The Never Played WH40K Grey Knights Starter Army List

[Koineboy]

Ok...so here's what I own currently and from which I need to make a 500 point starter list. My wife says I can't buy any more models. (I'm into the hobby and fluff, but not yet the game.)

Draigo
Terminator Librarian
Coteaz
10 GK Strike squads all fully magnetized bits (took forever)
5 GK Termies (fully magnetized bits)
2 Rhinos/Predators unbuilt and unpainted
1 Landraider unbuilt unpainted
1 chimera unbuilt unpainted
10 Cadians (Chimera Cadian battlepack whatever)

I'm thinking some purifiers with a Terminator as Crowe proxy and psycannon out the Rhino goodness or Coteaz with a retinue and some Strike Squads...

Thanks!

[Koineboy]

Here are the lists I've come up with since I got out of work:

GK Brother Captain (150) + Daemon hammer(4) - 2 Servo Skulls, psybolt ammo, psyco nades 179 pts
GK 5man(4+Justicar) Strike Squad (100) +Psycannon (10) +Razback +Psybolt (50) 160 pts
GK 5man(4+Justicar) Strike Squad (100) +Psycannon (10) +Razback +Psybolt (50) 160 pts

499 points

Coteaz 100pts
GK 5man(4+Justicar) Strike Squad (100) +Psycannon (10) +Razback (45) 155 pts
GK 5man(4+Justicar) Strike Squad (100) +Psycannon (10) +Razback (45) 155 pts
3 Warrior Acolyte +2 Melta +Chimera 87 pts

497 Points


Thanks!

[Koineboy]

Bah...sorry wrong forum! Could a MOD please move this form me to the lists sub forum? Sorry.

[Loshkins]

1x Draigo
1x Paladin
1x Paladin
1x Paladin
1x Paladin
=495

Seriously though your first list is pretty solid. Maybe take off one of the psycannons from a squad and equip the justicar with a hammer instead, and make sure they all have halberds, tweak the points to make it happen.

[Bean]

Here are the lists I've come up with since I got out of work:

GK Brother Captain (150) + Daemon hammer(4) - 2 Servo Skulls, psybolt ammo, psyco nades 179 pts
GK 5man(4+Justicar) Strike Squad (100) +Psycannon (10) +Razback +Psybolt (50) 160 pts
GK 5man(4+Justicar) Strike Squad (100) +Psycannon (10) +Razback +Psybolt (50) 160 pts

499 points

Coteaz 100pts
GK 5man(4+Justicar) Strike Squad (100) +Psycannon (10) +Razback (45) 155 pts
GK 5man(4+Justicar) Strike Squad (100) +Psycannon (10) +Razback (45) 155 pts
3 Warrior Acolyte +2 Melta +Chimera 87 pts

497 Points


Thanks!

Don't play a Brother Captain. For 25 points more, the Grand Master (and his Grand Strategy rule) is well, well worth it--especially if you're gonna spend points on upgrades, anyway

Second, don't put a Hammer on your HQ. Not worth it. Honestly, I'd just play him with a sword--he doesn't need the initiative buff, he doesn't want the initiative penalty, and the 3+ invulnerable in combat is pretty good.

Finally, three things: Definitely don't buy him psybolt ammo, that's a huge waste on a single storm bolter. Servo skulls aren't terrible, but they're also really not very important. Psychotroke grenades are good, but I think Rad grenades are generally better.

The small strike squads in razorbacks should be pretty good.

For a small army, though, Coteaz is probably a good pick. He brings a lot for his 100 points. Same goes for small acolyte melta squads.


Of those two, the second one is better.

I really just don't like 500 point lists. Most armies just don't compact down that far, and Grey Knights aren't really an exception. You can do it, obviously, but the product is a little silly. Just play that Coteaz list, and when you get around to making 1000 point lists, let me know. ;)

[Koineboy]

Here's the edit, and thanks for the advice.

GK Grandmaster (175) +Master Crafted (5) 180 pts
GK 5man(4+Justicar) Strike Squad (100) + Justicar Daemon Hammer (10) +Psycannon (10) +Rhino (40) 160 pts
GK 5man(4+Justicar) Strike Squad (100) + Justicar Daemon Hammer (10) +Psycannon (10) +Rhino (40) 160 Pts

500 Points

Changed the justicars to Daemon hammers, exchanged Razorbacks for Rhinos, but get the firing point for rthe psycannons in the Rhinos. Made the GKGM master crafted to spend 5 points.

Thoughts?

[Koineboy]

Thanks Bean. This is my "learner" list that takes advantage of the models I won without buying more and risking the wrath of wife.

I would love to field the Coteaz list, but I only have one chimera and 10 cadians I'm building the inquisitorial squad from.

The 500 points is a function of my FLGS manager who is offering to run some small games to teach me the ropes. I'm imagining 1000 point list by the fall.

[Bean]

Here's the edit, and thanks for the advice.

GK Grandmaster (175) +Master Crafted (5) 180 pts
GK 5man(4+Justicar) Strike Squad (100) + Justicar Daemon Hammer (10) +Psycannon (10) +Rhino (40) 160 pts
GK 5man(4+Justicar) Strike Squad (100) + Justicar Daemon Hammer (10) +Psycannon (10) +Rhino (40) 160 Pts

500 Points

Changed the justicars to Daemon hammers, exchanged Razorbacks for Rhinos, but get the firing point for rthe psycannons in the Rhinos. Made the GKGM master crafted to spend 5 points.

Thoughts?

Hm...

It still bothers me, but, honestly, you're playing your first few games ever at a point value that just doesn't really allow for legitimate competition.

Just play that. Go for it. It'll be fine. Have fun. Start playing 1000 point games as soon as you start to get comfortable with the rules--I can practically guarantee that you'll find them more fun. ;)

[DarkLink]

At this point level, BC vs GM isn't too big of a deal. At higher point levels, always go GM, and always take Rad/Psykotroke/Blind Grenades.

Coteaz is also a superb secondary HQ. After playing Grey Knights competitively since the codex came out (and as a Daemonhunters player before that), I've narrowed down my HQ choices to either Grand Master with grenades+Coteaz or a Xenos Inquisitor with grenades+Coteaz.


A small, 5 man unit of Warrior Acolytes is great for holding backfield objectives. I always add a couple bodies so if their vehicle explodes the odds of them all dying in the explosion, or getting killed by random potshots, is pretty small. Add 3 meltaguns to the unit. Get a Razorback for them if you can for the firepower, but a Chimera works fine as well. That unit is cheap enough to leave in the back taking potshots and holding your home objective, or to use as a suicide melta unit. I take one of these in all my lists with Coteaz.


A unit of 5 Paladins with Driago is a solid unit that's annoying to remove. 5 Terminators isn't quite so intimidating. I always take Terminators as a 10-man squad. Paladins can be smaller while still being highly effective.


Strike Squads are a great unit. A unit of 10 is, in my opinion, just about the best mid-field troop choice in the game. Grey Hunters are the only things that can really compete. They're cheap for what you get, flexible, mobile, have useful abilities, are good in cc and excellent at shooting. I take a unit of 10 in a Rhino in every list. I'm not a fan of 5 man Strike Squads, but at 500pts they'll work fine.

While I know you have a Terminator Librarian, I've found I prefer the Grand Master. The Librarian's abilities are too expensive and a bit too gimmicky in general compared to the Grand Master. The exception is in lists with Land Raiders and Storm Ravens, where the Librarians psychic powers, particularly Shrouding, become a much bigger deal.




As for wargear, as I mentioned Rad/Psykotroke/Blind grenades are a must. On HQ's, Swords are also the top choice since you need to worry about durability.

In your squads, always take one hammer on a model with 2 attacks. In Terminator/Paladin squads, take two or three hammers. For the rest of your weapons, Halberds are the top choice. Killing your opponent before they strike is better than a mildly improved invulnerable save, so they beat out swords, and falchions are overpriced. The only exception is Strike Squads, where the Halberd upgrade is too expensive. Strike Squads get swords, everyone else gets halberds.

In a Paladin squad, or a large squad of Terminators, always take a Brotherhood Banner and a Warding Stave. They are well worth their points.

For shooty weapons, Psycannons are really your only choice. Psilencers are a joke. They're horrible. Incinerators are actually good, but they're too situation and Psycannons are simply better in almost every possible way.