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Gentlemen,

I've been reading up on tactics but have hit a bit of a roadblock. Recently, as part of a birthday extravaganza, received a Knight Castellan, a Renegades box and a box of Helverins. I'm trying to make a list, but can't decide on how to build the two Knights from the Renegades box. I also understand that it's probably a solid idea to include some Skitarii or Astra Militarum to jazz up the CP generation a bit. I own a healthy amount of Skitarii and would be more than willing to buy a handful of Guard boxes if they're the better choice. I don't tend to play in many tournaments, so this is going to be a mostly casual, but hopefully effective list that can stand its own against both horde armies and low model count elite armies.

Thoughts? Your mission, should you choose to accept it, is to say how you'd build a 2000 point list using the above.

My initial thought is the Castellan, maybe a Crusader with Avenger/Battle Cannon loadout, the 2x Helverins and then some allied Guard or Skitarii for CP. I'm really not sure what to do.

I'd go Castellan Crusader Gallant Helverins and Skitarri points permitting. (Not familiar with Skitarri costs but the Knight part should be somewhere in the 1700-1800 upgrades adding variation.

+1 for Gallant + Crusader as I think these are the standout builds for Questoris but I would definitely magentise. An allied Batttalion for CP farming is a really good idea. Here are my thoughts on the options open to you.

I am going to stick to small detachments as I view the other forces as supporting the Knights. By the time you get much above 500 or 600 points, you are talking more of a mixed army rather than just forces to support the big toys.

Imperial Guard (Astra Milithingumy)

Probably the most popular choice. A bare-bone Guard Battalion can be had for around 180 points and also unlocks the Miner Warlord (Grand Strategist + Kurov's Aquila). I suspect that this is exactly how many people will choose to run their Guard although I can see mileage in adding some heavy weapons to the infantry squads so they can contribute more at range and maybe a Manticore or two for indirect fire. The infantry make good objective campers while the Warlord hides somewhere safe and recycles CPs.

The only real downside I can see to Guard is that adding squishy infantry to your towering Knight forces gives your opponent an easy target for any anti-infantry weapons.

Tempestus Scions
Slightly more expensive than Guard but still cheap with a bare-bones battalion costing only 230 points and also unlocking the Miner Warlord. While you only get half as many bodies for objective camping the ability to deploy using "Aerial Drop" is really useful. If you keep the squads cheap, you can hold them back until Turn 3 when the Knights have hopefully cleared a lot of the enemy and then drop them on unguarded objectives where they will not have to weather so much fire. Alternatively, pop a couple of plasma guns on each squad and use them to hunt units that have evaded your Knights.

Although slightly more durable than Guard, they only have half as many wounds for slightly more points if you are looking for pure objective campers, regular IG are probably a better bet.

Space marines
Going up in price, a Battalion of Marines starts at 285 for 3xScout squads, 315 for 3 Tactical squads or 390 for 3xIntercessor squads. Unlike IG, you don't get a Miner option but you do get significantly better infantry. For my money, the best option here is 3 Intercessor squads with the Raven Guard Chapter Tactic. -1 to Hit on 2W infantry makes them quite resilient, particularly if you can get them into cover. You opponent will find these guys hard to shift without dedicated firepower. This works quite well in a Knight army as the kind of weapons you need to efficiently delete Primaris Marines tend to be the same weapons that threaten Knights. If you opponent points his plasma guns etc at the Marines, that is significant firepower diverted away from your Knights. If he ignores the Marines, you can nab objectives and hang on to them. Raven Guard are also the best chapter to make use of Boltstorm Aggressors who are one of the game's premiere chaff-clearing units. If you have the points for some of these guys, they can cut through screens with ease to clear a path for your Knights.

The downside is price. A Primaris Battalion costs more than twice the price of an IG Battalion and does not give you extra CP shenanigans. Still, I feel a small Battalion of Marines has a lot to offer Knights.

Grey Knights and Custodes
I think that these armies are too expensive and too specialised to really support Knights. While they do bring some useful abilities, I think you need to spend so many points on a Battalion that you are looking at a combined army rather than a supporting element by the time you get to that stage.

AdMech and Sisters
I don't have much experience with these armies so I will leave others to comment. Sisters are hampered somewhat by the currently available range but AdMech have some synergy and fluff links to Knights.

Another +1 to the crusader + gallant. Build the guns but don't stick them in so you also have option of others (warden + errant)
Without any carapace weapons, you are looking at 1761 points for what you described at the cheapest
Castellan 602 (two siegebreakers)
Crusader 457 (+ 24 if you take RFBC)
Gallant 354
x2 armiger helverins 174 x 2 348.

This leaves room enough for a small admech battalion, and if you do so I suggest running krast as it is mechanical, buffs the gallant, and unlocks the reroll hits WT. Then spend lots of CP on WT and relics wherever you want them (4++ ion on castellan, rerolls 1s to hit, +1 attack, cawls wrath, paragon guantlet etc.)
You can pick and choose, but I'd take the 4++ cawls wrath castellan as a base.
I don't know exact points, but I know you can run 2 techpriests and rangers (?) For about 220. This will fit perfectly.

Or, if extra CP or bodies don't bother you take carapace weapons on the knightsand run a small patrol of something

Dominus run around 125 each. Enginseers are the cheap HQ 47 pts each. The cheapest Ad Mech Battalion is 199 pts (2 Enginseers + 15 naked vanguards).

So here we are, the list you asked for and the one I would run. Of course the extra WT and relics are optional, and you can do whatever you want with them, but this is how I'd run them.
The vanguard are only in a squad of 9 as that's what was affordable.
++ Super-Heavy Detachment +3CP (Imperium - Imperial Knights) [93 PL, 1763pts] ++

+ No Force Org Slot +

Exalted Court: Exalted Court: 2 Extra Warlord Traits (-3CP)

Heirlooms of the Household: Heirlooms of the Household: 2 Extra Heirlooms (-3CP)

Household Choice: House Krast, Questor Mechanicus

+ Lord of War +

Armiger Helverins [18 PL, 348pts]
. Armiger Helverin: Heavy stubber
. Armiger Helverin: Heavy stubber

Knight Castellan [30 PL, 604pts]: Heirloom: Cawl's Wrath, Warlord Trait: Ion Bulwark
. Character: Warlord
. Two Siegebreaker Cannons & Two Shieldbreaker Missiles: 2x Shieldbreaker Missile, 2x Twin Siegebreaker Cannon

Knight Crusader [25 PL, 457pts]: Heavy stubber, Heirloom: Endless Fury, Thermal cannon, Warlord Trait (Krast): First Knight
. Avenger Gatling Cannon w/ Heavy Flamer: Avenger gatling cannon, Heavy flamer
. Character: Exalted Court Member

Knight Gallant [20 PL, 354pts]: Heavy stubber, Heirloom: The Paragon Gauntlet, Reaper chainsword, Thunderstrike gauntlet, Warlord Trait: Knight Seneschal
. Character: Exalted Court Member

++ Battalion Detachment +5CP (Imperium - Adeptus Mechanicus) [21 PL, 236pts] ++

+ Uncategorised +

Forge World: Stygies VIII

+ HQ +

Tech-Priest Enginseer [3 PL, 47pts]: Omnissian Axe, Servo-arm

Tech-Priest Enginseer [3 PL, 47pts]: Omnissian Axe, Servo-arm

+ Troops +

Skitarii Rangers [4 PL, 35pts]: 4x Skitarii Ranger
. Ranger Alpha: Galvanic rifle

Skitarii Rangers [4 PL, 35pts]: 4x Skitarii Ranger
. Ranger Alpha: Galvanic rifle

Skitarii Vanguards [7 PL, 72pts]: 8x Skitarii Vanguard
. Vanguard Alpha: Radium Carbine

++ Total: [114 PL, 1999pts] ++

Created with BattleScribe

Tactics:
Deploy the castellan on the backline and screened by the two armigers. Then deploy one techpriest next to that. Then start setting up skitarii units on objectives, in buildings, etc. Once your opponent has placed anything of note, deploy the crusader/gallant to be in a good position to take them out. Finally deploy the other techpriest behind the crusader.

You'll usually choose to go first or second, take first every time so you can to put the pain onto any dedicated AT first turn. Move the gallant into a good position to get a charge off next turn. Then go! Smash face!



Well that's my take on the IK! Don't follow my advice if you don't want to, I've never even owned a knight! I'm just taking a look at them, and building an idea of what I'd do with them.

Have fun, and remember that the games you play IK, your opponent may not enjoy. After having played against them a few times, they can be infuriating.