Warhammer 40,000/Tactics/Grey Knights(9E)

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Why Play Grey Knights?

The Grey Knights are the Emperor’s final creation, an army ​of Space Marines whose might and dedication eclipses all others. Their all-consuming mission is to confront the Daemons of the Warp wheresoever they might manifest. ​Each Grey Knight has the power of an army in his own right, capable of felling the greatest of Greater Daemons with a single blow. When the Chapter fights as one there are few who can oppose them. Yet, as the Imperium approaches its twilight, the daemonic threat grows ever greater and the Grey Knights ever more beset.

Though the Grey Knights wield the finest armaments that the armouries of the Imperium can provide, their chief weapon comes from within: a psychic might that can cleave through armour, summon sanctifying flame or return life to the dead.

A Grey Knights army will always be outnumbered (with the exception of facing custodes or Knights), but each of your warriors is easily as powerful as the mightiest hero in your opponent’s ranks. Terminator Squads, the elite of other Space Marine armies, are the mainstay of your force.

Purgation Squads lay down a storm of heavy weapons fire, Purifiers immolate the foe with azure flame. Strike Squads attack wherever the enemy is most vulnerable, and towering Nemesis Dreadknights stride imperiously across the battlefield, leaving a trail of destruction in their wake.

Pros
Cons

Special Rules

  • Angel of Death:
    • And They Shall Know No Fear: Re-roll all failed morale tests. Not gonna come into effect too often given your relatively high Ld -- and also your ridiculous unit costs, which means you're likely running five-man squads anyways -- but it never hurts to have a safety net.
      • Since this is an optional rule, you should only re-roll a failure when you expect to do better on the subsequent roll; typically, this means only re-rolling a failure when it's a 4 or higher, although obviously, you should re-roll all failures when trying to keep the last member of a unit on the table.
    • Bolter Discipline: We 2nd Edition now. Astartes and Heretic Astartes models using a Rapid Fire bolt weapon can take double the normal attacks (2 for bolters, 4 for storm bolters, etc) if at least one of the following is true:
      • target is in half range
      • if the model didn't move during the previous Movement Phase
      • if the firing model is a Terminator, Biker, Centurion or Dreadnought
      Well, well, well. The Grey Knights might be straying further away from the trash bin. With every Knight having at least a Storm Bolter, your capacity for firepower has increased. Terminators are a lot deadlier now, while standard Knights can be used as a gunline. Combine this with Psybolt Ammunition for lolz. (Due to current FAQ rules, interceptor teleport shunt and gate of infinity do not count as you move in the movement phase for this rule, however, it does affect Psycannons and Psilencers, make up your mind GW!)
    • Shock Assault: We 6th and 7th Edition now. If a unit with this rule makes a charge move, is charged or performs a Heroic Intervention, add 1 to its attack characteristic for all models in the unit until the end of the turn.
  • Daemon Hunters: Re-roll all failed to-wound rolls against units with the Daemon keyword in the Fight phase.
  • Rites of Banishment: Every one of your units save for your transports and purifiers have this (purifiers and Crowe get their own 3", 1d6 mortal wounds). Grants a weaker version of Smite with only a 12" range, and deals only 1 mortal wound instead of D3, as well as losing the chance for increased damage with a roll of 10 or higher. However, if the target unit has the Daemon keyword, it takes 3 mortal wounds without rolling, instead. Fair, considering you can spam Smite like no other army save the Thousand Sons with the new version of the Psychic Focus rule.
  • Teleport Strike: (Almost) YOUR ENTIRE ARMY CAN STILL DEEP STRIKE! Not really, though, since at least half units and PL needs to be deployed. Instead of deploying normally, you can, at the end of a movement phase, set up a GK unit anywhere on the battlefield more than 9" away from an enemy unit. But after BIG FAQ 2, unfortunately, you can't deep strike on turn 1. This, according to the low body count and the lack of long-range weapon puts GK in a very very very very bad situation.
    • It's actually easier to list what hasn't got and can't get this: Techmarines, Brotherhood Champions, Crowe, Purifiers, Purgation Squads, Servitors. Why Strike Squads have it but Purgation Squads do not is a mystery, since for all intents and purposes Strike Squads are Purgation Squads with less training, as confirmed by the fluff on page 43 of the codex.
    • There is a Stratagem to allow your other GK INFANTRY to Deep Strike. So Purgation Squads can deep strike, it just costs Command Points.

Grey Knights Special Rules: You will only get these if your army is Battle-forged, and they only apply to Detachments of only <Grey Knights> units.

  • Brotherhood of Psykers: All your Psykers get this, but otherwise it's your version of Chapter Tactics. You can add 1 to Psychic tests and Deny the Witch tests taken by your units. It also exempts you from the increased Warp Charge costs that would otherwise occur from casting Smite multiple times due to Psychic Focus.
  • Knights of Titan: Objective Secured 8th Edition: if within range of an objective marker, you control it no matter how many of enemies try to swarm it, unless they have a similar rule, too.

Tides

So instead of getting doctrines, these tides are strictly only available to a full Grey Knights army. They can be changed by the new psychic power, Warp Shaping. These powers truly change the way Grey Knights operate. Essentially, you can easily increase your melee output (Fury), dakka output (Convergence), durability (Shadows), and smite output (Escalation) AND you can change this mid-game without using a command point. These Tides give the Knights incredible flexibility, but overall, they work to heavily bolster your short- to mid-range shooting game. Per FAQ no longer affects units without "psyker" keyword.

  • Tide of Fury: While this tide is dominant, Infantry units may reroll wound rolls of 1 with Nemesis Weapons. Never use this when fighting daemons because you already reroll to wound against them.
  • Tide of Convergence: While this tide is dominant, Infantry units in your army equipped with a Psi/Psy weapon, or any ranged weapon affected by the Psybolt Ammunition Stratagem gains +1S and 1D.
  • Tide of Shadows: While this tide is dominant, all Grey Knights gain the benefit of being in cover even while it is not entirely on or within a terrain feature. In addition if a unit is entirely on or within a terrain feature then ranged weapons are -1 to hit them. This is THE tide you should start out with if you are going 2nd.
  • Tide of Escalation: While this tide is dominant, any unit with the Rites of Banishment ability adds 1 mortal wound to the damage of their smite rolls. Literally DOUBLES the damage of your normal smite against non-daemon units.

GK Warlord Traits

  1. Daemon Slayer: If your Warlord wounds a Daemon in the Fight phase, your opponent must subtract 1 from any invulnerable saving throw against this attack. Situationally underwhelming, to say the least. Draigo has this by default.
  2. Hammer of Righteousness: Add 1 to wound rolls for your Warlord if he charged that turn. Well, this one can be interesting on a Nemesis Dreadknight Grandmaster?.. Meh, scroll down. Crowe gets this by default.
  3. Unyielding Anvil: Your Grey Knights within 6" of your Warlord auto-pass Morale. Kinda meh considering you play MSU with ATSKNF. Ok if you're using units bigger 5. Stern has this.
  4. First to the Fray: Re-roll failed charge rolls for your Warlord and Grey Knights units within 6". Very powerful, and saves a lot of CP. In fact, the question is: why even think of taking anything else instead of this marvellous piece of cheese? Just make sure that your Warlord charges last.
    • Unfortunately, none of your named characters gets this. Always take a non-unique warlord to give this to.
  5. Nemesis Lord: Add 1 to the Damage of your Warlords' melee weapons (generally becomes 1d3+1), reroll if he has a Relic of Titan as a melee weapon. Decent for a character hunter, but not much else. While this looks hilarious on an NDK grandmaster, don't fall into the trap of taking it over First to the Fray. In the long run, actually making it into CC will increase your damage output WAY more than +1D
  6. Lore Master: Your warlord knows an additional power from the Sanctic same psychic discipline he is currently taking according to FAQ. Remember that "rule of one" in matched plays? You're better off with 4. Voldus has this.

Litanies of Purity

Well we get these now. A Grey Knights Chaplain knows litany of hate and two litanies of purity in addition to a psychic power.

  1. Litany of Faith: When a model of a friendly Grey Knights unit within 6" of the Chaplain would lose a wound as a result of a mortal wound, roll a d6 on a 5+ that wound is not lost.
  2. Words of Power: Select one friendly Grey Knights unit within 6" of the Chaplain. When resolving an attack made by a model within that unit with a weapon that has a random damage characteristic, you may reroll the dice when determining the damage inflicted.
  3. Intonement for Guidance: Select one friendly Grey Knights unit within 6" of the Chaplain. When resolving an attack made by a ranged weapon by a model in that unit, they ignore any hit and ballistic skill modifiers.
  4. Refrain of Convergence: This model has +3 when taking a deny the witch test. Stacks with BoP making it a +4 to deny, for when you REALLY don't want a specific power to go off. It's a real shame that chaplains can only deny once.
  5. Recitation of Projection: Select one friendly Grey Knights unit within 6" of the Chaplain. Add 6" to the range characteristics of bolt weapons and psy weapons of that unit.
  6. Invocation of Focus: Select one Grey Knights unit within 6". When resolving the attack made by a Nemesis or Psi/Psy weapon improve the AP by 1 for that attack.

Tactical Objectives

11 - Destroy the Daemon
1 VP for destroying a Daemon unit. d3 VP if you destroyed 3-5 such units, and d3+3 VP if you destroyed 6 or more.
12 - Psychic Communion
1 VP if you manifested at least 3 psychic powers. Upped to d3 if 6 or more were manifested. Get to Smite spamming.
13 - No Witnesses!
1 VP if every CHARACTER in the opponent's army has been slain. This one sucks. Regret your decision not to just use standard objective cards.
14 - Deeds of Legend
d3 VP for killing a VEHICLE or MONSTER.
15 - Teleport Attack
1 VP if you completely destroy an enemy unit using a unit that arrived from Deep Striking or Gate of Infinity.
16 - Rites of Exorcism
Your opponent picks an objective; if you control it, you gain 1 VP. If you control it on the same turn the Tactical Objective was generated, you get d3 VP instead.

Psychic Powers

Gone are the days of 7th Edition's psychic cluster-fuck, now armies get their own specific psychic powers again. Say hello to an old friend, the Sanctic and Dominus discipline! And no more 3 librarians with banishment and other useless powers, now you get to pick the powers your psyker knows. Remember your Chapter Tactic, Brotherhood of Psykers, gives you a +1 to casting powers.

Smite Special Rules

Your odds of casting Smite are the standard 83.33%, up to 91.67% with Brotherhood, and the CV doesn't increase with each cast.

  • Rites of Banishment: GREY KNIGHTS are worse at Smite than normal; this is the version all of them have. When this unit manifests the Smite psychic power, it has a range of 12" rather than 18", and the target unit suffers only 1 mortal wound rather than D3 (whether or not the result of the Psychic test is more than 10) – unless the target unit is a DAEMON, in which case it suffers 3 mortal wounds instead of 1d3. It is watered down, unless you face Daemons, but rightfully so, since you can spam smite like no other army in the game. But since all of your models have this rule the SMITE CHANGE doesn't apply to GK. With new Tide of Escalation each successful Smite deals 1 additional mortal wound.
    • A model with this goes from 1.79 average mortal wounds dealt to 0.83; with Brotherhood of Psykers 0.92; Tide of Escalation 1.84.
  • Purifying Flame: Purifier Squads and Crowe have this, rather than Smite or Rites of Banishment. When this unit manifests the Smite psychic power, it only has a range of 3", but it inflicts 1d6 mortal wounds instead of 1d3 (whether or not the result of the Psychic test is more than 10, and doesn't care if the target is a DAEMON) (average mortal wounds dealt is 3.21). Unfortunately, they are overpriced, easy to kill and can't deep strike, so it is almost IMPOSSIBLE to reach your enemy with the flame.
    • The Banner relic provides a variation of this to its carrier, which is the same, but has a range of 6". This is better and the combo with brother captain could be useful.
  • Psychic Locus: Brother-Captains, including Stern, have this; it doubles the range of Smite for all units within 6", including the Brother-Captain, so Rites of Banishment goes to 24", and Purifying Flame goes to 6" (and the Banner-bearer goes to 12").

Sanctic Discipline

Values in parentheses are odds of success base, then with Brotherhood of Psykers up.

  1. Purge Soul: WC 5 (83.33%,91.67%). When manifested, pick an enemy unit within 12". Have a 1d6 roll-off and add your respective Ld. If the target rolls equal to or higher, nothing happens. If the caster rolls higher, the target unit suffers a number of mortal wounds equal to the difference.
    • Note: Purge Soul is can do well as its one of your few targeting. If you take you should also be doing combos to widen the Ld difference. with the +1 leadership banner and the +1 leadership warlord trait, and it's actually helpful against vehicles/monsters or single models with a really high toughness value.
      • Bring along everyone's favorite Madonna Impersonating Inquisitor, Greyfax, in a Min Strength Vanguard and she'll share her Ld 10 with you boosting your base to 12 with the WL trait and Ancient's Banner. She also brings Terrify to reduce a target of choice within 18" by 1 Ld in addition to turning off their overwatch. The biggest problem is this forces you to either footslog your whole blob for maximum effect or pay for a transport for her. Lord Hector Can Teleport in with the boys for just 30 points more and is a better Psyker but doesn't help your own leadership as he's only Ld9 himself. Note: the inquisitors Unquestionable Wisdom allows you to use their ld, which overrides your leadership stat, thus buffs to your own ld from the banner do not stack as they modify your stat, which is them overwritten by unquestioning loyalty. Greyfax has a fixed warlord trait so caps out at 10, which you get from a banner anyway.
  2. Gate of Infinity: WC 6 (72.22%,83.33%). Pick a friendly GREY KNIGHTS unit within 12" of the caster. The unit may immediately re-deploy anywhere on the battlefield more than 9" away from an enemy unit. Yes, you read it right, it doesn't say "GREY KNIGHTS infantry unit", just "unit"; SAY HELLO TO MY LAND RAIDER CRUSADER AT RAPID FIRE RANGE ON TURN 1!!! That's 24 shots minimum, not counting the storm bolter, multi-melta, etc. The only flaw is that you can only attempt to cast on per turn with so many good targets. Think about what needs it more and don't let it get dispelled.
    • This power right here. With a slightly clever setup, you can toss your LR around the board like some rabbit on speed, popping where it must go the moment it is needed. Also, nothing hinders you from teleporting out of melee. Your termies are tarpitted where you do not want them? No problem, just zip away. Also, this won't hinder you from shooting or charging, as the Fall Back move would.
  3. Hammerhand: WC 6 (72.22%,83.33%). Pick a friendly GREY KNIGHTS unit within 12" of the caster. Add 1 to their wound rolls in melee. Basically, you can wound anything on 5's. ANYTHING.
    • This buff is better the worse the target's ability to wound was to begin with, so if you're using it, definitely try to stick to Falchions over Halberds, if you weren't already. Or cast it on a Dreadknight and wound on 2+.
  4. Sanctuary: WC 6 (72.22%,83.33%). Pick a friendly GREY KNIGHTS unit within 12" of the caster. It gets 5++, or, if it already has an invulnerable save, adds 1 to it, to a maximum of 3++ (i.e. it won't stack with Warding Staffs on a 4++ model because GK players can't have nice things). Lasts until your next Psychic phase.
    • Best used on Grand Master Dreadknights or Warding Stave multi-model units wearing Terminator armour, for a 3++ on an already hard target.
  5. Astral Aim: WC 5 (83.33%,91.67%). Pick a friendly GREY KNIGHTS unit within 18" of the caster. Until your next psychic phase, the unit is able to target enemy units they cannot see during the shooting phase, and units they target do not get any cover bonuses. Use this to thwart Ork boyz who think they're being clever by declaring a charge against you from around a building, or destroy cover-camping assholes like T'au or Imperial Guard infantry. Of course, one of the greatest uses is to stick a shooty Dreadnought behind a wall out of line-of-sight the whole game, allowing him to pump out shots in safety without worrying over firing lanes.
  6. Vortex of Doom: WC 8 (41.67%,58.33%). If manifested, a vortex opens above the nearest visible enemy model within 12"; that model's unit, and every other within 3" of that model, suffers d3 mortal wounds (d6 if cast on 12+).
    • Expected mortal wounds for only one target unit are 0.875 without BoP, 1.29 with; since you can't target the power, this only gets up to really useful levels in melee with multiple small units, to ensure a lot of targets are close to each other and to you. (Edit: Absolutely DO NOT cast Vortex in melee EVER. Since the wording of the power is "...and every other unit within 3 inches" (not specifying whether friendly or enemy) this means vortex will affect your own units as well.)
    • Pro tip: Combo with Psychic channeling and Empyric Surge stratagems to try and stack the deck in favor of getting 12+ (a roll of an 11+ because of Grey Knight bonus). Use this on MSU Tau fire warrior gunlines and you're laughing.

In short: what should be the discipline of the best psyker army of the Imperium ends up being just mediocre. Of your six powers, two will practically always be used by the same unit (Sanctuary for Grandmaster Dreadknights, Astral Aim for Purgation squads or Venerable Dreadnoughts), one is too unreliable (Purge Soul) and one too situational (Vortex of Doom). The only two that you'll ever need to consider using tactically are Gate of Infinity and Hammerhand. Just more salt in the wound.

Alternate take: Mediocre? This list is rife with dorito finger level That Guy cheese.

Vortex of Doom is situational yes, but the beautiful thing is if the situation EVER comes up anywhere on the board, you're playing an entire army of deep-striking, re-deploying psykers. Since you can redeploy up to two units (Interceptors with Stratagem & GoI), you can punish an opponent who doesn't keep his things close together by placing your dudes in areas where his units can be attacked without your dudes being subject to any volume of fire from other units. This can lead to a situation where he ignores your teleporters blowing up vulnerable spots until he sends armour away from better objectives to hunt them down, at which point they can simply teleport away again. If he accounts for this and deep strike by clustering his units, it's Vortex time. Even if you take Vortex and your opponents spreads all of his things awkwardly to disrupt his army placement, to never give you a context to use it, that's good in my books, go back to harassing spread out heavy weapon infantry stragglers.

If you find purge and vortex are underpowered, just throw them on the spell hungry Voldus, letting the rest of your army use the bread and butter spells. Smite Lite, Purge Soul, and Vortex coming from the same dude, you'll probably get SOMETHING going for you. And when the dice gods DO smile upon you, you shall be most pleased when Voldus mangles an entire elite squad, or two, locking a third thing melee (if not also crushing it.) I have had Voldus pull this off with these lamer spells a few times, and it is glorious (if he doesn't just teleport away after deep striking in).

The cheese you can blast when you are the only man in the Imperium (who isn't a vegetable) who can cast three spells at once

Dominus discipline

The Dominus Discipline are only available to GREY KNIGHTS Characters to manifest, and support spells. You must choose from the Dominus Discipline or Sanctic Discipline, you can not manifest powers from both disciplines. Values in parentheses are odds of success base, then with Brotherhood of Psykers up.

  1. Warp Shaping: WC 5 (83.33%,91.67%). If manifested you can change which "Tide" is currently dominant.
  2. Armoured resilience: WC 6 (72.22%,83.33%). If manifested select a GREY KNIGHTS INFANTRY unit within 12" of the psyker, until your next psychic phase that unit has -1 to wound roll against them.
  3. Ethereal Manipulation: WC 7 (58.33%, 72.22%). If manifested select one GREY KNIGHTS unit within 6" of the psyker, until the start of your next psychic phase you can reroll the hit roll against a unit in the shooting phase if they are within half range.
    • Devastating for any teleporter, especially a Purgation, as 9" away is less than half of the common 24" range.
  4. Edict Imperator: WC 7 (58.33%, 72.22%). If manifested select one GREY KNIGHTS unit within 12" of the psyker, that unit can shoot and then move during the psychic phase. This unit can not advance with this move, and can't charge or shoot again that turn.
    • 6" or less movement is slow for footslogging after teleporting, the ability to move double your speed or move in then out of cover is useful.
  5. Empyrean Domination: WC 7 (58.33%,72.22%). If manifested you gain one command point. Free CP is always lovely.
  6. Inner Fire: WC 5 (83.33%,91.67%). If manifested select 1 enemy within 1" of the psyker (practically engaged in melee) and roll dice equal to the psychic test result. For each roll of 1, the psyker suffers a mortal wound, for each roll of 3+, the enemy suffers 1 mortal wound.
    • Hardest to pull off, as you need to spend 2 rounds in melee and the enemy has not withdrawn, killed you, or kill two much of the enemy.
    • It's not as hard as it might seem, with Powerful Adept the range becomes 7" and with Dynamic Insertion to deep strike 3" away, you now have a little assassin.
    • This can combo well with the relic Cuirass of Sacrifice, giving you the ability to shrug off those self-inflicted mortal wounds on rolls of a 5+.

Stratagems

  • Honour the Chapter (3 CP): Use this stratagem at the end of the Fight Phase. Select a GREY KNIGHTS INFANTRY unit - that unit may immediately fight a second time. Literally a CTRL+C/CTRL+V of the Space Marine Codex rule. Use this on your Paladins, it will please you.
  • Orbital Bombardment (3 CP): If your warlord didn't move in the movement phase, you can use this once per game in the shooting phase instead of having him shoot any weapons. Pick any spot on the battlefield that the warlord can see, and roll a D6 for every unit within D6", subtracting 1 if it's a Character. On a 4+, it takes D3 mortal wounds. It's another direct copy from the Marines Codex.
  • Only in Death Does Duty End (1 CP): Use this stratagem whenever a GREY KNIGHTS CHARACTER is slain. That model may immediately make a shooting attack or a close combat attack. Note that this stratagem is half the CP cost of the Vanilla SM version.
  • Wisdom of the Ancients (1 CP): Used at the start of any phase. Select a friendly GREY KNIGHTS DREADNOUGHT. Until the end of the phase, all friendly GREY KNIGHTS re-roll to-hit rolls of 1 within 6" of the Dreadnought. Again, a cut-and-paste of the Codex Marines stratagem.
  • Tactical Flexibility (1 CP): At the start of your movement phase, pick a 10 model unit with the Combat Squads rule and split it into two 5 model units. Yep, another copypaste job.
  • Armory of Titan (1/3 CP): Same as in every other Codex; use it before the battle and take an additional Relic (1 CP) or two (3 CP).
  • Teleportarium (1 CP): You can set a GREY KNIGHTS INFANTRY unit or GREY KNIGHTS DREADNOUGHT in a Teleportarium chamber instead of placing it on the battlefield, essentially gaining Teleport Strike for 1 CP. Note that you can use it multiple times before the battle. This is super useful for getting Crowe and Purifiers closer to Cleansing Flame range. Or just cackle maniacally as you deepstrike Dreadnoughts.
  • Truesilver Armor (1 CP): Activate when GREY KNIGHTS VEHICLE suffers a Mortal Wound: roll d6 for it and every subsequent Mortal Wound inflicted in that phase, on a roll of 5+ it is ignored.
  • Psybolt Ammunition (2 CP): Used during the shooting phase. A chosen GREY KNIGHTS unit's Boltgun, Storm Bolter, Hurricane Bolter and/or Heavy Bolter gain +1 strength and increases its AP by 1. So Storm Bolters become S5 AP-1, for example. Given how the Grey Knights' shooting has always been hampered by bad AP values, expect to use this a lot. Absolutely disgusting Using this on a 10-man Strike Squad using Bolter Discipline during Tide of Convergence will absolutely decimate hordes and even light vehicles like Raiders or Venoms. Who's got cripplingly short-ranged firepower now?
  • Psychic Onslaught(2 CP): The same, but with Gatling Psilencers, Psilencers, and regular and Heavy Psycannons. Psilencers become rather brutal against regular infantry and can even scratch high Toughness models due to number of shots. Best used on either a Purgation Squad with 4 psilencers or psycannons or a Dreadknight with a Heavy Psycannon and a Gatling Psilencer.
    • The math on this stratagem is not as good as it might seem, specifically when paired with tide of convergence. against half of your normal targets(any T4, T7, and T8) all your getting is an additional -1 ap. If you're looking to get the most out of this stratagem, psiliencers targeting bikes, centurions or other multi-wound T6/T5 units is your best bet. you can normally expect it to get you 5-6ish more wounds on these kinds of targets
  • Psychic Channeling (1 CP):Used when taking a test for GREY KNIGHTS PSYKER. Roll 3 dice instead of 2 and pick 2 highest results.
  • Teleportation Boost (1 CP): In the Movement Phase, an Interceptor Squad that has already made a teleport shunt can do it once again.
  • Aegis (2 CP): Used in the psychic phase before a friendly GREY KNIGHTS unit attempts to deny the witch. They roll 3d6, picking the two highest when attempting to deny. Some Grey Knight veterans are still rather sore this is no longer part of the Special Rules.
  • Heed the Prognosticars (2 CP): Used at the start of your turn. Pick a GREY KNIGHTS CHARACTER, add 1 to his invulnerable saves until the beginning of your next turn. Draigo with 2++? Yes, please! (As per April FAQ no more 2++ Draigo)
  • Mental Focus (1 CP): Used in the psychic phase. Lets a friendly GREY KNIGHTS unit try and manifest one more power. Practically useless considering your ratio of psykers to powers Known and able to cast, boiling down to casting one more smite. And that's before you factor in the cost.
  • Finest Hour (2 CP): At the start of your turn, double the range of any GREY KNIGHTS CHARACTER's aura effects. Brotherhood Captains and Ancients are gonna enjoy this, and at 2 cp, they better!
  • Transhuman Physiology (2 CP): When a GREY KNIGHTS unit that is not a VEHICLE or Servitor is chosen as a target for an attack, until the end of the phase, when resolving an attack made against that unit, an unmodified wound roll of 1-3 always fails, irrespective of the abilities the weapon or model may have. S10 attack? Effective T10 marines aw yee.
  • Overwhelming assault (1CP): During Any Phase select one Nemesis Dreadknight, until the end of that phase add 1 to the attack characteristics of that unit and reroll 1s to wound and damage.
  • Masters of Combat (2CP): During the Fight Phase when a Grey Knights Paladin unit that has not yet been chosen to fight with this phase is then chosen for an attack. Until the end of that phase when a model in that unit is destroyed before that model is removed from play it can attack.
  • Vengeance of the Machine Spirit (2 CP): During Any Phase if a Grey Knights Land Raider or Storm Raven is destroyed, it can either auto-explode, shoot a ranged weapon or attack in melee one last time. In the latter two cases, it acts as if it was at the top bracket of its damage chart.
  • Dynamic Insertion (1CP): When a Grey Knights unit is set up on the battlefield using the Teleport Strike ability. You can set that unit up anywhere on the battlefield that is more than 3" away from any enemy model instead of 9", however this unit can not charge. (Great for getting incinerators in range, hem a unit in or drop a big squad of paladins in your opponents face to deal with)
  • Bring down the Beast (2CP): During your Shooting Phase after you shoot at a Vehicle or Monster, all wounds rolled against that target by any Grey Knights unit can be rerolled until the end of the phase.
  • Big Guns Never Tire (1 CP): During Any Phase selects a Vehicle until the end of the phase, that unit does not suffer the penalty for moving and firing heavy weapons.
  • Fury of the Proven (1 CP): During Any Phase select a Grey Knights Terminator unit, +1 to hit rolls for that phase.
  • Powerful Adept (1CP): During your Psychic Phase select a Grey Knights Psyker with the Rites of Banishment ability, until the end of that phase add 6"s to the range of their powers. (Purifiers do not have the Rites of Banishment ability)
  • Duty eternal (1CP): During Any Phase when a GREY KNIGHTS DREADNOUGHT is chosen as the target for an attack, until the end of that phase you take one from the damage inflicted (it takes half the damage inflicted rounding up. This Stratagem decreases damage by 50% for D2, 33% for D3 and D1d3 (average 2 becomes average 1.33), and about 43% for D1d6 (average 3.5 becomes average 2). This is considerably more useful on larger dreadnoughts than it is with vanilla dreads, especially those from Forge World which Grey Knights sadly don't get access to.) (due to the February 2020 space marine update it is now much worse)
  • Fight on the move (1CP): At the end of your Movement Phase select one Grey Knights Interceptor unit, until the end of that turn that unit can be chosen to shoot with and charged with even if it fell back during this turn.
  • Empyric Surge (1CP): During your Psychic Phase select a Grey Knights Psyker unit after it has manifested a psychic power. For the rest of that phase, any friendly Grey Knights Psyker within 6" of that unit adds 1 to any psychic test taken.
    • A great strategy for the one is letting one of your units that with in 6" of a character cast an easy power like smite, then after using this stratagem, cast Empyrean Domination with the character (which now only requires a 5 to go off) to refund the CP.
  • Redoubtable Defense (1/2CP): During Any Phase select a Grey Knights Terminator unit, until the end of that phase when resolving an attack made by a ranged weapon against that unit subtract 1 from the damage characteristic of that weapon for that attack to a minimum of 1.(5 or fewer models costs 1CP)
    • This ability is actually stronger than you might think, specifically on paladins, due to the simple fact that there are very few 4/5 damage weapons. This means, most weapon profiles will require an additional hit to kill a model, so not only do you halve the damage for 2 damage weapons but essentially all 3 damage weapons as well. this also applies to d6 damage weapons, their damage averages to 3.5 after this stratagem it's 2.66, which is not enough to kill a model anymore, so you now need two hits to get a kill.
  • Steady Advance (1CP): During your Shooting Phase select a Grey Knights Infantry unit, until the end of that phase for the purposes of the Bolter Discipline ability they count as having remained stationary. Let your Not-terminators shot far distance enemies.
  • Untainted and Unbowed (1CP): When a Grey Knights Purifier unit is chosen as the target for an attack. Until the end of the turn models in that unit have a 4+ invulnerable save. When a morale test s taken for that unit, do not roll the dice; it is automatically passed.
  • Preternatural senses (1CP): Select a Grey Knights Purgation unit, until the end of that phase when resolving an overwatch attack they hit on 4+.

Wargear

Ranged

  • Storm Bolter: Now Rapid Fire 2 + bolter discipline, which means 4 S4 Ap0 shots within 12", stand still or 24" if terminators. Your basic 5 man strike squad will shoot 20(!) shots if teleported within 12" of the target, which is no joke. Then add Psybolt Ammunition (2CP) every 5 men in a squad shoot 20 S5 Ap-1 D1 shots!!! But wait there is more. Tide of Convergence increase Str and Dmg of Psi weapons, this includes Storm Bolters affected by Psy Bolt Strat. Storm Bolters now go to 20 S6 Ap-1 D2. There are 2 litanies worth a look, Invocation adds an AP and Recitation of Projection adds an extra 6 inches to range. using invocation our Storm Bolters now become, 20 S6 Ap-2 D2. Which is just right to lay waste to multi wound infantry. Throw Astral Aim on the unit as the icing on the cake. Ignore cover on top gives perfect recipe for collecting the tears of primaris marines hiding in ruins.
  • Combi-Weapon: Only available to your Techmarines and Librarians in Terminator Armor. Consists of a regular Boltgun with a Meltagun, Plasma Gun or Flamer strapped on, though the Techmarine additionally has the choice of a Grav Gun. You can fire on either mode or shoot the boltgun and the combi-weapon in tandem. However, you force a -1 to-hit modifier on all its shots, which the auto-hitting flamer gives exactly no fucks about.

Special Weapons

  • Psycannon: 24" Heavy 4 S7 Ap-1 D1. The infamous weapon from 5th Edition. It has an arguably greater utility than it did in 7th, but compared to earlier editions, it's nowhere near the premiere auto-include it used to be at least in soups. This thing's best served against light/medium infantry outside of cover and weaker vehicles. Without buffs you'll only do .667 damage against T7/Sv3+ per psycannon, even when standing still, so psilencers are statistically better for cheaper against most targets, due to their increased damage. If you want real anti-vehicle in the case of a soup list, just take more lascannons. However, with the new Tide of Convergence (ToC) ability, these bad boys goes up to S8 and D2, making their overall damage output very similar to plasma weapons who have better AP but a lower rate of fire, all the while being retarded explosion-proof. Then, stacking with Psychic Onslaught (2CP), will give your Purgation Squad 16 S9 AP-2 D2 shots! Point these psycannons at any vehicle and see it's armour crumble - against what is now the Grey Knights' strongest ranged anti-armour weapon.
    • Given the fact that lots of things in Grey Knights are all about stratagem synergy, and you're likely going to be using your Psychic Onslaught strat on your psilencer Purgators, it is sometimes good to have a squad around with a base AP -1 to kill marines and termies.
      • As long as ToC is active, infantry psycannons do the best against units with: T6 Sv2+, T7 Sv2+/3+ and T8 Sv2+, compared to psybolt storm bolters and psilencers (without needing additional buffs).
  • Psilencer: It's a 24" Heavy 6 S4 AP0 D1d3 gun that fires the condensed psychic power of its wielder. Literal mindbullets. Deals 1d3 damage, like a force weapon. As long as you don't move, your 3/2 more shots then a storm bolter for only double the cost, Not to mention having an easier time wounding tougher models, you're sure to force some failed saves eventually. Their precious plot armor can only protect them for so long.
    • On a Purgation Squad, Psychic Onslaught is CP better spent than on a team of rapid fire storm bolters.
    • Note: Outside of Tide of Convergence, against anything with Toughness 5 or higher and a 3+ save -- e.g. most vehicles, Monstrous Creatures, etc. -- you're still only dealing an average of .88 damage per psilencer, but against those targets, so is the psycannon, and for more points. Against the majority of targets, the Psilencer is your best option from this list - you need to be shooting a Land Raider for a Psycannon to do better, in terms of hard targets, and even then, it won't be better enough for its cost.
    • With the new Tide of Convergence rule, psilencers become S5 and D1+D3... Now you comfortably wound almost all infantry and you wound T8 on 5s, plus your damage will be on par with Lascannons once your enemy eventually fails some saves. Not bad, not bad.
  • Incinerator: Most expensive special weapon for 9 pts. 8" Assault 1d6 S6 AP-1, auto-hitting. It's now a +1 heavy flamer, but an 8" range makes it hard to use in a faction that relies on deep striking for movement without using Dynamic Insertion(1cp). Only really useful on Purgation squads with 4 of them, if only so you don't miss out on Advance & shoot.
    • Your best chance of murdering a Culexus Assassin, and actually works decently against aircraft, but only if used en-masse.
  • Psyk-out Grenades: It's available on all infantry models, but I'll leave this here. It's only S2 AP 0 but does 1 mortal wound to Psykers and Daemons if you roll a 6 to-hit (no need for the to wound roll). Frag or Krak is better, with Psyk-out situationally better if rolling a six has better chances to than anything else.

Nemesis Force Weapons

Your main armament for Knights is a force (power weapons that deal D3d damage) each cost 1 point with the exception of two Falchions or the Daemonhammer. With the Rise of Primaris, the ability to deal 2+ damage per swing is very useful when taking out MEU and vehicles.

  • Nemesis Force Sword: A basic power sword with Ap-3 and D3 damage. Has the greatest AP of the force weapons - this thing is equal in AP to a Daemonhammer now! - but doesn't give you any strength bonuses.
  • Nemesis Force Halberd: S+1 AP-2 weapon. The thing is, the Force Sword benefits from Hammerhand much more than this does with its better AP, and thanks to the new To Wound chart in 8th, it's a lot less useful vs. Toughness 3 and 6, since you'll still be wounding on 3+ and 5+ respectively with or without the strength buff. You will have an easier time wounding Toughness 4, 5, and 8, however, so it still has its uses. Slightly inferior to Falchions against anything that isn't T5 or T8.
    • It would be cool if GW would take a note from Age of Sigmar and give these things a melee range increase.
  • Nemesis Warding Staff: S+2 AP-1 D3 damage that gives the user a 5++ against attacks made in the Fight Phase, or +1 to their invuln if they have one already. No longer gives any bonuses to denying psychic powers, but instead stole the rules from the 5th ed Nemesis Force Sword. As wounds are allocated by the controlling player, this gives defensive utility, as a Terminator combat give the unit a 4++ until he dies, or a 3++ with Sanctuary! You'll still die when you get shot.
  • Two Nemesis Force Falchions: AP-2 power weapons which grant the wielder +1 attack when taken together. Are now 2 pts instead of 1 pts like other basic Nemesis weapons. with Shock Assault, Strike Squads and Purifiers will have 3 attacks each. Combined with a banner from the Brotherhood Ancient, you're effectively tripling the combat output of your boys in power armor. Statistically speaking, these things beat out or equal halberds in terms of damage output against anything that isn't Toughness 5 or 8.
  • Nemesis Daemonhammer: Sx2 AP-3 which does a straight 3 damage per wound. However, it forces a -1 to-hit modifier. That said, if you stick this on your Paladin Paragons and HQs, you'll still hit on 3s like the rest of your units. It got a little bit more expensive, but since the bearer no longer attacks last in combat, you won't have to worry about him getting taken out before he can swing. Use this to beat the shit out of vehicles, big gribbly monsters, and multi-wound characters.

Relics of Titan

Codices are adding back relics to armies. The way relics now work is that they replace an equivalent item, functionally free (though that still means you have to pay for the item it replaces, and the model needs to be able to use the equivalent in the first place). The only two worthy of serious consideration is the Banner and the Cuirass; the first multiply your expected damage from Smite by more than 3.5, getting it up to Cleansing Flame levels at twice Cleansing Flame's range, and the latter will help keep you alive, including through Perils. None buff your entire army, unlike the best choices from the Space Marines list, but both of those help your Smite output improve; a Brother-Captain in the Cuirass paired with a Paladin Ancient with the Banner will provide very pleasingly consistent Smite output the entire game.

  • Banner of Refining Flame: Paladin Ancient or Brotherhood Ancient only. The model immediately loses the Rites of Banishment ability, and this time Smite drops to a pitiful 6" range, but always does D6 Mortal Wounds regardless of how high your casting value was. Takes the expected damage of Smite from the GK baseline of 0.83, past the standard output of 1.79, and all the way through to 2.92 expected mortal wounds. Stack this with a Brother-Captain to deliver that at 12", not 6", so you can do it after teleporting in.
  • Cuirass of Sacrifice: Requires the INFANTRY keyword, is not a suit of Terminator Armor like in 7th; 5+ FNP. Pretty great all around, since the 5+ works to prevent mortal wounds from Perils and Inner Fire.
  • Fury of Deimos: A souped-up storm bolter and replaces one. 30", Rapid Fire 3 S5 AP-1 D1. Functionally worse than the Primarch's Wrath regular Space Marines get, since it is only D1 and effectively costs 2 points, rather than 0, but still the best weapons relic available to Grey Knights. You probably shouldn't take it.
    • Bolter Discipline does give it SOME new life for a Grand Master parked near some Purgation marines or a Dreadnought, but you're still wasting a slot best served on the Banner or the Cuirass.
  • Destroyer of Crys'yllix: Souped-up (Plus 1D is NOT "souped-up") Nemesis Daemon Hammer and replaces one. Sx2 AP-3 D4, still subtracts 1 from hit rolls. Complete waste of a relic slot - GW has clearly established that relics should do more than merely add +1 damage, which has been everywhere else relegated to the "master-crafted" adjective. Do not take it.
  • Domina Liber Daemonica: All Daemons within a 6" bubble from the character must subtract 1 from their Leadership. What did the hell happen? This thing used to grant additional psychic power. Still fluffy, but with 6" area of effect, it isn't a game-changer. The only few relic a Grand Master in a Dreadknight can take, but just like others on this list, it will almost never benefit you enough to make it worth bringing.
  • Soul Glaive: A souped-up Nemesis Halberd and replaces one. Improves the AP by 1, Melee S+1 Ap-3 D3d and rerolls failed hits and wounds. The re-rolling of wounds is the real kicker, and will actually get the halberd to outperform a set of falchions, but it won't get you up to Teeth of Terra levels, so, once again, just not good enough to justify a relic slot.
  • Blade of the Forsworn: This relic replaces a Nemesis Force Sword only. Melee +1S Ap-3 D3, ignore Invulnerable saves against Daemons. Situationally better than Soul Glaive dependent on your deamon meta or giving a champion a better sword.
  • Sanctic Shard: When a psychic test is taken by the model with this relic you can reroll the result, additional the model with this relic adds +1 to the result of their psychic tests. Virtually an auto-take for your first relic slot.
  • Augurium Scrolls: Any friendly Grey Knights unit within 6" of the model with this relic score an additional hit on an unmodified roll of 6 with all Nemesis weapons. Killer with a unit with Falcons.
  • Staff of Supremacy: This relic replaces a Nemesis Warding staff. When a psychic test is taken for an enemy model within 18" of the model with this relic, the enemy will suffer perils of the warp on a roll of any double.
  • Artisan Nullifier Matrix: Available only for a Grey Knights Librarian. Once per turn when a psychic test is taken by a friendly Grey Knights unit within 6" of the librarian with this relic. You can increase or decrease a dice roll value by 1. (+1 to cast or stops perils.)
  • Aetheric Conduit: Available only for a Grey Knights Techmarine. You can heal 2D3 instead of D3.

Unit Analysis

Common faction keywords are IMPERIUM, ADEPTUS ASTARTES, and GREY KNIGHTS.

HQ

  • Grand Master:
  • Grand Master in Nemesis Dreadknight:
  • Brother Captain:
  • Librarian in Terminator Armor:
  • Brotherhood Champion:
  • Techmarine:
  • Greyknight Chaplain:

Special Characters

  • Lord Kaldor Draigo:
  • Grand Master Voldus:
  • Brother Captain Stern
  • Castellan Crowe

Troops

  • Strike Squad:
  • Terminator Squad:

Elites

  • Purifiers:
  • Paladin Squad:
  • Brotherhood Ancient:
  • Paladin Ancient:
  • Apothecary:
  • Dreadnought:
  • Venerable Dreadnought:
  • Grey Knights Doomglaive Pattern Dreadnought (Forge World):
  • Servitors:

Dedicated Transport

  • Rhino:
  • Razorback:
  • Grey Knights Vortimer Pattern Razorback (Forge World):

Fast Attack

  • Interceptor Squad:

Heavy Support

  • Purgation Squad
  • Nemesis Dreadknight:
  • Land Raider:
  • Land Raider Crusader:
  • Land Raider Redeemer:
  • Grey Knights Vortimer Pattern Land Raider Redeemer (Forge World)

Flyers

  • Stormhawk Interceptor:
  • Stormtalon Gunship:
  • Stormraven:

Lords of War

  • Grey Knights Thunderhawk Assault Gunship (Forge World): Identical to the Space Marine Thunderhawk, but with the added option of exchanging the heavy bolters for psycannons.
    • except 200 pts cheaper, 1130 versus 1330 its a steal

Tactics

Alright lets be real. Playing Grey Knights is Warhammer 40k: Hard Mode. The only time numbers will be on your side is if you're facing knights or Custodes. Your selection of relics is possibly the worst in the whole game right now. You only get a strong game against Daemons (Well, not so much anymore now that they got their codex. That "Resurrect a Demon unit killed by a GK unit for no reinforcement points" stratagem is going to hurt, REAL BAD.) However given the GK capacity for an Alpha Strike adding a Callidus will help hugely because it might at least discourage your opponent from using it at the start and if you take out the bigger units first they can't then bring them back later. Just a thought). And the changes to AP mean a 3+ is only good against the worst of small arms. You will never fill a brigade. EVER. In normal games(well, that not true, you can take bare bone strike squads, purgators and inceptors and still have a little wiggle room for your elites. And with smite spam getting a buff, it's all in all not a bad idea) you will probably stick with a vanguard detachment ...so kiss any stratagems that cost more than 1CP good-bye except for times when it will turn a game around.

Not anymore. With Chapter Approved 2019 and Ritual of the Damned GK army became competitive. First, units cost have been significantly reduced. Secondly, new rules, strategems, powers and litanies offer us both tactical flexibility and increased pure power.

Relax now thy purest of brothers, taking two battalions in a battle forged army will yield 13 command points. That's less than others but enough for multiple rounds of Psybolt Ammo and some pocket teleportarium squads along with your usually rerolls. Take 6 strike squads each with falchions and a psilencer for 90 points apiece, then 2 DK grandmasters will teleporters, sword and heavy incinerator along with Drago and Voldus. That's 1271 points, and leaves you plenty of room for venerable dreads with lascannons, maybe some purifiers and a LR crusader, paladins/ apothecary, or more strikes/intercepters.

Grey Knights are an elite melee army in an edition that still tends to favor shooting and hordes. Use your Paladins and purifiers with ancients/apothecaries. Give purifiers razorbacks. let strike squads and LR crusaders clear the hordes. Dreadknights and GM Dreadknights pack quite the punch. Venerable and regular dreads can comfortably handle your long range anti armor duties. Use all of your psychic powers every turn for maximum advantage in all situations (astral aim, gate of infinity, sanctuary) and unleash your offensive powers in conjunction with timely attacks (vortex of doom, purge soul, hammerhand). Often times, its best to hang back and wait... clear out the hordes and supporting characters, then swoop in and slay your opponent while they lay lame and crippled.

You will quickly find that your units are not bad, oh no, quite the opposite. The issue is that your army requires a well formulated plan, and can not afford even the slightest failure in offensive output, much like the Deathwatch. In 40k where the dice gods rule all (and the crushing weight of superiority through overwhelming numbers), well formulated plans can quickly fall apart. Fuck you Tzeentch.

Listbuilding

Some of your units have a huge problem: They are potentially powerful, but only with the help of certain psychic powers and/or stratagems, but Because of the Rule of One and this army's general lack of CP, these units, though strong, can't effectively be fielded in large numbers (no more than 2). Examples include Dreadnoughts and Purgation squads, which desperately need either Gate of Infinity, Astral Aim, or Psybolts to get anything done. Taking IG as an ally is a very efficient way to make good use of extra command points.

Unless you're using GK as an ally to another force, these are your most efficient units; spam them to kingdom come.

  • Grand Master Nemesis Dreadknight
  • Razorbacks and/or strike squads
  • Draigo
  • Voldus
  • Apothecary
  • Interceptors
  • Paladins
  • Purgation Squad (in pure GK)

If you're insistent on running pure GK (and with the new Masters of the Warp rules you should be), you can fit about 2 battalions of Strike Squads, and 1-2 vanguard/supreme commands of supporting units like Dreadknights, Paladins, etc.

For your HQ's, include at least 1 Brother-Captain, and at least one HQ that give rerolls. Be sure to make your warlord a non-unique character so you can take First to the Fray as your warlord trait. In addition, don't fall for the trap of running too many Dreadknights. While it looks tempting, understand that you can only consistently protect 1-2 ,as Heed and Sanctuary can't be used more that once a turn. Consider using Draigo instead of a 2nd or 3rd Dreadknight, he's just as good in CC, and comes stock with 3++.

With the new rule released in ritual of the damned and the point drop from CA there are some slight tweaks to list building to consider. first characters to spam the new list of spells, before you wouldn't have minded having you strike squads to cast gate for you, but now he has a 2 damage smite that he can't use. On top of that with the a new relic that allows reroll to psychic and a +1, take a librarian and never worry about awkward miscasts again.

Second, spam your strike squads. After their point drop they are now just 5 points over a regular space marine you and you get a storm bolter, a forces weapon, you can deep strike and you get a smite?!?! They have a fuck ton of value, the only issue is they are not very efficient, all that value you get from having force weapons is wasted if the never get into CC. So spam them, but be careful with regular marines you don't lose out on much using scouts to cap an objective, you do the same with GK, you get the same result, for twice the points. At they very least make sure they can get the sweet sweet 2 damage smite off at every opportunity.

Third don't be afraid of putting all your eggs in 1 or 2 baskets,GK just got a lot of tools to protect high value units with armored resilience, the tide of shadows, and various stratagems not to mention you still have sanctuary and all your old strats as well. Things like landraiders and 10 man blobs of terminators are no longer as stupid as the might seem for other factions.

The best thing about grey knights, all your units have a lot or value, so even if you bet it all on a 10 man paladin squad, and they failed, your strike squads can still put in work. Hell, even your apothecary has the stat line a low end smash captain. And if your opponent spends all their time trying to kill your paladins, they probably won't have much left for the rest of your army.

Inquisitors

An IMPERIUM force can include a single INQUISITOR in one of their detachments without breaking "pure army" rules, like our Tides, and they can also hitch a ride in your vehicles. They have access to a unique psyker discipline, that includes Terrify, which turns off overwatch. They're kinda squishy to be used as a warlord, especially when stuck in with a front-line melee unit, however, they have a nifty 1CP (!) stratagem that allows them to take both a warlord trait and (as long as they are not characters) a relic. The Blackshroud might be a good choice, as its -1 to wound makes this character pretty much immune to sniper mortal wounds.

Selecting the Ordo Hereticus makes the No Escape Warlord Trait available, a 6" heroic intervention and enemy units can't fall back on a 4+. Alternatively, the Ordo Xenos' Warlord Trait Esoteric Lore generates a CP on a 5+ whenever your opponent uses a stratagem.

Best of all, they're super-cheap, starting at a mere 55pts (20% cheaper than a Techmarine). Unfortunately, there are only two deepstrike options: Hector Rex and the expensive Ordo Malleus terminator.

The top options:

  • Basic Inquisitor - CP farming - Mental Interrogation psychic power, Esoteric Lore warlord trait and Seize For Interrogation stratagem; switch the bolt pistol for a Boltgun and take the Blackshroud Relic. If you want some support swap Mental Interrogation for Terrify. Cheap too: 55 points and 1CP.
  • Hector Rex - Deny the witch - Psychic Mastery warlord trait: knows 3, casts 3 and denies 4 (with +1 within 12"). Powers should be: Mental Interrogation to generate CP, Terrify to bypass overwatch, and Dominate/Castigation. Tanky (2+/3++), can deep strike, and he is BRUTAL vs daemons. A bargain at 100 points and 1CP, and as cherry on top he is thematically appropriate for Grey Knights.

Smite Spam FTW!

As of CA2019, strike squads are pretty cheap. You can now fit 17 (!) into a triple battalion list, along with a Brother-Captain and Techmarine in each. With the upcoming Tide of Escalation, each squad is throwing out 2 mortal wounds for a total of potentially 46 MW per turn! There's also the potential for this list to pump out 360 bolter shots per turn. 18 CP isn't too bad either, providing lots or re-rolls when Perils start to take their toll, or to double the range of the Brother-Captain's bubble. Since you can Teleport Strike 11 of those squads, your opponents will have to be careful to deny their backfield to you, or face 20+ MWs.

Or just drown the enemy in big thicc dakka

With the help they get from PA and CA2019, their dakka is a force to be rekkon with. Either with 40 S6 AP-1 D2 shot, using Psybolt Ammunition and ToC, to 16 S8 AP-1 2D shot with just ToC on every squad of Paladin with psycannon, to 6 S5 AP0 D3+1D shot with the Psilencers (which is only 1 pts more on a Strike Squad member compare to normal Halberd + Bolter loadout) on ToC, they can provide you with very excellent dakka that can shred almost anything you set your sight on.

But the fun aint stop here, Bring down the Beast give you reroll wound against a target that is vehicle (Knights, Tanks etc) or Monster (surprisingly include Riptide given their look, Primarch(s), etc) after you shoot at it with one of your unit. Suddenly people get a reminder why ability to reroll all wound rolls is a bad idea.

But those flyers are -3 to hit, how do my BS3+ dude hit them? Well, you slam the Chaplain Intonement on them, which allow them to ignore all BS and hit roll modifier, and show the chump who is his (or her) daddy.

But those arti hidden in ruins? Thank goodness Astral Aim allow you to do the same thing they do. Ignore Line of Sight as well as cover and blast the enemy into smithereen with your buffed up ammunition.

And as if you are not annoying enough, Edict Imperator let you cosplay as those pointy ear with the shoot then move thing. What is harder to kill than 10 buffed up Paladins? 10 buffed up Paladins that is out of line of sight that is.

As Allies

Slam-Baby With CA2019 around the door there might be some fun to have, that is not ridiculously overpriced.

  • 1 Ally vanilla Space Marines as a battalion with a librarian, he gets: Veil of Time and Might of Heroes. Both powers target <Adeptus Astartes>; guess what you are?
  • 2 Take a Nemesis babycarrier, if you want less points, in a patrol detachment with a Strike squat
  • 3 Use: Veil of Time + Might of Heroes on you Babycarrier, then hammerhand and sanctuary and toss it over the board. Give it the nemesis Lord War Lord trait, since you can re-roll charges now. With a hammer you will always do at least 4 damage per unsaved wound up to 7 - With 6 attacks you can put a dent in something.

It is still quite expensive, and you want to send a strike squad with falchions behind him for backup (falchions do provide more from +1 to wound I guess). Also maybe take Interceptors, who can deepstrike too. In that case i would still take first to the fray on your Babycarrier, veil of time could still target a unit that is not within 6" of your warlord.

Unfortunately, as of the new Codex, Vanilla buffing powers now specify CHAPTER instead of ADEPTUS ASTARTES, so you can no longer spread buffs across to other Chapters.

HOWEVER, the Deathwatch still get ADEPTUS ASTARTES powers instead of <CHAPTER> (at least until GW FAQs it), meaning if you bring Deathwatch instead of Vanillamarines, this still works. May not be the cheapest alternative, but this does mean this strat still works.

Painting

So, you want to start a force of Space Paladins or paint the one gathering dust at your shelves? Even though there are inferior to pretty much every other force in the game right know? Mad bastard, I like that. The core principles of painting Grey Knights are quite handily described by our Lord and Savior in two tutorials:

This one where he paints the iconic steel armor (you can use a simpler scheme shown in Citadel app, but speaking from experience, this one is better);

and the other with Nemesis Force Weapons. Those require a little practice if you're new to mixing paints and stuff, so best to practice on spare weapons you'll surely have after assembling a box of Knights.

You'll also need to paint a lot of gold, parchments/purity seals and personal heraldry (usually black, red and white) for this army, and Citadel App has your back on those ones. The only thing to beware is the white color: while GW's metallic and blue paints are quite decent (and surely among the best they do), their white ones are notoriously shitty, so better find an analogue, especially if you're working with Purifiers.

For the gold details Vallejo's Liquid Gold paint looks really nice. The only downside is that is diluted with alcohol, so, not your typically water based acrylics. Is not super hard to use, but try to step up your painting game before if you are a noob.

All in all, Grey Knights are relatively easy to paint to look great even with basic skills, especially if you have the means to undercoat them with steel (via aerography or GW's Leadbelcher primer/simulacrum). Not promising you "best paint" award on every event you'd venture on or anything, but surely not a bunch of minis to be ashamed of.


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