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Codex Grey Knight Review: Part 3

Parts 1 & 2 can be found here respectively: Part 1 | Part 2

Without further ado,

Dedicated Transports

Razorback - Exactly the same as it is in Codex: Space Marines. Offers a decent shooting weapon in place of added capacity and as such, can only carry 6 Infantry models excluding Terminators. Weapon options include twin Assault cannon, twin Lascannon, twin Heavy bolter and add-ons such as a Hunter-killer missile and a Storm bolter. Gone is the Lascannon/twin plasma gun option of the previous editions but you can still run it if you want to (via the Index) but why would you do it when a single 1 on an overcharged plasma shot kills the whole vehicle. The first weapon option is good against infantry and if you want your mini-van in the midfield position while the 2nd option, good against vehicles/monsters and has a 48" reach. The last option is your budget version as the twin heavy bolter is 18 points cheaper than the twin assault cannon and can engage at 1.5 times the range.

Rhino - The Razorback's less seen cousin these days as you get 12 S6 Ap-1 shots at only 28 points more with its cousin. Even then, the carrying capacity of 10 might come in handy (thought likely in Codex Space Marines more than GK where most of the infantry have, or have access to deep strike). Two storm bolters still do a bit of work while reducing your deployment drops though the Razorback is definitely a better option within the context of this Codex.

Flyers

All 3 Flyers have the Hard to Hit, Supersonic and Airborne special rules that give them more survivability to shooting and assaults than land-based vehicles do so I'll just go through the differences of each.

Stormraven Gunship - Undoubtedly one of the best Flyers out there (in the same tier as the Hemlock Wraithfighter and the Razorwing Jetfighter), it puts out an obscene amount of firepower and has Power of the Machine Spirit (PoTMS) for just 289 or so points depending on how you outfit it. It also has a capacity of 12 infantry models and a dreadnought (with Terminators taking up 2 infantry spaces). Not much needs to be said about the vehicle that used to be spammed alongside Roboute Guilliman before Games Workshop's FAQ about needing boots on the ground.

Warhammer 40k, Review, Grey Knights, Adeptus Astartes

Stormhawk Interceptor - Supposedly the Adeptus Astartes' anti-air flyer, it comes with two assault cannons, two heavy bolters (not twin so take note) and an Icarus stormcannon (an anti-flyer autocannon). While less well known than the Stormraven, it does have the same Toughness (though with only 10 wounds instead of 14) and a special rule that lets it re-roll saves of 1. It also costs about half to 2/3 the cost of a Stormraven. It doesn't have PoTMS so hits flyers on the same result as a moving Stormraven (3+). Arguably worse against ground targets compared to its big brother and the Stormtalon, it is more survivable against S6 and S7 weapons than the Stormtalon is for about the same cost but with a higher firepower output.

Stormtalon Gunship - With Strafing Run, the Stormtalon hits ground targets on a 3+ on the move or 2+ while hovering. It comes stock with twin assault cannons and two heavy bolters that can be swapped to twin Lascannons, a Skyhammer missile launcher or a typhoon missile launcher depending on its role.

Personally, I prefer a Stormraven or two in a Grey Knight list as that is able to carry some hard hitting infantry into the middle of the enemy line (3d6 mortal wounds anyone?) although that makes it an even bigger target than it already is.

 

What goes well with Grey Knights?

One of the important questions to ask in the day and age of 7th/8th edition where allies and various detachments abound. Even with faction-specific bonuses, they are confined only to their own detachment (not army-wide) and in a 2000 point army, you are able to bring up to 3 detachments. Having gone through all the options available to the player, it's time to ask ourselves what the Grey Knights do well:

  1. They hit hard (solid anti-infantry shooting and great melee)

  2. Are able to perform alpha and beta strikes well (coming from deep strike) and

  3. Have plenty of psychic defence (important for those taking part in tournament circuits allowing access to Forgeworld units; Malefic Lords anyone?)

The areas the units from the codex are lacking in on the whole however, are:

  1. Lack of warm bodies with the cheapest GK coming in at 21 points for a T4 3+ save wound

  2. Lacking in long ranged support (even counting Dreadnoughts and Razorbacks)

Knowing their strengths and weaknesses, what Imperium factions can we pair them with to shore up what GKs are lacking in?

The ubiquitous Astra Militarum (Imperial Guard for you veterans) offer cheap bodies to clog up the board with Conscripts (pfffft...who doesn't take Conscripts in ANY Imperium army these days) that can block deep strikes and hold objectives (with ObSec to boot in AM Detachments). AM also offers access to a variety of armoured units and long-ranged artillery support for an army lacking in long-ranged firepower.

Space Marines and the other AM (Adeptus Mechanicus) offer long-ranged fire support as well with their Devastators, Predators, Thunderfire cannons, Kastellan Robots, and Rangers. Basically any faction that has access to long-ranged support and cheaper (tough not to be cheaper than a grey knight) models will gel well with the sons of Titan. It all depends on your preferred flavor, be it lobbing artillery shells on your enemy, firing anti-tank weapons at maximum range, or even tanks, tanks and more tanks. Use your Grey Knights as a hard-hitting scalpel as and when you need them (preferably before turn 4 where they'll go poof if they've not entered the board by then). That said, they can't really take a punch (though more than Dark Eldar can), and it will be useful to have a secondary distraction in the turn your Grey Knights show up so your opponent will have to make some tough choices during his next turn.

 

A fairly short Part 3 but I hope the whole series has helped you learn more about the Grey Knights and their options from the Codex as well as what they do well and their weaknesses. I'm looking forward to the upcoming Death Guard Codex and will definitely be doing an in-depth review much like the one I've done for the Grey Knights so tell your friends who play on the side of Grandfather Nurgle to keep an eye out for that in The Crossroads sometime after the DG codex hits on 16th of September!

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Cheers,

BenCH

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