Grey Knight Review: Part 1 - Wargear

It is April 2011. The Grey Knights have finally gotten their own stand-alone (mostly) codex.
Before you protest, Codex: Daemonhunters does not count.

I am going to break this review into 8 parts:

1)Wargear
2)Psychic Powers
3)HQ
4)Troops
5)Elites
6)Fast Attack
7)Heavy Support
8)Preliminary List Ideas

Without further ado, my Grey Knight Codex Review. I am only going to cover wargear new to the Grey Knights codex.

The first thing that sets the Grey Knights apart is that every Grey Knight comes with a Nemesis Force Weapon. (Well, ONE guy doesn't) That's right, everybody has an Instant Death causing power weapon. The thing that differentiates a Force Weapon from a Nemesis Force Weapon (NFW) is that NFWs get special rules attached to them and they come in different flavors with even MORE special rules attached to them.

All NFWs have the "Daemonbane" special rule (are Daemons too strong of a codex? lol.).
So, any Psyker or Daemon that suffers one or more unsaved wounds from a NFW must make a leadership test at the end of the assault phase or be "Removed from Play". Note that this is not "Instant Death" so Eternal Warrior cannot save you... Poor Daemons...

NFWs come in 7 styles. (Why not? Who needs less complex rules?)

Nemesis Force Sword : Adds +1 to Invulnerable saves in close combat, but does grant an invulnerable if you do not already have one.

Nemesis Force Halberd: +2 Initiative.

Nemesis Daemon Hammer: Counts as a Thunderhammer. However, a Dreadknight using this strikes at initiative instead of I1.

Nemesis Warding Stave: Grants a 2+ Invulnerable save to wounds caused in Close Combat.

Nemesis Falchions: Grants +1 Attack

Nemesis Doomfist: Counts as a Dreadnought Close Combat Weapon

Nemesis Greatsword: Re-roll failed to hit, to wound, and armor penetration rolls in close combat.

So, with that nonsense out of the way, lets move along to the other close combat weapons.

Daemonblade: This is a tool of the "Radical Inquisitor" it lets you roll twice on a table before the game for an array of fun and interesting powers.

Scythian Venom Talon: Poisoned 2+ (Obviously purchased from the Dark Eldar, oh sorry, a "race of warrior monks", because when I think Monks, I think Poison...)

Onto the shooting weapons...

Incinerator: Str 6 AP4 Flamer

Heavy Incinerator: as above, but fired like a hellhound

Psilencer: 24" S4 AP- Heavy 4 Always wounds daemons on a 4+, unless it would be less.

Gatling Psilencer: 24" S4 AP- Heavy12 Always wounnds daemons on a 4+, unless it would be less

Psycannon: 24" S7 AP4 Rending, Heavy 4 or Assault 2 (holy shit)

Heavy Psycannon: 24" S7 AP4 Heavy 1, Large Blast, Rending (the "heavy" version is worse?)

Orbital Strike Relay: Choose one of three modes to fire; always scatter full 2d6, even on a "hit"
Barrage Bomb: Unlimited S6 AP4 Ordnance d3, large blast
Lance Strike: Unlimited S10 AP1 Heavy 1, Blast, Lance (S10 to entire blast vs vehicles)
Psyk-out Bomb: Unlimited S6 AP4 Ordnance 1, Large Blast, Psi-shock

Condemner Boltgun 24" S5 AP- Assault 1, Psi-Shock

Psi-shock means that psykers hit by the weapon suffer an automatic perils.

So, the psycannon seems pretty good. The rest of the weapons? Meh.

Onto more wargear!!!

Servo Skull: Placed as a counter before deployment but before zones are chosen.
The enemy cannot infiltrate within 12. Or use a scout move to come within 12 inches of one.
Deep striking friendlies or friendly blasts placed within 12 scatter d6 less. They are removed if an enemy comes within 6 inches.

Psybolt Ammunition: +1 Strength to Autocannons, Assault Cannons, Bolter, Storm Bolters, etc..

Psyk-out grenades: When you charge, Daemons and Psykers are I1 for that CC phase.

Empyrean Brain-mines: Used in assault after moves have been made, choose a model in base-to-base, that model must pass an initiative test or be unable to strike in that round.

Rad Grenades: -1 to target unit when you charge.

Psychotroke Grenades: roll a d6 when the unit assaults or is assault for every unit involved. There is a table of fun things that happen (very 2nd edition-ish)

These are the main wargear pieces you will find in codex Grey Knights. Some goofy stuff, but nothing super over-powered. The psycannon is awesome, but its range mitigates its destructive potential. (It would be terrifying if it had a 36 inch range)

-Mike