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I can honestly say I think you'd be better off shooting black Knights then an HQ. Hit on 2s, wound on 2s with ap2 ignore cover, is a dead knight a turn. After the apothecary, of course,

I've had fun with both the Vindicare and the Culexus. I don't know if I'll ever use my Culexus anymore, as now he can't take a drop pod taxi (overall that's a good thing since no more friggin' Skitarii or grav Kataphrons in pods). Vindicare is very much either a hero or a zero. I've had him pop two Land Raiders in one game before, and I don't think I've had him die too many times. Of course, I've had some games where he didn't really accomplish anything. From managing to miss despite BS8, to rolling 1's to wound, he has failed me plenty of times. I really want to get the other two assassins and try them out just for fun sometime, especially the Callidus.

The Culexus can still infiltrate, so all is not lost. He will have a little harder time keeping stuff in range though. Still, infiltrate behind something LOS blocking, the move up closer. Could even try running back into cover after using the Animus Speculum.

I play a psychic star, so using the culexus is area denial for me. Especially if you put it on my escape hatch.

 Crazyterran wrote:
I play a psychic star, so using the culexus is area denial for me. Especially if you put it on my escape hatch.

I am looking forward to seeing how it does against my brother's Tyranids. I don't suspect he will fare too well against my other brother's Ravenwing (he runs two Ravenwing Strike Forces, one with a Librarian, the other with Sammael).

 Crazyterran wrote:
I play a psychic star, so using the culexus is area denial for me. Especially if you put it on my escape hatch.

If you are Jetseer stars or Flying Daemon Princes, you can just laugh at Culexus no matter he is infiltrating or Droppoding in. If your Psychic DeathStar is foot sloging Libby Conclave, a Droppod Culexus IS THE DEATH SENTENCE, a infiltrate one is just an annoying unit.

 Crazyterran wrote:
You'd be better off sniping grav cannons and apothecaries. Putting shots on an HQ is pointless, as Turbopen doesn't ignore invulns anymore and he can still los on a 4+...

I mean, you get 49 points a shot if he has gravs, pretty much. Though you'd have to kill an entire dev squad to pay for the vindicare...

He's the worst of the lot, Imo.

I don't think that the points you've allocated to killing a grav weapon (or melta, or whatever special weapon is in a squad) is really fair. If you knock out a special weapon trooper, or heavy weapon, suddenly that squad loses much of its threat.

I know I'm not going to give a gak about a tac squad with just bolters. Sure the Vindicare didn't make its points back, but it's drastically affected my opponent's tactics and allowed me to ignore a squad, since it's no longer able to damage my tanks/MCs.

 ZergSmasher wrote:
I've had fun with both the Vindicare and the Culexus. I don't know if I'll ever use my Culexus anymore, as now he can't take a drop pod taxi (overall that's a good thing since no more friggin' Skitarii or grav Kataphrons in pods). Vindicare is very much either a hero or a zero. I've had him pop two Land Raiders in one game before, and I don't think I've had him die too many times. Of course, I've had some games where he didn't really accomplish anything. From managing to miss despite BS8, to rolling 1's to wound, he has failed me plenty of times. I really want to get the other two assassins and try them out just for fun sometime, especially the Callidus.

Callidus is a "party crusher" and distraction with her -3 to enemy first reserve roll, and reroll seize, 1 inch infiltrate, and forcing 1st turn snap shot, she is also good at killing small units of TEQs.
Eversor Assassin is great at taking down hordes and put a couple of wounds on general MCs.
Generally speaking, Callidus is the one that could be difficult to ultilise her uses. Hard to find good combination or supporting.
A general reminder is that all these assains are "Glass Cannon" type unit, if they are Concentrated shot by a great shooty army like Tau or Eldar, they are DEAD, no matter their "looks awesome" snapshot / BS1 / stealth special rule, they are all only T4 with 4++ and 3 wounds.

I think all 4 are viable in their own way.

The vindicare needs to be shooting at 1 wound models where he hits and wounds on 2+ with his ap2 rifle. Most armies have valuable weapons in units that make ideal targets. Even sargents are viable targets with his -2 to Los. Sticking to these targets will either quickly make his points back and add value to the table or force your opponent to try and kill him which if in ruins can actually be more difficult than expected.

The updated eversor with infiltrate is also vaguely viable now as he moves fast enough to charge T2 and as a single model, should be easy enough to hide to do just that. Aim for bulk troops and watch him go

Coolie man in a pod was my go to. But I also had fun with the callidus as an ally for non imperial armies for the sieze and reserves bonuses.

I still think the Culexus has the advantage of being pseudo invisible, AND being the anti deathstar.

Vindicare I almost always forget where I put him (high on a roof in cover).

And I just never picked up an eversor although I would love to try him.

I've used the Execution Force a few times, and each assassin separately a few times. Vindicare has always been the biggest loser for me, occasionally just whiffing, and never rolling the 4+ needed for the ignores invul ammo. I've put a few hull points in light vehicles, killed maybe 2 or 3 dudes per game. Nothing very impressive.

Eversor has helped kill eldar jetbikers and deny some areas but generally not very productive. Ive found he works best in the formation infiltrating near the others and they work together nicely, with Eversor just adding to the punch of an assault where either Callidus or Culexus does a challenge.

Culexus was great , even not in a pod, at denying big swaths of table to psykers. Also great on foot marching behind Thunderwolves preventing them from being Maledicted.

Callidus is highly versatile but not uber threatening to most but general infantry or mediocre HQs.

I have not used the formation with a land raider spearhead yet. I was thinking that could be a good combo and at least very fun. Though they can't start inside, they can hide behind them next to a door with the tanks sideways to embark and move first turn. This would help mitigate their T4 vulnerabilities. Coupled with some DA darkshroud action they can simul charge units without fear of overwatch.

But on their own I'd probably trade their points for something else.

I find the Eversor to be a fun "Allie" for Tau. You have this big nasty shooty force, and suddenly there is this buzzsaw running around in the backfeild.

Same reason the Vindicator makes a good shooty add to nids.

They can help plug a hole in an army list.

Imo y a, I have seen the sniper, sorry don't remember the name, more then made his points back by pickin off targets and warlord. He was scouted into a building and had a 2+cover save.

He only has 'stealth', not 'shrouded' so unless something else was at work it should only be a 3+ cover save.

The Vindicere is okay but definitely needs planning to use - they all do - but he needs support. Realistically the two ammo types that matter are hellfire (2+ to wound) and turbopenetrator (S10 vs vehicles).

The former, as noted, is ideal for slotting a ravenwing black knight apothecary or some such. Bypassing a rerollable cover save and taking Feel No Pain away from the squad is easily worth his points.

He's similarly useful versus light vehicles - Jinking skimmers are a prime target if no infantry present themselves.

The Culexus is probably the best - even with no psyker nearby he's still lethal.

The Callidus is a pure alpha strike unit. One or more callidus can gut a unit on one turn, but a couple of turns in they will go down.

About the vindicare: He is the priciest of the assassins, and I think not exactly the best if you want him to wipe out a squad, or vehicle. But he excels at something far better than a lascannon.

Sniping.

True, he only has one shot, but it's hitting on a 2+, either wounding on a 2+ at AP2, wounding on a 4+ AP2 and ignoring invulnerable saves, or wounding on a 4+ AP2 and dealing 1d3 wounds.

All of these shots ignore cover saves, as well.

Look out sir attempts are at -2 as well. So you're needing 6+ LOS for your characters, and 4+ for even ICs.

Why is this any good, you ask?

Because every single time he shoots, as long as he's not snap shooting, it's a precise shot. So he's picking his target.

See that big blob squad of guardsmen with a commissar keeping them in line? Blam. No more commissar.

See that marine squad with the grav cannon that's about to destroy your guys with 2+ saves? Blam. Now they only have bolters.

You get the idea.

The thing about him is that he's not designed to make his points back by trashing a squad in epic fashion, he's designed to support your squad so THEY can trash the army in epic fashion.

Kill that sergeant with the melta bombs, and now they can only throw a single krack grenade at the russ they were about to go wreck.

Kill the nob with the power klaw, then charge them with something halfway decent, and watch as the boys do absolutely nothing, and then run away because they have no leader or bosspole to fall back on for mob rule.

Kill that divination psyker hidden in a blob. Now he can't give his units twin linked.

Don't like it? Kill it. The vindicare way.

The thing is, the vindicare plays in a very non-40k way. Where most of the units are great because they can wipe out a whole squad in the blink of an eye, he's concerned with taking out one person at a time. It's not the most glamorous unit in the game, but if you need precision, he's exactly who you want.

Ok. I'll get off my soapbox now.

On his own the Vindicare is only good for taking out special weapons and characters (not ICs). They are actually pretty trash at taking out ICs.

Vs an IC with a 4++ your chance to do a wound to the IC
Shield-breaker: (5/6+1/6x1/2) to hit x 1/2 to wound x1/2 failed LoS = 23%
Turbo Penetrator: (5/6+1/6x1/2) x 2 d3 average x 1/2 to wound x 1/2 failed LoS x 1/2 4++ = 23%
Hellfire: (5/6+1/6x1/2) x 5/6 to wound x 1/2 failed LoS x 1/2 4++ = 19%.

I've used all the assassins. I love playing with them in goofy fluffy lists. They don't have much place in a tournament, but if used well against less than perfect lists then they do well.

Vindicare - does okay against light to medium vehicles. He does better at sniping 1 wound/last wound models with special weapons. Need a thunderhammer/grav cannon/Sergent (-2 to look out sir) dead? Use this guy. He loves shooting jinking bikes.

Eversor - long charge range with an average of 10inches, gets into combat and explodes. Bad vs termies/walkers/mc good vs everything else. Afraid of him getting shot? LOS block him. Use metal boxes to stop Los then turn 2 charge. He can be useful. I've ripped apart a Tau gun line with this guy. He is a suicide bomb.

Callidus - the one I'be had the least success with. Hardest to play. She does some fun disruption but doesn't provide much bang for her buck. Hit and run is useful. With her, you need to provide threat saturation on first turn or have her come on from reserves from their table edge to help with survivability.

Culexus - no drop pod ... Eh. Never played him that way. I play him as an AP 2 shooter that can be difficult to kill. Infiltrate him where no one can see him. Eat psychic charges and shoot. I've even sacrificed my own psychic charges to him for more shots. He requires careful placement and terrain. If you are fighting in a wide open area then... good luck lol. Otherwise he is quite good.
Shut down psychic stars with this guy. I've even kept him with my army in a defensive role to keep psyker stars away. He is still very good. My favorite play he made was when he one shot a 300 point demon prince. Dude is still good.

I like the sniper assassin dude!

Honestly after running all the assassins a few times I have to say they're all useful. Worth their points however I would have to say debatable. They're all highly dependent on what kind of list you're bringing and even more dependent on what you're facing.

Say I'm playing my Wolves vs my friends DA's Ravenwing. If I'm bringing anything I'll snatch up the Vindicare without question as I'm not dealing with rerolled jinks and FNP.

Say he brings his Orcs to swarm my guys with pure numbers. I'll take the Eversor as he can waltz through mobs pretty easily and makes almost always takes a few with him.

Tau I've had my best luck with the Callidus assassin. She may not make her points back most of the time, but dropping her 1in away from Buffmander and you'll laugh as your opponent goes above and beyond to focus fire her existance into oblivion leaving the rest of the army generally if not entirely unscathed. Plus if she survives well now you have a bouncy ball of AP2 templates and shanking to play with.

As for the Culexus assassin I've ran him more that the rest as he's just a great all hazard to most armies that rely on psychic support. Pretty much if you know you'll be facing an opponent running a Deathstar's or psychic heavy armies he's going to throw a wrench in their plans if you set him up right, though I like to run 2 of them for double denial shenanigans.

I decided to bring my assassins be k off the shelf yesterday after reading this article. Man do they under perform.

Vindicare with his bs8 missed almost every round of shooting.

Callidus died really early to good rolls from the opponent. She took some stuff with her.

Culexus was just... there.

And eversor actually did some work before exploding in a blaze of glory.

It was a comical game though.

Slayer-Fan123 wrote:
One thing you have to remember with the Vindicare is you're paying a lot for the same thing you're paying for with a Lascannon or ML: range.

Shame he will unlikely make his points back.

Except you forget he picks his target, can inflict up to 3 wounds in one shooting phase. He can opt fo fire his pistol inflict 3 wounds or ignore invul on the squad leader the charge in with 5 or 6 attacks(cant rember off the top of my head) so I has a chance to inflict up to 9 wounds in one turn.

My preference is vindicare, callidus, evisor, cullexus. Just my opinion from past experiences (1500 pts in assassins yes I went there)

I've played with a vindicare assassin pretty extensively (10+ games). As a general rule of thumb they're kind of underwhelming, but useable. You basically shoot at vehicles (lower AV, open-topped being ideal) and non-characters with special gear. Having 5-7 shots a game every shot needs to kill something to be worth while. Hence using turbo-penetrator on non-vehicles and shield breaker both of which have a 4+ to wound is rarely worth it as you're effectively halving your total shots.

Since most ICs have multiple wounds and frequently an invuln ontop of look out sir, unless your vindicare shoots them every turn the entire game you won't kill them. Frankly not worth your assassins time. Even though the fluff states they're IC killers.

Another issue is that vindicares get shot by lascannons a lot. +3/4++ isn't going to keep you safe for long against them. Really stinks to get first blooded this way.

Games in which my vindicare excelled...
Extremely strong against dark eldar. You basically auto-pen every vehicle they have. Last time I played against dark eldar my vindicare downed 3 raiders over the coarse of the game.

Also strong against Dark Angels. Again you basically auto-pen dark shrouds and can pick off specialist bikes.

The Culexus has infiltrate and a 12 inch bubble with fleet, if you cannot get him into range then something is weird.

I understand jetbikes are faster but with board control/placement your opponent is going to be SUPER paranoid where you are going to put him....

The vindicare is all about the turbo round for almost everything, the poisen 2+ round is good for the small stuff that you want to take the last wound off of. (Like a buff model like techpriests and mekboyz)

Calidus is fun against those backline units like others have stated.

Evesor......I still am not sure how to get him into combat without getting shot off the table.