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So I've recently started playing gladius white scars and noticed several lists out there that utilize the Culexus Assassin. I've read what he does but I just don't see what the appeal is and why he exists in so many lists (he seems like a point sink) - just seems like a big shiny thing that must be shot at or assaulted with HoW or vector striked. I'm curious to hear anecdotal tactics from people who've used them or have had them used against them.

The big thing is his 12 inch bubble of no psychic powers so that invis unit goes within 12 inches of him they lose invis allowing your whole army to shoot at the death star (usually what he is used to counter) and considering how important psychic powers in 7th is many many lists don't like him he is however fairly easy to avoid and hence many players just ignore him as most deathstars have a 12 inch move anyway and just go around him

Usually he stops deathstars for a turn or two, then dies. I personally prefer Sisters of Silence for my anti-Psyker capabilities, but either way, it simply provides a way to shut down heavy-Psyker armies.

If you weren't aware: the best thing about him is actually the Animus Speculum shooting attacks. I've seen these guys shoot down fresh and health Flyrants in single turns due to the number of shots they can soak up via the absorbed warp charge.

Not to answer my own question or anything but...one of my concerns was getting him around the board and being in a decent starting position. Granted he can infiltrate but he's all by his lonesome and chances are that what ever I'm trying to effect could move away during the movement phase and all I can do is chase after them probably out in the open. At least that's how I envision things going down. With my white scars though I could see me infiltrate him as far as one of my now empty razorbacks can scout forward. So on turn one the assassin hops in the scouted RB and moves 12" and then flat out for another 6". That's a 30" first turn move out of the deployment zone for a guy on foot. Of course all they have to do is kill the rhino and I'm footslogging again :(

Waaaghpower wrote:
Usually he stops deathstars for a turn or two, then dies. I personally prefer Sisters of Silence for my anti-Psyker capabilities, but either way, it simply provides a way to shut down heavy-Psyker armies.

You prefer SoS? Mate they've been out like what a month? How can you even have a feel for them.

 Quickjager wrote:

Waaaghpower wrote:
Usually he stops deathstars for a turn or two, then dies. I personally prefer Sisters of Silence for my anti-Psyker capabilities, but either way, it simply provides a way to shut down heavy-Psyker armies.

You prefer SoS? Mate they've been out like what a month? How can you even have a feel for them.

For roughly the same price, you can have 2 anti-psyker bubbles, each greater than 12" in diameter due to unit cohesion spacing. Not quite as resilient, though.

The problem is they are footsloggers. The assassin has infiltrate so he is where you want him right from the get go.

Sisters also give a bit of Ap2 at I5 for a good price, and if you take MSU you also remove warp charges from your opponent's pool. Or Flamers. And yeah, Calexus provides a buncha AP2 as well, but one lucky S8 hit takes him out.

There's advantages to both, but I think the increased number of wounds and wider spread is worth it.

That and they can hijack a transport if you're so inclined. Mechanized lists can generally afford to spare a Rhino or two.

A rhino with extra armour is all of about 45 points.

No land raider but its cheap and mobile.

He's to shut down buff spamming. Like the death star just turns off if it gets too close to him which can allow some decent board control against them where they may otherwise roll over most of the force otherwise.

Waaaghpower wrote:
Sisters also give a bit of Ap2 at I5 for a good price, and if you take MSU you also remove warp charges from your opponent's pool. Or Flamers. And yeah, Calexus provides a buncha AP2 as well, but one lucky S8 hit takes him out.

There's advantages to both, but I think the increased number of wounds and wider spread is worth it.

The Culexus has at 1+ S5 AP1 shooting attack every turn and he packs 3 Str4 AP1 Instant Death attacks. Things get even crazier when he is near psykers. He is also much more survivable due to his 4++. There is a bit of a tradeoff, but against armies like Eldar, Tyranids, Grey Knights, and Daemons/CSM, he will absolutely wreck face due to the Animus Speculum.

sizzlebutt666 wrote:
If you weren't aware: the best thing about him is actually the Animus Speculum shooting attacks. I've seen these guys shoot down fresh and health Flyrants in single turns due to the number of shots they can soak up via the absorbed warp charge.

I've tried this once with my grey knight army allied with him. Ended up giving him 11ish str 5 ap1 shots per turn. He was wrecking face.

He doesn't always need to go get the enemy psykers to be effective. He can guard a potent part of your army and prevent psykers or psychically enhanced unit from affecting them.

I use him in my IK list to protect the Knights themselves. He doesn't need to advance farther then them and can stay close to all four. In this way he protects them from a powerful psychic assault unit.

He is also good for board control against psychic heavy lists. Place him near a critical objective and the enemy psychic units won't go near it. If your opponent relies to much on psychic powers this could neuter their chance of taking the objective.

DarthDiggler wrote:
He doesn't always need to go get the enemy psykers to be effective. He can guard a potent part of your army and prevent psykers or psychically enhanced unit from affecting them.

I use him in my IK list to protect the Knights themselves. He doesn't need to advance farther then them and can stay close to all four. In this way he protects them from a powerful psychic assault unit.

He is also good for board control against psychic heavy lists. Place him near a critical objective and the enemy psychic units won't go near it. If your opponent relies to much on psychic powers this could neuter their chance of taking the objective.

This exactly, board control and defending you're key units that you want guarded. You can pretty much get a Death Star to. Hangs it's course in a game if this guy is in the way. My buddy played a tyranid psyker heavy army and I had the assassin hiding in terrain in the middle of the board. It was amazing seeing his army split in 2 in order to go around either side so they could get some powers off.

 Carlson793 wrote:

 Quickjager wrote:

Waaaghpower wrote:
Usually he stops deathstars for a turn or two, then dies. I personally prefer Sisters of Silence for my anti-Psyker capabilities, but either way, it simply provides a way to shut down heavy-Psyker armies.

You prefer SoS? Mate they've been out like what a month? How can you even have a feel for them.

For roughly the same price, you can have 2 anti-psyker bubbles, each greater than 12" in diameter due to unit cohesion spacing. Not quite as resilient, though.

The massive footprint is devastating for board control. I've fielded them as 3x5 four times and twice as 2x5. Hugging terrain they are far more durable than equal points in a Culexus, if only because the opponent must split their firepower between two targets rather than focusing down a solo Assassin. And each Sister squad must be completely wiped, so hiding one with LoS blocking terrain or splitting angles so that multiple units have to draw down on a single Sister squad gives you plenty of chances to make Armor or Cover saves. I was already on the fence about dedicating a second Formation (ITC limits for my FLGS) just to have a chance to keep one in the fight longer, then the SoS seem to have fixed that problem for me. The bonus that they can tarpit better than the Culexus is just gravy. Twice now a five gal squad has kept an IKnight tied up in a pinch.

 Quickjager wrote:
The problem is they are footsloggers. The assassin has infiltrate so he is where you want him right from the get go.

I frequently find the Culexus scrambling to tag fast moving Deathstars with his Null Zone in both Dawn of War and Vanguard Strike deployments. His Infiltration can be countered with other Infiltrators half of the time, and many Deathstars I face take Servo Skulls (although now that's may be changing) just to keep him contained. If he can't start where he needs to, he often needs to desperately reposition, leaving himself exposed. The Sisters don't have to move, because they have the half the board under lockdown already.