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I didn't see a general Unit comparison discussion thread so decided to make one. I aim to make this to compare two units that either share the same "job" or share the same box (black knight/hexwraiths) and see what other people think about it.


I have an issue between hexwraiths and black knights

Black Knights have 12" move, 5+ save, 10 Bravery, 2 wounds. Hexwraiths have 12" move, 4+ save, 10 bravery, 2 wounds.

The hexwraiths also have ethereal which ignores weapon's rend so they will nearly always have a 4+ save while black knights get to add 1 to their save if attacks against them have no rend. Hexwraiths seems to win here.

Hexxwraiths have fly while black knights have a psudo-fly (they can move across terrain but not over enemy units).Hexraiths also get a chance to deal a mortal wound for each hexwraith that flys over an enemy unit it moved across (only on a 6 but it's still something extra). Black knights can have a hornblower so it moves at least 6" when it charges so that's nice. Hexwraiths imo still win out.

Weapons. Black knights have barrow Lance that are 1 attack 4+/4+ no rend and 1 damage, 4+/3+ and 2 damage the turn they charge. Hexwraiths have 2 attacks 4+/3+ with -1 rend and 1 damage. Here once again hexwraiths win out.

Now the hexwraiths seem to be more killy and better mobility and defense wise but they can't have a standard bearer or hornblower. The standard bearer lets one return d3 slain models to the unit during the hero phase which can be pretty good and means more staying power, while this is very nice I don't think it makes up for the hexwraiths to almost be a strictly better unit (and then blood knights are a strictly better black knights unit but are a "more special" unit).

Is there any reason (personal flavor aside) to use black knights aside from it's d3 standard when hexwraiths seem to be better overall and blood knights are just beefier black knights?

In those terms, I'd have to go Hexwraiths all the way- but once you gravitate towards one of the comp systems, the answer gets a little fuzzier. For example- pool choices (Clash comp) puts the Knights at 1 choice, Wraiths at 1.5.

Should also note, that the Black Knights are +1 damage on the charge, which is pretty significant, but doesn't totally balance things out head to head IMO.

Also! There are also almost certainly some internal synergies with the fact that the Knights have the Skeleton and Deathrattle keywords while the Hexwraiths do not.

 Red_Zeke wrote:
In those terms, I'd have to go Hexwraiths all the way- but once you gravitate towards one of the comp systems, the answer gets a little fuzzier. For example- pool choices (Clash comp) puts the Knights at 1 choice, Wraiths at 1.5.

Should also note, that the Black Knights are +1 damage on the charge, which is pretty significant, but doesn't totally balance things out head to head IMO.

Also! There are also almost certainly some internal synergies with the fact that the Knights have the Skeleton and Deathrattle keywords while the Hexwraiths do not.

It was noted about the charge and +1 to wound.

About the keywords I haven't looked in super detail about them but is there anything that comes to mind that would be worth it for the black knights?

As for comp systems yeah that can be a large difference on "cost" but generally the group I play with don't use houserules on cost, no one is a dick about it, pretty nice and rare from what I understand from other groups.

Returning d3 models each turn is a huge boon. For good deathrattle synergy look at the Necrotect and Tomb Herald from the TK list and the Necromancer from VC can use his Danse Macabre on the Black Knights potentially giving them two combat rounds with the Lance bonus

Oberron wrote:


It was noted about the charge and +1 to wound.

Yes, but it's +1 to wound *and* damage, the latter of which you seem to have overlooked.

About the keywords I haven't looked in super detail about them but is there anything that comes to mind that would be worth it for the black knights?.

Krell and necromancer spring to mind.