# GK Purifier Build



## JD RICO 117 (Jan 13, 2012)

What's would you say is the best build for the GK Purifiers? I was thinking of 10 models; giving the kotf a hammer, 5 halberds and 4 psycannons with a razorback with tl psycannons. The psycannons and hammer move up in the razor and start blasting everything whilst the halberds move up ready for cc to ensue  any thoughts?


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## Ratvan (Jun 20, 2011)

I wouldn't give KoTF the hammer or Psycannon since if you fail a perils roll you lose the KoTF and any equipment they are carrying.

I like to run mine (when I play them) as 10 Man Squads with max psycannons in a Rhino so that I can pop psycannon shots off as the rhino moves with two of the cannons


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## Konsivar (Jun 21, 2012)

Id say epuipt your halberds with incinerators and your rhino group with psycannons (like your doing), assuming you combat squaded. You can then pop shots with the psycannons and when you Halberds hit CC they will have Incinerators to destroy larger portiosn of the enemy in CC.


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## CrimsonWalrus15 (Jun 30, 2012)

This is helping me, as I am starting up GKs with a purifier-centered list. As I'm going for more of an Invasion 600pt doubles list, I run mine as:
KotF w/ MC Falcions
2x Halberd
1x Sword
1x Hammer
Razorback w/ Assault Cannons & Psybolt ammunition.

Any suggestions as to how I can improve this?


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## coke123 (Sep 4, 2010)

JD RICO 117 said:


> What's would you say is the best build for the GK Purifiers? I was thinking of 10 models; giving the kotf a hammer, 5 halberds and 4 psycannons with a razorback with tl psycannons. The psycannons and hammer move up in the razor and start blasting everything whilst the halberds move up ready for cc to ensue  any thoughts?


It really depends on what you're trying to achieve, but the setup you have is the one you will most commonly see on the tabletop (although without the Razorback). The necessity of halberds is debatable, but if you have points to spare then I see no reason not to have them.

Also, EVERY 10-man squad in a GK army should have Psybolt Ammunition- it's just too good not to.



Ratvan said:


> I wouldn't give KoTF the hammer or Psycannon since if you fail a perils roll you lose the KoTF and any equipment they are carrying.


This is also correct- but mostly due to Challenges, not Perils. making it so that your hammer can't be challenged out is awesome, and doesn't cost you any attacks on a purifier unit.



Ratvan said:


> I like to run mine (when I play them) as 10 Man Squads with max psycannons in a Rhino so that I can pop psycannon shots off as the rhino moves with two of the cannons


This is also a good setup, but also needs psyammo.



Konsivar said:


> Id say epuipt your halberds with incinerators and your rhino group with psycannons (like your doing), assuming you combat squaded. You can then pop shots with the psycannons and when you Halberds hit CC they will have Incinerators to destroy larger portiosn of the enemy in CC.


I would basically only take Incinerators if I was putting them in a Stormraven, otherwise it should be psycannons all the way.



CrimsonWalrus15 said:


> This is helping me, as I am starting up GKs with a purifier-centered list. As I'm going for more of an Invasion 600pt doubles list, I run mine as:
> KotF w/ MC Falcions
> 2x Halberd
> 1x Sword
> ...


Basically:

Never take Falchions, they're horrendously overcosted.

Always take max psycannons- that's the real strength of purifiers- they get twice as many special weapons.

For an MSU squad, I'd take Kotf with Sword/Halberd, 2 guys with Sword/Halberd, 2 Psycannons, Razorback (either Heavy Bolter or Assault Cannon with Psyammo)


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## JelloSea (Apr 12, 2011)

4 power weapon attacks on the charge for 5 points is nothing to scoff at. Not to mention your psychic attack or hammerhand. You will beat pretty much any other unit in close combat with that. forgo the psycannons and buy psybolt ammo to get a squad that is a cc powerhouse. Add a lr for good luck.


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## Magpie_Oz (Jan 16, 2012)

JelloSea said:


> 4 power weapon attacks on the charge for 5 points is nothing to scoff at.


I've always thought that those extra attacks go a good way to offsetting the new AP3 of all the GK weapons.


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## JelloSea (Apr 12, 2011)

Because going first isn't a factor vs terminators lol. The only time I can think that it wouldn't work out that we'll is against a tac squad w a power sword. ... but just challenge the guy. Heck against things like orks or stealers you just shoot to thin.


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## coke123 (Sep 4, 2010)

JelloSea said:


> 4 power weapon attacks on the charge for 5 points is nothing to scoff at. Not to mention your psychic attack or hammerhand. You will beat pretty much any other unit in close combat with that. forgo the psycannons and buy psybolt ammo to get a squad that is a cc powerhouse. Add a lr for good luck.


Thing is, you still die like marines. It's actually incredibly inefficient, you pay an extra 20.83% in order to get an extra 50% of output *in close combat, a situation where you must inherently expose yourself to damage (because they other guys punch back), and you don't get any protection on your investment*. Also it means that you need to deliver them, meaning they either need to be exposed to fire, or you need to buy a transport for them, which means further investment. It's also incredibly easy to defeat this sort of strategy with bubble wrap strategies, and then once your awesome unit of doom has dealt with some piddly little IG infantry/kroot/Ork squad, they WILL die, and you'll have earned basically nothing for your massive expenditure. And for every guy that dies to shooting, that 50% extra output you gained becomes 0%.

Also, as soon as that unit hits something with 2+ saves, it's going to bounce. Alternatively, anything with decent toughness that's fast- a fair amount of CSM/Daemon stuff, Wolf Lords, hell, a single dreadnought basically ruins their day. So they're hardly a 'CC powerhouse'

Compare this with gearing them up for shooting, putting out 8-16 S7 rending shots per turn, from the very start, with minimal extra investment required (maybe psyammo and a rhino)? There's really not even a comparison.


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## JelloSea (Apr 12, 2011)

Unless you give them a land raider or storm raven. 18 power weapon attacks or 40?


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## Magpie_Oz (Jan 16, 2012)

JelloSea said:


> Compare this with gearing them up for shooting, putting out 8-16 S7 rending shots per turn, from the very start, with minimal extra investment required (maybe psyammo and a rhino)? There's really not even a comparison.


If they are geared up for shooting with minimal investment then your not losing anything by buffing their CC.


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## JelloSea (Apr 12, 2011)

335 points for a mobile shooty squad. As much as I like that your tying to make them cc also, another issue is you lose 4 power weapon bases.


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## Magpie_Oz (Jan 16, 2012)

JelloSea said:


> 335 points for a mobile shooty squad. As much as I like that your tying to make them cc also, another issue is you lose 4 power weapon bases.


Replacing 4 Force Weapons with 4 Psycannons is never a bad thing.

I always approach close combat as something you do to mop up what is left of a unit you have shot mostly to hell.


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## JelloSea (Apr 12, 2011)

Clensing flame never hurts


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## coke123 (Sep 4, 2010)

JelloSea said:


> Unless you give them a land raider or storm raven. 18 power weapon attacks or 40?


What does this cost you? Lemme answer that for you- Assuming the cheapest Land Raider- 550pts. If you take a barebones Stormraven (which is pretty weak) it's 505pts. Thats not a good deal. I'd much rather 8-16 Psycannons shots backed up by 12 Storm Bolter shots for like half that cost, and still have like 18 attacks to mop up with- btw, 18 attacks is generally more than enough.



Magpie_Oz said:


> If they are geared up for shooting with minimal investment then your not losing anything by buffing their CC.


Yes, you are. If the unit is shooting, and you have invested in their CC ability, then they are standing there with expensive mini-swords on their hips doing nothing whilst they blast away- when you could have invested in other threats, instead of putting points into something that is really doing nothing.



JelloSea said:


> 335 points for a mobile shooty squad. As much as I like that your tying to make them cc also, another issue is you lose 4 power weapon bases.


Read Below.



Magpie_Oz said:


> Replacing 4 Force Weapons with 4 Psycannons is never a bad thing.
> 
> I always approach close combat as something you do to mop up what is left of a unit you have shot mostly to hell.





JelloSea said:


> Clensing flame never hurts


Actually, it can. Ever rolled double 6s?


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## Magpie_Oz (Jan 16, 2012)

coke123 said:


> Yes, you are. If the unit is shooting, and you have invested in their CC ability, then they are standing there with expensive mini-swords on their hips doing nothing whilst they blast away- when you could have invested in other threats, instead of putting points into something that is really doing nothing.


You're saying they get good shooting cheaply so that means you can invest further into the squad to improve your CC chances without detracting from that.

If you buy 5 Falchions that's 25 points that net you 5 extra attacks (I usually give the Justicar a Staff) , which I think is not a totally useless investment. 

If I was anticipating lots of 2+ armour I'd be seriously considering this.


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## JelloSea (Apr 12, 2011)

Well my land raider just Blew up you rhino, your squad gets shot by 20 str 5 shots, a assualt cannon and lascannon, then gets charged with a 40 power weapon attacks


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## Magpie_Oz (Jan 16, 2012)

JelloSea said:


> Well my land raider just Blew up you rhino, your squad gets shot by 20 str 5 shots, a assualt cannon and lascannon, then gets charged with a 40 power weapon attacks


Maybe, but if you had 4 psycannon in the squad you wouldn't need the land raider to take out the Rhino.


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## JelloSea (Apr 12, 2011)

I could take out the rhino with str 5 bolters and 40 str 5 attacks. The point is to be able to assault the squad that just disembarked. Killing a rhino is easy. Putting a squad into cc with out getting shot at is harder.


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## coke123 (Sep 4, 2010)

Magpie_Oz said:


> You're saying they get good shooting cheaply so that means you can invest further into the squad to improve your CC chances without detracting from that.
> 
> If you buy 5 Falchions that's 25 points that net you 5 extra attacks (I usually give the Justicar a Staff) , which I think is not a totally useless investment.
> 
> If I was anticipating lots of 2+ armour I'd be seriously considering this.


I'm actually not saying that at all. I'm saying that their CC is already plenty good enough, that when combined with their shooting makes them pretty capable of taking on anything they want. There's no point investing further into their CC when it is already perfectly adequate, you're better off putting the points towards another threat- more models that you can use to affect the field. It's the same reason I generally don't advocate Death Cult Assassin squads of more than 5 members- any more than that is total overkill.

Also, you shouldn't be taking on 2+ armour save guys in combat- your torrent of fire should be enough to deal with them.



JelloSea said:


> Well my land raider just Blew up you rhino, your squad gets shot by 20 str 5 shots, a assualt cannon and lascannon, then gets charged with a 40 power weapon attacks


Well, it's actually far more likely that my Manticore kills your Land Raider before it becomes a problem, or that I hit it with suicide melta (Drop Pod armies just laugh at you) which pretty much kills you straight of the bat, leaving your Purifiers stranded and destined to die, but whatever, invent random scenarios that no-one actually postulated and pretend it counts as an argument, no probs.



Magpie_Oz said:


> Maybe, but if you had 4 psycannon in the squad you wouldn't need the land raider to take out the Rhino.


This man gets it.



JelloSea said:


> I could take out the rhino with str 5 bolters and 40 str 5 attacks. The point is to be able to assault the squad that just disembarked. Killing a rhino is easy. Putting a squad into cc with out getting shot at is harder.


So... You're using a 300pt CC deathstar to... kill a Rhino? You do get that once these things get out of their Land Raider, they will die? Any list that can't remove 10 MEq in a turn is probably going to lose anyways.

Also, putting a squad into CC without getting shot IS really hard- that's why it's such a dumb plan. 40k is a game of shooting, with CC always being secondary to it. Grey Knights are actually a shooting army, and so that should be your primary strategy- to shoot, shoot, shoot, and then mop up the reamins of your opponent with assaults. Gearing up units for CC is just silly, and is defeated by some really simple tactics.


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## JelloSea (Apr 12, 2011)

You don't really look at what I write do you? The key word was "could". I wouldnt try to cc a rhino unless I had to. The idea is to charge the squad the sane turn I blow up their transport. Also a 300 point shooting death start is just as vulnerable.


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## coke123 (Sep 4, 2010)

JelloSea said:


> You don't really look at what I write do you? The key word was "could". I wouldnt try to cc a rhino unless I had to. The idea is to charge the squad the sane turn I blow up their transport. Also a 300 point shooting death start is just as vulnerable.


Why would you suggest doing something that you would never do? I "could" go and take a shit on the kitchen table, but I'd never do it, and I wouldn't bother bringing it up, because it's a non issue. Sure, your unit can kill a Rhino in CC- but basically any 10 strong MEq unit can as well- not really seeing how this is a point in their favour.

Also, the shooting unit (it's not a death star, btw, and neither is your unit) isn't as vulnerable, since it can actually deliver it's payload without having to cross the field- It can hit your opponent from 24" away, and the opponent can't punch back, as they can in CC. Also, the output is higher. Also, it doesn't require a 250pt vehicle in order to deploy it- at most they need a Rhino, and even then simply being on foot is fine. The shooting unit isn't defeated by a bubble wrap/blocking unit, since they can simply shoot through it- the CC unit can't do this.


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