So the Grey Knight Codex has been out for a while now.
This was a post I was going to do as a First Impressions type thing, but work, gaming and laziness got in the way of me posting it.
So now I am re-writing it as a post on Grey Knights, 21 games in.
I currently have a very good win Ratio with these guys, and that is always going to make any articles I write about them favourable.
To begin with I thought they were a bit of a one trick pony... shunt models 30" in and watch your opponent struggle to deal with it first time, but have a good laugh at my expense the second time.
This appears to not be the case.
They Grey Knights have a lot of useful choices in their codex, and while I think that their basic Strike Squad marines is over priced at 100 points (or 20 points per model), this is easily countered by the fact their Terminators are only 40 points a model that can be I6, and has two shots a turn at 24". Even better when you consider that if you take a 10 man unit, then Psybolt ammo is only 2 points per model. So that will be 42 Points per model, for 2 I6 force Weapon attacks and 2, 24" range, S5, AP5 shots. Oh and it has a 2+ Armour save and a 5+ Invulnerable.
I haven't used the Internets favourite choice for Grey Knight armies which appears to be the Riflemen Dread. 4 Twin Linked S8 shots is all well and good, but it can't kill a Landraider, and can be killed in one shot from that annoying Tactical Marine with a Missile Launcher (even with a 3+ Cover Save thanks to cover and The Shrouding).
I have won a couple of my games with only one or two models left, but that is the price you pay for a highly elite army.
They are also fun to paint, and don't take a lot of time to get to a good tabletop standard, but the detail allows you to spend hours on each mini if you so choose.
Are they overpowered? I don't think so, because the points value chew through you allowance pretty quickly. I think they are better the larger the point size game you play in, i.e 1750+.
If you are having a lot of problems playing against them, try asking your opponent for a few smaller games, in the 1000-1500 point range. At this point Grey Knight players have to make hard decisions about what they want to use. I found it a fun challenge to build a 1000 point army for a tournament... but it took me around 30 lists before I got one I was happy with.
Overall I have to say I love the models, the codex and how the games are playing... I don't expect my ridiculous win ratio to persist but even so I intend to keep playing games with them... and I am going to keep trying out new units.
I just finished modelling and painting my Ordo Malleus Inquisitor in Terminator armour. I look forward to the chance to try him out, and I really need to build up some warbands as well... off to the painting table me thinks!
So far, these guys have done very well for me, but where they are really struggling is against the armies with good, dedicated long range firepower & and a good sized chunk of medium to close range firepower. Throw in a mix of close combat and I am struggling.
What armies do I mean? Well other Marine armies. If you can field 3 Devastator or Long Fang Squads, backed up by 2-3 full size Tactical squads then you can cause me some real problems as I move into you.
I have only faced this list a couple of times, so it will take some more practice to figure out a tactic that works against it, but I am hopeful that I will figure something out... if for nothing else than to give me opponent more of a challenge as he beats me!
This was a post I was going to do as a First Impressions type thing, but work, gaming and laziness got in the way of me posting it.
So now I am re-writing it as a post on Grey Knights, 21 games in.
I currently have a very good win Ratio with these guys, and that is always going to make any articles I write about them favourable.
To begin with I thought they were a bit of a one trick pony... shunt models 30" in and watch your opponent struggle to deal with it first time, but have a good laugh at my expense the second time.
This appears to not be the case.
They Grey Knights have a lot of useful choices in their codex, and while I think that their basic Strike Squad marines is over priced at 100 points (or 20 points per model), this is easily countered by the fact their Terminators are only 40 points a model that can be I6, and has two shots a turn at 24". Even better when you consider that if you take a 10 man unit, then Psybolt ammo is only 2 points per model. So that will be 42 Points per model, for 2 I6 force Weapon attacks and 2, 24" range, S5, AP5 shots. Oh and it has a 2+ Armour save and a 5+ Invulnerable.
I haven't used the Internets favourite choice for Grey Knight armies which appears to be the Riflemen Dread. 4 Twin Linked S8 shots is all well and good, but it can't kill a Landraider, and can be killed in one shot from that annoying Tactical Marine with a Missile Launcher (even with a 3+ Cover Save thanks to cover and The Shrouding).
I have won a couple of my games with only one or two models left, but that is the price you pay for a highly elite army.
They are also fun to paint, and don't take a lot of time to get to a good tabletop standard, but the detail allows you to spend hours on each mini if you so choose.
Are they overpowered? I don't think so, because the points value chew through you allowance pretty quickly. I think they are better the larger the point size game you play in, i.e 1750+.
If you are having a lot of problems playing against them, try asking your opponent for a few smaller games, in the 1000-1500 point range. At this point Grey Knight players have to make hard decisions about what they want to use. I found it a fun challenge to build a 1000 point army for a tournament... but it took me around 30 lists before I got one I was happy with.
Overall I have to say I love the models, the codex and how the games are playing... I don't expect my ridiculous win ratio to persist but even so I intend to keep playing games with them... and I am going to keep trying out new units.
I just finished modelling and painting my Ordo Malleus Inquisitor in Terminator armour. I look forward to the chance to try him out, and I really need to build up some warbands as well... off to the painting table me thinks!
So far, these guys have done very well for me, but where they are really struggling is against the armies with good, dedicated long range firepower & and a good sized chunk of medium to close range firepower. Throw in a mix of close combat and I am struggling.
What armies do I mean? Well other Marine armies. If you can field 3 Devastator or Long Fang Squads, backed up by 2-3 full size Tactical squads then you can cause me some real problems as I move into you.
I have only faced this list a couple of times, so it will take some more practice to figure out a tactic that works against it, but I am hopeful that I will figure something out... if for nothing else than to give me opponent more of a challenge as he beats me!
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