit (1 S6 AP3 Blast)
1 Blast at 6 hits a blast
6 hits that wound on a 2+
5 wounds that are saved on a 4+
2.5 unsaved wounds.



Basically, yes if you are shooting at MEQ in cover or anything with less than a 3+ armor save then multiple units of 1 Psyker is the best option.

However, if you are shooting at TEQ Or shooting at anything out of cover, you will probably be better served by having larger units of Henchmen.



The other issue is that you need to have the right sort of list to do this build. You need Mutiple units of henchmen in Chimera that are not going to move more than 6" a turn and are not going to use all 5 firepoints with their weapons.

That being said, if horde units are giving you trouble, then this is not a bad way of dealing with them. I think this is something that I should add to the article.

I still maintain that S3 AP6 is the best all around blast for the price.

Math hammer.

Less Extreme Example, MEQ in cover.

Group A) 4 1 man Psyker units (4 S3 AP6 Blasts)
4 blasts at 6 hits a blast
24 hits that wound on a 5+
8 Wounds that are saved on a 3+
2.66 Unsaved Wounds

Group B) 1 4 Man Psyker unit (1 S6 AP3 Blast)
1 Blast at 6 hits a blast
6 hits that wound on a 2+
5 wounds that are saved on a 4+
2.5 unsaved wounds.

Against MEQ in cover the S6 AP3 blast is 6.5% more effective per point than 4 single psycher blasts. That's less than the house advantage on many casino games.

Against Paladins a single S8 blast is 100% more effective against paladins than 6 single blasts.
Against Paladins 4 single psycher blasts are 60% more effective against paladins than a single S6 Ap3 blast.

Math hammer for pallies armor and FNP are the same.
6 hits at S6=5 wounds
24 hits at S3=8 wounds
4 times the hits at S3=60% more wounds

Against T3 targets in cover S3 v S6. Cover saves are the same.
6 hits at S6=5 wounds
24 hits at S3=12 wounds
4 times the hits at S3=140% more wounds

Against T3 targets in cover S3 v S8. Cover saves are the same.
6 hits at S6=5 wounds
36 hits at S3=18 wounds
6 times the hits at S3=260% more wounds

Against T4 targets in cover S3 v S6. Cover saves are the same.
6 hits at S6=5 wounds
24 hits at S3=8 wounds
4 times the hits at S3=60% more wounds caused by the S3 blasts.

Against T4 targets in cover S3 v S8. Cover saves are the same.
6 hits at S8=5 wounds
36 hits at S3=12 wounds
6 times the hits at S3=140% more wounds caused by the S3 blasts.

Last but not least. MEQ in cover S3 v S8
6 hits at S8=5 wounds=2.5 dead
36 hits at S3=12 wounds=4 dead.
6 times the hits at S3 cause 60% more casualties

So unless we are talking about shooting at multi wound models the S3 blast is the clear all around winner for shooting at targets in cover.

That being said there is definitely something to be said for S6-S8 shooting at MEQ/TEQ that are caught out in the open, but players are not going to see good shots like that every turn of the game and certainly not experience multiple MEQ/TEQ caught out in the open with nasty AP large pies aimed at them..

schadenfreude wrote:

That being said there is definitely something to be said for S6-S8 shooting at MEQ/TEQ that are caught out in the open, but players are not going to see good shots like that every turn of the game and certainly not experience multiple MEQ/TEQ caught out in the open with nasty AP large pies aimed at them..

The higher strength blasts do give you the potential to damage vehicles while the S3 does not. GK especially have trouble with Higher AV targets and the Full S10 blast is an option there. You can hit AV 14 when it is in their deployment zone, rather than waiting to hit it with a meltagun, when the contents are close enough to assault something.

It also ties up the rest of your shooting and movement. while the S3 blasts are being fired at infantry, the Meltaguns are not being fired at tanks. Also, if the infantry is in tanks, you are not moving 12", hiding behind terrain, or using smoke launchers.

Multiple single Psykers does have a lot of advantages in terms of damage, but there are some downsides as well.




What I try to do is place an objective out in the open (my infantry has 3++ Inv Saves, cover is no issue for me) and then place a Servo Skull about 9"-10" away. Then if the enemy wants that objective there is a risk of very accurate low AP blasts. I know I will only get maybe one good shoot, so I try to make that shot as valuable as possible.

To be honest, i know that the S10 psykers are a bit overkill and not really efficient, but I simply can not resist a S10 AP1 LARGE BLAST. BOOM!!!!

8 psykers could provide the fun 10/1 blast, a pair of 6/3 MEQ killing blasts, or a 6/3 blast along with quad 3/6 blasts. It's a tough choice to make. I think what it really comes down to is how many psykers is a player going to risk taking in their list when they can be shut down by a small number of powers, and then a player needs to decide how to divide them up.

As far as numbers go I think 1,4,5,6, and 8 are good numbers, with 1 and 4 being my personal favorite for my playstyle.

2 and 3 don't cut through MEQ armor, and are less cost effective than single psyker blasts against lightly armored targets. So a 4/5 or 5/4 blast should either go up to a 6/3 or down to a 3/6.

4 is the MEQ killer, 5 for TEQ, 6 will ID T4, but 7 gains nothing against infantry and is 1 short of being S10 against vehicles.

I have started to add some updates for 6th edition. I would love any feedback or game experiences that people have had with Henchmen in 6th edition games.

Coteaz w/ Div
2 Jokaero
3 Multi-melta Servitor
0-6 Cannon Fodder Acolytes
in a Chimera w/ Multi-laser and Heavy Bolter

Has worked great for me as a stationary firing platform. Put the Chimera in cover and this is one tough nut to crack. Even if it gets assaulted, you have 2 HF Wall of Death or 2 LC and 3 Multi-meltas (all-twin-linked w/ Div) overwatch.

How much trouble have you had with range with the above unit?


Personally I have not used the MM on Jokaero very often. 24" means I can't hit a unit in the enemy deployment zone without either it moving at me or me moving toward it.

If you move, then the MM is snapfiring, which is not great (unless shooting at flyers where you are already snap firing)


Thus you are waiting for the enemy to come at your unit. In a lot of my henchmen lists, I am the more aggressive player, moving into the middle of the board and taking control, making a unit like this less powerful. Are your lists a bit more of a true gun line where you are waiting for the enemy to come at you while you hammer them with fire?



If you manage to roll the Jokaero extra range upgrade on a unit like that, you get a ton more power out of the unit for sure. 24" range to 36" range is a big jump in power. The extra area you cover is very large, and you can hit enemy unit in their deployment zone without moving.



MM servitors are very cost efficient. 10 points for S8 AP1 melta, and a 4+ save is rather nice. An Acolyte would pay 18 points for a meltagun and carapace armor. I have just found that since they are heavy with only a 24" range, they do not fit with my style of list as much. I am curious to see what the rest of your list looks like, and what your common opponents are to see what can make a unit like this can be effective.

It said you could put terminators in chimeras? I thought only inquistion units (henchmen, inquisitors, etc) could get chimeras as dedicated transports?

Only HENCHMEN can purchase a Chimera as a dedicated transport

Inquisitors have no options for a dedicated transport, but as an IC they can join any unit in their transport.

Assassins have no transport options.



Chimera can have terminators inside of them.

An IC in terminator armor (Inquisitor, Grand Master, Librarian) can join a unit of henchmen and begin the game in a chimera.


OR
purchase a Chimera for a unit of henchmen,
Henchmen start on the board, out of the chimera
A unit of terminators or Paladins can get into the empty chimera on the first turn of the game.