So after the HQ analysis we have the Elites. Now in the Elites section we have the following options:
Purifiers
Assassins
Henchmen
Paladins
Venerable Dreadnoughts
Again this is all based on my opinion, so don’t take it as I believe everyone has to use these units as written its, just a different perspective.
We will start with Purifiers these guys are just awesome. They are basically your Strike Squad pumped up to 11. If you want I6 Marines, then compare the Purifiers to the Strike squad, both with Halberds, you will find the Purifiers are only 1 point more expensive. So what does that 1 point extra per model get you?
Well it gets you an additional Psychic power, an extra Attack, and the ability to take additional Special Weapons, of which the Psi-Silencer & Incinerator are free!
All in all these guys are just plain awesome, and pretty reasonable on points (as Grey Knight units go). Especially when you take Crowe and have them as troops. If you are someone that likes taking Halberd on their Strike Squads then I would advise taking Crowe for this reason alone.
Following on from those guys, we will look at Paladins now these guys are the Point sink, the Deathstar unit. They can have FNP for the few times they fail a 2+ save, 2 wounds, WS5… all the weapon combo’s to make a Thunderwolf & Nob units seem pleasant and easy to deal with. The problems with them? Strength 8, AP 1 & 2 are these guys bane. If you take them you want to have them Either Deepstriking, or with some mode of Transport. They will take a beating from enemy firepower, and if you have these guys then you won’t have much else.
I personally love the idea of Paladins, the heroes of the rank & file. The few games I have tried them in they have had a helluva lot of firepower directed at them, this is somethign that in turn has kept the rest of my army alive to win the game.
Don't forget as well if you have a spare 55 points it could be worth investing it in a Paladin. Ok so its a relatively easy Kill point... but. It does bring a large ST5, Rng 12", Large Blast template to the party. Deep Striking it should also be less of an issue as its only a 1 man unit. Just an idea.
Don't forget as well if you have a spare 55 points it could be worth investing it in a Paladin. Ok so its a relatively easy Kill point... but. It does bring a large ST5, Rng 12", Large Blast template to the party. Deep Striking it should also be less of an issue as its only a 1 man unit. Just an idea.
The Venerable Dreadnought comes up now, nice model (well I lie here, its an awesome model imo) but expensive in points. Costing 60 points more than a standard Dreadnought. What do those points get you? Well a point of better BS & WS, and the ability to force your opponent to re-roll any damage results. He can also be made into an advanced version of the rifleman Dread for just less than 200 points. 4 Twin Linked Autocannon shots at BS5, S8 is nothing to be sniffed at, although with such a good BS I would probably give him an Assault Cannon so that you have Rending for the ability to take out the really big boys.
He also has a Reinforced Aegis meaning Psychic tests are at -4 for the bad guys, another nice bonus on a model that is hard to shift.
Following on from a Dreadnought is the… Techmarine (of course, it makes sense when you think about it). The Techmarine might seem like a bit of a waste, especially when its competing against some of the other things in this list, however I feel that it does have a place if you use it right.
The Techmarine gives you the ability to improve a set of ruins from a 4+ cover save to a 3+ cover save, not to be sniffed at. Then add in an Orbital Relay and cheaper Servo Skulls, if the two of them interact how the rules indicate they could (Orbital Relay rolls 1D6 less for scatter) then he is useful as a static character, with preferably a static unit sitting on an objective. Admittedly my whole reason for liking him is based on a rule that could be FAQ’d away, but he has a soft spot for me at the moment.
After the Techmarine I am moving to the Assassins there are of course 4 of them available, each for a relatively high points cost, basically the equivalent of 7 basic Grey Knights. I honestly cannot say that they are worth their points, not at the moment. I will be picking up the models and painting them up, and trying them out as and when I get the chance. I see them as something that would be more used in a Henchmen heavy army, which pretty much ties them down to Coteaz. I think there are too many other good options in this category that if you had the points spare for an Assassin you could take a Techmarine with Orbital Relay, Purifiers or even 2 Paladins.
Finally we have the Henchmen option. These guys aren’t in competition with the other elite slots as they don’t take up a force Organisation slot. This instantly increases their attractiveness. They also have some of the best squad combinations possible. Although my favourite has to be 11 Deathcult Assassins… WS5, I6, S4, 4 Power Weapon Attacks on the charge for only 15 points a model! An absolute bargin in this codex, throw in a 5+ invulnerable and you laughing. Admittedly this is just a close combat monster unit, but the number of options here really makes them a unit you can tailor to your preference. You have to take an Inquisitor to have a squad, or Coteaz to have more than 2, but if you decide to go down the Henchmen route I reckon you could find yourself with a much larger army than most Grey Knight players.
I advise staying away from the Razorback spam, because there are enough armies out there that can pop so many of your Tanks in the opening turn that, for me, the list wont be competitive for long. More and more people are building their army lists with MSU (Multiple Small Unit) in mind, and they are preparing these lists to deal with a 5-6 man Space Marine squad jumping out so the internet lists I have seen with 3 Henchmen do not bode well.
Please remember these are all my opinions and my gaming experiences... its hardly gospel, but just here for food for thought.
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