Discordian here! Here to talk about more things not Blood Angels. My Grey Knights. This is the third article in a series that showcases my armies and and go over a few points I'd like change. The first two can be found HERE and HERE, if you missed them.
Grey Knights are such a cool concept. Marital warriors specially trained to murder the horrors of the abyss. To protect the Imperium from the shadows, without fan fair or recognition. I don't say to protect man, because most of the time they kill everyone that sees them and/or bathe in their blood for some reason.......
Yeah 40k even the "good" guys are assholes..... 40k right, never change.
Originally when I got into the hobby I had no plans to take up a Imperium or even a human army. All my friends had that covered so I was sticking with Xenos. But that all changed when I went to a Gamesday and my friend really wanted a giant FW daemon bird. He didn't have money, I did, he had a army he didn't want, and that's how I ended up with a entirely metal infantry model army.
As time went by and editions got added I ended up picking up some friends.
The 5th edition codex really flushed out GKs, before it they and SOB were the original allies armies.
Rex sometimes moonlights as my Draigo
Just recently for the 2017 Adepticon I ended up converting a new Dreadknight.
I have never been a fan of the baby carry look.
I do have a hodge podge of other Imperial things that I've run with my GK. Mostly because "7th" took out so much of the army, it ended up being really boring playing a pure GK. I've been running my dreadnoughts through Blood angel detachments because they have/had actual good psychic dreadnoughts. And I've been running a Raptor Wing to supplement my lack anti tank a lot lately.
1. Psychic Powers
One of the most annoying things that happened to Grey Knights in 6/7th, was the change to their powers. In 5th every unit had fixed powers suited for their purposes. Vehicles could ignore shaken/stunned, purifiers burned things in close combat, Interceptors intercepted, and Purgationist shoot things really well.
In the changes to how powers worked and the creation of Santic, GK ended up getting some lame duck options. Transports vehicles lost powers completely and Dreadnoughts aren't jumping for joy for a 6++ at their price point. Purifiers still burn things, but the best way to do that before the recent Nova nerf was hiding in rhinos pulling drive by shootings. Interceptors became just fancy expensive jump infantry. Purgation squads largely became pointless.
Not to say some of those things were fair as they were, but the latest GK is a massive over correction from the power levels of 5th book. Hilariously made clear when Necrons came out after with T5 wraiths with fake 4+ fnp saves.
2. Weapons
So currently GKs have issues with their weapons, again a issue with the current codex change. CCW lost abilities and Psybolts got taken away.
I really liked the blade shield rule, +1 to invuls in close combat on power swords. That and 2++ only in close combat staffs, were a neat compromise to GK not having stormshields. Halberds gave initiative bonus option. All three of those things were great because it made a predominantly close combat chapter a close combat chapter.
The real issue was 5th GK shooting was ridiculous and definitely needed to be addressed. They had the best bolters, assault cannons, and autocannons for some reason..... the first kind of makes sense, but the later two didn't. GKs need good small arms assault fire, they didn't and still don't need str7 or str7 and rending shoots.
The later needed to be changed, but when both changed along with the inquisition removal, GK lost any capability of being a competent standalone army. Unless you just field Dreadknights for days.
I would really want psybolts for storm bolters to return. And address the fact that psycannons should change back to a anti-daemon weapon, or at least get a assault profile back.
3. Available Units
So GK have what I like to call Allie syndrome. They get better the less GKs you have in your army, because it is just easier to add units from other places to do the jobs of GK units. Really the only truelly desired units are the Dreadknights and Librarians, because they became supper cheap for what they bring, and guaranteed "Gate of Infinity" Draigo cab service.
Some of the few competitive lists are based around the core concept of strapping Draigo to anything not GK, usually Grav Centurions.
GKs are a elite force, they do have units that fill most purposes, they just really have to pay for it and the current system asks why bother when you can fill it with other army units.
I'd be happy if they just retooled some units, but I wouldn't mind a few generic units just being GK codex available. Since they already have Tech-marines, servitors and thunder-fires come to mind. Some escorts through Stormtalons and landspeeders wouldn't be a stretch. Just one additional unit in each GK slot would go a long way towards making GKs a independent army again.
4. Grey Knight Army Vs. Grey Knight Allies
I already touched on this above. GKs just get better the less Gks you have in your GK army. Weather it be it be Allies or just maxing Dreadknights.
GK never got a Voltron Formation detachment, they got a old 6th edition style CAD like detachment that actually just makes them easier to add to other forces. They just needed more rules for playing just them and they didn't get anything.
Kind of to late now, but all that really needed to happen was for them to have a formations detachment. Some special rules that did things like make easier for them to cast santic powers or something through being required to have multiple GK units, you know a good reason to field more GKs,
5. Bring back Mordrak
This Guy
If Age of Sigmar is any evidence of how units in 40k will be laid out in 8th, most of these issues should disappear. Every unit will have a unique psychic powers on their page and pure armies get solid benefits, if that happens its fairly easy to play around with that to make things interesting again. I would also really like a reason to field Brotherhood Champions without being laughed at........
My armies I have left to talk about are all three Eldar factions. I'll try and finish them up quick, because it looks like I don't have much time left before 8th Edition happens. And everything I want to talk about becomes even more meaningless.