# Triarch Praetorian viability(Also Lychguard rock)



## SoulGazer (Jun 14, 2009)

Ok, so I've played a 2000 pt. game so far with the new Crons and I've got a comment and a question.

Firstly, Lychguard(Lolguard) with shields are excellent! First enemy shot of the game saw a reflected lascannon shot wreck an enemy Hellhound that was much too close. After that a squad of infantry and a unit of mortars(Ghostwalk mantle ftw!) were killed simply by reflected shots. This ability is amazing and incredibly useful. I'd recommend keeping a Rez Orb with these guys at all times, they're just that valuable.

Now for the question: I can't for the life of me figure out how to use Triarch Praetorians for anything that doesn't involve getting them all killed! Their I2 just kills it. Even if they get into combat they're gonna attack last, and those Voidblades aren't gonna get many chances to hit. The only thing I can think of is to have some Wraiths trail them at all times. Their whips will reduce enemy I to 1, then the Praetorians will get in some good hits. But is it worth taking Wraiths just to babysit them? These things are really cool looking and I'd love to take them, but so far they seem like more of a liability with low I, one attack, and no Invul save.

What do you guys think?


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## mcmuffin (Mar 1, 2009)

Lychguard are very useful alright, i managed to eliminate 15 grey hunters before losing a model. Reflected 3 long fang missiles which popped a dread that was moving in for the charge. 

Triarch praetorians fail horribly. they got wasted by a unit of long fangs in close combat. With one attack each at I2, they suck beyond belief. Shame, because the models are nice.


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## MidnightSun (Feb 10, 2009)

So Praetorians are the new Pariahs?

What's the Lychguard reflect ability, a 4+ you-fire-opponents-weapon thing, or an all-shots-hit-random-nearby-unit kind of power? Whatever it is, it sounds mean, but how do they do in an assault? If they're I2, T5, 1 Attack models (Which is what I'm guessing) they don't sound too scary - a bummer to kill, and a nightmare to remove with shooting, but suffering from the same fault as the old Monoltih - damn hard to kill, but apart from that there's little else to the unit.

Midnight


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## mcmuffin (Mar 1, 2009)

Lychguard have 2 attacks base. The shields allow them to reflect fire from passed invul saves at units within 6", making them quite useful as one of those "think twice before firing 15 missiles at them" units. They are MEQ killers, its what they do best, because they can weather attacks from regular sm or assault squads if the lychies get the charge, then dish out the pain by hitting on 4s wounding on 3s with no armour allowed. They are a good unit for taking out tactical squads, devastators and any unit that isnt dedicated CC. Counter assault/ taking down poor assault units is what they are useful for.


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## paolodistruggiuova (Feb 24, 2010)

this is copypasted from another thread i was talking about praetorians

Quote:
Originally Posted by N0rdicNinja 
The feeling I get from them is they're intended to be a charge unit, as in they need the charge to be worth their points. They basically get an "Always Strike First" S5 attack on the way in that will always hit on a 3 and ignore armor. Then they charge in and the ones that survive (T5 3+ will certainly help) get 2 S5 power weapon attacks back. Like you they're still low on my list of must haves, but I can see their usefulness.


answer:
so if they charge they have 3 str5 power weapons attacks, 1 at I10 (and could potentially stop them from chargeing if the opponent removes the nearest models, oh and it could give cover saves) and 2 at I2, they have T5 and 3+ armour... lets have them charge a tactical squad with a powerfist without cover, they score 2 dead from firing, they take half a dead from the regular marines, lets say 0 deads, then they kill 3 more at I2 and suffer 1 wound from the PF, they win by 2, and we have 4 praetorians fighting 5 marines, then each subsequent combat round each side inflict 1 wound on the other tieing the combat for 3/4 round till the Power fist sarge or 1 Praetorian stand alone.

so your 200points melee ASSAULT unit cant beat in assault a 200pt tactical unit who can shoot the hell out of them anytime and could wipe them out if they get the charge...no definitely i cant see the usefulness your talking about sorry 

oh and the calculation favour the praetorians in both rounding up/down and scenery (no shooting from the marines, no terrains)

edit: I forgot the praetorians have reanimation protocols so out of 5 deads over 3 rounds of combat they regenerate 2, lets say they kill the tactical in 3 rounds with 2 survivors (kinda unlikely but hey, i desperately want to make them look good!) they won a 200 vs 200 pts against a tactical squad, and we all know how tacticals arent exactly the best troop choice of WH40k, also if we give the tactical (with 1 melta and 1 ML for the 200points) 1 round of shooting they kill 3 praetorians (2 after ''WBB'') and win combat easily....oh well i cant make them look good after all :S


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## khrone forever (Dec 13, 2010)

[email protected] the point of them that i see is that they will skrew up your plans as they march forward implacibaly, absorbing most firepower and reflecing it back in some cases.

i think that your combat calculation is a bit off....mainly the marines should get to shoot because it would kill some of their own, now take in the melta and multimelta, ......

also you would only put them with a lord/cryptek with a res orb, so 1/2 get back up

its looking better now isnt it


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## Tim/Steve (Jan 25, 2009)

I want to take a unit of praetorians with casters and void blades... but I think of them more as anti-tank that can take on lesser-combat units if I want them to. T5 3+ should save them from most things... but they can't take o anything too nasty. I certainly wouldn't use them with rods of covenant... assault units with 1A basic is just too rubbish in my view (at least with void blades you have 2 basic).

Mostly I see them competing for space with my wraiths.. which have the leg up of me already having a whole load of them. Don't know what I'll take... but I do love entropic strike..


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## paolodistruggiuova (Feb 24, 2010)

khrone forever said:


> [email protected] the point of them that i see is that they will skrew up your plans as they march forward implacibaly, absorbing most firepower and reflecing it back in some cases.
> 
> i think that your combat calculation is a bit off....mainly the marines should get to shoot because it would kill some of their own, now take in the melta and multimelta, ......
> 
> ...


you are talking about the lychguard with dispersion shield (2 base str5 power attacks and 2+/4++) and you are right

i am talking about the praetorians with rods of covenants (1 base attack + 1str 5 ap1 6'' range shot + 3+ armour) and they suck 

the lychguard with the lord is a good unit imho, the praetorians with a destroyer lord (they are jump infantry) it's an overcosted and fragile non-threat


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## khrone forever (Dec 13, 2010)

sorry, epic fail on my behalf :headbutt::headbutt:


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## Stephen_Newman (Jul 14, 2009)

Lychguard with shields are easy to counter. Simply DON'T use low AP weapons when your own units are within 6 inches. Then they have to use the armour save (or risk having a worse save just to get the chance to deflect the odd bullet).


As for Praetorians I aim to use their speed as a rapid response unit (I plan to have a teleporting Lord thanks to Veil of Darkness) for when the Lord might get into trouble.


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## Tim/Steve (Jan 25, 2009)

Lychguard don't have 2+/4++, they only have 3+ armour. And if you shoot them with non-AP3 (or better) guns then they MUST use their armour save: you must always use the best save available to you, even when theis is not the best way to save a wound (eg 4+ cover with 5+ armour... but forced to reroll cover saves: better to take armour, but you can't choose not to use the cover save).


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