IG Psyker/Arty Pinning?

[Garradh]

Playing in a 2000 pt doubles tourney this weekend, each player gets 1000 points and both players have to share one FOC. I'm playing a Command Squad, IG Mech Platoon, Vendetta, and thinking of trying a Basilisk and small Psyker squad to keep enemy deathstars pinned. The 36" range of their Ld-reducing ability should keep me safe from psychic hoods while the Ordinance Barrage forces pinning tests with an additional -1 to Ld, so I shouldn't need a very big Psyker squad.

Has anyone tried this before, with any luck?

[DadExtraordinaire]

Playing in a 2000 pt doubles tourney this weekend, each player gets 1000 points and both players have to share one FOC. I'm playing a Command Squad, IG Mech Platoon, Vendetta, and thinking of trying a Basilisk and small Psyker squad to keep enemy deathstars pinned. The 36" range of their Ld-reducing ability should keep me safe from psychic hoods while the Ordinance Barrage forces pinning tests with an additional -1 to Ld, so I shouldn't need a very big Psyker squad.

Has anyone tried this before, with any luck?

I've played with the up to 9 psykers and officer and found they can be dangerous against ork and other such armies. Just make sure you have them supported. I take mine in a Valkyrie. Good luck in your games this weekend. ;)

[Nungunz]

6-8 Psykers is ideal (-6 leadership is plenty and 8 in order to ID toughness 4 if you ever have to use the blast). Always take them in a Chimera. They can still use the power out of the top and are much better protected.

Just be aware that a lot of units out there are fearless and won't really care. That and you DO NOT want to use these guys to pin a unit.

You want to save these guys to the end of the shooting phase and then nuke the leadership of a unit that took 25% casualties to get them running.

I'd honestly take 2 squads instead of 1. Give you a better/more chance to nuke leadership and when one unit dies you still have the other as back-up.

[Commander Vimes]

Pinning with psykers works fine. And since pinned units still test morale to flee, there isn't a disadvantage to hitting a unit you want to flee with pinning weapons. That said, I generally use psykers plus Gryphons to pick an enemy unit I want to not have to worry about for a turn. A pair of gryphon's is enough to force a wound on a most units. I know when I shoot whether the unit is pinned or not, no chance of rolling snake eyes on their morale check and screwing up your planning. Forcing a unit to flee is best if they might run off the board, or you know you'll have unit close by to keep them running. For units that have reached my lines, pinning is often better because it keeps them helpless at point blank range, where my Guard are most deadly. And They Shall Know no Fear neutralizes a lot of the advantages of forcing a marine unit to flee. Generally they'll end up right back where they started, often closer, and are shooting meltas/bolters at you. Pinning doesn't let them do that.

[Alex4AJM3]

If you have a cheap squad loitering around mid-field, your opponent may not spot them, so will concentrate all his fire on the basilisk, leaving you free to wage mind-war on him.