Grey Knights - Special Rules

Wow, been a little while since I updated this.

Here's an introduction to Grey Knights and their rules. HQ units will be covered after this introduction. As this is the Grey Knights codex, I'll save the Inquisition and its allies for later. That means only Space Marine badness. On to the rules!

Brotherhood of Psykers
This is the realization that the Grey Knights are psykers at some level. This means a squad of GK counts as a psyker, using the leadership of the squad leader, if possible. This is important because if the squad leader is gone, that doesn't mean the squad loses its psychic ability.

Psyker Mastery Levels
This feels like it was lifted right out of either Lord of the Rings or Warhammer Fantasy Battle. Whatever level you are equals the number of psychic powers used per turn. I don't know if it was really necessary, but it may give people an idea of where 6th Edition might be headed. At first glance, it doesn't appear broken, with a GK Librarian upgradeable to Level 3.

Psychic Pilot
Again, this might be where 6th Edition is headed. Level 1 psyker with leadership 10 for psychic tests and hoods. Perils are glancing hits. This means that the GK vehicles, including dreadnoughts, are bubbles of effect on the battlefield. This makes sense since drivers and undead heroes are all psykers.

Preferred Enemy: Daemons; Need I say more?

And They Shall Know No Fear
GK are Space Marines, and those rules haven't changed. One little note for it is that non-marine units benefit from it as long as a GK is apart of the unit. This may have been designed for a Techmarine with servitors, but the wording of this rule may mean that the GK are inspirational (like a big Commissar) to non-marine squads.

Combat Squads; same as Space Marines.

The Aegis
In the previous version, this was a shrouding-type affect. This version of Knights have the baroque armor act as a low-powered version of the psychic hood. A leadership penalty will be taken if the GK is targeted. Not so if the power doesn't specifically target a GK or his unit.

Now that's all the special rules. It does make the Grey Knights more akin to the Codex Space Marines with only a couple of special rules. They are also all psykers. The ruleset isn't the greatest to represent other psyker heavy fluff armies, like the Imperial Thousand Sons or Blood Ravens. This is made tougher with the psychic powers available to the GK.

Hammerhand
Standard issue power for the GK. A pip bonus to strength, but usually at the expense of NFW instant kill. The bonus occurs before any other strength modifiers.

Dark Excommunication
In the Assault phase, GK in base contact can strip Chaos gifts before anyone strikes. Very specific to their favored enemy.

Might of Titan
Here's an ability to add on to Hammerhand, and to make the unit that's been buffed by this power to be a threat to vehicles.

Quicksilver
A unit buff to top out the initiative to 10.

Sanctuary
This power gives a unit another round of shooting, on average. It shields a unit from assault by making it difficult and dangerous to get close.

The Shrouding
This gives a unit the Stealth USR.

Smite
Lightning bolts that'll take down termies half the time.

The Summoning
Drop pod mobility for a non-vehicle unit on the table near the Librarian. Could almost be better than what Interceptor Squads can do.

Vortex of Doom
Just like the Codex Space Marine version. Just don't miss.

Warp Rift
Here's a template power that slow troops like Tau and Guard will dislike. Take an initiative test and if you fail, fall into the warp. If you're a vehicle, take a penetrating hit.

Fortitude
Here's a vehicle psychic power. Essentially, a successful test results in nullifying any of the crew effects before moving.

This covers all the special rules and psychic powers that you would use or encounter with Grey Knights. In short, they are still Space Marines. Many of their powers are identical to their codex versions. However, the other abilities are to encourage mobility for the Knights, and to allow the Knights to thin out the opposition before getting into close combat. Once there, their Hammerhand power will reduce opponents quickly. It feels that the Grey Knights are consistent with their previous versions and it has a couple of nice little twists to give it a chance at last stands and at arriving just in the nick of time for dramatic endings.

Next up: HQ units (Honest)