GK HQ question

[shadosun]

Ok so I'm a new GK player and I'm kinda confused as to which HQ I should include in a list. When I was taught to play 40k I was told it was better to pick the generic HQ's over named ones. Why pay 100 or so more points for a guy with a name and an ability the other doesn't, give those points to your men. Yet as I look at the choices it seems that the choice of a libby and a generic grand master may not be the best, draigo comes to mind even though I don't want to run a paladin army, its just that he has eternal warrior and a storm shield.

So any advice on this? Pick the named ones, or give your men other neat toys with those points you save? Oh and if it helps I generally play 1500 and 2000 pt games at my local shop.

[Xas]

you should build your list, saveing 200-300 points for HQ/gimmicks and when it is done decide which HQ would fit it the best if you cannot decide beforehand.

if all you are after with draigo is the stormshield let me remind you that a nemesis sword gives you a -1 bonus to ward saves in melee (so with an iron halo you get that holy 3++ at least in close combat).

[thecactusman17]

Were you taught from the Tau codex, as your name suggests? Tau like most third edition and early 4th edition armies do not have any really good named characters so the generic hqs are the way to go. In 5th edition, a good named character can really beat up other hqs, and some can even really impact the makeup of your army. So a good named character can be very useful if they and their unique strengths are exploited well.

[shadosun]

Were you taught from the Tau codex, as your name suggests? Tau like most third edition and early 4th edition armies do not have any really good named characters so the generic hqs are the way to go. In 5th edition, a good named character can really beat up other hqs, and some can even really impact the makeup of your army. So a good named character can be very useful if they and their unique strengths are exploited well.

Lol yep, they were the first army I played the game with. I'm glad I asked then, I didn't realize I was basing HQ's had come so far. I shall have to take another look at the named people then to see if any would bring anything useful to the table I appreciate the advice. Hell I need to look at my other newer collections and see about giving them named guys too.

[DarkLink]

You pretty much get to pick between the Grand Master, Librarian, Inquisitors, Coteaz, Driago and Crowe.

Pretty much every list should have either a Grand Master or Librarian in it. Too expensive to take both. I've been on the Librarian side lately, but a GM is also great for his access to Grenades and the Grand Strategy, plus Psychic Communion.

Librarians are outstanding, just buy ~5 psychic powers and maybe a couple Skulls. Which powers to pick should be pretty obvious. In case they aren't, Sanctuary, Shrouding and Might of Titans are auto-include. Always. Never ever ever ever take a Librarian without those three. The Quickening, Summoning and Warp Quake are also good choices, but not always required.

Crowe and Driago are pretty obviously only for if you are taking Purifiers or Paladins, respecitvely. Crowe is hardly ever worth it, even in a full Purifier spam list, for a number of reasons. Driago, on the other hand, is a beast. Even if you're only taking one large unit of paladins, he very well could be worth it.

Coteaz and Inquisitors are mostly interchangeable. Coteaz most obviously brings henchmen spam, but even without henchmen Coteaz is still fantastic for his 2+ armor and Daemonhammer, Psychic Mastry 2 with Hammerhand and Sanctuary, plus his reroll the Seize dice and free shooting at reserves.

Inquisitors themselves really only have a few good builds. Either take a Xenos Inquisitor with Rad/Psykotroke Grenades, or take a Malleus Inquisitor in Terminator armor with a Psycannon. Throw on a psychic power and some Servo Skulls, to taste.

In <1500pts, you should have either one expensive HQ or 1-2 cheap ones. In higher point games, one expensive and one cheap HQ. If you go to 'ard Boyz, then you can probably afford 2 expensive HQs.


you should build your list, saveing 200-300 points for HQ/gimmicks and when it is done decide which HQ would fit it the best if you cannot decide beforehand.


Not for Grey Knights. Which HQ you pick has too much of an influence on what units you take, or the other way around. You have to consider what HQ you want from the beginning.

[shadosun]

Driago, on the other hand, is a beast. Even if you're only taking one large unit of paladins, he very well could be worth it.

Ok so by large do you mean a unit of like 10 paladins? I was thinking about taking a unit of them in the army along with my other choices and if he really helps them then he becomes a viable choice.

Also, you don't reccomend a non named GM and a libby for a 1500pt game? How about a 2k one?

[Xas]

Not for Grey Knights. Which HQ you pick has too much of an influence on what units you take, or the other way around. You have to consider what HQ you want from the beginning.

I was basically describing "or the other way around" so why do you say I'm not right (and then say basically the same I did just a few letters later :P)?



In other dexes a HQ basically is "just another unit" which is mostly taken for direct combat abilities.

For GKs you either choose a HQ and then an army of units that work well with it (hard for people that come from other armies as that ~15% of your points allowance suddenly dictate all the rest) or you choose the army units you want and then look what HQ has good synergy.

The core question however will allways be: awesome psychic powers or grand strategy and/or scoring/spammed henchman.

[DarkLink]

Ok so by large do you mean a unit of like 10 paladins? I was thinking about taking a unit of them in the army along with my other choices and if he really helps them then he becomes a viable choice.

Yes. I'm not sure if he would be worth his extra cost over a normal GM if you only had 5 paladins, but with 10+ he's definitely worth it.



Also, you don't reccomend a non named GM and a libby for a 1500pt game? How about a 2k one?

I still think that even at 2k, both a GM and a Librarian is too expensive. I would buy more bodies with more psycannons instead. Both have cool abilities that buff your army, but you need an army for them to buff in the first place. I take one or the other, plus one of the Inquisitors for the extra utility.

[shadosun]

I still think that even at 2k, both a GM and a Librarian is too expensive. I would buy more bodies with more psycannons instead. Both have cool abilities that buff your army, but you need an army for them to buff in the first place. I take one or the other, plus one of the Inquisitors for the extra utility.

I was starting out wanting a pure gk force. But looking at the HQ's and coteaz being only 100 pts for what he does. I think you have swayed me to the other side lol. Hmmm maybe coteaz and one of those monkey things? Do I have to put him in that tank? I mean I suppose I can put up with him, his monkey, and his tank cluttering up what would have been my beautiful all GK field :P.

As for picking an HQ. I want to lean towards the libby for his neat tricks, but then I see the grand strategy of a GM and like that as well. I see now that GKs are more different then I initially thought. I picked them due to fluff knowing they were a specialist army. I had no idea how low in units it really is, I think my eldar friend back home uses more units. I welcome the challenge though, they seem like they'll be a little rocky to learn, but will reward me for my efforts.

[Mr.Pickelz]

Yea, GK's will always have low units, my 2k paladin list has like 24 models...:D:D

Draigo
Libby - 4x spells/ halberd

2x (10x) paladins

2x Dreadnoughts - dual atuocannons/psybolt ammo

But what makes this codex so freaking cool, is the option to take tons of bodies in power armor as well. with purifier lists, you can take more then the whole chapter has fluff wise...

[Bean]

As Darklink said, decide what you want your army to be, then pick the HQ you need to make that army work.

If you want to play the standard troops (termies or strike squads) a librarian is a good pick. A Grand Master is also fine. Mordrak and Ghost Knights can be good. Brother Captains are balls, and Brotherhood champions are dubious. An Inquisitor can be a good budget choice if you find you don't really need your HQ for anything in particular (personally, though, I like the GM and Libby better).

If you like paladins, play Draigo. If you play Draigo, load up on paladins. Both Draigo and Paladins are definitely worth it.

If you really like the idea of Purifiers as troops, play Crowe. I'm not a big fan of Crowe, but Purifiers are really good.

That's about all there is to it.

[DarkLink]

Librarians/GM/Driago serves as your primary HQ. There's probably only enough points for one of these, at least in my opinion. You can, however, fit in a secondary HQ, which basically means the Inquisitors. Coteaz is fantastic, an extra psycannon or grenades are fantastic, and some extra psychic powers and skulls are great. The inquisitors probably shouldn't be your primary HQ, but they're a great support unit.

And the only reason Crowe is even mentionable is because he makes purifiers troops. He is not only pretty poor himself, but he takes up a slot you could be using on a good unit. Purifiers are great, but in my opinion they're not that much better than anything else that they justify Crowe's impotence combined with his massive opportunity cost in denying you an HQ slot.

[fuzzbuket]

Ok so I'm a new GK player and I'm kinda confused as to which HQ I should include in a list. When I was taught to play 40k I was told it was better to pick the generic HQ's over named ones. Why pay 100 or so more points for a guy with a name and an ability the other doesn't, give those points to your men. Yet as I look at the choices it seems that the choice of a libby and a generic grand master may not be the best, draigo comes to mind even though I don't want to run a paladin army, its just that he has eternal warrior and a storm shield. .

when running named GK HQ's the thing is

do i want it themed : not in a fluff bunny way but cortez is good for cheap troops and lower paoints games
dragio/ crowe are useful if you are running a LOT of paladins/purifiers

mordak is good for sneaky tricks

and generic GM's are good for saving a few points

LIBBYS are like raptor jesus wing walking on a tri plane with a nuculear missle and ghetto blaster. if you have 100+ points spare take him


GK's are all about saving those spare points, your list shouldnt have any more than 5 points spare, with the old gk* it was the same: your units are very pricey so when building a list think

'should i get dragio or should i get either:
a) better NFW
b) psybolt
c)tank upgrades
d) a cheap squad?

and what point level are you playing at?

at 500 - 1500 cortez is good for saving those points on scoring units and having some bodies on the table
at 1000- 2000 a GM is solid and cheap
at any points a libby is good
at 1500+ crowe is good for a load of purifiers
at 1750+ dragio stops becoming a points sink


-fuzz

p.s libbys are good
*ahh 1pts targetes (+1BS) and artifacer armour for justicars- load up on bionics and take a bolt pistol (1pts) for the lolz

[shadosun]

LIBBYS are like raptor jesus wing walking on a tri plane with a nuculear missle and ghetto blaster.

I have to say because of that colourful description I will choose the libby over the GM for my first match with my GK's when I get home in less than a month lol

[BrokenWing]

What? no? Librarians are horrible, they don't do anything!!

(other than win you games ;) ).