Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you: No adverts like this in the forums anymore. Times and dates in your local timezone. Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance. Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely. Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net. If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

So I am getting frustrated because of several tactics I have tried to get my Grey Knights in close mostly in with Rhinos (Original thought was with all the barrage weaponry and long distance weaponry this would keep them safe but the mobility is what is killing me) but that is still a bit slow to do anything. With the addition of taking Eldar, I have really been contemplating making the GKSS deep strike to get them instantly back near my enemies. It's frustrating knowing that the one thing that makes GK good are the use of Nemesis force weapons and not being able to use them. I was also thinking about using Interceptor Squads and shunting them behind enemy lines. The other thing that usually gets me is them disembarking and not being able to assault so they usually get torn apart before they ever can assault or simply don't make it in time so that is why I have been reconsidering to put Interceptors into my army. I do have a Stormraven that drops off a squad of Terminators and they have been the most effective because I put them right where I need them. I would drop the Termies to get more points but that 5 man squad has won me games way too many times.

Any other tactics people have been using to get their GKs or any close combat where they need in low mobility armies? I have become envious of drop pods but have so far resisted getting SM since I have already taken Eldar with Jetbikes so I have units to capture objectives.

I use DS heavily with my Ghostwing, placing Mordrak, his Ghosts, and a Librarian with a Teleport Homer. 2nd turn, I'll use Mordrak's Psychic Communion and the Homer to bring in a full GKT squad (or a full GKSS squad, if I'm squeezing a Stormraven into my list). On the table at deployment is normally a squad of GKT, or a couple NDKs and a squad of GKIS.

SJ

Out of curiosity, what is the list you typically use for a 1500-2000 point game? You are the first person I know to actually use GK Terminators besides myself since I am constantly told they are a point sink and that I should go with just a bunch of GKSS or GK Interceptors. I have the ability to take the Mordrak and Librarian combination but I have been running Coteaz and a Farseer for my HQ currently so I haven't run a pure GK list in a while.

I mostly put the Eldar allies to help capture objectives since the Jetbikes fill this aspect beautifully because I have always been worried what happens when I finally get my GKSS in or what happens if the get wiped out before the end so they wouldn't be able to capture anything.

That is another question I have, where do you DS to so that you are close enough to their army to assault the next turn but able to survive their turn in order to assault?

With DS in general, there are a few things to bear in mind, some of which are especially helpful or important to Grey Knights:

DS, done right, allows you to pick your battles, and while it's tempting to just drop in and go for the heart of the enemy army, it's often better to focus on the weaker elements. It may not be as cool or epic as teleporting into a huge number of enemies, but if you go for a flank or a weaker section where you can isolate or surround the enemy units you'll probably do better. Also, if you can use terrain or other intervening units you can get cover or block LOS from certain parts of the army.

DS allows you to concentrate force, so make sure you try and get your squad fairly close together. Spreading them out will leave them at the enemy's mercy, whereas if you concentrate the drop on a certain point you can apply much greater force than the enemy has in that particular area, and then 'roll up' from the flanks. Teleport homers can hurt here.

Redundancy and threat overload are also key principles. GK typically have fewer squads than most armies, so you really need several fast-moving elements to press your advantage. One or two squads of termies or Strikes dropping in isn't going to be that useful, and will be easily overrun, but the same backed up by a shunting DK or some interceptors is an entirely different matter. Simply put, force the enemy to deal with more threats than they comfortably can, and you should survive long enough to do some real damage.

More specifically to GK, your shooting is just as good as your assault potential against a lot of targets, so you'd be safe dropping anywhere in a 12"-24" range, as you can then unleash a full storm bolter and psycannon salvo on the drop, and be in assault 1-2 turns later.

Hope that helps.

That helps a lot actually and the modifications can be done with my current models.

This is just making think that I may have neutered my GK tactics by taking the Inquisitorial and Eldar elements of my army since they take out GK elements I could have in place of them. I have Dreads instead of DKs. I might play with my list a little more now. I am guessing that instead of large groups of ten, you also break them into 5 and have several small groups DS.

There's two schools of thought regarding splitting them. On one hand, splitting means that you offer more targets and can only lose 5 men max to each shooting attack.

On the other, keeping them whole means less reserve rolls are needed (making them more reliable), damage is less likely to cripple a squad (if you lose 4, then I'd say 1 squad of 6 is more useful than 2 squads of 3) and any buffs you're getting from a Librarian or Inquisitor affect more men.

It's really a matter of preference, so all I can suggest there is experiment and see what works for you.

I'd not be afraid to cut down on the Eldar/Inq elements, as I think an aggressive GK list really benefits from going 'all in' and bringing as many aggressive units as possible. Can't put together a list right now, but I'd say you want 20-odd strikes and 10 termies, along with 2 squads of interceptors and at least one DK, points permitting. Anything that isn't directly contributing to the attack is probably not that useful.

The original thought seemed like GW was really pushing the Ally rules by putting certain gaps and I recognized that a large hole with the meta regarding the GK was that they don't have much mobility with only having Interceptors or at a 75 point, the DK to get anywhere fast and the only way to have them scoring is with a Grand Master so I sought to fix this by taking the Farseer and 2 squads of 3 Jetbikes and they have worked really well for me. I did take a Wave Serpent with 5 Fire dragons for the kicks and giggles to add some interesting elements but I can remove and that frees up 240 points which is another full 10 man squad of GKSS.

I also have a henchman squad that consists of 2 space monkeys and 3 servitors with Coteaz using Divination to support them in a Chimera that blasts from across from the battlefield to take care of troublesome vehicles. But I also have psyfilemen Dreads also so I feel I could drop one to fit in more GK. I hate to say it but drop Coteaz and take an Ordos Malleus with servo skulls and psychic communion. And honestly, a well place Termie squad with a couple of hammers takes care of vehicles just the same.

I still have a pull to keep the Farseer and Jetbikes, they have helped a lot with capturing objectives. Also fluff gets me a lot, the reason I play GK is because I like the Inquisition/Pyskers which is why I have been wanting to keep and Inquisitor at the head of my army.

I'd say a TDA malleus with skulls could do a lot for this kind of army. Give him a psycannon and prescience and attach him to the termies, use the skulls to help your DS, and he can still contribute up-close.

I think that DK and Termies with hammers are your best bet at AT in this kind of list, as while the servitor/monkey unit is neat, I'm not sure it's all that helpful just sitting at the back.

Of course, don't do anything that you feel compromises the feel or fluff of your list. If you like the Eldar or the Henchmen, then I wouldn't want to deter you from taking them at all.

Honestly the Henchman were the added in for strategy because of the popularity that it was to take Coteaz and dozens of henchman, that I got the advice to take that faction. My fluff always wanted an Inquisitor who basically didn't trust regular humans to combat chaos and used his influence to have a retinue of GK with him at all times. He isn't subtle at all so the obvious threatening force of GK vs. just having henchman when traveling didn't bother him. But leaving behind the Fire Dragons with transport for another full squad of GK makes me happy.

I do like the Jetbikes though, they have to choose between going after my GKSS or my Jetbikes and neither choice is good.

I am just having a hard deciding whether I want to still have 2 Rhinos with 5 man GKSS to almost be a distraction until I can get the others DS in. I know I can take Interceptors but barrage weaponry like Thunderfire cannons have utterly torn through troops before which is why I am always a little afraid to take "naked" troops while they get to their target. Although, my rhinos have gotten blown up with the GKSS so far from their target that they get torn up anyway.

I'd go with the Interceptors over the Rhino-strikes, as they contribute more to the in-your-face style of this list. With a shunt T1 and a charge T2 you can tie up units that would otherwise threaten your incoming teleporting troops. The Strikes you have are better off DSing with the termies on T2 that running up in Rhinos, especially if those are the only tanks you're bringing.

Basically, you want mobility and speed, with the emphasis on getting everything you can right into your enemy's face on T2, lined up for a mass charge on T3.

Well, Mordrak and his Ghosts is an option for an alpha strike. This has been discussed here several times. If you do so, take an OM Inquisitor with terminator armor and psycannon, and send this guy along with Mordrak.
In addition you would need some supporting units for target saturation and threat overload like shunting units.

The one problem I have with taking Mordrak though is that means the complete removal of the Eldar from the army which is something I used to want. Before adding the Eldar, I wanted my pure GK army to work and not need any help because that's the Inquisition but now after putting them in, I don't know if I want to completely remove them but I have some playing around to do. I have actually wanted to try the Mordrak list for a while because of the success I have heard people have with it.

From this I am at least planning to have 10 man squad of GKSS, 10 man squad of GKT and a 10 squad of Interceptors but my question is what to do with the 2 psyfilemen dreadnoughts I have been fielding and currently, I only have 1 DK but I am sure that for a 2k army that keeping the 2 dread plus the DK with a teleporter would be quite expensive especially since I also take a Stormraven with me for anti-air and a way to get 5 GKT with one reserve roll.

Well, if you have a Stormraven also for anti-air, then you can drop one Psyfleman Dread and replace it by a second DK.

One DK is not so hard to take down, but two are a much bigger threat.

I've written quite a bit about my Ghostwing, which has a 1500pt core of all TDA.

Mordrak + 3-5 Ghosts w/ Banner, Halberds

Librarian w/ Staff, Teleport Homer, Powers (usually Warp Rift, and Sanctuary)

10man GKT squad w/ Banner, 2x Psycannons, 4x Hammers, 3x Halberds, 2x Swords

10man GKT squad w/ 2x Psycannons, 4x Hammers, 4x Halberds, 2x Swords

In addition, I have:

2x 10man PAGK w/ 2x Psycannons, 2x Hammers, magnetized so they can be Strikes or Interceptors

2x NDKs w/ PT, HI, GS

1x Stormraven, magnetized for any weapon combo

2x OM TDA w/ Psycannon (work in progress)

Between the 1500pt core, the extra units, and codex bling, I can swap out or put in units/wargear as needed to meet 1850 and 2000 points.

SJ

With Mordrak, shunting dreadknights are almost a must-have so they can draw fire away from your libby and his teleport homer. They tend to draw the exact same kind of fire that kills termies, and if either are left alive will butcher stuff when they charge turn 2. I'd honestly recommend at least 2 for a shunt list. Warp Rift tends to scare people, so you're either going to have a couple dreadknights, your teleport homer, or a combination left alive after turn 1. If your libby's alive, your deepstrike will be exactly where you need it. If they kill that squad, your dreadknights are going to wreck stuff and your deepstrike doesn't need to be as precise.

I see, this definitely gives me an excuse to buy another DK, I actually really like the model too. I am assuming the things to take on it is the standard incinerator with personal teleporter and Greatsword if you afford it.

Right now, working with models I already have the list I have come up with is:

Mordrak with 5 Ghost Knights

Ordo Malleus Inquisitor with TDA, Hammer, Psycannon, Psyker level 1, 3 Servo skulls

10 GKSS with 2 Psycannons

10 GK Interceptors with 2 Psycannons

10 GKT, 5 hammers, 5 halberds with 2 psycannons

Which is my core army. There is more fluff reasons for taking the Inquisitor over the Librarian but I do have one if I want to use it.

In addition to this I have a Stormraven, the two psyfleman dreads and the one DK which I am going to extend to two DK so my list will probably be the Stormraven and the 2 DK and a dread if I can afford it.





Automatically Appended Next Post:
I also have a fluff list that takes out Mordrak and has this:
Farseer on Jetbike with Singing Spear
3 Jetbikes with Shuriken Cannon
3 Jetbikes with Shuriken Cannon

But that is just a fluff list plus I like harassing with Jetbikes and they provide for a great distraction.