Tournament Dark Angels ft. Knight Errant!

[interrogator_chaplain]

A tournament is happening in April and having just picked up my Knight Titan, I inquired about the legality of the Knight for the tournament. Turns out, they're going to be totally kosher! So this is going to be the list refinement center for the army. So here we go:

1500 Points

HQ:
Codicer Izuel
Librarian with Power Armour, Bolt Pistol, Force Weapon, Psychic Hood and Mastery Level 2.
100 Points.

Oath Keepers
Command Squad with 5 Veterans, Standard Bearer with the Standard of Devastation and Bolter, Apothecary with Narthecium and Bolter, Company Champion with the Blade of Caliban and Combat Shield, 2 with Bolt Pistols and Chainswords.
195 Points.

Troops:
Tactical Squad Green Spear
Tactical Squad with 10 Marines, Veteran Sergeant with Plasma Pistol and Chainsword, 1 with Plasma Gun, 1 with Plasma Cannon.
185 Points.

Tactical Squad The Lion's Will
Tactical Squad with 10 Marines, Veteran Sergeant with Bolt Pistol and Chainsword, 1 with Plasma Gun, 1 with Heavy Bolter.
175 Points.

Tactical Squad Pride of Angels
Tactical Squad with 10 Marines, Veteran Sergeant with Bolt Pistol and Chainsword, 1 with Plasma Gun, 1 with Heavy Bolter.
175 Points.

Fast Attack:
Jehrico-One
Ravenwing Land Speeder Tornado with Assault Cannon.
80 Points.

Heavy Support:
Devastator Squad Long Hands of Fate
Devastator Squad with 5 Marines, Veteran Sergeant with Bolt Pistol, Chainsword and Signum, 4 with Heavy Bolters.
120 Points.

Fortification:
Instant Fortress
Aegis Defence Line with Quad Gun.
100 Points.

Allies:
(Unnamed Knight)
Knight Errant with Thermal Cannon, Heavy Stubber and Reaper Chainsword.
370 Points.

Total: 1500 Points.

Now I know I'm going to get a lot of pushback for Greenwing, but it's still something I like to experiment with. I would like to note at this time, I do not have enough Deathwing or Ravenwing painted up to do either of those armies, so take solace in the fact that I'm not setting out to go for the gold here, just to see how far I can take Greenwing.

The overall plan is to use the Knight to deal with enemy armour, the Thermal Cannon will deal a lot of punishment to anything with an AV. If I end up fighting against MC's I'll use it to attempt to stall or kill the heavy combat threats with the D sword. The Tactical Squads will advance with the Command Squad and drown the enemy in dice thanks to the Standard of Devastation (Bolter weapons become Salvo 2/4 within 6" of Banner.) and Squads targeting priority threats will receive a Prescience buff from the Librarian. Devastator Squad plays air cover with the Aegis Line and the Land Speeder runs fire support with the Tactical Squads.

MC's and FMC's will be the biggest threat, especially FMC's because Dark Angels are always going to get the shaft against air targets. I think I may need more S6 AP2, but if I want to keep mobile, I may not have the option. I've never been much of a patient, hang back type of guy and like to take the fight to the enemy.

Again, I don't expect to win big against the power players I expect, but racking up a few wins would be nice this time.

Thanks for taking a look and I welcome your thoughts.

[interrogator_chaplain]

I tried this list against my two main opponents and their usual lists, Tau and Tyranids last night.
Quick recap:
Playing Tyranids first went kind of as expected and was wiped out fairly quickly. The Relic and Vanguard Strike were the order of the day, I took first turn blobbing my Tactical Squads together to gain the banner's Salvo benefits and started marching towards the objective and the Knight on the flank made quick strides towards the enemy. The big problem was the Relic was sitting in LOS blocking terrain and the Nid Genestealers began scuttling up to the objective very quickly. I almost knocked one Flyrant off his feet with the Aegis Line pumping 2 wounds into him, but he would later on completely knock out my Anti-Air. The Knight tried to melt the Zoanthropes but couldn't penetrate their shields. From there, the Genestealers grabbed the Relic, despite my attempts to Terrify him off of it and just took off.
Eventually I was flanked by Warriors and a good portion of my marines died to Exocrine fire. By the time I conceded, only my Librarian, Company Champion and Knight were still standing.
(Turn 2)


Tau Recap:
This was the game where the Knight really strutted his stuff (Until I got over confident...) Big Guns with Hammer and Anvil. Two Objectives just outside my deployment and two just inside his, I deploy forces that take them almost immediately, my Knight in the middle of the deployment zone right at the edge of my deployment. I have first turn and immediately stride straight towards the Hammerhead on my left flank, I get within 18" and BOOM, game time elapsed: 2:00 and the Hammerhead goes pop! (I'll take this as my opponent never having played against the Knight and his ignorance to the 12" movement.) The rest of the army pours fire onto a group of Infiltrated Stealth Suits in ruins (Can they go to 2+ cover like that?) and after a concentrated enfilade, 4 of 6 die to something like 80 shots and the rest fall back. His first turn happens and the Tau react positioning Riptide and second Hammerhead to fire, but the Ion Shield shows its worth blocking one but letting one through and strips two hull points, and marches his Fire Warriors towards my objective.
During my second turn, in my sheer excitement and power-madness, I make a fatal mistake I lose focus on the prize and use the Knight to attempt to vaporize the Fire Warriors marching on my objective, it scatters and I only kill two. In my excitement I forget to move my entire army (Yeah, I messed up that one badly.) the Land Speeder wipes a few more out and the Quad-gun and Heavy Bolters bring them down to 4 from 12. It was at this point where things start going not well. His commander with his retinue and drones Deep Strike into my back field (Nearly scattering off the edge by 1") and the Stealth Suits rally and turn the two fusion blasters at the Knight. They target the side, 1 miss and 1 glancing hit. The Hammerhead shoots is but blocked by the Ion Shield. The Riptide shoots and by benefit of the of its big blast hitting my side (I'm guessing the Ion Shield would have to be declared on the side to get the Invul save?) causes it to go BOOM and the Knight is knocked out.
From this point the game steadily slides towards the Tau player's favour, he makes a few mistakes but my army has to try and split focus between the deathstar unit behind me and the Riptide and Hammerhead in front of me. I almost get into combat with the Commander and his unit, but whiff the charge. Librarian Perils, killing himself in turn 3.
The game ends after turn 5 and I'm down by 1 or 2 points.

So the few things I learned are that the Knight needs to stay focused on the Anti-Armour threats, because it can walk all over them, so it must. Anything afterwards is a bonus. I think I'll drop the Company Champion in the Command Squad and use the points to get a Power Field Generator, the lack of an Invulnerable save on him was a serious crutch. I really have no idea what I'm going to do against FMC's. The way battlefield was set-up, I am wondering how different the game could've been if the terrain was just a little different, but I am going to have to do something about how my Marines are bunched together.

I'll think a little more and make some tweaks. But your comments and thoughts are always appreciated.

[xTHExCLINCHERx]

I would give the Devastators some better weapons to match the range and purpose of the Quad gun. Try lascannons or Missile launchers and they need more ablative wounds; you don't want to be losing a special weapon every time they fail a save.

If your Tacticals are goin on foot (which I don't recommend) then ditch the heavy weapons for a combi on the sergeant that matches you special weapon's purpose. There's no sense in paying to always snap fire the heavy weapons, and plasma cannons can't even do that.

In general, marines on the ground aren't great, so giving them an invuln save or cover is nice, but a good ol rhino can work wonders to get then to where they need to be.

The Champion guys is probably a waste of points, but could be neat fluff wise. Since you're Dark Angels, you get some good Librarians, so maybe through another in the mix with your blob to Div the Knight? He could be nasty with tons of div powers + some invisibility or something for the Tac squads? Just thinking out loud.

Also, I'm not sure what the land speeder thing is/does, but for 80 points if it only has an assault cannon I don't think it sounds worth it...

[interrogator_chaplain]

I tried this list earlier today during a list building/play testing session and went 1 and 1. My Tyranid opponent really messed up his deployment and I rolled him until he conceded on Turn 3. During the second game he toughened up his defence and I played too aggressively and right into his hands:

Interrogator-Chaplain Ezrit's Dark Hunters

1500 Points
HQ
Codicer Izuel
Librarian with Power Armour, Bolt Pistol, Force Weapon, Psychic Hood, Power Field Generator, Auspex and Mastery Level 2.
135 Points.
Oath Keepers
Command Squad with 5 Veterans, Standard Bearer with the Standard of Devastation and Bolter, Apothecary with Narthecium and Bolter, 1 with Bolter, 2 with Bolt Pistols and Chainswords.
180 Points.

Troops
Tactical Squad Pride of Angels
Tactical Squad with 10 Marines, Veteran Sergeant with Bolt Pistol and Chainsword, 1 with Plasma Gun, Squad mounted in Rhino.
200 Points.
Tactical Squad The Lion's Will
Tactical Squad with 10 Marines, Veteran Sergeant with Bolt Pistol and Chainsword, 1 with Plasma Gun, Squad mounted in Rhino.
200 Points.
Tactical Squad The Lion's Will
Tactical Squad with 7 Marines, Veteran Sergeant with Bolt Pistol and Chainsword, 1 with Plasma Gun.
123 Points.

Heavy Support
Devastator Squad Long Hands of Fate
Devastator Squad with 10 Marines, Sergeant with Bolt Pistol, Chainsword and Signum, 3 with Heavy Bolters, 1 with Lascannon.
190 Points.

Fortifications
Instant Fortress (Aegis Defence Line)
Aegis Defence Line with Quad-Gun.
100 points.

Allies
Propter Vestra Peccatum (Knight Titan)
Knight Errant with Thermal Cannon, Heavy Stubber and Reaper Chainblade.
370 Points.

1500 Points

Tomorrow I'll be testing a list that includes Belial and a squad of Deathwing Terminators kitted with assault weapons (3X LC, 2X TH/SS) which replace 1 Tactical Squad and the Librarian and Command Squad.

The tournament I'm attending has a moratorium on duplicate units that aren't Troop choices. So bear that in mind while looking over the list. I like the rule as it prevents my friend from stomping me with dual Flyrants.

[Anggul]

Just a point on the Riptide blowing up your Knight. It doesn't matter where the blast lands, it isn't a Barrage weapon so it always hits the facing the Riptide is at, so if he was to the front of the Knight he should have hit your front armour no matter where the blast scattered.

I could have misunderstood, but it seemed like you were saying the blast scattered to the side so hit the side armour, which isn't what happens.

[interrogator_chaplain]

Yeah, it hasn't come up and we figured it out.

The army list is locked in, now and I'm going with the Command Squad as the Deathwing lacked the versatility in losing one turn, so their effectiveness was limited. So as I had some success with the other group, I'm going with it.

My biggest weaknesses are going to be MC heavy armies that play defensively, Tau and armies made completely out of Knights.