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Assassins in the Black Templars Army

9/28/2014

10 Comments

 
Hello everyone!  Today we're going to look at a data slate that isn't officially a part of our codex, but fits in exceptionally well -- Codex: Officio Assassinorum.  These are independent operatives that compliment our forces nicely.  The Vindicare Assassin, the master sniper.  The Callidus Assassin, the infiltration and manipulation specialist.  The Culexus Assassin is the bane of psykers.  And finally, the Eversor Assassin is a close combat monster.  All potentially have a place in our forces, but there is a specific one I wish to speak on.  The Culexus Assassin.

Why the Culexus Assassin over their brethren?  Because of its abilities against the growing threat that is psykers.  While our forces have the Adamantium Will special rule, which gives us a 5+ Deny the Witch save, it isn't nearly enough.  Nor does it affect blessings.  That is where the Culexus Assassin comes in.  This model can destroy psyker armies by himself.  But how does it accomplish that mission?

The first, and most important, special rule is Psychic Abomination.  This rule is essentially a 12" bubble surrounding the miniature that lowers the leadership of all psykers (friend and foe) by 3.  In addition, no warp charges can be generated from those units and they can only utilize charges on a roll of a 6.  Awesome right?  It would be if that was all it did.  But alas, there is more!  It also gives the assassin complete immunity to psychic powers.  This is huge, as it greatly increases the durability of the assassin.  That has to be it, right?  NO!  One more thing...!  If the assassin moves within 12" of any unit affected by a psychic power (i.e. blessing, malediction), it ceases to exist.  Invisibility?  Gone!  Doom?  Gone!  Prescience?  Gone!  This special rule is simply amazing.

What else do we have to play with? 
In terms of durability, we have a few things outside of Psychic Abomination.  Etherium is like having your own personal permanent Invisibility spell that never ends, forcing everything targeting the assassin to resolve their hits at BS/WS 1.  You also have the assassin standard Lightning Reflexes, which gives you a 4+ invulnerable save.  We also have Fear/Fearless, though the former is a little redundant due to Etherium.  It also has T4, 3 wounds, and I7.

Offensively, the Culexus Assassin is no slouch either.  With WS8/BS8, Str 4, and 4 attacks...it has a sexy offensive statline.  It has Preferred Enemy (Psykers), as well as the rule Life Drain.  This prevents any armor saves from being taken from any close combat wounds caused by the assassin.  In addition, on rolls of a 6 to wound, it causes instant death.  Against psykers, all close combat wounds cause instant death.  Combo that with No Escape (-2 to "Look out sir!) and you'll be happily killing characters by the droves.  The main ranged weapon you'll be using is the Animus Speculum.  This weapon has a unique "restriction" that powers its shots with psykers within 12", plus up to 3 warp charges from your pool (which we won't have as BT).  Unfortunately, this weapon won't be much help against armies without psykers, as you won't have anyway to power it.  However, if you are facing them, you can potentially have a large quantity of Str 5 AP1 shots into your opponent.  This can be devastating to your opponent.  There is also Psyk-Out grenades for funsies.

With the inherent durability of the assassin, plus Infiltrate and Move Through Cover, this unit can be where-ever you want it and can live long enough to do the damage it needs to. 
All in a 140 point package.  I don't know about you, but with as many psykers that are out there nowadays, this will be in EVERY army I make from now on.  If you combine the assassin with a Techmarine's (i.e. Thunderfire Cannon) Bolster Defenses, you'll also get a 3+ cover save to go with your 4+ invulnerable save.  ;)

Thoughts?  Think there is a better place to put your 140 points?
10 Comments
Alex
9/30/2014 06:16:00 am

Hey Laeroth, i just purchased one for myself. Is there an armor save on this guy or is it just the 4+ inv. Also would you run him even if they don't have psykers in their army. How many shots can he do per turn if there isn't any psykers nearby ?

Btw keep up the good work man!!

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Marshal Laeroth (Admin) link
10/1/2014 08:36:59 am

Nope, just the 4+ invulnerable save from what I can tell from the dataslate.

I tend not to tailor my lists for specific opponents, so the answer to your question is that he would be taken even if my opponent doesn't have psykers. As for the Animus Speculum...if there are no any psykers nearby, then you would get no shots, as we don't generate any warp charges in a pure BT list. But that's okay. The armies with psykers are far from a rarity. Even without the extra bonuses, he's still a beast in CC against anything. ;)

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Alex
10/1/2014 08:59:49 pm

Does it charge with things like hive tyrants and daemons nearby ?

Also if he is in CC does the stealth still activate or do they still attack you at WS1, not that it matters because of his WS8 right ? haha

Basically I have just started a League with some of my good friends after we have all been out the game a while so they'll know that I might run him against them. I have a friend that plays chaos, with sorc obvs, and another guy that plays tyranids. So i can put him in my army and then when we hit the table see that they have taken their psykers out and kind of be a bit like....oh....ok.

Or I can just think well i mean I payed 140 and instead of having a chance to kill their psykers i just forced them not to play any through fear...yes! :)

essentially If he is worth it without Psyker presence then ill just keep him in my army.

Although it is a choice between him + stormtalon or devastator centurions. I mean vs imperial guard, i'd rather take the centurions.

Thoughts ?

Marshal Laeroth (Admin) link
10/3/2014 04:06:04 pm

A large chunk of Nids are psykers, as are a bunch of the daemons (but not all). So to answer your question: Most of the time, yes, you'd get shots from being nearby to those units.

Etherium gives any opponent targeting the assassin WS1/BS1. It never ends, no matter where the assassin is. Including close combat.

Most of the time, the Culexus is a very good choice for an army. Especially when you combo it with Stormtalons. Against IG, Centurions would probably be better, but again, I don't tailor my lists. The Assassin/Stormtalon is better against the larger variety of opponents.

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greggles link
10/6/2014 02:20:53 am

They are terrifying. They rip nids to shreds. Remember they instant death from hitting a psyker in CC. Guess what's an HQ choice and a psyker in the nid codex? Hive tyrants. Also tervigons.

They are terrifyingly powerful models. Everything in your opponents army will target it non stop if they have psykers. It will just shut down some opponents and render their battle plans mute.

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Alex
10/7/2014 04:58:45 am

Does he still have the Soulless special rule btw ?

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erik åhman
10/31/2014 01:54:14 pm

Hi , Both Culexus and Eversor seems like beasts :) Are you going to make a list here to show what fun a list can be ?

Reply
Joel
1/11/2015 06:47:04 am

Am I the only one still coming here to check for updates?

Reply
Pat
1/12/2015 03:41:52 am

Nope!

Reply
Marshal Laeroth (Admin) link
1/12/2015 04:26:05 am

Good news! My traveling for work is done on the 16th, so I'll be back home and not running all over the place. Which means more time! I have a lot of games to get in over the next 7 months, because Nova Open is a for sure. I'll almost certainly be attending the Dark Star GT in Minnesota. So I need to get a lot of playtesting done. The meta has changed yet again, so if I'm going to make informed posts...games need to happen. ;)

In the meantime, is there a particular topic you'd like to be talked about?

Reply



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