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Week 4: Crusaders, Why they are Great?

3/31/2018

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Week 4: The Crusader and their Line Brothers

The Crusader Squad alongside Grey Hunters is the ideal line squad for much the same reason that Intercessor and Reivars have been discussed throughout these last few weeks. They are jack of all trades, while each having their own focus or role they excel, they don’t do poorly in any role. Of those four units, Crusader Squads are special. They are only of the four without battlefield flexibility, only strategic flexibility. Flexibility determined in the list building stage. That is all vaguely nebulous, let’s focus on Hunters, and Crusaders vs Tacticals. Why are Tacticals bad?

  1. They are what is essentially a tactical firefight unit, they want to get within 12” for maximum effectiveness. However they lack the ability to follow up once they are in optimal engagement range.
  2. The Chaos equivalent, to Tacticals, the Chaos Marine Squad, doesn’t have that issue, being able to go ChainBro. So why are they still worse than Crusaders and Grey Hunters?

That is the riddle for the ages, but the key difference is that, Crusaders are cheaper. A basic example at 14 Man Crusader Squad of Equal Neo/Init, has saved a plasma gun worth of points. The other ideal Grey Hunters have Bolter&Chain, so can engage before turn two, while once getting in rapid, have an appreciable number of attacks, so are able to receive a charge. It’s also an important in that some folks may personally dislike Power Swords on 1 attack models, it does increase our offensive potential. Especially vs units were things like Guardians with Platforms things or Deathgaurd. It’s not much, but it’s just enough to allow you win combat in an efficient fashion. In contrast, Chaos Marines and Tacticals limited to two power weapon attacks. 

What is perhaps more important than even that? A power sword for 4 Points let me iterate does increases the damage output of a squad. For 4 Points (say that 5 times fast). The cheapest special for Marines is 9, and the cheapest Heavy is 10. Power Sword is saving you essentially half a marine, the cost which we can then use to pay for the power sword on your Sword Brother. Finally, a squad of ChainBros want to advance every turn. Meaning you are forced into Flamers or Meltaguns as specials. Or limited to 6” movement, making you very static. Grey Hunters while would nominally suffer this same issue, can afford to be more static as they can engage from afar. Then using their rapid specials still do damage and then can receive enemy charges. All while avoiding the dreaded one’s on charging or advancing. 

  1. Weapon Options, Crusaders and Grey Hunters Weapon access enables them to do the role required for line squads
  2. Neither squad suffers an identity crisis, that affects other ChainBros or BolterBro Squad

Just to expand on 2, yes split firing exists. But while this squad is rarer than unicorns, a unit of 10 Tacticals with Heavy/Special/Special has around 9 models, that want to get in 12” rapid range. Meaning the squad is gonna want to be moving each turn. Depending on the squad, you have a 20+ Point Heavy, that is normally only single shot and wants to stay still. 

Even if the Lascannons tank hunts while rest of squad shoots infantry. If you are moving to allow proper targets, your Lascannon at -1 to hit. This is why heaviers with high rate of fire like HvyBolters and GravCannons are good for line Squads. Plasma and Grav Specials, for most part cannot advance and shoot. Meaning a chainbro Squad that wants to get into around 12” at start of there turn. Takes two movement phases to get their against a non moving opponent, and getting in range by turn 3. When you have a squad like Grey Hunters which while like to be within 12” are still useful out of it, it’s less of an issue.

But a unit like ChainBro Chaos Marines or Crusaders that a death sentence. Your delaying your charge by at least a turn. And in exchange you get two rounds of special shots. At which point why are you using ChainBros? (Answer once in magic, need ChainBros needed to seal the deal). This makes that 4 point power sword, important as unlike other upgrades it doesn’t drag the squad down by diluting your role focus. 

So how does it come back together to what makes Crusaders good and best Tactical or Line Squad (beside maybe Grey Hunters)? Because every part of the Crusader Squad is used when properly setup. You don’t have chaffBros, your Bolter or ChainBros are a fundamental and intrinsic part of the squad and how that squad functions. They aren’t afterthoughts, they are the squad. If you need a certain unit in the army at List building, Crusaders can be and are your answer. Ultimately that idea applies to all good line squads and what makes a good line squad from a bad one, is that good line Squads don’t see non-CoolWeaponBro as ChaffBro, but see them as fundamental and necessary part of how the unit engages the enemy. 

​And in comparison to other good 'tactical' squads (Intercessors, Strike Squads and Grey Hunters especially), is while those squads are good 'tactically'. Meaning on the battlefield able to role shift to whatever, well role you require of them at that moment in time. Crusader Squads are good strategically, in that whatever role you need them to fill, they can fill at list building stage. At the end of the day that is important, because being Troops, it makes leveraging at Battalion or Double Battalion easier for those sweet command points. A pure Templar list should at 2000 be able to easily leverage two double battalions, 2 Castellans, 1 Marshall, and the Emperor's Champion, with two backrow FauxDevi Crusaders, two Tide Crusaders, then either 2 Intercessors, Fire Support Crusaders, Scouts or just third tide and third MSU FauxDevi Crusaders. 


~~Schlitzaf~~
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Week 3: Line Squads, Reivar, Scouts and Assault Marines

3/25/2018

5 Comments

 
Line Squads: Projection, and Bully

Reivars and Scouts fill important roles in our army, target saturation, and projection of threat. Reivars alongside their older cousins, Assault Marines, also function as bully units. I refer to these three units as Flank Line Squads, sometimes also rarely as projection after their primary role in an army.

Target Saturation - If you have only 4 Shots but 5 Targets, well your gonna run out bullets. Is the same concept of the rule of two, put enough targeted out your opponent cannot possibly destroy or kill them all. These units are cheap to use in mass, alongside more expensive traditional lines, to saturate enemy firepower.

Project - Other key category, it’s why they project your firepower. Being able to threaten your opponent with six plasma shots then following with a charge, forces your opponent to keep themselves either spread out or centered. In the first case you can do a denied flank and claim half the board with your main force. The second case you can use your projection units to claim board.

Bullying Units- Not necessary high kill count but just enough, that if they drop by the enemy. A unit like devestators or a gaurd heavy team will be rendered ineffective or killed. They are vital for forcing enemy to delegate resources to defending their high priority anchors or accepting only getting a couple of shots from them.

First up are the Reivars are only a hundred points. With 10 Bolter Shots on drop, and 12 Bolter Attacks on Charge, or 1 Mediocre Heavy Bolter, 2 Bolter Shots and 16 Bolter Shots in melee, they can punished backfield MSU Anchors, and then win the following slapfight.

The Reivars leadership debuff ability when used versus Scout-teir Units (Scouts, Scions, anything with a 4+ Save base) or versus horde Units, enables to get another 2-3 Dead from battle shock. Combining that rule with Angel of Death gives -2 leadership debuff for minimal investment. That will threaten even leadership 8 models after 2-3 dead (an LD 8 Squad that lost 3 models and has -2 LD debuff, fails battleshock on a 4+). If you don't wish to force that, they are cheap enough, to be dropped midfield to act as combat support for Crusader and Intercessor Squads. Filling the saturation and support role.

Or if prefer more solo acting Reivars, the squad can act as flankers, with Carbines. The squad can move, advance and shoot. I.e they can kite. The ability to advance is important keep up with slingshotting melee Crusaders (a successful charge easily adds 6-8 inches between the Crusaders and their support elements). However for all this, they are best versus Scouts, Hordes and can fight Power Armor, what Reivars cannot do is take down 2+ Save Units like Terminators, lacking high damage and high AP Weaponry, while they can do appreciable scratches, by reducing 2+ saves to 3+, they won’t win with pistols. In general all Bully and Projection Units suffer vs Terminator for the same reason.

However, the versatility in Reivars is pressing the engagement, pistol or carbine they want to be constantly moving and constantly applying pressure. Lacking ranged AP with Carbine, they cannot engage in long term firefights, and lacking range with Pistols, they cannot exchange fire with more traditional firefight units. And like Intercessors, but even worse, tanks make a squad of Reivars really sad. Taken together, Reivars are one of the best examples of a ‘Flank’ Lines, able to project, bully and cheap to be taken in mass. However like Intercessors, how good they are depends on if you agree with the second half “Jack of All Trades Master of None, better than Master of One”.

Now the second style line, is the good old reliable Scout Squads. While flavorfully anti-Templar, the six edition codex, said some initiates would rarely allow their charges to act independently. That and I’d model the heavy and sargeants as initiates. Scouts are similar to Reivars, cheap versatile and able to fill a variety of roles.

Scouts also one of methods we have to deny turn 1 warp times, if we don’t manage to get first turn. And in filling the three roles of flank squads, are excellent at saturation and projection. Saturation wise they are cheap, a 10 Man Squad is only 110 Points. 10 Points more than Reivars and 20 Points cheaper than Full Tactical. However unlike Reivars, if they go shotgun (or even Bolter), they lose ability to effectively bully.

And it should be noted they have only a single heavy and special compared to Tactical-equivalent, 2 specials and single heavy when trying to firefighting. Heavy Bolters are cheap, and enable hellfire, but scouts would rather they be camping with snipers (for around 15 Points a Model!) or in midfield acting as denial. Here taking a small 7-8 Man Squad with shotgun and a heavy bolter, enables hellfire and threatens low Squad count Marines and even Units like Bikers and Plague Marines.

That squad is comparable in price and function to 5 man Intercessors with Power Sword. They lose a few wounds and 3+ save but gain the ability to forward deploy and immediately threaten the enemy in melee. You want Scouts to be able to threaten but not necessary lock the enemy while deny’ing board. The reason you don't want to lock the enemy, is slingshotting units, but also because if that scary terminator squad munching your scouts you cannot shoot them. While you can choose to flee, you'll be running back into your lines, risking having your Crusaders and Intercessors tripping over the fleeing scouts.

Which is why they cannot Bully, sense they start on board the enemy will know their location before turn one. That method deployments allows your enemy to avoid putting something near the unit that can be bullied by Scout Marines. Taken together, Scouts have reasonable range, appreciable melee and can secure a flank. They are similar to Reivars but they are actual operational perimeters are different.


They are primary units on flanks to gain early board prescence while soaking early wounds that would otherwise go at your traditional line Squads instead. And due to to their alternative deployment make bad Bully Units. Finally the last of three, Assault Marines.

Assault Marines are the worst of the flank line units. Not to say they are bad, but just have a weird position where they don’t really fit. A 7 Man with Triple Special is 130-140 Points. And if it wasn’t obvious you need larger squad for flank lines because they need to be able to take wounds. Its more so the other units are better, and other purpose of assault marines are being a line squad of chainbros for vanilla marines. The latter we obviously do not need because our Crusader squads do that already.

At 130-140 you are starting to price traditional line level points. A classic Crusader Line, 6-4, Double Special, and Heavy is gonna run 150-160. And once you get them without packs and in direct competition Crusaders outshine them even more. If you are simply going for deep striking shooting they is scary for similar cost and being to Deep Strike out of auspex comes Inceptors at similar points level.

That said Inceptors cannot Bully effectively because they are unable to charge effectively due to low wound and attack count. While Reivars lack the proper weaponry to bully high armor and Scouts cannot Bully because of their preferred setups. So if you want an all target bully unit. Assault Marines with Jump Packs are here for you.

Next and final week, I’ll be looking at Grey Hunters the other gold standard for line Squads and then Chaos Marines alongside Tactical Squads, to help demonstrate why Crusader Squads are amazing as they are.

​~~Schlitzaf~~

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Week 2:  Crusaders and Intercessors

3/14/2018

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Intercessors and Crusaders are the basic line Squads available to Black Templars. No weird deployment gimmicks, just some basic weaponry and squad configurations. And fill the niche of bulking up our army, for (relatively) cheap. Now as awesome as Crusaders are, hold your horses, I’ll be talking Intercessors first.

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Something Fun -- The BT Dreadnought Rush!

3/4/2018

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Hello everyone!  Every once in a while, you want to play games that give you supreme enjoyment in the game no matter how the list performs.  You play it for the rule of cool, rather than competitive prowess.  This is one of those lists, that takes competitive traits and puts it in a more casual list.  In this case, its an army many people have probably fantasized building.  Let's take a look at it.

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Line Squads

3/2/2018

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The Units I refer to as Line, which is short for frontline, are the ‘bulk’ Unit. They are what defines the army strategic game plan, even if they are supportive in the Tactical sense. Our great Chapter has access to 5 Line Squad; Crusader Squad, Intercessor Squad, Assault Marines, Reivers and Scout Marines. Okay we have 6, sense we also have access to Tacticals, but Crusaders are better most of the time.

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