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I have to admit that given it's size total, the CoD is a relatively low cost GW model.

I'm wondering if it is worth taking as a unit or just as a terrain piece to block LoS.

Basically it has a relatively unimpressive shooting attack, (d3 S4, AP 3 3 Dam 12") you can teleport a piece of it somewhere tho i'm not sure why you'd do it in most cases and if it'a worth trying up a cryptek to do it with, you get a +2 ld within 6" of one and gives command protocols.

As far as shooting goes it's just a 12" range on a usually immobile platform. Flat 3 damage is good as is AP3. But d3 shots and s4 doesn't make it all that powerful. There are plenty of single models with more firepower.

I'm thinking of possibly starting 3 out near a cryptek or two and teleporting them to within 6-8" of some objectives as being their best use to give command protocols to units holding them.

But then again, they could always make great terrain pieces. and if used as terrain only don't need to deploy with 12" of another one. Use them to block LoS to an objective and keep the enemy from long ranging a unit off it for a turn

Plus they sure look good...

I don't really see any use for it as a unit. It doesn't really do anything - that gun alone is absolutely not worth the points, and unless I'm missing something, I'm just not seeing how the Command Protocols bubble is going to actually prove useful. The Ld buff only applies to core units, I suppose I could see that being useful for stopping an ObSec unit disappearing if it rolls badly for Reanimation? But honestly a Res Orb still seems better for that.

I pondered the possibility of using it for holding a backfield objective, that's already in your deployment zone. The one thing that it has going for it, is that it's reasonably tough and will take a bit of focus to take down. But because it isn't really a threat, your opponent can quite happily ignore it - and because it's not ObSec, it only takes two models to steal that objective from it. So it's not even good at that!

I say 100% use it as terrain.

 Super Ready wrote:
I don't really see any use for it as a unit. It doesn't really do anything - that gun alone is absolutely not worth the points, and unless I'm missing something, I'm just not seeing how the Command Protocols bubble is going to actually prove useful. The Ld buff only applies to core units, I suppose I could see that being useful for stopping an ObSec unit disappearing if it rolls badly for Reanimation? But honestly a Res Orb still seems better for that.

I pondered the possibility of using it for holding a backfield objective, that's already in your deployment zone. The one thing that it has going for it, is that it's reasonably tough and will take a bit of focus to take down. But because it isn't really a threat, your opponent can quite happily ignore it - and because it's not ObSec, it only takes two models to steal that objective from it. So it's not even good at that!

I say 100% use it as terrain.

Someone on reddit I believe pointed out it blocks DS. Still for like 120 points it's dubious. Maybe if instead of giving necrons a +2 ld it gave enemy forces a -2 ld, or allowed deny the witch in it's vicinity. As is it's a questionable buy, but some little napoleon might see way to use them (it?) in some missions on some tables.

Plus against an enemy who has a LD nerf effect they might help, but again very situational.

 Matt Swain wrote:
Someone on reddit I believe pointed out it blocks DS. Still for like 120 points it's dubious.

The trouble with listing that as a benefit, is that every unit does that - and even if they do take the two turns to get there (which does nothing to stop turn 2 drops if your opponent gets first turn), they also don't need a Cryptek's attention to do it. In that respect, its cost is heavier than just 120 points - it's opportunity cost on a Cryptek's turn and having another potentially ObSec unit advancing up.

Good points. I hope this gets some buffs soon.

I feel like it's better than people give it credit for. 140 points for 30 wounds. Now let's say you take Szarekhan with Silent King, you can take fewer characters to give command protocols, don't have to put them in harm's way as much. Plus your command protocols are better with Szarekhan, taking 2 of the same, change it with Silent King. Like someone said there's deep strike denial, no one is going to want to waste shots on them. And idk if I'm wrong about this but can the strategem to deny psychic powers use this unit? Sure leadership bonus doesn't seem good but with GW leaning into morale harder, it may get better if we see a lot of leadership debuffing shenanigans in future codexes. Idk for all the terrible fortifications I see out there, this one doesn't seem so bad. Yeah the shooting is not good but it's free shots bc again no one is going to want to waste shots especially with the Silent King on the board.

With tellyporting, could, in an ideal world, be used to block LoS, and even charges?

 Mad Doc Grotsnik wrote:
With tellyporting, could, in an ideal world, be used to block LoS, and even charges?

When you "tellyport" (ok, ok, translocate) the blocks, they still have to be outside of 9" of any enemies. So, not really. LoS is possible, but going to be difficult to do effectively - and blocking charges is just not happening.

Using them as a Deep Strike bubble could be useful I suppose? But that relies on you not only having an opponent that'll use it, but also being reasonably sure of where it'll happen.
Otherwise you've wasted not only the points but the Cryptek turn, too. And again, by the time you've actually done this, you could have just taken another Warrior unit that can still push up, with the added bonus of being ObSec themselves. So that Deep Strike bubble is only really useful if you're doing it in your opponent's half.