Purification to the Extreme (1500 GKs)

[Arien]

Not so much the models themselves but the rules set for the Storm Raven really make me want to play with them, with this in mind I have put two tank-hunting SRs into my list, and built a 1500 point list around them with the idea that the army is mostly fast and accurate. Obviously in kill points nothing combat squads, in objectives I can have 5 scoring units and two I6 squads with HQs in the SRs for the forward destruction and 3 5 man squads defending the Vindicare and home Objectives.

HQ:

Castellan Crowe
Brotherhood Champion

Troops:

10 Purifiers, 5 Halberds, 4 Swords, 1 Hammer, Psybolts.
10 Purifiers, 5 Halberds, 4 Swords, 1 Hammer, Psybolts.
5 Purifiers, 2 Psycannons, 1 Hammer.

Fast Attack:

Stormraven with TL Multi-Melta and TL Lascannon.
Stormraven with TL Multi-Melta and TL Lascannon.

Elites:

Vindicare Assassin.

C&C Welcome, I feel this is more the style of list I was going for, obviously it should have the ability to take on most if not all opponents to a greater or lesser degree. Thoughts?

[blackarmchair]

I'm not a fan of GK lists like this one.

A few lucky shots to down the storm ravens early-game will basically lose you the game. Purifiers are awesome but 25MEQs with no invulns won't win you any games. At 1500 this is a little more acceptable but for a sense of scale most Marine players will still have something in the neighborhood of 12-18 heavy weapons and plenty of plasma/melta which will kill your Purifiers quite handily.

Emperor help you if your opponent has thundershield terminators as you have no good way to kill them.

GK is all about balance between MSU shooting elements and larger close-combat elements. Get a couple Psyrifle dreads and a few psybacks, then grab 1-2 assault units. Take a Libby for support and psychic defense (shrouding is AWESOME).

GK are actually really balanced and somewhat hard to use, one of the biggest mistakes you can make with such an elite and expensive army is to put all your eggs in a few baskets and two AV12 vehicles will not last long.

[Arien]

Thanks for the response, you bring up very valid points that I am very inexperienced with, specifically I've not played against many Marine lists before (bar vanilla), I've never played SW, or BA, or CSM for that matter so I don't really know what to expect. So re your comments I should be looking for... Some Psyrifle Dreads to pop transports, Some GKTs for invuln saves? Drop an SR and use one for the Assault Delivery? Add Razorbacks or Rhinos...?

[Sonikgav]

Purifiers are good but wont win a Game alone. You need to support them. And dont be afraid to give them Guns. 4 Psycannons for 40 points is phenominal. Sure Purifiers make a decent Assault unit but they make even better all rounders. They go from Mincing most things in combat to being a potential threat to EVERYTHING including Landraiders.

I like being able to Combat Squad em down to make 1 Firebase and 1 Assault unit. Admittedly i only have as many Purifiers as you do but they are less 1 trick ponies and are tactically more flexible. I also have a unit of Termies as well as basic Transports for all of em, not the fire magnets that Stormravens or Landraiders are though, just Razors and Rhinos.

Lastly, fire support. The amount of Firepower a Purifier list can put out is scary. Sure Purgators can get 4 Psycannons in a 5 man unit but your enemy will prefer charging a Purgation squad over a unit of 10 Purifiers with Halberds. My list has 2 Psyfleman Dreads, a Vindicare and a Dreadknight with Double guns as a distraction and mobile fire support.

[Arien]

Sat around pondering for quite some time on the responses: New list:

HQ: Libby with 4 powers (Shrouding, Sanctuary, MoT, Quicksilver)
Elites: 5 Purifiers, 2 Psycannons, Psyback. Vindicare Assassin.
Troops: 10 Termies, 2 Psycannons, 5 Halberds, 3 Swords, 2 Hammers. 5 GKSS, Rhino.
Heavy Support: Land Raider + Multi Melta Pintle Mount. Psyrifle Dread.
Last 5 points to stick psybolts on the LR perhaps, or MC a Hammer on the Termies.

How does this sound?

[DarkLink]

What goes in the Land Raider? You can't fit ten terminators in there. Cutting down the terminators and getting another small GKSS squad would make that a decent list, though.

[Arien]

Was thinking of swapping the Psyback and Rhino, sticking the Purifiers in the Rhino (2 Psycannons for two holes) and the GKSS can hide in the Psyback for scoring after they get shot up, then it's a matter of combat squading the Termies, having the psycannons and halberds sticking by the LR, and the Swords/Hammers move up with the Libby, I guess if I switched it to a Redeemer I could fit all six in there and move them up, but I was thinking more of using the LR for popping multiple transports with all those TL Las shots.

Otherwise I could save myself a few points and make it a Redeemer and I'd stick the swords/hammers with the Libby in the LRR and keep the Psycannon/halberds in the back for defensive I6 and lots of shots on the move.

How does it all sound? (If I were to add 5 more GKSS I'd add them to the current squad then combat squad, saves me a KP in 1/3 of games)

[DarkLink]

Keep the standard Land Raider, the TL Lascannons are too useful for GKs. If you're going to split the Terminators, then I'd consider dropping 5 and taking another GKSS squad in a Rhino. The more armor saturation you have, the better.

Aside from that, it looks like a decent list to start with and get some experience.

[blackarmchair]

Yeah your ideas seem good to me. I still wouldn't take GKT though, they have a poopy invuln save outside close combat. A 5++ is almost not an invuln at all. The landraider is a nice addition though. Other than that I very much like the list