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If Mordrak doesn't take any Ghost Knight to start the game, can he be the target of Grand Strategy?

Since he himself is not a "Ghost Knight" and not an IC he would meet the requirement to be a target of grand strategy I think. Then even if ghost knights got added later, none of those guys would benefit from the grand strategy.

Yes, however he isn't an IC, so can never be joined by an IC.

He a unit that doesn't always consist of one model. He can be joined by ICs.

 Coyote81 wrote:
He a unit that doesn't always consist of one model. He can be joined by ICs.

Are you sure? Mordrak Acts as an upgrade character when the ghost knights and Mordrak form a unit. To me that sounds like he is always a unit of just Mordrak. The ghost knights on the other hand are a multiple model unit he sometimes get tacked onto.

 Coyote81 wrote:
He a unit that doesn't always consist of one model. He can be joined by ICs.

Retread the codex, and note the unit name when you purchase ghost knights. At no point is the unit Grandmaster Mordrak EVER a unit that consists if more than one model

Example A: When you buy Mordrak, you have the option to buy Ghost Knights. If you do they will always form a unit.

Example B: When you buy a Riptide, you have the option to buy Shielded Missile Drones. If you do they will always form a unit.

See what I did there?

Mordrak is the first model in a unit that consists of Mordrak and Ghost Knights. Just because he has a different name does not mean they are not the same unit. He just is always the first model of the unit you must purchase to have access to the other members.

Not true at all. Mordraks rules specify what the unit is - and the unit is not Mordrak.

The Riotide adds drones to his unit. There's a massive difference.

In your example Coyote Mordrak would be the drone, not the riptide.

However after reading ALL of ghostly body guard I do see a point worth making. When mordrak suffers an unsaved wound a ghost knight joins his unit. Since this can happen when mordrak is alone (becouse all the ghost knights have been slain, or because you never took any to begin with) this means Mordrak's unit can increase beyond a single model. He is not a unit that always consists of a single model for that reason alone.

Except as soon as you have a ghost knight, you stop being mordrak, and start being ghost knight with upgrade char

His unit composition never changes

nosferatu1001 wrote:
Yes, however he isn't an IC, so can never be joined by an IC.

Much like Thawn is a purchased upgrade for a Grey Knight Terminator squad, Ghost Knights are a purchased upgrade for Mordrak, as seen in the GK codex army list for the Grandmaster Mordrak unit. In addition, Mordrak can spawn Ghost Knights during the game, regardless of whether or not any Ghost Knights were previously purchased. As such, Mordrak can never be classed as "always a single model unit", which means that ICs may attach to Mordrak sans Ghost Knights.

As to the OPs question, it is debatable as to what GW meant by excluding Mordrak's unit of Ghost Knights from Grand Strategy. I see Mordrak as a member of "Mordrak's unit of Ghost Knights", so HIWPI is that Mordrak would not benefit from Grand Strategy at any time. However, I am aware of the poor choice of words that does point to Mordrak being a valid recipient of Grand Strategy per RAW as long as no Ghost Knights are present. Given that Mordrak is a Grandmaster with the Grand Strategy special rule, and no other Grandmaster may use Grand Strategy on themselves, I believe RAI is that Mordrak should be counted as a member of "Mordrak's unit of Ghost Knights" in this instance.

SJ

No, "It join's Mordrak's unit" is written right in the book. In an unsaved wound situation where Mordrak is his own unit he would retain his unit and not be lumped into the ghost knight unit.

 DJGietzen wrote:
No, "It join's Mordrak's unit" is written right in the book. In an unsaved wound situation where Mordrak is his own unit he would retain his unit and not be lumped into the ghost knight unit.

Yes, but what is Mordrak's unit? Per pages 40 and 82 of the GK codex, Mordrak is listed as "Grand Master Mordrak", while his Ghost Knights are listed in page 40 under the Ghostly Bodyguard special rule, and again on page 82 as a subunit under "Grand Master Mordrak". As Ghost Knights cannot exist without Mordrak, and are always a member of Grand Master Mordrak's unit when present, the named unit "Grand Master Mordrak's unit of Ghost Knights" on page 22 under the Grand Strategy special can only be referring to the unit named Grand Master Mordrak when Ghost Knights are on the table. Page 40 has the only reference to Ghost Knights as a separate unit, yet Mordrak is stated to be the upgrade character of the unit of Ghost Knights, making "Grand Master Mordrak", "Ghost Knights", and "Grand Master Mordrak's unit of Ghost Knights" three separate references to the same unit. Any time there are Ghost Knights, Grand Master Mordrak is a member of that unit. Any time there is only Grand Master Mordrak, a Ghost Knight has the potential to spawn and join Grand Master Mordrak's unit of Ghost Knights.

Some might have you believe "Grand Master Mordrak" and "Grand Master Mordrak's unit of Ghost Knights" are two separate units in the game, both filling the same FoC slot. However, if you have Grand Master Mordrak in your army, you also have Grand Master Mordrak's unit of Ghost Knights due to Mordrak's special rule. One model, one unit, three different names referenced in the codex.

SJ

 jeffersonian000 wrote:

 DJGietzen wrote:
No, "It join's Mordrak's unit" is written right in the book. In an unsaved wound situation where Mordrak is his own unit he would retain his unit and not be lumped into the ghost knight unit.

Yes, but what is Mordrak's unit? Per pages 40 and 82 of the GK codex, Mordrak is listed as "Grand Master Mordrak", while his Ghost Knights are listed in page 40 under the Ghostly Bodyguard special rule, and again on page 82 as a subunit under "Grand Master Mordrak". As Ghost Knights cannot exist without Mordrak, and are always a member of Grand Master Mordrak's unit when present, the named unit "Grand Master Mordrak's unit of Ghost Knights" on page 22 under the Grand Strategy special can only be referring to the unit named Grand Master Mordrak when Ghost Knights are on the table. Page 40 has the only reference to Ghost Knights as a separate unit, yet Mordrak is stated to be the upgrade character of the unit of Ghost Knights, making "Grand Master Mordrak", "Ghost Knights", and "Grand Master Mordrak's unit of Ghost Knights" three separate references to the same unit. Any time there are Ghost Knights, Grand Master Mordrak is a member of that unit. Any time there is only Grand Master Mordrak, a Ghost Knight has the potential to spawn and join Grand Master Mordrak's unit of Ghost Knights.

Some might have you believe "Grand Master Mordrak" and "Grand Master Mordrak's unit of Ghost Knights" are two separate units in the game, both filling the same FoC slot. However, if you have Grand Master Mordrak in your army, you also have Grand Master Mordrak's unit of Ghost Knights due to Mordrak's special rule. One model, one unit, three different names referenced in the codex.

SJ

The Ghost Nights are described on page 40 but the Ghost Knight units are not defined until page 82. No units are defined outside of the the Army List. The rules for purchasing a unit of ghost knights are clear that if you do Mordrak and the Ghost Knights will form a single unit. In this unit Mordrak is an upgrade character. Just like in codex space marines when you can add Telion as an upgrade character to the Scout Squad. Just like Telion, Mordrak does not change the unit he upgrades. They are still a Ghost Knight unit. This is why the ability to purchase ghost knights does not make Mordrak a unit that can have more then one model.

The ability to create a ghost knight and have it join Modrak's unit on the other hand, and the ability for this to happen when Modrak is not an upgrade character but a unit on his own, is why he can be joined by an IC.