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I know there have been a multitude of threads about praetorians when the codex came out, but maybe a month later, after some playtesting, opinions have changed

Give us an excuse to use praetorians that is not "they look cool and their fluff is great"

With particle casters and void blades they're jump infantry with a 12" S6 Shot and 3 S5 rending, entropic attacks on the charge, so they have a very nice threat range, so they can be effective against pretty much anything.

They are far too expensive for what they do. Three praetorians are the cost of 8 scarabs, or 7 immortals with far less options for surviveability. Being able to do both makes them not spectacular at either in comparison to tons of things.

They aren't unplayable, just very ineffective in comparison to a variety of options in the book.

Yeah but OP asked. So I'm willing to give it a shot.

Praetorians pair up with wraiths and destroyer lords pretty well.
If you're looking to run an All-Jump list, something like....

2000
2 Destroyer Lords (Mindshackle) 290
3x5 Praetorians (voidblades/casters) 600
3x5 Wraiths (3 coils, 2 Casters) 645
10 Warriors (Ghost Ark) 245
10 Warriors (Ghost Ark) 245

Or - The Shooty Version

1 Destroyer Lord Rezorb 155
Nemesor 185
1 pulsetek 55
1 HoD 35
19 Warriors 247
9 Warriors + ark 232
1x10 Praetorians (VB/PC) 400
2x3 Heavy Destroyers 360
1x10 Scarabs 150
1 Doomsday Ark 175

I don't hate Praetorians once they've got the Voidblades and Casters, an extra CC attack and a 12" shooting attack, on top of their high mobility is kind of nice, with the Nemesor there to give them Hit and Run or Stealth also makes them better. With a solar pulse to get them into range, and a lot of high strength shooting to back them up, some scarabs to tarpit assault armies and handle big tanks; they are a nice mid-field unit.

A squad of 10+Destroyer Lord can really do some damage, potentially stunning a vehicle or killing some units before charging, then gaining 30 entropic rending hits on the charge + a warscythe, if they're used strategically, they can really murder. The t5 means that a decent number of them will survive, and the Rezorb improves their resilience even more.

junk wrote:
A squad of 10+Destroyer Lord can really do some damage, potentially stunning a vehicle or killing some units before charging, then gaining 30 entropic rending hits on the charge + a warscythe, if they're used strategically, they can really murder.

Throwing 600 points at something usually results in that thing being dead. Doesn't make it a practical idea.

For their PC they aren't great but not horrible either. With the Particle Caster and Void Blade they do make a nasty combo with the right supporting cast either a Lord or a Cryptek with them and their ability to DS in during combat can be used effectively especially if you attach Vargaurd Obyron with them. I have found some use but to be honest I built them initially with no intent on using them but just to build for aesthetics alone due mainly to the PC of the troops. Since then I have used them sparingly in games more just for the fun of it than anything.

DarknessEternal wrote:

junk wrote:
A squad of 10+Destroyer Lord can really do some damage, potentially stunning a vehicle or killing some units before charging, then gaining 30 entropic rending hits on the charge + a warscythe, if they're used strategically, they can really murder.

Throwing 600 points at something usually results in that thing being dead. Doesn't make it a practical idea.

Except when that 600 points buys you 13 T5 wounds with a 3+ save and 4+ RP. I also tend to screen them with some turbo boosting shadowloomed TB's and bring them with Nemesor to drop stealth on them. T5 3+ cover save 4+ RP takes A LOT more then 600 points worth of fire-power to kill in one round, and generally one round is all you need before they are cutting swathes through opponents vehicles. Use them correctly and they will MVP a lot of games.

So you're counter argument is that you're actually spending 1000 points to make one unit effective?

DarknessEternal wrote:So you're counter argument is that you're actually spending 1000 points to make one unit effective?

Yes, because you know, Nemesor is going to hide at the edge of the board and do nothing but drop stealth on this unit, and the Tomb Blades are going to run off the board after they provide cover for the TPS for one turn.

That's the key to success right there.

I've found them to be excellent tank hunters with just 5 with Voidblades/Particle Casters. Yes, yes i know i could just take more scarabs but these guys can take a heavy weapon hit and keep on going. 5 is also small enough to hide easily. I'll send them after anything short of a Land Raider.

I wanted to love this unit so badly, but ran them in units of 5, units of 10, with and without a Destroyer Lord babysitting them and after 5 games I have concluded that they are just not worth the points. I ran mine with the Rods and they absolutely destroy slow things like termies and ork, but against anything with higher intiative that can actually fight back they usually just end up loosing combat and slowly being dragged down. For 400 pts plus a D. Lord I can get 2 Stalkers with Gauss and plenty left over for half a Ctan!

I use a unit of 5 with RoC. They aren't fantastic by any stretch of the imagination, but if given a purpose can actually be effective. I use them to hunt things that have a 2+ or 3+ save and no power weapons. Having a mobile unit that is capable of shifting a unit of Tactical Marines off an objective is handy.