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So I am thinking of getting into Grey Knights and building up a starter 1000pt army, and I am keen to hear of any army builds that have served people well on the field of battle.

Now I should also point out that I am not interested in being massively competitive with this list, I just want something fun that will also give a good account of itself on the board (because no one likes being repeatedly Rolfstomped). So, ideally I would like to see a list which is:

1 - Balanced/Take all comers (as much as is possible with such a niche/elite force)
2 - Not spammy (no interest in running three dreadknights)
3 - Does not use Allies (no SM DP shenanigans thanks)
4 - Also leaves room for a logical expansion up to 1500pts in future

Cheers Dakkanaughts!

Hi,

How about Inquisition and Assassins as allies?

So I have classic 1500 points build that I use wiith slight adjustments:

Librarian ML3, Liber Daemonica
Librarian ML3

5xTerminators, psy cannon, hammer falchions and halberd for justicar
5xTerminators psy cannon, halberds, hammer

Dreadknight, psilencer, incinerator, sword, teleport
Dreadknight, psy cannon, incinerator, hammer, teleport

This part is optional and depends on opponent and what I feel like playing:

Interceptors with hammer, incinerator and hommer
Purifiers in rhino with 2 incinerators
Vindicare assassin
Calidus assassin (vs Tau or Guard)
Inquisitor with skulls and depending what I play against, also other inquisitorial gadgets

Reducing to 1000 I would get 1 less termie squad and librarian, expanding to 1850, I would add Stormraven and lose rhino for purifiers.

For the OP; leaves you With just a basic nemsis strike force. So libby full equiped, termie squad(2) ndk(1), interceptors or purifiers based on preference and meta. For 1500 add draigo and another ndk you will have a lot of fun!

Malchos, why do you have two libby isn't that overkill? Also what psychic do you choose?

One is with Daemonology Sanctic, and other I go either for divination or telepathy, depending on opponent. Sometimes even pyromancy.

I like psychic phase, and although it sometimes brings hurt back to me, still having 10-11 base WC is very helpful against low to medium psychic powers armies.

Simply my preference over Draigo.

You could always build a NSF. Its fun and not hard to play. The hardest thing most people face with GK is the psychic phase.

I run my Gk NSF like this.

libby, ml3, x2

pally sq, at least one pally sq you can arm it any way you like. one way is full melee unit, since they deep strike getting close is easy. surviving is not, invisibly and sanctuary can help with this along with how you hit or scatter.

if you want all termy, id take several 5 men termy squads, you can mix and match weapons, melee or shooting

if the pally squad took a banner then other termy sq get helped by it, also do not over look the staff, it gives you +2 str, you start with 4 str, total 6 str, with hammer hand you get +2 now your at +8 and you go at initiative instead of last like with a hammer. I know a staf/ hammer hand and a hammer both have pros and cons. however its an idea, and if hammer hand passes the points of a hammer is two staff termy, which is more attacks. if you want a hammer one idea is put it on the justicar as he gets more base attacks.

The inquisition can bring nasty things to support GK
Mr. Coteaz him self is a lower pt but nasty psycher to add to a squad, the inquition add cheaper models too, do not over look rad grenades and added psychic dice that low point cost inquisitors can add.

Maybe all this helps.

I second using the NSF as a default, GK troops just are not that good and in most lists below 1500 points sacrificing that many points just to fill 2 troop slots isn't worth CAD benefits. I've had good luck runningvariations of this core list at 1000 points recently, using the leftover points to fill in special weapons and upgrades depending on if I think I'll be facing more vehicles, infantry blobs, elite armies, etc. I've been playing mostly against tau, necron, and space marine lists ranging in power from extremely casual to semi-competitive.

Nemesis strike force detachment

HQ
Librarian - domina liber daemonica

Elites
Purifier x10 - combat squadded in rhino, usually run with an incinerator or 2 if points allow

Troops
Terminator x5 - Usually with a psycannon and accompanying the librarian

Fast Attack
Interceptor x5 - Usually run with an incinerator

Heavy Support
Dreadknight - 2xpower fist, teleporter, heavy incinerator

I've found this core gives me a good number of boots on the ground and can deal with most of what you see at 1000 points outside of the cheese lists. Building up to 1500 I would add in another dreadknight and use the leftover 300ish points to get more purifiers, interceptors, or terminators depending on your playstyle.

If you plan on playing objectives at all, the NSF may not be a good idea. You're already short on units and you could lose games you're winning just because your opponent could rush the objectives last round.

Running a small 5-man strike squad in reserve may serve you better than those 110 pts could elsewhere.

HQ
Lib 110

Troops
5-man strike squad 110
5 man termy with 1 hammer and psycannon 195

FA
5-man interceptors

Hvy
2 NDKs with Hvy incin Hvy psycannon, tele and great sword 225/ea

Leaves you @ exactly 1000. I love purifiers in DPs and hate them in rhinos; they are super expensive and sink too many points just to die before they hit their target.

Thanks for all the suggestions chaps, it looks like I will be building toward some mix of NSF with one of two of pretty much every unit mixed in. Your suggestions have thrown up a few more questions though...

1. Interceptor squads & dreadknights - instead of deep striking, would it be feasible to take three Interceptors and two dreadknights and just have them all shunt forward T1 and collapse a flank, rather than risking the deepstrike scatter? I realise null deployment from the NSF is a big advantage too, but the lack of accurate DSing seems too high a price to pay if these guys get to shunt anyway.
2. Purgation squads - why does nobody seem to take them? Surely landing 4 x Incinerators/psycannons or even psilencers (18 ID shots!) next to suitable threats could be good?
3. Looking at the formations, I'm thinking after the 1000pt force (be it NSF or just a CAD) would it be worth building up to the Grey Knights Brotherhood formation? It seems to help with the most fickle part of the Grey Knights experience (the damned psychic phase) but I never see anyone talking about it - has anyone ever played it?

Cheers Again

1. I am thinking of a similar idea, doesn't even have to be a flank. Just be in his face with flamers and and ndk. Next turn assault seems so good! I am also thinking of using a homer to gate to the homer guy with draigo/libby.

2. I think it just because of the short range of psycanons, they are not the sm devastating squad because they lack range. And you don't want to have a snooty squad close to something that can chop it. Never played them myself so this is all guessing.

3. Brotherhood just has so much requirement you Cant evenput in a 1850 pt gam.Maybe with min maxing but I just requires to much points to play in most tournies etc. Also some units are sub par.

 Iapedus wrote:
Thanks for all the suggestions chaps, it looks like I will be building toward some mix of NSF with one of two of pretty much every unit mixed in. Your suggestions have thrown up a few more questions though...

1. Interceptor squads & dreadknights - instead of deep striking, would it be feasible to take three Interceptors and two dreadknights and just have them all shunt forward T1 and collapse a flank, rather than risking the deepstrike scatter? I realise null deployment from the NSF is a big advantage too, but the lack of accurate DSing seems too high a price to pay if these guys get to shunt anyway.
2. Purgation squads - why does nobody seem to take them? Surely landing 4 x Incinerators/psycannons or even psilencers (18 ID shots!) next to suitable threats could be good?
3. Looking at the formations, I'm thinking after the 1000pt force (be it NSF or just a CAD) would it be worth building up to the Grey Knights Brotherhood formation? It seems to help with the most fickle part of the Grey Knights experience (the damned psychic phase) but I never see anyone talking about it - has anyone ever played it?

Cheers Again

Hey, good to hear you're starting Gk. Anyway,

1: This can be a good idea, but remember you can't charge after this movement so be careful to choose where you teleport up carefully. I also like to save these shunts for last turn to contest/grab objects.

2: No,they bad. Yes, landing 4 whatevers into a threat is good, but how are you gonna get them there? They don't have deepstrike, and rhinos are paper thin. But mainly, dreadknights are sooooooooo much better its funny.

3: Could work, but it would take a lot of skill. First, it's very restrictive, and most of the units in it are garbage, especially compared to other options. It also is over 2000 points to take, so not many will field it.

 Iapedus wrote:
Thanks for all the suggestions chaps, it looks like I will be building toward some mix of NSF with one of two of pretty much every unit mixed in. Your suggestions have thrown up a few more questions though...

1. Interceptor squads & dreadknights - instead of deep striking, would it be feasible to take three Interceptors and two dreadknights and just have them all shunt forward T1 and collapse a flank, rather than risking the deepstrike scatter? I realise null deployment from the NSF is a big advantage too, but the lack of accurate DSing seems too high a price to pay if these guys get to shunt anyway.
2. Purgation squads - why does nobody seem to take them? Surely landing 4 x Incinerators/psycannons or even psilencers (18 ID shots!) next to suitable threats could be good?
3. Looking at the formations, I'm thinking after the 1000pt force (be it NSF or just a CAD) would it be worth building up to the Grey Knights Brotherhood formation? It seems to help with the most fickle part of the Grey Knights experience (the damned psychic phase) but I never see anyone talking about it - has anyone ever played it?

Cheers Again

1-You could shunt, or deepstrike and shunt. The latter is risky but gives you more manoeuvrability. You could always toss a Teleport homer on some interceptors, but with NSF it won't be much use on turn one, and is probably better suited for a CAD list.

2-Psycannons and Psilencers are heavy weapons with short ranges. You gotta move them to get in range, then they can't shoot. 3+, no Invul. If you're dieing to use them, give four of them incinerators and stick them into the stormraven. (An assault transport.)

3-You have to spend a ton of points on ineffective units for middling benefit. Skip it.

The superstars of the GK list are the librarian w/ liber daemonica, Draigo, purifiers w/ rhino, NDK, and maybe the interceptors or stormraven. Razorbacks are your best option for ranged support.

^this

Also Purifiers in Stormraven for mobile Cleansing flame.

Few cheap things to make DSing/Reserve rolling reliable are:

1. Inquisitor with Servo skulls (vanilla with skulls 34 points)
2. Aegis defense line with comms relay (around 50pts, not really sure)